Timothy Williams first came to the md传媒国产剧 College School of Social Work two decades ago, earning his master鈥檚 degree from BCSSW in 2006. Photo by Chris Soldt for md传媒国产剧 College.
Timothy Williams was promoted from part-time faculty member to assistant professor of global social work practice earlier this summer, marking the culmination of a full-circle journey that reflects his passion for teaching and his deep commitment to improving the lives of children and families around the world.
He first came to the md传媒国产剧 College School of Social Work two decades ago, earning his master鈥檚 degree from BCSSW in 2006. Years later, he returned to the School as a part-time faculty member, spending nearly a decade teaching Global Child Protection from fall 2015 through spring 2023. Now, in his new role, he鈥檚 turning his focus to strengthening the global practice curriculum, expanding field placements, and training students to tackle the complex social issues affecting the health and well-being of kids and caregivers worldwide.
鈥淚鈥檝e always felt connected to the University through my studies and teaching,鈥� says Williams. 鈥淚nvesting in the School has been something I鈥檝e been committed to, and this just feels like a real gift to be able to give back in this capacity.鈥�
His teaching philosophy is rooted in creating an 鈥渋nteractive and dynamic鈥� classroom environment, he says, one that encourages students to challenge their assumptions and explore new ideas.听
He often draws on his 15 years of experience in global social work鈥攈e鈥檚 served as a consultant for UNICEF, Save the Children, and the International Organization for Migration鈥攖o bring real-world context to his teaching.听
And his courses are structured around active learning, with a mix of case studies, group work, and real-world examples that bridge the gap between theory and practice.听
At the heart of his philosophy is a commitment to making sure that his students are seen, heard, and valued throughout their academic journeys鈥攖hat their professional ambitions are actively supported and nurtured.听
His dedication to his students earned him BC鈥檚 2022 Illumination Award, which recognized his impact on their vocational discernment and dedication to service.
鈥淪eeing students through from the beginning of their studies to the end is something that will be pretty meaningful now that I鈥檓 a full-time faculty member,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 consider them to be thought partners and I enjoy thinking through their ideas, dreams, and aspirations while linking their goals to what I鈥檓 teaching in the classroom.鈥�
After he settles into his new role at BCSSW, Williams plans to consult students, faculty, staff, and alumni to develop a stronger understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the global practice program.
The program鈥攐ne of six academic pathways at BCSSW that include specialized coursework and field placements鈥攖rains future practitioners to make a lasting impact in global social work, humanitarian aid, and international development, giving them the skills to design program for refugees, counsel survivors of gender-based violence, conduct research on migration policies, and more.听
One of the ways in which Williams hopes to strengthen the curriculum is by leveraging his professional network. He鈥檚 authored or co-authored more than 70 academic articles, reports, and book chapters, with his work appearing in The Washington Post, The New England Journal of Medicine, and Comparative Education Review, among other publications.听
“I鈥檝e always felt connected to the University through my studies and teaching. Investing in the School has been something I鈥檝e been committed to, and this just feels like a real gift to be able to give back in this capacity.”
His research鈥攑articularly on child protection, education policy, and global health鈥攈as informed organizations such as The Brookings Institution, The World Bank, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, for whom he authored a 2023 report on how urban warfare affects children.
鈥淚 think I have some capital there when it comes to thinking about global practice and how to improve it,鈥� he says. 鈥淧erhaps there are stronger links we can make to these groups that can advise us on how global social work could be better positioned.鈥�
Williams counts a trip he took to Uganda as a student at BCSSW as one of the most influential experiences of his early career, shaping his professional path and deepening his commitment to global social work.听
But it wasn鈥檛 until after he earned his MSW that his interest in international social work in general鈥攁nd his focus on the well-being of children and families in particular鈥攔eally took off. It was then that he became the first research assistant for Theresa Betancourt, the Salem Professor in Global Practice, who was working at the Harvard School of Public Health at the time.听
He was drawn to Betancourt鈥檚 work as founding director of the Research Program on Children and Adversity, which develops programs to improve the mental health of children and families in Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and the United States who have been displaced from their homes, traumatized by war, or affected by HIV.
鈥淚 think that experience planted the seed that children have particular sets of needs and rights that need to be met,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey deserve extra attention,鈥� he adds, 鈥渂ut they also have autonomy and they should be given the dignity to be consulted in matters of importance to them.鈥�
Williams is currently finishing a book on education policy in Rwanda that draws on his research from his doctoral and postdoctoral days. In particular, he鈥檚 exploring the difference between how policy is experienced by children on the ground and how it鈥檚 shaped by institutions and governments.
鈥淚 spent a year and a half in a rural village in Rwanda, going to school with children, trying to understand the challenges they were facing,鈥� he says, describing the focus of the book. 鈥淚t was about connecting their day-to-day experiences with broader policy decisions.鈥�
Williams brings a rare interdisciplinary perspective to his research and teaching. He holds a doctoral degree in international development from the University of Bath; a master鈥檚 degree in public health from Harvard; and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in sociology from George Fox University. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and served as an honorary research fellow at the University of Manchester.
Now he hopes to harness the power of his wide-ranging academic expertise to shape the next generation of social work practitioners.听
鈥淚 think the variety of my academic experiences enables me to expose students to new ways of thinking,鈥� says Williams, 鈥渁nd will ultimately make them more well-rounded global social workers.鈥�
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