Justin Williams has been hired at Southwestern College as the director for international student services and the residence director for Wallingford Hall.

Dan Falk, associate vice president for student life and dean of students, says that Williams will be in charge of international student programming and helping students adjust to life at SC and in the United States. He will also be the liaison with the host family program and will serve as an immigration regulations advisor for the students.

Williams, a 2011 graduate of Southwestern College, plans on being involved in every aspect of the international students’ lives at SC. He will be creating programs for them on campus, taking care of insurance, and making sure their visas are up to date, Williams says. 

“My main goal is to focus on relationships,” Williams says. “As a teacher, I was big on building relationships with my students. I want and hope that they will love this community and this college like I do. I want them to experience all that they can while they are here. I want them to gain that cultural experience.”

Williams hopes area families will want to get involved and become hosts for the international students. 

“There are so many benefits for both the host family and the student,” Williams says. “The host family gets an opportunity to experience a different culture. For the kids, they are thousands of miles from home and it is so important for them to know they have a family here in Winfield that they can visit with or escape the college life for a little while. I wasn’t an international student and I struggled my first semester here because I felt a bit alone. By my junior year, I met a friend, Tanner Seidel from Arkansas City, and I started going to some of their family events and became really close to them. I called them my foster parents. That really helped me once I had that foundation. I think the host family program is one of the most important programs for our campus and for our international students.”

Prior to coming to Southwestern, Williams taught fourth grade at Cooper Elementary in Derby for three years, then taught sixth graders at the sixth grade center. He also coached eighth-grade middle school basketball. 

When the chance for Williams came up to return to Southwestern, he didn’t hesitate.

“I always wanted to come back to Southwestern if the opportunity came around and when this came up, I spoke with Dawn (Pleas-Bailey) and interviewed with Dan (Falk) and here I am,” Williams says. “I feel like Winfield is my second home. I am still a Texas boy at heart but I love Winfield and I love Southwestern.”

Anyone interested in becoming a host family is encouraged to contact Williams at (620) 262-5412.