‘In the right place’: Daughter of Durham Tech alumni, Shaundria Williams comes home as Director of Human Resources and Talent Management

Shaundria Williams described herself as an inquisitive, outgoing, and nerdy kid. Growing up in Oxford, North Carolina, she loved science and aspired to be a doctor. When she started college at East Carolina University, she majored in Pre-Med/Biology, but later realized she was living out other people’s dreams and not her own.

“I was a smart kid and everyone told me I should be a doctor so I spent the majority of my formative years in the direction of being a doctor,” she said. “I felt pressure from others to go that route, but I never really thought about what I wanted to do.”

She decided to end her medical doctor pursuit and changed her major to Communication with a concentration in Public Relations before a temporary job after college led her to Human Resources.

She’s never looked back. Williams joined Durham Tech as the Director of Human Resources and Talent Management in November 2021.

“I love helping people and I’m proud to be able to talk to all kinds of people. That is a gift that I treasure and is needed in human resources. I am able to understand topics so richly that I can give it to different people the way they need it. My job is to keep talking until I see the light bulb go off,” she said.

While serving at the University of North Carolina as a departmental Human Resources Manager, she earned a Masters in Public Administration from North Carolina Central University, and then looked for directorship roles in human resources. Finding none in the state, she applied for a position in Wyoming. Within weeks, she moved across the country to work at Western Wyoming Community College as their Director of Human Resources.

After 18 months, she was ready to be back home and closer to family, so she moved back to North Carolina and took a job at Piedmont Community College as their Director of Human Resources. She followed that with two years at North Carolina Central University before taking the director position at Durham Tech.

“Every pivotal moment in my career when I was looking for jobs, I always looked at Durham Tech first, which is why it’s so special to be sitting here right now,” she said. “I’m so excited to be here and about the work that needs to be done. I really feel like I’m in the right place. I want to be a pixel in the light that shines here. I want to add to the flow of the culture shift and changes in social equity.”

Williams’ parents are both alumni of Durham Tech so it always held a special place with her.

“My parents were very excited that I’d joined 'Durham Technical Institute' as the head of HR,” she said. “My mother and father went Durham Tech in 1972 and got married in 1974.”

Angela Davis, Chief Talent and Equity Officer at Durham Tech, said Williams has already made lasting contributions to the College.

“Shaundria continues to lead the human resources department through an assessment of departmental processes that has resulted in many improvements for employees at the College,” Davis said. “Shaundria's vast knowledge of Community College HR and payroll processes has made a lasting impact on the cross-functional collaboration between human resources and the business office as she has contributed to developing more efficient ways to complete tasks. I look forward to working with Shaundria as we develop a talent strategy to grow and retain our talent.”

Williams’ advice to students interested in the human resources field: Find a mentor.

“I spent most of my career as an HR Generalist so I knew a little bit about everything, but I’d suggest finding a mentor that specializes in areas like benefits or recruitment, and really hone in on something specific,” she said. “Find a mentor that can tell you what a day in the life of human resources is like and can provide one-on-one advice.”

Williams’ second love is teaching. When she’s not at Durham Tech, she is an Adjunct Lecturer at North Carolina State University in the Masters of Public Administration program, but community colleges are her first love.

“People come to community colleges to change their lives, make pivots, to get extra credentials to get a raise,” she said. “People come here because they are tired of what was and they aspire to what could be.”

Williams is also enrolled in the University of Wyoming where she’s completing post-graduate studies in Community College Leadership.
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Contact Marcy Gardner, Content and Social Media Coordinator at gardnerm@durhamtech.edu