Dr. Lucas Establishes Scholarship in Son Stanley Wilson Jr.'s Honor

On Stanley Wilson Jr.'s birthday, his mother, Dr. D. Pulane Lucas, announced a significant gift to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). The $50,000 donation will establish a criminal justice scholarship at the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. This fund aims to support students pursuing studies in criminal justice, with a particular focus on those affected by incarceration.

Dr. Lucas, a founding president and CEO of Policy Pathways, Inc., a nonprofit organization based in Richmond, Virginia, has dedicated much of her scholarly and public policy work to criminal justice, correctional systems, and the experiences of families affected by incarceration. The scholarship is part of her mission to honor her son's legacy and create new opportunities for others.

Stanley Wilson Jr. was born on November 5, 1982. He became a scholar, student leader, elite college athlete, and professional football player. At Stanford University, he earned a bachelor’s degree in urban studies and was a track and football athlete, as well as a student government leader. He later played cornerback in the National Football League for the Detroit Lions. He also completed the NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and earned a nursing degree from Hunter College.

Stanley’s father, Stanley Wilson Sr., a former NFL player for the Cincinnati Bengals, served time in prison. This experience shaped Stanley Jr.'s understanding of the impact incarceration can have on children and families. He eventually became a mentor, counseling young people who had incarcerated parents. The new scholarship carries a particular commitment to students whose lives have been touched by incarceration.

Tragically, Stanley died on February 1, 2023, at the age of 40, while being transported from Los Angeles County’s Twin Towers Correctional Facility to Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk for psychiatric treatment. He was posthumously diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative brain disease caused by repeated hits to the head over time. In a February 2024 investigation, a Los Angeles Times reporter documented how Stanley’s parents had struggled to obtain accurate information about what happened to their son. Neither the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department nor the California Department of State Hospitals assumed custodial responsibility of his body, investigated his death, or publicly reported his death.

For Dr. Lucas, this experience has transformed grief into scholarship, research, and advocacy. She hopes other individuals, families, alumni, organizations, and institutions will join her in building the fund and expanding its reach. The scholarship represents an extension of her mission to educate and prepare youth and young adults for leadership in public policy, public administration, and related fields.

The Stanley Wilson Jr. Scholarship Fund is being established through the Virginia Commonwealth University Foundation. Contributions can be made at wilder.vcu.edu/give or by scanning the QR code provided.