GW alumnus Gregory Williams became the 27th President of the University of Cincinnati on Sunday, Nov. 1.

Williams was previously the president of The City College of New York and served in numerous administrative posts at GW, where he graduated with three degrees: a law degree and a master’s degree in philosophy in 1971 and his doctorate in 1981.

“I will always look at my time at George Washington University as providing me with the solid academic credentials I needed to expand my career in higher education and take on a leadership role,” Williams said in an e-mail.

Williams has been a university administrator for more than 30 years, previously working at GW, the University of Iowa and The Ohio State University. At The City College of New York he served at president and dean of the Law School.

Williams said he was excited to start a new phase in his career, especially at a time of growth for UC.

“My timing in coming to the University of Cincinnati couldn’t be better. U.S. News & World Report and the Chronicle of Higher Education have termed UC ‘up and coming,’ ” he said. “In recent years, the university has made great strides in nearly every indicator of success, from student satisfaction, to retention and graduation rates, and research funding as a top 25 public research university. My goal is to build on that great momentum and to keep working to make sure that UC becomes the best it can be.”