While any leadership change should shepherd in an exciting period of anticipation and buzz surrounding the potential of the new leader, the appointment of Maggie Williams to the directorship of the Institute of Politics this Thursday is particularly significant. As an African-American woman, Williams is the first person of color and only the second woman to direct the IOP.
“I am so excited to have a woman in politics at the helm of the IOP–it’s great to have such strong female role models in high positions in the University,” said Eva Guidarini, the IOP’s student president. “There aren’t enough women in politics, and I hope Maggie Williams will help inspire Harvard women to go into politics and public service.”
Maggie Williams’ tenure in politics is comprised of many firsts. She was the first African-American woman to be chief of staff to a first lady, followed by an appointment by Bill Clinton to serve as special assistant to the president, making her the first person to hold both positions at the same time. With over 30 years of public service leadership under her belt, Williams has served as director of communications at the Child Defense Fund, campaign manager for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential run, and chief of staff to President Clinton, proving herself to be a tenacious pioneer with a commitment to serve.
“As a woman of color, I am inspired by her accomplishments,” said Andrea Ortiz, chair of the IOP’s Community Action Committee. She expressed her excitement for Williams’ selection, stating “I’m looking forward to having her diverse perspective on politics at the IOP.” A perspective that, as Ortiz explained, lies in “her experiences with direct community service as well as in presidential politics.”
Both Guidarini’s and Ortiz’s opinions were echoed among many IOP members, who are to excited for the opportunity to work alongside the new director. The IOP’s structure primarily focuses on collaborations with dedicated student members and a full-time staff to keep the 13 programs and hundreds of events each semester running smoothly. With that in mind, the early confidence that students have expressed in Williams is a hopeful sign for a successful directorial transition.
Trey Grayson, the IOP’s current director who is stepping down to pursue other opportunities in his home state of Kentucky, brought his own unique skillset and grace to the director position. Under his leadership, the IOP modernized digital outreach and expanded the National Campaign consortium. Looking forward, it will be interesting to see how Williams’ experiences and style of leadership will change the IOP. For one, the IOP is launching a campaign skills pilot program next semester, a project that will unquestionably be aided by Williams’ expertise in presidential campaign management.
A more nuanced effect of Williams’ selection regards her potential to affect the diversity of membership and programming at the IOP. Williams personifies the changing face of politics in the United States. It will be incredibly exciting to see how her presence will translate into a broader conversation around the intersection of politics, race, ethnicity, gender and identity on Harvard’s campus and beyond. With the prominence of recent movements to address our school’s racial disparity such as “I, Too, Am Harvard,” we hope that the selection of Maggie Williams will serve to be a positive effect on the campus organizations that have been craving and fighting for a more diverse and inclusive Harvard.