(March 18, 2014)

Associated Colleges of the South names next president

SHREVEPORT, LA — The Associated College of the South, a distinguished 16-member consortium of national liberal arts colleges including Centenary College of Louisiana, has named its next president, Dr. R. Owen Williams. Williams will begin his term as President July 1, becoming only the second president to lead in the history of the ACS.

"Dr. Williams brings a unique blend of business acumen and academic experience to this new role," said Centenary President David Rowe. "I am looking forward to his vision and leadership in the ACS, pushing the liberal arts to the forefront of national discussions on education."

The president of the ACS works in collaboration with a council of academic deans to initiate and support ongoing programs of the consortium. Commenting on his new appointment, Williams said, "The coming years promise exciting innovation in higher education and the Associated Colleges of the South are poised to lead that effort. I am incredibly honored to work with these 16 exceptional liberal arts colleges."

Williams has served as President of Transylvania University since 2010. He studied history and law at Yale University, earning a doctorate in American history and a M.A. in law. Williams also holds an M.A. in intellectual history from Cambridge University and an A.B. in philosophy from Dartmouth College.

One of the leading consortia in higher education, the Associated Colleges of the South is a distinctive consortium of outstanding institutions committed to becoming even stronger through collaboration. Member institutions include Centenary College of Louisiana, Hendrix College, Millsaps College, Sewanee: The University of the South, Spelman College, Trinity University, and Washington and Lee University.