It is with a saddened heart that I announce the death of our colleague, Professor Emerita Erika Wilson, of the History Department. She was 84.
Dr. Wilson was a native of Germany. She received a Ph.D. in economics from UCLA in 1971 and spent the first few years of her career teaching at California State University, Northridge. Dr. Wilson’s interest in ethics led her to continue her studies in religion, and in 1979 she received a Ph.D. in comparative religion from the University of Southern California. Dr. Wilson joined the Cal State LA faculty in 1968, teaching first in the Department of Economics. She then became the driving force in the establishment of the Religious Studies Program, where she eventually served as a full-time instructor. Her publications included
Business and Society: An Introduction to its Social Responsibilities
and
Emotions and Spiritual Experiences in Religions and Spiritual Movements
. Throughout her career, Dr. Wilson maintained a strong connection to Germany, and returned frequently to teach at the University of Heidelberg.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on July 7, 2018, at the All Saints Church in Pasadena. Donations may be made in Dr. Wilson’s name to the California chapter of
The Nature Conservancy
.
