After graduating from high school with honors, Crystal Williams embarked on her collegiate journey, not knowing it would lead her to an esteemed career in banking. It also led her back to her hometown, where she could continue receiving a quality education. Williams excitedly finished up her studies as a 2008 Ole Miss graduate. Coahoma helped bridge her to the long-term goal.
“I attended the University of Mississippi immediately after graduating high school, but ended up returning back to Clarksdale as my father’s health was more on the decline,” said Williams.
Remarkably, Williams has been named Assistant Vice President of Loan Administration for the Planters Bank system.
Employed by the organization since 2009, she would soon tap into the career advancement she sought after graduating from The Southeastern School of Commercial Lending; the achievement boosted her from a job position as Operations clerk to a credit analyst.
She is proud to be a product of both Coahoma Community College and the University of Mississippi.
A family-oriented person, Williams knew she always had a home to run to if met with any unpleasant obstacle while at Ole Miss. It was her sophomore year when she found herself on the campus of Coahoma Community College.
“I attended CCC at a time where life just wasn’t going as planned it seemed,” Williams recalls. “Being able to help out at home and still being able to go to school and not have to pause my studies was very important to me. CCC granted me that option, and for that, I am forever grateful.”
Williams’ longtime love of mathematics prepared her for a STEM-related program of study.
“My very first Accounting and Business classes were at Coahoma,” said Williams. “I chose Accounting as my major, but honestly, I can’t say I was totally sure it would be the right field to carry me through life after graduating. However, being introduced to these classes at Coahoma helped set me up for the path I am on now in Banking.”
She made the most of her time as a CCC Tiger with an extracurricular in which she picked up an essential skill for life later on as a working mother and wife.
“While enrolled at CCC, I was able to do a little more maturing as an individual person getting ready to carve out a path for myself. Balancing schoolwork and singing in the CCC choir definitely gave me a ready-made course on Time Management. This heavily contributes to my ability to manage Home and Work-life now.”
Williams is the daughter of Evelyn Dixon and the late Darrell Dixon Sr. She is the wife of Jonathan Williams. They have five children, Jordan, Jonathan, Journey, Maliya, and Julian. The Mississippi resident is highly pleased to have received a promotion for the time and work she has contributed. “I love what I do, and I am glad that I have proven myself to be an asset of Planters Bank,” she says.