Drew Williams is a doctoral student in the School of Social Work.
- What is the biggest difference you’ve noticed in transitioning from military life to civilian life?
I have enjoyed the more relaxed pace of civilian life, especially in the academic community where I have more time to think constructively and creatively in finding solutions to pressing social problems.
- What is something you wish you had known before moving here?
How difficult it was going to be to get acclimated to the heat and humidity. This was made worse by the fact that my previous duty station was in Anchorage, Alaska.
- What is an important lesson that you learned in the military that has helped you in grad school?
Writing is a big part of any PhD program and making sure you turn out a quality product requires both attention to detail and excellence in all you do. Both qualities I was able to learn and improve on thanks to the Air Force.
- What made you choose UNC/NC when deciding on a program/place to study?
The school of social work is consistently ranked as one of the best in America and our new Dean Dr. Gary Bowen has a long history of research with the military community. Both the strength of the program and Dr. Bowen’s reputation were major reasons for my choosing to attend UNC.