David Williard, phd
Spend a few minutes with David Williard, and you’ll sense it right away: he’s deeply curious, quietly reflective, and genuinely invested in the people around him. As a professor of American history at the University of St. Thomas, David is drawn to big questions, diverse perspectives, and meaningful conversation. At the heart of it all is his desire to make sense of the world—and to engage with others as they navigate it.
That perspective was shaped early in life. David grew up between two very different cultural currents. His father, a journalist for the Southern Baptist Convention, came from a family rooted in conservative Christian tradition. “They were very loving, but more suspicious than curious about unfamiliar things” David recalls. But on his mother’s side, the family dynamic was quite different. “They were a rainbow of diversity,” he says, remembering the profound contributions made to his own maturation by an uncle who was Black and Muslim and another who was gay. These experiences taught David not to cling too tightly to any one worldview. Instead, he began to recognize that understanding often lives in the tension between opposites.
While he struggled to feel at home in high school, he found himself drawn to the weight of history—especially while reflecting on time spent on land that had been in his family for over 200 years. That reflection led him to study history at William & Mary, the second-oldest university in the country. There, everything changed. “I hated high school for its emphasis on measurement and replication, but I fell in love with college because I encountered learning as discovery there” he says. He was inspired by professors who believed their own work of discovery and mentorship could help make the world a better place.
After graduation, David was accepted directly into a doctoral program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill—an uncommon path for someone fresh out of undergrad. But he thrived, surrounded by supportive peers and mentors, and knew he was in the right place because of the emphasis of his academic community on seeking historical truth through many paths of inquiry rather than rigid adherence to a single orthodox approach.
While still finishing his dissertation, David flew to Minnesota for an interview at St. Thomas. “It was below zero,” he remembers. “I’ve never experienced cold so profound and quiet. And I loved it.” The university offered him a faculty position the next day.
Now more than a decade into his role, David continues to guide students through the complexities of America’s past, helping them understand how history shapes today’s headlines. “I love helping people get to the best questions about history and perspectives on our current events,” he says.
Outside the classroom, David’s appreciation for intentionality and craft shows up in other ways—his love of bespoke clothing, whiskey, and cigars. “Cigars are the opposite of the cell phone,” he says. “They slow down life and make priority and time for meaningful conversations.”
As a Round Table member, David brings a grounded intellect, a respect for different viewpoints, and a commitment to dialogue that challenges and enriches everyone around him. In a world often divided by extremes, he’s a reminder that wisdom is often found in the space between.