Shelton Williams

Early life

Williams grew up in Odessa, Texas where he graduated from Odessa High School. He attended the University of Texas at Austin from 1962 until 1966, graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. degree and Honors in Government.

After graduating from the University of Texas, Williams attended what is now the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University, located in Washington, D.C. He received a Ph.D. from SAIS in 1971.

Academic career

Williams joined the faculty at Austin College in 1970, serving in the ensuing years as Dean of Social Sciences, Director of the College Honors Program, and Director of the Posey Leadership Institute.

In 2007 Williams joined the faculty of the College of Graduate and Continuing Studies at Norwich University, where he is a Professor in the Master of Arts in Diplomacy (MDY) program.

During the Administration of Jimmy Carter, Williams served for two years (1976 to 1978) in Washington, D.C. as a policy analyst and then special consultant to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on matters relating to international proliferation. Williams returned to Federal service again during the Bill Clinton Administration when he served as a William C. Foster Visiting Scholar at the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency [ACDA]. ACDA posted him to the US Mission to the UN where he worked with Madeleine Albright, dealing especially with United States representation at the United Nations on nuclear proliferation.

Model United Nations

Williams has been a supporter of the Model United Nations program for over twenty-five years. The program provides international simulation experiences for college students through regional, national, and international conferences that teach multilateral diplomatic skills. He has served as mentor for dozens of Model United Nations delegations from several schools, including Austin College and the University of Texas at Dallas He is on the advisory council of the Model United Nations organization.

Washed in the Blood

Williams was profoundly affected as a young man by the murder of his one year-older cousin Betty Williams in 1961, an event much publicized at the time throughout the Southwestern United States and popularly known as the “Kiss and Kill Murder.” He devoted years of study to the facts of his cousin’s killing and the court trial of her alleged murderer, writing a true crime book about the affair entitled Washed in the Blood. Williams's book made his cousin Betty the subject of magazine and newspaper articles across the southwestern United States. Williams was one of the on-camera interviewees in 2015 when Investigation Discovery's series A Crime to Remember recounted the story in the Season 3 finale, "Bye Bye Betty".

The Osgood Center for International Studies

In addition to his academic appointment at Austin College, Williams also serves as the founding president of the Osgood Center for International Studies. This organization, based in Washington, D.C, provides internship opportunities, study experiences, simulation opportunities, and special seminars for college and university students from a variety of countries and backgrounds.