Marie Wiley Mathis

Marie Wiley Mathis served as president of WMU two times-during 1956-1963 and 1969-1975. In the middle of her Texas WMU presidency, Baylor University invited her to join the staff, which led to her taking over the management of the Union Building's program where she instituted many Baylor traditions. Keeping her title as Student Union director while working on staff for national WMU, she returned there full time when she accepted her second term as president of Woman's Missionary Union.

She served as promotion director, later called Education Division director, on the staff of WMU, SBC, between her terms as president. Her final challenge as WMU President was to bridge the retirement of Alma Hunt and the selection of Carolyn Weatherford as executive head. As part of that time of change, she led WMU to call in management consultants, enlarged the professional staff, and saw to the redecoration of the Birmingham offices.