After 35 years of dedicated service to WVU, Sonja Wilson is retiring. She has served as the senior program administrator for the Mountainlair, a unit within the Division of Student Life, since 1988.
In that role, Wilson has served as the driving force for various renowned Student Life programs and events that serve students, staff, faculty and the state. She has overseen WVUp All Night, Mountaineer Idol, Dancing with our Mountaineer Stars, Mountaineer Week to include the Craft Fair and Quilt Show, and the Student Life Hall of Fame and Outstanding Achievement Award Program.
She has also served as the advisor to the Mountaineer Mascot and alternate mascot and the Student Events Board.
Last year, Wilson was named “The Daily Athenaeum’s Most Influential Person of Year,” in 2007, she was honored as the Most Loyal Staff Mountaineer by the WVU Foundation, and in 1989, she was named WVU Employee of the Year.
Wilson earned her associate arts degree in business from Fairmont State College in 1973 and earned her regents bachelor of arts degree from WVU in 2009.
She began her career at WVU in 1984 as a training and development assistant with the department of Human Resources, and from 1985 to 1988, she served as an administrative assistant with Employee Relations.
Following her retirement, Wilson will return to WVU and work part-time as the manager of the Mountaineer Mascot Program.
The Division of Student Life will host a retirement celebration March 1 from 3-5 p.m. in the Mountaineer Room of the Mountainlair. Refreshments will be available following a short program.