Dr. Harry L. Williams

Dr. Harry L. Williams is president and chief executive officer of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the leading organization exclusively representing America’s public HBCUs, historically Black community colleges, and predominantly Black institutions. A first-generation college student from Greenville, North Carolina, he came to Appalachian State University on a track scholarship and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees there before completing an Ed.D. at East Tennessee State University. He began his career in Appalachian’s admissions office, later served in the University of North Carolina system and at North Carolina A&T State University, and built a national practice in enrollment management.

Williams became the 10th president of Delaware State University, serving until 2018. Under his leadership enrollment grew, research capacity expanded, and the campus secured major public-private investments. In 2017 TMCF named him president and CEO while he was still a sitting HBCU president—the first time the organization had done so. He took office in 2018 and has since grown membership, invited historically Black community colleges into the network, and built partnerships with companies including Boeing, Medtronic, Visa, Ally Financial, and Hennessy USA.

Delaware State later named him president emeritus. He remains a national voice for HBCU funding, student access, and the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act. He is a 2026 National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Chairman’s Award honoree.

• Went from first-generation student to national HBCU advocate. Williams came to Appalachian State University from Greenville, North Carolina, on a track scholarship, earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees there, completed an Ed.D. at East Tennessee State University, and began his career in Appalachian’s admissions office.
• Served as the 10th president of Delaware State University. During his tenure through 2018, enrollment grew from about 3,819 to 4,560 students, research capacity expanded, and the campus secured major public-private investments. Delaware State later named him president emeritus.
• Became president and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. TMCF named him to the post in 2017 while he was still a sitting HBCU president—the first time the organization had done so—and he took office in 2018. TMCF is the leading organization exclusively representing America’s public HBCUs, historically Black community colleges, and predominantly Black institutions.
• Grew TMCF’s membership and corporate partnerships. He invited historically Black community colleges into the network and built partnerships with companies including Boeing, Medtronic, Visa, Ally Financial, and Hennessy USA.
• Champions federal investment in public HBCUs. He remains a national voice for student access and for the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act, drawing on earlier work in the University of North Carolina system and at North Carolina A&T State University.