Esrom Williams Jr. is Earning His Ph.D. in Community Engagement to Expand Leadership Skills in Fine Arts Programs

Why did you choose Point Park University for your graduate degree?

What drew me to Point Park’s Ph.D. in Community Engagement program was its low-residency option, diverse frameworks, adaptability to my field of study in the performing arts and its focus on community connection and cultural identity.

The program's low-residency format allowed me to remain grounded in my multilayered roles while earning a degree that will benefit my surrounding communities.

Point Park’s diverse student and faculty demographics, along with its expansive database of scholarship, research and curriculum, were the main factors that encouraged my decision to pursue this Ph.D. program.

What do you enjoy the most about the Community Engagement Ph.D. program?

The most enjoyable part of this program is the genuine relationships I've built with cohort members and faculty.

From my initial interest meeting to my admission, I have felt a secure sense of belonging in this program. Our cohort members and fellow Ph.D. students have built a strong foundation of support, empathy and accountability for each other that I probably wouldn’t have found in another program.

Also, the academic and professional relationships we've formed with our professors are once-in-a-lifetime connections that many of us hope to hold onto as we move into future successes.

Can you share what it’s like to work as dance director for The Fine Arts Institute at East High School? What does that look like each day?

The dance director position holds many different tasks and responsibilities. From teaching dance technique and performance, composition and choreography and directing concerts and performance events, this position has kept me on my toes for the past five years!

What makes this role so special is my daily interactions with students who are passionate about growing their artistry and knowledge across multiple domains of dance. Dance-strand-focused and elective-based students take classes together with the same goal: becoming the best dance artist they can be, which is the beauty of our program.

In addition to teaching and directing within the Institute, I also foster opportunities to contribute to the development and implementation of dance curriculum design across our Fine Arts buildings and district. The most current initiative the middle school dance director and I have embarked on is building additional dance curriculum for 4th, 5th and 6th grade students who want to prepare for their middle and high school journeys.

You were also recently promoted. What kind of new responsibilities will you take on as Fine Arts pathway coordinator?

In addition to collaborating with the Fine Arts admin teams and faculty across Webster Elementary Children's Center for Integrated Arts, Washington Middle School for the Arts and The Fine Arts Institute at East High School, one of my major responsibilities is to help bridge Fine Arts programming across all three schools.

Some of the additional responsibilities would be to recruit interested students into the Fine Arts pathway, scout Fine Arts professionals to guide private lessons or community workshops, advocate for funding from public and private sectors to support the needs and expansion of the programs and create visible structures to connect, uplift and promote our students throughout the community.

In addition to your work in education, you are also president-elect for the Wisconsin Dance Council. As you step into this leadership role, what will you manage or hope to achieve?

As I step into this leadership role, I am excited to apply the foundational principles I gained through the Community Engagement program: bringing people together, fostering healthy and equitable practices and advocating for historical change.

My hope is that dance artists, scholars, educators and performing artists alike will be valued and respected for their hard work, dedication and the impact they are making in society.

This brings into focus that dance, along with all other visual and performing arts fields, is interwoven into the foundational economic frameworks of culture, humanities and civilization. With this awareness, we can continue tackling policies that protect our creative and fundamental practice while preserving history for future generations.

How have you applied what you've learned at Point Park to your leadership and community work?

Each professor and course I have taken at Point Park has unlocked tools for advocacy and justice within the performing arts, supporting the communities I have the privilege of leading.

The advocate lens lets me speak up for silenced truths that are overlooked and brushed aside, while guiding my actions toward sound, just outcomes.

Looking towards the future, what do you hope your degree will do for you? What are your career goals?

This degree is already in motion, paving the way for the shifting landscapes in my communities. Since starting this program, I have been able to listen more closely to my communities' needs, connect to resources that solve problems, present my claims in a professionally impactful way and hold myself and our community leaders accountable.

A career goal of mine that I hope presents itself later down the line is to eventually transition into a director/dean role for the Fine Arts in higher education or be elected to the Congressional Caucus for the Arts and Culture. These goals aren't exclusive to my career journey, but they're hopeful thinking!

What advice do you have for prospective Point Park students?

The advice I would offer to future Point Park students is to have an open mind for the endless knowledge they will encounter on their journey. Whether in an undergraduate or graduate program, you will always face challenges. Be ready to become a shape shifter, because being adaptable in every circumstance is the key to your success. Also, don’t forget to remain present!

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