| Retired President, Nellie Mae Educational Foundation | | | | Rutgers University. Then, from 1972 to 1982 |
| This article is part of groundbreaking leadership | | | | Blenda "was youngest Senior Associate Dean in |
| research has received extensive endorsements | | | | the Graduate School of Education at Harvard," |
| and enthusiastic reviews from well-known | | | | where, once again, she encountered age |
| prominent business, political, and academic leaders | | | | discrimination. |
| who either participated in the study or reviewed | | | | Dr. Blenda Wilson was the First Vice President for |
| the research findings. A total of sixteen leaders | | | | Effective Sector Management at Independent |
| were interviewed on the subject of "Leadership | | | | Sector (1982 to 1984). Independent Sector is a |
| and Overcoming Adversity." | | | | nonpartisan coalition of approximately 600 |
| Dr. Wilson overcame multiple adversities. These | | | | organizations that lead, strengthen, and mobilize |
| included significant race, gender, and age | | | | charitable communities. |
| discrimination. Blenda's first experience with major | | | | While serving in the governor's cabinet as |
| discrimination was during her high school years in | | | | Executive Director of the Colorado Commission |
| New Jersey. Though Blenda was in the National | | | | on Higher Education, she created a plan (that |
| Honor Society, Wilson's high school guidance | | | | became law in 1985) advocating for more |
| counselor totally refused to discuss or help Blenda | | | | efficiently organizing higher education within the |
| get into a college. Blenda's comment was | | | | state. |
| "Actually, she told me to 'take a typing class'... | | | | Dr Wilson was the first woman to head a |
| then said, 'You're nice looking, and you might be | | | | four-year higher education institution in the state |
| able to become a secretary. '" | | | | of Michigan becoming Chancellor of the University |
| Wilson just ignored the "mean" counselor and she | | | | of Michigan's Dearborn campus from 1988 to |
| directly contacted several colleges for admission | | | | 1992. Wilson was widely recognized for her |
| and scholarship information. Wilson was accepted | | | | outreach to Dearborn's Arab-American |
| to all of the colleges she applied to, including major | | | | community and Detroit's African-American |
| prestigious universities, such as the "Seven | | | | community. |
| Sisters." However, major colleges only offered | | | | During Dr. Wilson's tenure as president of |
| one-year scholarships with a series of renewals. | | | | California State University, Northridge, from 1992 |
| Blenda wanted to get a full four-year scholarship | | | | to 1999, Dr. Wilson enacted a number of strategic |
| to ensure that she could complete her college | | | | plans to better serve the populations of the San |
| education. Cedar Crest College guaranteed Blenda | | | | Fernando Valley. Wilson also led the University in |
| four years of tuition scholarship money, a travel | | | | the enormous task of rebuilding of the California |
| budget and a job. So, Blenda went to Cedar Crest | | | | State University after the devastating 1994 |
| College and got her degree. | | | | Northridge earthquake. |
| She did not allow anything to stop her from | | | | Dr. Blenda Wilson was a former Chair of the |
| receiving her education. After Blenda graduated | | | | prestigious American Association of Higher |
| from Cedar Crest College she earned a Master's | | | | Education. Wilson was the first woman to Chair |
| degree in Education from Seton Hall then | | | | the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and was |
| completed a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Boston | | | | Deputy Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of |
| College. | | | | Boston where she served on the Board of |
| Before she earned her Ph.D. and launched her | | | | Directors from 2003 to 2006. Dr. Wilson has |
| higher educational leadership career, Blenda | | | | served on the Board of Directors of numerous |
| experienced gender and age discrimination from | | | | non-profit corporations such as the Getty |
| African American males, both from within her | | | | Museum, The College Board, and has recently |
| organization and the local community. Though | | | | served as the interim President of her |
| Wilson was clearly more qualified and had more | | | | undergraduate Alma Mater, Cedar Crest College. |
| education than her male competition many people | | | | Dr. Wilson served as the first President and Chief |
| were vocal in their opposition to her being | | | | Executive Officer of the Nellie Mae Education |
| appointed as the Executive Director of the | | | | Foundation from 1999 to 2006. The Nellie Mae |
| Middlesex County Economic Opportunity | | | | Education Foundation, established in 1998, is New |
| Corporation and the Head Start Program. Blenda | | | | England's largest public charity dedicated to |
| Wilson pointed out, "The African American men in | | | | improving academic achievement for underserved |
| the community were upset that a woman would | | | | communities. During her seven-year tenure Dr. |
| get this key position... One of the criteria was that | | | | Blenda Wilson was a very successful CEO at the |
| they wanted someone with a Master's degree. I | | | | Nellie Mae Education Foundation. |
| had one. None of the African American men did." | | | | Under Dr. Wilson's leadership, the Nellie Mae |
| Blenda experienced age, and gender discrimination | | | | Education Foundation (NMEF) distributed more than |
| and prejudice from from black men and white | | | | $80 million in grants to various educational |
| people. | | | | institutions and to non-profit organizations to |
| Blenda Wilson shared that taking a leave from her | | | | improve the access to college for deserving |
| local high school teaching position to become the | | | | students. The NMEF was established to promote |
| Executive Director of the Middlesex County | | | | accessibility, quality, and effectiveness in education |
| Economic Opportunity Corporation, "actually | | | | from preschool through postsecondary levels, |
| changed my life. I started doing the Head Start | | | | especially for under-served populations. The Nellie |
| program... This was all in the 1960s, with the "War | | | | Mae Education Foundation has net assets of |
| on Poverty," the Office of Economic Opportunity. | | | | approximately $400 million, making it one of the |
| I [Wilson] was going to change the world." | | | | largest foundations in New England, and the |
| In 1969, after earning her Ph.D., Dr. Wilson began | | | | largest focused exclusively on improving higher |
| her career in higher education administration at | | | | education. |