Franklin University Honors Outstanding Faculty Leadership with 2024 Lead Faculty of the Year Award

Contact:

Sherry Mercurio
Executive Director, Office of Community Relations
(614) 947-6581
Email: sherry.mercurio@franklin.edu

Franklin University, a leading educator of working adults, is proud to announce the recipient of its 2024 Lead Faculty of the Year Award: Dr. Ladorian Williams, Mathematics program chair.

Presented annually by the Faculty Personnel Committee under the auspices of the Franklin University Faculty Senate, this distinguished award recognizes a full-time faculty member with lead responsibilities, such as course management, adjunct faculty support, and teaching, who demonstrates excellence in leadership and service to the University’s academic mission.

Dr. Williams brings more than a decade of collegiate teaching experience to her role and holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Mathematics from Louisiana State University, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Northwestern State University. Known for her student-centered approach, commitment to faculty mentorship, and drive for continuous innovation, Dr. Williams has been an instrumental force in enhancing the Mathematics program and fostering academic excellence across the University.

In addition to her contributions at Franklin, Dr. Williams is active in several professional and civic organizations, including the Mathematical Association of America, American Mathematical Society, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In addition, she serves as Franklin University’s institutional representative for the American Council on Education – Women’s Network Ohio, further demonstrating her dedication to service and leadership beyond the classroom.

A previous recipient of both the 2019–2020 Lead Faculty of the Year Award and the 2020 Core Values Award, Dr. Williams continues to model the highest standards of academic excellence and community engagement.

This year’s nomination praised Dr. Williams’s exceptional leadership and teaching style:
“Dr. Williams exemplifies excellence in teaching, mentorship, and communication. Through innovative approaches, she has enhanced teaching effectiveness by producing training videos for adjuncts, designing specialized homework to support assessment, promoting active learning with real-world applications, and offering guidance on grading and plagiarism tools.

Her dedication to mentoring is evident in her regular meetings with adjuncts, clear communication of course updates, and thoughtful resources like instructional emails with visual aids. She fosters a sense of ownership and inclusion by incorporating adjunct feedback into course design. By setting clear teaching standards and modeling effective feedback, she elevates the teaching culture across the department.

Her exceptional communication—from regular updates via email and Teams to remembering personal milestones—demonstrates her genuine investment in others’ success. She truly checks all the boxes—and I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this recognition.”

Franklin University congratulates Dr. Williams on her well-earned recognition as the 2024 Lead Faculty of the Year and extends its gratitude for her continued dedication to the mission, values, and students at Franklin University.

About Franklin University

Accredited, nonprofit, and dedicated to educating adults since 1902, Franklin provides onsite course options at our Main Campus in downtown Columbus, Ohio, and is an innovator in providing personalized online education. The University offers applied in-demand undergraduate, masters, and doctorate programs that enable adult learners to achieve their educational and professional goals. Through agreements with partner institutions, the University also offers international academic programs, including its top-ranked MBA.

Franklin University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and holds specialized accreditations for specific academic programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, and the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management Education. The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have designated Franklin University as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE).