College of Arts and Sciences - Spring 2021 - University of Miami

ENDNOTE
College champion brings business expertise and humanistic perspective to role
A Constellation of
Passions and Pursuits
C
omprising UM’s most
varied disciplines and
interdisciplinary
programs, the College
of Arts and Sciences is the intellectual
hub of the University. So it’s only
fitting that the College is now
receiving guidance from an advisor
who brings a broad range of interests
and experience to the role.
As a member of Dean Leonidas
Bachas’s Advisory Committee, Trae
Williamson, Ph.D. ’20, is dedicated to
building connections on campus and
in the community.
“Trae brings valuable insights and is
an effective ambassador and advocate
for the College,” says Dean Bachas.
“He understands the importance of
teaching and learning on many
different levels.”
President of Williamson Cadillac
-Buick-GMC, Williamson works
closely with his parents, Ed and Carol
Williamson, longtime business leaders
and supporters of the University. He
readily acknowledges the vital role
of STEM disciplines (science,
technology, engineering, and math)
in advancing progress and innovation.
“But,” he says, “they must be balanced
with the humanities, which make life
worth living and keep us connected
with each other.”
Williamson champions fields such
as sociology, history, philosophy,
and art for their power to deepen our
understanding of the world and our
place in it. “I like the idea of
constellation thinking,” he says.
“For instance, I might take an
idea from an essay on ethics,
a breaking news story, and an
experience in our business, and
then pull those threads together
in a meaningful way.”
A theater aficionado since
childhood, Williamson is
particularly passionate about
the performing arts. His longterm
interest in psychological
well-being—he started a peer
counseling program as a high
school student at Ransom
Everglades—now drives his advocacy
for mindfulness in the workplace and
individual lives.
Williamson earned a doctorate
in interdisciplinary studies at
UM in 2020. His dissertation was
“Portrait of the Mindful Worker:
Traits and Training Toward a More
Mindful Workplace.” He has been
involved with the UM Mindfulness
Research and Practice Initiative for
several years.
“Mindfulness can be any activity
that allows you to focus your attention
on the present moment while
gently acknowledging and releasing
the mental clutter that builds up in
our busy lives,” he says. “Especially
during the COVID-19 pandemic, the
practice eases feelings of stress and
isolation.”
Williamson earned a bachelor’s
degree in public policy and international
affairs from Princeton
University, then a law degree from
Columbia University. He practiced
entertainment and intellectual
property law until returning to Miami
in 2002 to join the family’s automobile
dealership. Highly active in
the South Florida community, he
is a member of the UM President’s
Council and the boards of several area
nonprofits. Williamson also enjoys
exchanging ideas and insights with
students at Miami Herbert Business
School as an adjunct faculty member
in management.
Now Williamson is drawing on his
impressively varied interests and
experiences to help support the
College of Arts and Sciences as it
moves into the future. “It is a
pleasure,” he says, “to support UM in
this time of transformation.” n
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SPRING 2021