A Cortland All-American and record-setting track miler in the 1970's, Marvin Wilson '75 has devoted much of his professional career to assisting, educating and encouraging the less privileged youth of New York State. Currently the vice president for student development and services at Claflin College in Orangeburg, S.C., Wilson grew up in South Ozone Park, N.Y., and attended Jamaica High School in Queens.
At Cortland, Wilson competed in cross country and track all four years. He was captain of both sports as a senior. He set school records in cross country, as well as in the one mile, two mile, three mile, and two-mile relay events in track. His 1975 Red Dragon track team went unbeaten. Wilson placed second nationally in the one-mile and fifth in the three-mile for All-American honors. In 1975, he received the College's Carl "Chugger" Davis Award for his athletic and leadership accomplishments. He won the Sports King Award from Beta Phi Epsilon fraternity that same year. Attending Cortland under the Educational Opportunity Program, Wilson was one of the first African-American students to serve as a resident assistant in the College's residence halls. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education in 1975.
Between 1975-79, Wilson taught elementary physical education at Riverdale County School in the Bronx, N.Y. He also coached track and cross country at the high school level. In 1978, Wilson earned a master's degree in physical education from Columbia University Teacher's College. He went to SUNY Fredonia as a residence hall director, assistant track coach, and advisor to the Black Student Union. Wilson earned a Ed.M. in counseling from SUNY Buffalo.
Wilson became physical director of the YMCA of Buffalo and Erie County in 1981 and remained there for three years. In 1984, he took over as director of housing for 600 resident students at Daemen College in Amherst, N.Y. In 1986, Wilson became director of the Higher Education Opportunity Program at Daemen. Wilson became the project director for the Structured Educational Support Program (SESP) and Collegiate Science & Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) at Buffalo State College. From 1989 to 1992, he was the SESP project director at Niagara County Community College.
Wilson then became special assistant for equity and diversity services to the president there. In that role, he served as the College's Affirmative Action Officer. He was director of St. Lawrence University's HEOP before joining the Claflin College administration in July 1995. A former member of the SUNY Chancellor's Commission of Diversity and Pluralism, Wilson received the 1984 Distinguished Alumni Award from SUNY Cortland's Educational Opportunity Program. Wilson is a past member of the Cortland College Alumni Board. Wilson, a doctoral candidate in higher education administration at SUNY Buffalo, has three children: Shani, Shala and Stacey.
