MC student well-being director’s commitment to alma mater earns distinguished staff honor

Chip Wilson, the 2024 Van "Doc" Quick Distinguished Staff Award recipient, said his primary objective at MC is to provide the same level of compassion and guidance to students that he received as an undergraduate.

A simple game of chance may have brought Chip Wilson to Mississippi College, but the director of student well-being’s dedication to his alma mater has earned him the highest staff service honor at the University.

While visiting MC as a high school student, Wilson became enamored by the Christian culture and beatific surroundings of the Clinton campus. But he also admired the college his father had attended – Union University in Jackson, Tennessee – where he also had an opportunity to play varsity soccer.

Unable to decide between the two institutions, he enrolled in both and even acquired a roommate at each university when his father finally intervened.

“My Dad walked into my room and told me I had to pick a school,” Wilson said. “Something disappointing had happened on the soccer pitch that day, and I tried to put it off once again, but he wouldn’t have it.”

Grabbing an MC pen in one fist and a Union University pen in the other, he put his hands behind his back and told his son to choose one. Wilson indicated the left side. His father opened his left hand to reveal Wilson’s undergraduate destination: Mississippi College.

“That’s how I decided to come to MC,” Wilson said. He’s been an important contributor to the xampus culture ever since.

Wilson received the Van “Doc” Quick Distinguished Staff Award during MC’s 2024 Faculty and Staff Convocation Aug. 12. The award recognizes a dedicated staff member with at least three consecutive years as a full-time employee for providing exceptional service to the 198-year-old University.

The award is named on honor of one of the Christian University’s most beloved and revered administrators and friend to many on and off the Clinton campus.

Quick devoted more than three decades to MC as a leader in student and alumni affairs and remained an icon in the University’s family for more than a half-century. He was known for his friendliness and for being a “walking encyclopedia” of all things Mississippi College.

While presenting the award to Wilson, Michael J. Highfield, MC provost and executive vice president, praised his commitment to the University.

“If you’ve had the opportunity to work with Chip, you know that he has compassion for others and is always willing to go above and beyond his call of duty,” Highfield said. “As one of his former students said, ‘Chip leads with integrity and reason. He shows kindness and compassion. My college experience of growth would hot have been the same without his leadership.’

“Chip, thank you for being an example of a servant leader. Thank you for all you do for Mississippi College, and in particular, for reflecting the cause of Christ and for making an impact on those around you.”

Wilson said he was honored to be among the distinguished Mississippi College staff members who have received the award.

“When I was notified about the award, I felt a surge of pride and gratitude,” he said. “I never would have expected this.”

The award may have come as a surprise to Wilson, but those who know him best say he is more than deserving to be mentioned in the same breath as “Doc” Quick.

Jonathan Ambrose, vice president for student experience and dean of students at MC, said from the moment he met Chip as a student, it was clear he embodied the spirit of service and leadership that is at the heart of Mississippi College.

“Chip’s dedication to his role has not only been evident in his tireless work ethic, but also in his commitment to creating a caring and impactful environment for both students and staff,” Ambrose said. “His ability to lead with empathy, communicate with clarity, and consistently go above and beyond is a testament to the incredible value he brings to our community.

“Mississippi College is a better place because of Chip’s presence, and his recognition as this year’s recipient of the ‘Doc’ Quick Award is a well-deserved honor that reflects the outstanding qualities he demonstrates every day.”

Jonathan Nutt, MC associate dean of students who hired Wilson for the Office of Student Engagement, said he has the heart of a servant leader.

“I had the chance to get to know Chip as an undergraduate student,” Nutt said. “He always put the needs of students and others around him first. He is always 100-percent committed to his work, and our office and Mississippi College are fortunate to have him.

“I cannot think of a more deserving recipient of this award.”

Wilson’s admirers extend to the student body. Abby Zacek, a senior physical education major from the United Arab Emirates who serves as a director of intramurals, said Wilson has shown what it means to be a servant leader.

“Chip has been an amazing teacher, boss, and friend to me for the past few years,” Zacek said. “He leads with integrity, perseverance, and grace. There is nothing he asks us to do that he hasn’t done alongside us.”

As a former student in Wilson’s “Ethical Leadership and Christian Values” class and as a volunteer on the Spring Break mission trip to Belize that he leads, Zacek has seen first-hand how impactful Wilson’s leadership style can be.

