Jay Wilkinson to Speak at Xenia’s March 1 Event

Jay Wilkinson, former Norman resident and the younger son of Bud Wilkinson, will be the keynote speaker at the Sam Matthews Social Justice Award Banquet scheduled for 6:30 p.m., March 1, at First Christian Church, Norman.

College football fans and Oklahomans need no introduction to Bud Wilkinson.  Jay’s father’s University of Oklahoma football teams won three national championships and at one time captured forty-seven straight victories, a record that remains untouched and symbolizes a pinnacle achievement in sports.  Bud Wilkinson’s leadership abilities were highly sought away from the field of athletics by world-renowned figures in every walk of life, including two U.S. presidents on both sides of the political aisle.  But, above all, Bud Wilkinson was a caring father and it was his letters to his son while he attended college at Duke University that prepared Jay for achievements in his own life.

Jay Wilkinson was a standout football player at Duke where, during his senior season in 1963, he earned All-American honors, was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, and finished eighth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy.  After graduation from Duke, Jay chose to forego professional football, instead pursuing a divinity degree which he received from the Episcopal Theological School in 1967.  After spending several years in public service, he worked in executive management in the financial services industry for 37 years.

A recipient of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s prestigious Silver Anniversary Award, Jay is currently a noted motivational speaker and the author of Bud Wilkinson: An Intimate Portrait of an American Legend and Dear Jay, Love Dad: Bud Wilkinson’s Letters to his Son.  Jay has four children and seven grandchildren and lives in Oklahoma City with his wife, Rita.

The March 1 Sam Matthews Social Justice Award Banquet will honor Kathy Heiple, this year’s recipient of the prestigious award.  The banquet will take place Thursday, March 1, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of First Christian Church, 220 S. Webster, Norman.  Tickets are $30 each; tables for eight guests can be purchased for $210. Space is limited and early reservations are strongly encouraged at this time.

For more information or to make a reservation, please contact Bob Thomas, Executive Director of The Xenia Institute at 405-321-8682 or via email at bob.thomas.xenia@gmail.com.