Blenda Wilson


Blenda Wilson is a retired university administrator and educational executive who was the first African American woman to become president of a large American university. She was president of California State University, Northridge during the 1994 Northridge earthquake, one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. Wilson oversaw the rebuilding of CSUN over several years, costing nearly $400 million and repairing or rebuilding over 100 buildings on the campus.

Early life

Blenda Jacqueline Wilson was born on January 28, 1941, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Her parents were Horace Lawrence Wilson and Margaret Brogsdale Wilson. She received her bachelor's degree from Cedar Crest College in 1962, her master's degree from Seton Hall University in 1965, and her Ph.D. from Boston College in 1979.

Career

Wilson held a variety of administrative and executive positions at universities and non-profit organizations before she was appointed the first female chancellor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn in 1988. In 1992 she became the third president of California State University, Northridge. In 1999, Wilson became President and CEO of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation in Quincy, Massachusetts, and served until 2006.

Impact

When Wilson came to California State University, Northridge in 1992, she was the first African American woman to become president of a large American university. She was president of CSUN during the 1994 Northridge earthquake, one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. Wilson oversaw the $400 million rebuilding of the campus over several years, where 107 buildings were damaged or destroyed, making it at the time the most expensive natural disaster to impact a university in the United States. While Wilson received local and national praise for her work in earthquake recovery at CSUN, she also was criticized for scandals that marred her presidency. During a time of severe budget cutbacks, she was criticized for planning faculty layoffs. She responded by telling the CSUN Faculty Senate that "This is not an employment agency, this is a university."

Community service

Wilson served on many nonprofit boards over the years, including trustee for the Getty Foundation, the James Irvine Foundation, Boston College, Cambridge College, the College Board, and Deputy Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

Personal life

Wilson is married to Louis Fair, Jr.