Exemplary Non-Profit and Higher Education Leadership – Blenda Wilson, Ph.D.

Retired President, Nellie Mae Educational Foundation

This article is part of the pioneering research leadership has extensive powers and was well received enthusiastic reviews from well-known prominent business, political, academic and leader, either on or in the study reviewed the results of the research. Total of sixteen leaders were on the theme "Leadership and Overcoming Adversity interviewed."

Dr. Wilson overcame many adversities. These includedsignificant race, gender, age, and discrimination. Blenda first experience with major discrimination was during her high school year in New Jersey. Although Blenda was in the National Honor Society to discuss Wilson's high school guidance counselor or completely failed to get help Blenda into a college. Blenda said: "Actually, they're taking me to have" a typology of class "… then he said:" You also look good, and you could be a secretary. "

Wilson simply ignored the "middle"Consultants and directly to several universities for admission and information science. Wilson was there, all of the colleges she applied including large well-known universities, such as accepting the "Seven Sisters." However, only the big universities offer one-year fellowships with a number of extensions. Blenda wanted to get a full four-year scholarship to ensure that their college education might lead to an end. Cedar Crest College guarantees four-year tuition scholarship Blenda moneya travel budget and a job. So Blenda went to Cedar Crest College and received her diploma.

She did not let anything stop her from receiving their training. After Blenda graduated from Cedar Crest College, she earned a master's degree in Education from Seton Hall then completed a doctorate in higher education from Boston College.

Before she graduated and launched her career colleges leadership Blenda experienced gender and age discrimination against African AmericanMen, both within their organization and the local community. Although Wilson was clearly better qualified and had more education than their male vocal competition, many people in their opposition to their appointment as executive director of the Middlesex County Economic Opportunity Corporation and the Head Start Program. Blenda Wilson noted, "The African American men in the community were angered that a woman was this key position … One of the criteria would receive, that theywanted someone with a master's degree. I had one. None of the men are African American. "Blenda experienced age and sex discrimination and prejudices of black men and white men.

Blenda Wilson shared that taking leave of her local high school teaching position to the Executive Director of the Middlesex County Economic Opportunity Corporation, "really changed my life. I enable the Head Start program … All this was in the 1960s, starting with the "war onPoverty, the Office of Economic Opportunity. I [Wilson] wanted to change the world. "

In 1969, after the successful Ph.D., Dr. Wilson began her career in higher education administration at Rutgers University. Then, from 1972 to 1982 Blenda "was youngest Senior Associate Dean of the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University" where once again she encountered discrimination on grounds of age.

Dr. Blenda Wilson was the first Vice President for Effective Management at the Independent SectorSector (1982 to 1984). Independent Sector is a nonpartisan coalition of approximately 600 organizations, resulting in the strengthening, and mobilizing non-profit communities.

During his tenure in the office of governor created as executive director of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, they have a plan (the law was in 1985) advocating a more efficient organization of higher education within the state.

Dr. Wilson was the first woman to be a four-year college in the headMichigan Chancellor of the University of Michigan, Dearborn Campus 1988 to 1992. Wilson was widely recognized for her outreach to Arab-American community of Dearborn and Detroit's African-American community.

Dr. Wilson during his term of office as president of the California State University, Northridge, from 1992 to 1999, Dr. Wilson issued better serve a number of strategic plans for the population of the San Fernando Valley. Wilson also led theUniversity in the daunting task of rebuilding the California State University after the devastating earthquake in Northridge 1994th

Dr. Blenda Wilson was a former chairman of the prestigious American Association of Higher Education. Wilson was the first woman to chair the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and was vice chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, where she was a member of the Board of Directors 2003 to 2006. Dr. Wilson has served the Board of Directorsnumerous non-profit companies such as the Getty Museum, the College Board, and has served recently as interim president of her undergraduate alma mater, Cedar Crest College.

Dr. Wilson was the first President and Chief Executive Officer of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation in 1999 to 2006. The Nellie Mae Education Foundation, founded in 1998, is New England's largest public charity for improving the academic performance of underserved communities dedicated. During herseven-year tenure, Dr. Blenda Wilson was a very successful CEO of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation.

Under the leadership of Dr. Wilson's spread the Nellie Mae Education Foundation (NMEF) more than 80 million U.S. dollars in grants to various educational institutions and nonprofit organizations to improve access to higher education for deserving students. The NMEF established to promote the accessibility, quality and efficiency in education from preschool through middle school levels, especiallyfor underserved populations. The Nellie Mae Education Foundation has concentrated net assets of approximately 400 million U.S. dollars, making it one of the largest foundations in New England, and the largest exclusively on the improvement of higher education.

Dr. Wilson has received honorary doctorates from more than 25 colleges and universities, including Cedar Crest College, Rutgers, the University of Massachusetts, Brandeis University and Boston College. Wilson has served on the boardsTrustees of Boston College and Union Theological Seminary, the Board of the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, the Board of Directors of Higher Education Resource Services, and the boards of Boston After School and Beyond ", Boston College, and Federated Dorchester Neighborhood houses. Wilson is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Medco Health Solutions.

Dr. Blenda Wilson has an impressive track record of effective management of lifewith complicated matters of educational policy. Dr. Blenda Wilson still finds time from her schedule as a mentor and coach select prospective female leaders.

Dr. Blenda Wilson, the share has a history against the adversities of life, overcome especially age, race and sex discrimination, and is an excellent example of a successful prominent leaders of adversity!

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