USD Magazine Spring 2021

CLASS NOTES USD MAGAZINE

R YA N T . B L Y S T O N E

[ d r i v e n ]

by Ryan T. Blystone J J o s hu a Wi l l i ams i s d e t e rmi n e d t o l e a d AN EFFECTIVE PERSPECTIVE oshua Williams can’t and won’t be still. He’s never been good at just letting the world pass by without his

end and his work toward earning a dual BS/BA degree in mechani- cal engineering in 2016 — centers on Williams’ desire to make things happen. He founded and was president of USD’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). He was a four- year board member of the Black Student Union. And he’s been a respected voice when national social justice issues came to the forefront and USD hosted cam- puswide discussions. “Josh came to me about his con- cept of starting the NSBE chap-

Williams’ work ethic was evident early; he found various ways to make some money via lawn mow- ing, weed pulling and selling food items for a humble profit. “Society often tries to tell you or instill in you at a young age that you have to be one thing.

What do you want to be when you grow up? In reality, it’s a compilation of things: be a jack of all trades and get different experiences,” says Williams. Everything — especially since his 2011 arrival at USD as a schol- ar-athlete, a football defensive

input accounted for. Growing up in Inglewood, California, he’s the youngest of four sons to a single mother.

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