Athol Williams awarded Honorary Fellowship

5 June 2024

Hertford is excited to announce that Athol Williams has been awarded an Honorary Fellowship to the college. Athol is an alumnus of Hertford, having studied for an MPhil in Political Theory, focusing on the responsibilities that economic institutions have to promote social justice, especially in societies with the enduring effects of historical injustices. He has dedicated his life to fighting social and economic injustice, and has founded Read to Rise, a charity providing educational opportunities for children. Athol has recently finished a DPhil in Political Theory from Oxford, and beyond his activism, is currently a Lecturer in Management at the Saïd Business School, as well as a Research Associate at Hertford College’s Porter Centre for Diplomacy.

Athol says: “It is an immense honour to be elected an Honorary Fellow at Hertford College, my alma mater. This recognition acknowledges the first part of my personal mission – ‘to strive for excellence; to live with compassion and possibility.’ But this recognition will also serve as a platform and powerful boost in pursuit of the second part of my mission, which is ‘to enable and inspire others to do the same.’ I look forward to continuing my close working relationship with the college as it prepares and empowers the future leaders the world needs.”

Tom Fletcher says: “We are delighted to welcome Athol to the Fellowship. His social activism, scholarship and leadership are a source of great pride to our community, and he will continue to be a source of great inspiration, advice and wisdom to our students.”

To read more about Athol William’s remarkable career, read his profile here.