“One of the reasons Chip is such a great leader is that he invests in students,” she said. “He supports students and shows them they’re capable of more than they think. Chip leads by example but also gives me the freedom to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes.

“He is one of the hardest workers I know and doesn’t consider any task beneath him. I’ve seen him run around the field in the rain to make sure it was safe, clean up a player’s bloody head, and spend countless late nights at intramurals. I feel so blessed to have learned from the best.”

Brandon Welch, a junior biology medical sciences major from Bogue Chitto, has served alongside Wilson as an orientation leader.

“It became clear early on that when he spoke, everyone listened, for good reason,” Welch said. “I have learned so much from Chip about what it means to be adaptable, consistent, and most of all, caring. He has the ability to see beyond what is right in front of him and make changes that improve whatever project he is working on.

“Chip consistently adds value to everything he is part of. The quality I admire and respect the most is his care for those around him. Chip sees the people that he serves as individuals, not just pawns that he can mobilize to complete a task. It is amazing how he cares for and looks after each person and their needs to ensure their well-being above all else.”

Whenever he interacts with others, Wilson relies on a simple principle: “Be kind.”

“That’s something I try to do, regardless of the situation,” Wilson said. “Even when I’m frustrated, I make sure to relate kindness to the best of my ability.

“It’s humbling that others recognize this quality in me.”

Ironically, Wilson – who is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Teacher Education and leadership – initially struggled to become involved in activities at MC. As a freshman student, he spent more weekends driving to his family home in Memphis rather than remaining on campus at MC.

Before he returned for his sophomore year, his parents shared a word of advice.

“Mississippi College is going to be what you make it,” they told him. “We prayed for a great school for you to go to, and that ultimately you would have a great education and would find your place.

“Please don’t waste our answered prayer.”

Wilson decided at once to become involved in campus activities. His dedication to Mississippi College was bolstered when his younger brother, James, decided to become a Choctaw and his older sister, Courtney, chose to transfer from Blue Mountain College to MC.

With his siblings’ support, Wilson felt more comfortable in his collegiate environment. He joined leadership teams and volunteered whenever he could. He became a Crew member, served as an orientation leader, and contributed to the Campus Activities Board. During his senior year, he was even elected president of the Student Government Association.

After earning his B.A. in Spanish and his M.A. in higher education administration at Mississippi College, Wilson joined the MC staff full-time as coordinator of student life. He became associate director of student engagement and earned his Master of Science Certificate in Leadership from Belhaven University. An adjunct professor teaching “Foundations of Leadership” and “Christian Ethics in Leadership,” Wilson was promoted to director of student well-being in May. He is working to obtain his M.S. in Mental health counseling from MC.

Wilson said his primary objective at MC is to provide the same level of compassion and guidance to students that he received as an undergraduate.

“While I was in college, I had people who came alongside me and helped me grow into the person that I would become,” he said. “They poured into me and helped me see how special and important this time in my life really was.

“Working at MC for the entirety of my professional career has been special because each year brings so many special moments. I get to see students come into themselves. There’s a moment of trepidation when they’re applying for a leadership team position. I get to sit alongside them and be whatever they need at that moment.

“It’s fun to watch people grow from freshmen to seniors. MC is a wonderful institution – it’s much more than anything I could have dreamt. It’s not about me holding onto my college experience – it’s about helping ensure the next generation of students receive the same caliber of experience, if not better.”

Wilson credits his wife, Miranda, an MC alum and a postpartum nurse at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, for providing sustaining support that has helped him be available to students throughout his career. For example, during the days surrounding Welcome Week – the Office of Student Engagement’s official welcome for new freshmen and transfer students – Wilson worked more than 100 hours to help ensure the incoming Choctaws had a memorable experience during their first days at MC.

“My wife found the (“Doc” Quick) award to be validating,” he said. “Receiving this honor helped her understand that what I do is seen and is impactful to students. The fact that someone else noticed the long days and nights I put in makes the award special.”

Does Wilson ever consider how his life may have turned out had he chosen his father’s opposite hand?

“I’ve thought about it a few times,” he said. “I probably would have gone on to play soccer. But the biggest difference would have been in my overall engagement with the campus. It wouldn’t have been the same.

“MC is where I am supposed to be.”