Wilbur Willis, III, is a native of Tuskegee, Alabama. While growing up there, he was influenced by the strong focus given to education and church by the community to become an educator, historian and minister. He has a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of South Alabama and a Master of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University with concentrations in Christian Education and Black Church Studies. Willis has acquired professional experience from the Alabama Department of Archives and History, the National Park Service (the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail), the National Center for the Study of Civil Rights and African American Culture, and has served as Social Studies Department Chair at St. Jude Educational Institute. He is a member of several professional organizations which include the National Association of Historians, Organization of American Historians, National Scholar’s Honor Society, American Academy of Religion, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Walking in his call to be a minister, Willis has had eye opening experiences. He began a college ministry that served and provided programs for students who attended Tuskegee University. Growing in the spiritual gift of discernment, he was led to leave Alabama to pursue further professional ministerial and educational training in Atlanta, Georgia. While Willis matriculated through the Candler School of Theology, an internship blossomed into a blessed opportunity to serve hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students at Clark Atlanta University, Emory University, Georgia State University, Georgia Tech University, Morehouse College and Spelman College. Over seven years of professional experience concentrated in college ministry assists him as he currently works as the Director/Campus Minister for the Troy University Wesley Foundation.