Edwin Graves Wilson (born February 1, 1923) is a professor at

Wake Forest University Wake Forest University is a private university, private research university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded in 1834, the university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, North Carolina, Wake Forest, north of Rale ...

. His professional academic and administrative tenure at Wake Forest spanned from 1951 until his retirement in 1993. He is referred to affectionately by members of the Wake Forest community as "Mr. Wake Forest." He is a 1943 graduate of Wake Forest with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Wilson was born on February 1, 1923, in

Leaksville, North Carolina Eden is a city in Rockingham County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Eden is the largest city in Rockingham County and is part of the Greensboro-High Point Metropolitan Statistical Area of the Piedmont Triad metro region. As of the 2020 c ...

. He began classes at Wake Forest at age 16. Upon graduation, he served as a

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...

officer in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. After his service, he earned a master's degree and a doctorate, both in English, from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

. In 1951, he began teaching English at Wake Forest, where he spent his entire career. His specialty was the

Romantic poets Romantic poetry is the poetry of the Romantic era, an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. It involved a reaction against prevailing Enlightenment ideas of the 18th ...

William Wordsworth William Wordsworth (7 April 177023 April 1850) was an English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication ''Lyrical Ballads'' (1798). Wordsworth's '' ...

Lord Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824), known simply as Lord Byron, was an English romantic poet and Peerage of the United Kingdom, peer. He was one of the leading figures of the Romantic movement, and h ...

, and others, often performing poetic recitations. In addition to his academic work, Wilson acted in succession as Assistant Dean of the undergraduate College, acting Dean of the College, Dean of the College, Provost (the University's first), Vice President for special projects, and Senior Vice President. His longest-held administrative position was Provost, his role on campus from 1967 until 1990. Wilson also has been active in intercollegiate athletics and is professed lover of ACC men's basketball. He served as Wake Forest's representative to the

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athlete, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic sports, ...

and to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), as well as president of the ACC. In 1992, prior to his retirement, the university named the new wing of the Z. Smith Reynolds Library in his honor. Outside the university, Wilson has served on a number of arts-related organizations' boards, including the Piedmont Opera Theatre, the Winston-Salem Arts Council, the

North Carolina Arts Council The North Carolina Arts Council is an organization in the U.S. state of North Carolina that provides grants to artists, musicians and arts organizations. The group's mission is "arts for all people." It was founded by executive order in 1964 by G ...

, and Reynolda House Museum of American Art. He has also served on the board of trustees at

Winston-Salem State University Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) is a historically black public university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina. History Winston-Salem State University was founded as Slater Industrial Academy on ...

and is a 2002 recipient of the

North Carolina Award The North Carolina Award is the highest civilian award bestowed by the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is awarded in the four fields of science, literature, the fine arts, and public service. Sometimes referred to as the "Nobel Prize of North Carol ...

for Public Service. Wilson is married to Emily Louise Wilson (Herring), a professor and poet. They have three children.

References

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Edwin 1923 births Living people American academics of English literature Wake Forest University faculty Wake Forest University alumni Wake Forest University administrators Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni People from Eden, North Carolina United States Navy personnel of World War II United States Navy officers