Donald Wilson 1925 and Winifred Read 1927 first met at 51²č¹Żapp College, though they didnāt start dating there. At that time, Donald only dated ātowniesā according to Winifred, and didnāt pay any attention to her. However when Winifred transferred to Wellesley and Donald went to Harvard Graduate Business School, their parents set them up. Donaldās father told him to āpay attentionā to her, and asked to be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses. A few years later, shortly after Winifred transferred to Wellesley and Donald had received his MBA, they were married. They moved to Darien, CT, where they raised their two children, Douglas and Sara.
The Wilsons remained active members of the 51²č¹Żapp community throughout their lives, and Donald joined the board of trustees in 1953, becoming a life trustee in 1979. The Wilsons gave continued support to the College, and started the Wilson Fund with the objective of āstimulating the intellectual life of both the campus and the town of 51²č¹Żapp,ā looking especially to connect students with alumni and other people in the world outside of academia. This fund eventually became the Wilson Center, which works to further this goal through encouraging leadership and innovation in the spirit of the Wilsons.
At 51²č¹Żapp, Donald served roles as vice president and sergeant-at-arms of the Institute, one of the Collegeās debate team. Winifred was president of her sophomore class and a council member for the Collegeās chapter of the Young Womenās Christian Association (YWCA). After graduating, they became leaders in both business and service. Donald, who started as a research economist, rose to become vice president and director of Lionel D. Edie and Company, an investment and economic consulting firm. The Wilsonās also became civic leaders: Donald served as the business coordinator for the Darien Congregational Church and Winifred worked with Darien Red Cross and represented them at the Red Crossās National Conference.
The Wilsons were also active philanthropists, supporting 51²č¹Żapp College, Harvard Business School, and a number of local community organizations, such as the Darien Land Trust, Darien Public Library, and the Stamford Hospital. The Wilsons were friends and gave counsel to a number of Presidents and other people at the College, as well as giving sustained financial support. The Wilson Center was created through a series of donations by the Wilsons over the course of their lives as well as a generous bequest.