Q & A: LEN WILLIAMSON
Meet the Dean LEN WILLIAMSON '09 TAKES ON A NEW LEADERSHIP ROLE AT PINGREE
How have your experiences as an athlete impacted your methodology as an educator?
I’ve learned from playing hoops just how impactful it can be when a leader takes on tasks that are seen as less desirable. Like picking up cups under the bench after a game or grabbing the practice balls and putting them away. When you lead by example, people will follow. And it’s not about hierarchy, because ultimately, we are all on the same team. What was it like transitioning from playing basketball full-time overseas to working at Pingree?
It was a roller coaster and there were a lot of ups and downs. But those were character building moments. And to be honest, when I was abroad there was still a part of me that wasn’t completely fulfilled. I didn’t feel like I was contributing that much in the bigger scheme of things. I wanted to make a more significant impact with my profession, and I’ve found that now. There’s no other job in the world that I’d rather be doing. What kind of relationship do you hope to foster with the student body?
I want to connect with every single student, regardless of what their interests and talents may be. I think people tend to put me in the “athlete” category and I want to debunk that. I hope every student can say hi to me in the hallways and know that I recognize and appreciate who they are and what they do at this school. Why Pingree?
It sounds cliche, but students can be whoever they want to be here. Anyone can join the community and find a way to pursue the things that interest them, and there will always be other people around to support and encourage them. The value for me as a student here was being surrounded by brilliant peers in the classroom.
“I want to connect with every single student, regardless of what their interests and talents may be.”
Dean of Students Len Williamson graduated from Pingree in 2009 before going on to Amherst College where he captained a National Championship winning basketball team. After Amherst, Williamson spent time playing and coaching professional basketball overseas in Luxembourg and Kuwait. He joined the Pingree community as a coach, history teacher, and admission associate in 2014 and was appointed dean of students in 2016.
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Pingree
FALL 2016 | WINTER 2017