Wendell Covington Jr.
President and CEO
Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club
I
n November 2015, Wendell Covington Jr. became president
and CEO of the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club, where he
works to pave a path for youth on “Achievement Avenue” while
strengthening the core programs of the 56-year-old nonprofit.
“We’re focused on a new era of producing ‘blue chip’ scholar-athletes,
with our eyes set on college attai nment for all,” Wendell said. “With
athletics as the core, we will surround our young people with the arts,
supplemental education, healthy living and professional development
opportunities to lead to college scholarships and mold them into
responsible, productive citizens.”
For 22 years, Wendell has worked in roles such as an AmeriCorps
St. Louis literacy coordinator, Oak Hill Elementary guidance counselor,
University of Missouri-St. Louis counselor and research assistant,
and YWCA Metropolitan St. Louis Male Involvement Coordinator.
He’s dedicated his life to serving young people, and lives by Dr. Martin
Luther King’s quote, “The function of education is to teach one to think
intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is
the goal of true education.”
The Centreville, Illinois-native earned a bachelor’s degree in
psychology with a minor in political science and African studies at the
University of Missouri-Columbia, and a master’s in general counseling
with an emphasis in marriage and family counseling at University of
Missouri-St. Louis.
When he’s not at the office or speaking at one of the club’s many
events throughout the region, you can find him spending time with his
wife, Theresa, attending their children’s games or professional sports
games, coaching sport leagues, working as a fitness trainer, challenging
friends in chess, reading, traveling and enjoying spoken word poetry
and jazz.
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