Dr. Mike L. Williams

Michael L. Williams, MS. Ed, Ed. D.

Dr. Mike L. Williams is a current resident of Worth, Illinois. He was currently the coordinator and director of pre-service teaching at Chicago State University's College of Education. He is now an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary STEM education at National Louis University’s Undergraduate College in Chicago. He understands the vital role African American males play in classrooms in impoverished urban communities.

Mike has invested his career in educating students of color through teaching and mentoring, and, along with his wife of nearly 30 years, he has been raising six boys, one daughter, and thirteen grandchildren. Before his position at Chicago State University, Mike taught in the Chicago Public Schools at every grade level from K-12. He was a science teacher for much of his career and a teacher of Diverse learners. In addition, he served as an adjunct instructor at several local Colleges and Universities, as well as Upward Bound programs and informal teaching settings, including Brookfield Zoo in Chicago and The Field Museum of Chicago.

Mike earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Chicago State University and a Master of Science degree in Education, with an emphasis on special education. He worked on a Doctorate of Education degree in curriculum and instruction at Illinois State University and earned a Doctorate degree in Organizational Leadership in Education from Concordia University. Currently, Mike is in the midst of working on a Master’s degree in Biological Sciences.

Mike has a passion and desire for science and promoting STEM education, particularly for African Americans, Hispanics, and women. His scholarly research and dissertation, "How Out of School Time Programs at Field-Based Science Institutions Impact STEM Pathway Choices: Urban Minority Youth and Underrepresented STEM Fields,” were based on these principles. Additionally, Mike has recently researched the reluctance of African American males and other males of color to pursue careers in the field of teacher education.