In 2020-21, the University of Mary Washington Athletic Department is continuing its student-athlete spotlight series, "Inside the Nest", presented by Atlantic Union Bank. Each month, we will be celebrating student-athletes from different communities within our department, as a partnership with the James Farmer Multicultural Center's Cultural Awareness series. From September 15-October 15, we will celebrate Latino Identities Month.
Name: Brandon Williams
Sport: Men's Lacrosse
Hometown: Stafford, Virginia
Major: Economics and Mathematics
Favorite Class:
Any Econometrics course
Favorite Professor:
Dr. Greenlaw and Dr. Hydorn
Favorite part about being a UMW student-athlete:
My favorite part about being a student-athlete is the ability to get a great education while still competing at the highest level of competition.
Favorite thing to do in Fredericksburg:
My favorite thing to do in Fredericksburg is to walk downtown.
Fun fact about me:
In my junior year of high school, I tore my ACL and meniscus; however, I was one of the fastest to recover from an ACL tear with a total time of five months from surgery to competing again.
Favorite UMW memory:
My favorite memory was when I attended the Issues in the Political Economy Conference last spring.
What has playing at UMW meant to you:
Being able to put on my lacrosse uniform has meant so much to me. As a little kid, I used to attend the lacrosse games quite often. Now, I am in the position to be able to represent the university both on the field and in the classroom. It has been a surreal experience.
Post-graduate plans:
I plan on either attending graduate school to receive my Ph.D. in Economics or work while attending graduate school for my master's in Economics.
I would like to thank:
I would like to thank my parents for their encouragement and support along the way as well as my professors, who gave me many opportunities to grow academically. Lastly, I would like to thank all my coaches who continued to believe in me and inspired me to be the best version of myself.
What does Latinx Heritage Month mean to you?
To me, Latinx Heritage Month is a time where we can feel proud of our heritage and embrace our lineage. This month allows us to pay homage and to celebrate our ancestors and our community. In addition, we admire and appreciate the Latinxs who have made a significant contribution to the world and to our community.
In my opinion, the most important part of this month is to educate the public about our culture and our ancestors. Unfortunately, I have experienced instances where some individuals believe that Latinxs are a monolithic community. In fact, this narrative is incredibly false. Each Latinx country is very different from one another and in fact, we are very diverse and full of unique characteristics. During this month, we can highlight the differences and the commonalities between our cultures.