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Quiet and Confident
Soft-Spoken Senior Waylo Wilson makes a big impression on and off the court
University News | September 23, 2024
At 6 feet 6 inches tall, Waylo Wilson stands out, both literally and figuratively. The Marlins Men’s Basketball captain started all 28 games last season, shooting 56 percent from the field and leading the team in both rebounds and blocked shots. Though he was a standout player at Kecoughtan High School in Hampton, Virginia, he was lightly recruited. However, one man kept coming back to sell him on Virginia Wesleyan University. 
“Coach Macedo gave me a lot of love and attention when I was in high school,” says Waylo. “When I visited campus, I noticed right away that everyone on the team was high energy, but no one had big egos or tried to act too cool. I realized that this was the kind of place where I could grow.” And that’s exactly what Waylo has done during the past three years.
“I was more of a closed person before I got here,” admits Waylo. “At first, all I did was go to class, play basketball, and go back to my dorm room. Over time though, there were a lot of people here who helped me grow and come out of my shell.”
And yet, Coach Dave Macedo says Waylo has given as much as he’s received here at VWU. “He’s the nicest, sweetest, and kindest person who takes such an interest is his fellow teammates and classmates. He just finds the good in everyone.”
Waylo is still soft spoken, and does prefer to let his actions speak for themselves, and that appears to be more than enough to draw the notice of people across campus. While his skill as an athlete tends to get a lot of the attention, Waylo is quietly preparing for a future in computer and information science. Since the beginning of his third year on campus, he’s been working at the Malbon Center for Technology, assisting on the help desk and gaining real-world skills.
Recently, Waylo was tasked with solving a problem on campus. At the Lingo Fitness Center, students are supposed to sign in when they enter the facility. However, few actually do so, most likely because the process involved pen and paper and many where in too big of a hurry. For the people who manage the facility, that meant not knowing how many people were using it and on what days and times, which made it difficult to properly staff the center and establish operating hours that meet student needs.
To remedy this situation, Waylo created a new app that allows visitors to simply swipe their university ID as they enter, leaving behind all the information needed for staff to properly manage the facility. The response has been tremendous, more than 1,500 swipes in the first few weeks of the school year, far exceeding the fractional number of people who signed in during previous years.
“Waylo is a very talented student employee, a natural leader, and a quick study when it comes to learning new software development tools,” says VWU Chief Information Office Greg Skinner who is also Waylo’s supervisor. “With his academic background in computer science and his experience working at the Malbon Center for Technology, I expect Waylo to do great things in his career after he graduates from Virginia Wesleyan.”
Now well into his final year at VWU, Waylo is preparing to embrace his next chapter, looking to enter the software development field, specializing in the medical arena. He does so with the confidence that made him a star basketball player. “My mom is my role model, he says. “She’s always encouraged me to get out my comfort zone. “I’m fortunate. I am part of a great community. There are people here who I know have my back and want to help get me where I need to be.”