Competition fuels Kimberley Williams’ drive to succeed

“How can I make it better?”

That question inspires Kimberley Williams, clinical assistant professor of management and corporate communication at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.

As part of her interactive and collaborative approach, she has “five-minute chats” with students in her Management and Corporate Communication course. “They know that when they come to class, they’re going to have to become comfortable sharing their ideas and think critically about what they’re doing.”

From Jamaica to the world stage

Williams grew up in St. Catherine, Jamaica. “I like to think that I am warm, resilient and competitive — all the things that my country embodies,” she says.

She started track at 10 and did high jump until ninth grade, when she “stopped getting taller and the bar got higher.”

She came to the U.S. at 18, with a scholarship to the University of Alabama. “It was an opportunity to push toward being a great track athlete and doing well in school. It was a great combination, and I had success in both areas.”

She had two major athletic goals: to make it to a world championship and the Olympics. “I achieved one of them,” she said.

Competing at a world-class level

Williams placed fourth in the 2015 Pan-American Games and 16th in the 2015 Beijing World Championships. What was it like to compete at that level? “‘Amazing’ would be one word. ‘Difficult’ would be another,” she says.

She had to get up every day to prepare for something that might not happen. “It comes down to one race that lasts between 12 and 13 seconds,” she says. “That’s the window you have to potentially make it on a team where only three people can go.”

That experience built her confidence, resiliency and discipline.

Competing at that level also taught her a lot about business. When she signed a contract to be a Puma-sponsored professional track-and-field athlete, she “essentially became a business.” She honed her communication skills as she represented the Puma brand internationally, endorsing the brand exclusively in all public appearances and promoting it for business development, customer entertainment, promotional programs and all track-and-field outings.

Finding her way to academia

Williams earned her master’s at Alabama as a collegiate athlete and doctorate at Alabama after competing as a professional athlete. “I knew I was going to find myself back somewhere in the academic space in my post-track life because I love learning. It’s where I could blend creativity, understanding and knowledge.”

The reviews for her first stint teaching online classes weren’t good. Her competitive nature kicked in, and she learned what makes online classes effective. Her students “started to enjoy the class more,” she said. “I was like, ‘All right, this is where I need to stay.’”

Coming to Carolina

When the offer came to join the UNC Kenan-Flagler faculty in 2022, Williams saw it “as a great place to grow.” She also appreciated the chance to get involved in a new research project and a teaching experience.

She is researching how undergraduate business students use and perceive generative artificial intelligence. Her study received funding from the UNC Center for Faculty Excellence 2024-25 CFE/Lenovo Instructional Innovation Grants Program.

The teaching experience was her undergraduate business program class on sustainability and innovation in Malaysia, her first dive into both a Collaborative Online International Learning program and sustainability. Students built relationships online with their classmates before they convened in Kuala Lumpur in March 2025.

Williams students’ growth sustains her. “They have learned skills. They’re not acquiring just knowledge. I see the real, practical, tangible value. And that motivates me to be better.”