Cornelius Williams is setting off on his next journey with the Children Home Society! After a decade with the organization, it is time for him to chart his own path.   

In the late 2000s and early 2010s, a teenage Cornelius Williams attended a high school with the PeerForward, then called College Summit, program. While he wasn’t a Peer Leader himself, he was deeply impacted by the Peer Leaders at his school and the guidance they provided. That is how he became involved in the organization.  

In 2016, he became a full-time staff member of PeerForward. In his 10 years with the organization, he held numerous positions, most of which were on the program team. We caught up with him to discuss his PeerForward journey and where he’s headed next: 

You have been a full-time staff member since 2016. Can you walk us through your PeerForward timeline and the different positions you held during your decade with the organization?   

I started as a writing coach through an AmeriCorps program in College Summit Miami. I worked on a pilot program called First Year Forward. It was a text platform to help newly graduated seniors persist through their freshman year of college. I served as the keynote speaker for College Summit Miami’s graduating class. I led a workshop with FCAN, and that’s when they wrote a paper about it in the Miami Times. After that, I applied to be an alumni fellow. I then moved to DC, and I did that for a year.  

I was the first one to do the alumni fellow program. Basically, it was designed as a rotation between the different departments within PeerForward. I did three months within each department, which allowed me to see the organization as a whole and see where I would be the best fit. I worked three months with marketing, three months with program, three months with development, and then three months with the innovation team. I also served as the office manager, where I was the lead of office and culture within DC. 

Initially, it was designed to be an 18-month program. However, after my stint with the program team, I decided that is what I wanted to do and wrapped up my time as an Alumni Fellow early. I then became a PeerForward Implementation Specialist. I served that year under Quincy Jones and alongside Tim Spicer in the Prince George’s County market. I did that for maybe a year and a half, and then I got promoted to a Senior Program Specialist. That’s when I started to solely manage PeerForward schools in Prince George’s County. It got to the point that I was managing 21 teams at once!  

The transition between College Summit and PeerForward was when I began my PeerForward Coach certification journey. I did that for another two years, then got certified around 2019-2020. So, I went from a Program Implementation Specialist to a Senior Program Implementation Specialist and then became a Program Manager following my certification. I went on to become Manager of Corporate and Strategic Partnerships around 2022-2023. Then after that, I became the Director of Development earlier this year. 

What has been the most meaningful part of your work with PeerForward and what are you leaving PeerForward with that you are proud of? 

The most meaningful part of my work would have to be the lives of the students that I’ve impacted and the lives that they then impacted in turn. Having the chance to be a drop that created ripples of change amongst our Peer Leaders, who then created ripples within their communities, means everything. The impact and the guidance that we at PeerForward give to our students will help them be more successful, financially literate, and put them in a better space to survive and provide for their families in the future. So ultimately, that impact is what I’d consider to be the most meaningful part of the work I’ve done here.  

As for what I’m leaving PeerForward with that I am proud of, I would say the relationship I’ve helped build with our corporate partners. I hope these partnerships will continue to impact students year after year. Being able to contribute to that framework at PeerForward is something that I am proud of. 

Tell us about your favorite PeerForward memory.  

There are so many that it’s hard to choose from! One of my favorite memories is going to New York City for a Training Camp years ago. The first night we were there, we stayed in Times Square. I got a caricature done on the sidewalk and Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performed Empire State of Mind live. It was my first time ever in New York City, it was amazing. Unfortunately, I lost my wallet and all my belongings while there in Times Square. Without my lost belongings, I wouldn’t be able to attend the Training Camp! I had to show up very early the next morning with Renee to help me get into the building and get situated. 

At PeerForward, we have a session called “What Glasses Are You Wearing?” It focuses on how you can change your perspective in different situations and how you can allow your perspective to shift in order for you to be successful. I had to shift my perspective that day and still show up as a coach. Luckily, everything worked out. There was a good Samaritan who brought all of my belongings back. It shaped my perspective on New York and what New Yorkers are like. However, while at the Training Camp, I wasn’t sure what would happen or if I’d be able to get home without my ID. I thought back to the “What Glasses Are You Wearing” session, shifted my perspective, and I was successful. It definitely made for a good story and great first experience in New York City. 

I have so many good memories of traveling around the country with PeerForward. In doing this work, I met so many different people from so many different walks of life, from New York to Hawaii, and everything in between.  

What is the next step in your professional journey? Where are you headed next?   

I’ll be moving on to an organization called the Children Home Society. I’ll be serving as their Managing Director of Area Development in Miami. I will be helping this organization expand their development, fundraising efforts, and cultivation in Miami to further the mission and continue to accelerate their growth across Florida. I’m looking forward to this new chapter. 

What parting message would you like to share with your PeerForward family?    

First off, thank you for everything. I will forever be connected to PeerForward and I pray that this organization continues to thrive so that other individuals like myself will go on to receive the resources they need to find success and community. The words, the memories, the people, and the experiences I had will forever be with me and have shaped me into who I am today. Ultimately, the mission of PeerForward will carry on within me as I continue to work with the youth and help others see and reach their true potential.