Gerald Wilson, senior associate dean emeritus of the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, is remembered for his selfless dedication to the institution, passion for education and commitment to building lasting bonds with students over his 60-plus years of service to the University.
Wilson, 88, who died Sept. 12, was known as an “upbeat, enthusiastic” educator and administrator who guided thousands of students throughout his career as a pre-law adviser, academic dean and history professor.
Wilson was “one of the pillars of the institution,” said Professor Emerita of History Kirsten Neuschel, who first met Wilson when she joined the history department.
“He was an institution builder. [His] ... career spanned the growth of Duke into the very high-ranking university it is now,” Neuschel said of how Wilson exemplified the values and spirit of Duke. “… He never lost the kind of personal touch that can get lost in a big institution.”
Wilson arrived at Duke in 1958 as a student in the Divinity School. The following year, he became an assistant housemaster, a role similar to today’s resident assistant, and then the Dean of Men.
He eventually joined the University as a full-time employee in 1964, later becoming an adviser to pre-law students in 1969. After receiving his Master of Religion from the Graduate School in 1968 and his doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1972, Wilson taught as a professor in the history department up until his retirement in 2021.
Wilson was an associate university marshal from 1989 to 2015, during which he organized key campus events such as convocation, Founders’ Day, commencement and presidential inaugurations.
“He was so devoted. He came to Duke to study in the Divinity School but became so captured by being a University administrator and a dean,” said Alex Roland, professor emeritus of history and former chair of the history department. “He enjoyed everything he did, even if at many times it was an enormous workload and very demanding. It never seemed to get him down.”
Roland regarded Wilson as a “marvelous colleague” during their time in the history department. He admired Wilson for volunteering to teach for his “two famous courses” on top of his responsibilities as dean and always finding time for his colleagues.
Neuschel shared a similar sentiment. She appreciated Wilson for always being available as an experienced administrator at a time when faculty received little formal training in administrative duties. She characterized Wilson as someone who cared for the University and “the kind of person who could help on any front.”
Throughout his time as an adjunct professor of history from 2014 to 2021, Wilson taught the courses “Leadership in American History” and “American Dreams and American Realities,” where he explored the values of American democracy and what defines the American character. Both classes regularly saw high enrollment.
As an administrator, although Wilson was unable to take time off during the summer as professors do, Roland noted that despite “probably being overworked,” somehow Wilson never stressed.
“I would see him all the time in Faculty Council and all kinds of other committees around campus — and I can't remember him ever complaining about anything,” Roland said.
Working with students
Those fortunate enough to know Wilson also valued his genuine commitment to personally connecting with each of his students. He was known for leaving his office in the basement of the Allen Building open to everyone, fostering conversations ranging from law school admissions to general life advice.
Elliott Wolf, Trinity ‘08, first introduced himself to Wilson while he was considering going to law school. His relationship with Wilson deepened in the wake of the Duke lacrosse scandal when Wolf — then the 2006-07 Duke Student Government president — sought the dean’s advice on addressing tensions between the University and the Durham community.
Wolf came to know Wilson further during the law school admissions cycle. He pointed out that Wilson served an important role as an intermediary between prospective law students and law school admissions offices. He characterized Wilson as someone who “played the longest of long games” by always taking the time to write recommendation letters for every student, all while maintaining his credibility with law schools.
“If you wanted to get into law school, he was the gateway,” Wolf said. “He knew everybody.”
Even after Wolf matriculated to Stanford Law School, he still kept in touch with Wilson, who later invited him to speak at Duke. The news of Wilson’s passing left Joanna Brand, Trinity ‘93, emotional and “teary.” She recalled that Wilson helped her navigate the uncertainties of applying to law school and financial support after her father unexpectedly passed away during her junior year, a moment she “felt [to be] at times impossible.”
“Being in Dean Wilson's office as he provided me with the benefit of all of his experience and … gave me the confidence to make the decision to accept Harvard Law School's offer,” Brand wrote in an email to The Chronicle.
Brand also remembered Wilson’s sense of humor. In one of his classes, she remembered the “mortifying day” when he called her out in front of hundreds of students, asking — “Now, where’s my Harvard lawyer?”
A lasting legacy
Reflecting on Wilson’s legacy at the institution, Provost Emeritus Peter Lange praised Wilson’s dedication to helping students realize their potential, which represents the values Duke “at its best.”
Though, Wilson’s support for students extended well beyond Duke.
In 2019, Wilson and his wife Ginger Wilson, Woman’s College ‘62 and Graduate School ‘63 and ‘75, as well as one of the North Carolina School of Science and Math’s founding faculty members and dean of humanities, established the Virginia S. and Gerald Lee Wilson Scholarship Fund in an effort to help provide North Carolinian high schoolers with a path to attend Duke.
During Gerald Wilson’s time at Duke, he received a number of University honors, including the 2010 Presidential Award — the highest honor given to University staff and faculty members — the 2019 Brodhead Service Award and the 2013 University Medal for Distinguished Service.
To Wolf, Wilson embodied the best of both worlds. His down-to-earth personality was in no way at odds with his role as a pre-law adviser overseeing competitive graduate admissions.
“You might get some bits and pieces of that, where you have globally ambitious and competitive faculty members who came in from anywhere in the world [and] you might have vestiges of southern hospitality,” Wolf said. “But to bring all that together was very rare, but it was also very Duke in the best ways.”
Roland said that he “[has] the happiest memories of him,” reminiscing on the last time he saw Wilson — who was in his late 80s — at an event on campus. Roland was surprised that even in his old age, Wilson remained actively involved on campus and “was just happy to be back at Duke and around old friends.”
“For somebody who walked in the door at Duke to do something else, [but] stayed around for 60 years [to do something else] and [make] that much impact on the institution, that’s a pretty good life,” Roland said.
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Lucas Lin is a Trinity sophomore and a university news editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.