When Brandon Williams 鈥�19 talks about Augsburg, he doesn鈥檛 start with a building, a class, or even a professor. He starts with a feeling.
鈥淚 just wanted to be involved,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 fell in love with the community.鈥� That sense of belonging was powerful for Brandon, especially considering the path that brought him there.
Born in Chicago, Brandon moved to Minnesota with his mother when he was in elementary school. The years that followed were marked by frequent moves and financial instability. At different points in his childhood, his family stayed in shelters鈥攊ncluding People Serving People鈥攚hile his mother worked to rebuild stability.
鈥淲e moved around a lot,鈥� Brandon recalls. 鈥淭here were times when housing fell through, or my mom lost her job. We went to shelters a few times when I was about twelve, then again in my mid-teens.鈥�
Through it all, Brandon kept his focus forward.
He attended Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Minneapolis, where students balance rigorous academics with professional internships. The environment helped shape his outlook early. 鈥淚t was very future-focused,鈥� he says. 鈥淵ou were always preparing yourself for what came next.鈥�
When it came time for college, Brandon considered several options. Ultimately, Augsburg stood out.
鈥淚 chose Augsburg because it was a smaller school,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e in a smaller community, you really get to know people. You get to fall in love with the place.鈥�
And he did exactly that.
At Augsburg, Brandon immersed himself in campus life鈥攕erving in student government, building relationships across campus, and helping create initiatives designed to improve the student experience. One effort he remembers with pride was helping negotiate a Metro Transit partnership so students could access bus passes through their tuition.
But what mattered most wasn鈥檛 the individual accomplishments. It was the culture of care he experienced.
鈥淭he staff and the community at Augsburg created an environment where I felt cared for and thought about,鈥� Brandon says. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 feel like just another number.鈥�
That sense of belonging shaped his view of leadership鈥攁nd stewardship.
鈥淔or me, being part of Augsburg meant thinking about the people coming after you,鈥� he explains. 鈥淥nce you find your place and grow there, your focus should turn to the next group of students. How do you help them have an even better experience?鈥�
Today, Brandon continues to carry that mindset forward.
He is enrolled in law school in a blended evening and weekend program while working full-time as a legal assistant at Winthrop & Weinstine.
In law school, Brandon has discovered that his strengths lie in advocacy and persuasion. 鈥淚 enjoy arguments and negotiations,鈥� he says. 鈥淭aking the facts and the rules and making a case for why something should go a certain way.鈥�
But beyond any specific legal specialty, Brandon is clear about what he hopes his career will be built on.
鈥淢ore than anything, I want to find purpose,鈥� he says. 鈥淓ven if something isn鈥檛 perfect, I鈥檓 always asking: how do I find meaning in this? How am I impacting people鈥檚 lives in a real way?鈥�
That search for purpose is the thread connecting his journey鈥攆rom childhood adversity to leadership at Augsburg to his future in the law.
And it鈥檚 also why he remains closely connected to the Augsburg community.
鈥淭he people I met there are people I still trust,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey care about others, they care about community, and they鈥檙e always willing to come back and help.鈥�
For Brandon, that is the real legacy of Augsburg: a community that shapes students鈥攁nd inspires them to shape the future for others.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not about being the biggest or the best,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about the people. When you build those connections, they stay with you.”