Dr Dorian Boyland (Photo/CBT News)
By Karen Stokes
On Saturday, the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh officially renamed its Multicultural Education Center (MEC) in honor of Dr. Dorian Boyland, a 1976 graduate.
Dr. Boyland University Hall at the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh is one of the few buildings on college campuses in Wisconsin named in honor of African Americans.
Some others include the Carson Gulley Center and Vel Phillips Hall at UW–Madison, and the Lowe Center for the Arts at UW–La Crosse, named after Truman Lowe.
“It means a tremendous amount more than I could ever realize and ever dream of. That building in particular that will be named in my honor is a building that I spent a great deal of time in at my Alma mater that has been so supportive all these years,” Boyland said.
Boyland, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, shared that in the 1970s, the Alphas at UW–Oshkosh unofficially used the MEC as their frat house. With an Alpha serving as the center’s administrator, they had keys and access to the schedule, using the space for pledge sessions and also used it as a place that everybody used to cross the sands when Boyland attended Oshkosh between 1972 and 1976.
“So, in essence, that was our joint, at least that’s what we told everybody on campus,” Boyland said.
After college, Boyland made a major pivot in his career—first being drafted in the second round of the 1976 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, then later building a successful nationwide chain of car dealerships.
“Baseball just didn’t work out. For whatever reason it wasn’t my calling,” Boyland explained. “My Major League career was short lived but the pivot
to the automotive industry wasn’t something that I had planned on. When I decided to retire, the prior owner of the team was in the car business and he said, “why don’t you work with me in the car business.”
“I don’t like cars, I don’t like sales, and I can’t even drive a stick,” Boyland recalled. “I was a computer science major. I started and within a month or so I fell in love. Again being at the right place at the right time after a while became partners and the rest is history.”
Boyland said the core values that shaped his life, and career came from his mother, who taught him to treat others the way she treated him and his sister.
“My core values haven’t changed. It’s being a good person, to understand the values that my mom taught me, don’t lie, don’t steal, be nice to everybody, don’t make any enemies, and befriend as many people as you possibly can and treat them with respect. I want everybody to be proud to call me their father, grandfather, husband, friend, mentor, Alpha brother,” said Boyland.
Reflecting on the naming ceremony, which was attended by about 250 people including nearly 100 Alpha brothers who pledged at UW–Oshkosh, Boyland said, “This is for all of them — my family, friends, and alma mater. For some reason, when you say University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, it doesn’t light up like Madison, UWM, or Whitewater. So, it means a lot that everyone is proud we now have a building that we all associate with.”