Wayne State helped turn Matthew Williams’ baseball dream into reality

DETROIT - Matthew Williams spent much of his childhood just steps from Wayne State University without realizing it could one day change the course of his life.

Growing up on Detroit's west side, Williams attended Golightly Educational Center in Midtown. On half days, he and his friends would walk to Wayne State's Student Center and spend the afternoon on campus.

"I got used to just being at Wayne State from the ages of 8 all the way up through my eighth-grade year," Williams said. "But not even thinking Wayne State was a viable academic option until it was actually presented to me."

After graduating from Royal Oak Shrine High School in 2004, Williams continued his academic and athletic journey, eventually playing baseball at Henry Ford Community College before coming to Wayne State. Years later, that opportunity would take Williams from the Warriors baseball team to two Wayne State degrees, a career in higher education and baseball, and ultimately a role with his hometown Detroit Tigers.

Williams came to Wayne State at a pivotal time in his life. He and his wife had recently welcomed their first child, making the opportunity to remain close to home especially important.

As a student-athlete, Williams received an athletic scholarship to play baseball. He also worked jobs on campus to manage the cost of college and keep more money in his pocket.

Without that support, he said, earning his degree would have been significantly more difficult, if not impossible.

"It really helped a ton," Williams said. "I was working full time and going to school full time and trying to be a full-time dad and playing baseball, so it was literally four full-time jobs at the same time."

He also credits academic advisor Tyrone Austin with helping him navigate his coursework and shape his class schedule as a student-athlete.

Williams earned his bachelor's in business management with a minor in psychology from the Mike Ilitch School of Business (then known as the School of Business Administration) in 2009. His wife, who also attended Wayne State, was pursuing her master's at the same time. The couple's shared experiences as students became another important part of their connection to the university.

After graduation, Williams remained involved with the baseball program, volunteering several times a week while working in educational recruiting. That decision to give back would open another door.

His frequent presence around the baseball program caught the attention of Wayne State alumni relations leaders, eventually leading to a position in alumni relations at the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Williams worked at the university from 2013-18, building relationships across campus while continuing his own education.

As a Wayne State employee, he was able to pursue his master's tuition-free, earning a degree in entrepreneurship and innovation in 2019. His wife also earned her master's from the university.

"There was no other school that could have offered me what Wayne State offered me," Williams said. "That's why I am a huge supporter of the university. Anything I can do, I will do."

His experiences also helped shape the relationships and opportunities that eventually led him back to baseball.

After leaving the university in 2018, Williams pursued his passion for the game full time as a business owner, trainer and coach. In 2019, he received an unexpected call from the Detroit Tigers, who were launching youth summer baseball camps and had heard about his work.

"I got to work with kids, I got to work for the hometown team that I cheered for and I got paid to do it every day," he said. "This is a dream. This is literally a dream."

That opportunity eventually led to his current role with the Tigers, where he serves as manager of Baseball Growth Initiatives.

Williams has also found ways to give back. Since 2023, he has volunteered with the Wayne State baseball program, sharing the skills and experiences he has gained throughout his career to help student-athletes prepare for life beyond the field.

For Williams, helping the next generation is part of completing a journey that began when an opportunity to pursue college was first presented to him.

"I just wanted to give back and be a part of a program that gave me so much," he said. "I feel like just giving my time back started me in the trajectory that I am right now."