Alumni Torri Williams has joined ABAC’s Student Success Department as a new academic support counselor. An alum of the school, the Sylvester native graduated from ABAC in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business.
After graduation, she went on to become a social media manager for Irwinomics, a marketing agency based in Ocilla, Georgia. She was also employed by the local Professional Court Services as an intake officer.
Williams’s return to ABAC was motivated by the multiple positive experiences she had as a student. She worked her way up to a variety of leadership roles across campus.
Those roles included being a part of the Student Government Association (SGA) as a senator for the Stafford School of Business; a community assistant (CA) at Lakeside; liaison for Stallion Society; treasurer for Individuals Making Progress Achieving Change Together (IMPACT); advertising manager for the Stallion newspaper; vice president of Marketing of marketing for Women in Business club; and vice president of the school’s former Gaming Club.
She was also an active member of the Sigma Ghama Rho sorority, Cultura LatinX Club (CLC), Residence Housing Association (RHA), and Active Minds. With an extensive music background, Williams also served ABAC’s Concert Band and Jazz Ensemble as a trombonist and a mezzo-soprano for the chamber and concert choirs.
As a student, Williams once considered herself shy until joining clubs and engaging with professors who motivated her to expand her horizons. She remembers Dr. Elad, Dean of the Stafford School of Business, persuading her to get more involved, which led her to begin networking across campus and in the local business community.
Having opportunities to go on academic driven trips such as the Georgia Sociological Association (GSA) and the National Youth Advocacy Resilience (NYAR) conferences also helped broaden her perspectives on the needs of young people, especially regarding education in rural areas.
“When I saw that this position was open, I knew this was something I would love to do, especially as someone who took on leadership roles and learned so much as a student. I feel as if this position is meant for me, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity,” Williams said.
Williams’s role as an academic support counselor is centered around encouraging student success. Students can come to her for information about different majors offered by the school, campus and club resources, and as one-on-one academic advice and success planning. She aims to help students push towards their academic and personal goals as she believes they go hand in hand.
Williams is looking forward to establishing a safe place in her office that will motivate students to take control of their time as Stallions no matter where they are in their academic journeys.
Having recently graduated, she is confident that she will relate to her students since she understands many of their struggles. From gaining experience as a business student, she will utilize what she learned in the classrooms and workforce to help create a positive and productive environment for anyone who visits her office.
Excited for her first semester, she also aims to help co-advise a club and use her digital marketing expertise to benefit the school’s social media pages in the future.
Aside from her work as an academic support counselor, Williams continues to serve her community through volunteer work with Grad Kappa Psi Sigma (Sigma Gamma Rho alumnae chapter), advocating for mental health awareness, and promoting diversity at ABAC. In her free time, she enjoys working on art, being in nature, and furthering her music skills.
To schedule an appointment with Williams, contact the academic support center through their email at ASC@abac.edu or by calling 229-391-4995. Williams is also available directly through her school email at torri.williams@abac.edu.