[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 152 (Tuesday, October 29, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S7613]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING BERNARD WYNDER

 Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I wish to pay tribute to an 
extraordinary individual, Bernard ``Bernie'' Wynder, who passed away at 
the much too young age of 58 this past June while serving as the 
president of the Allegany County chapter of the National Association 
for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP. Bernie overcame the 
challenges of a childhood on the streets of East Baltimore and made it 
his life's work to mentor young Black men and help them to succeed as 
students, professionals, husbands, and fathers. Bernie generously gave 
his time and inimitable leadership to numerous community organizations, 
including Maryland Salem Children's Trust, Western Maryland Food Bank, 
Potomac Council Boy Scouts of America, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, 
Allegany County Multicultural Committee, American Red Cross, and the 
City of Cumberland Mediation Advisory Council. He also served on the 
Allegany County Human Relations Commission and as chair of the Friends 
of the NAACP.
  Most recently, Bernie's loving attention help reignite the local 
NAACP branch as a powerful voice for social justice in Mountain 
Maryland. I was privileged to spend time with Bernie on my visits to 
Allegany County and get to know his love for his community and to be 
inspired by his passion for social justice.
  Bernie was born in Baltimore on January 4, 1955. He graduated in 1974 
from Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School, where he served as 
president of the Student Senate for the Baltimore City School System. 
He is a 1978 graduate of Frostburg State University and received his 
master of education from FSU in 1984. Bernie started his professional 
career in January 1979, accepting the position of admissions counselor 
& minority recruiter at FSU. He became coordinator of minority 
recruitment at Slippery Rock University and then returned to FSU in 
1982 as associate director of admissions. He served in this role until 
1986, when he was promoted to be the director of the Office of Student 
Human Relations & Minority Affairs. In this capacity, he developed an 
academic monitoring program which is still in use today. In 1996, 
Bernie took over the management duties of both the Admissions and 
Financial Aid Offices at FSU. In 2001, he moved to the Athletic 
Department, where he served as the assistant director of athletics and 
worked with coaches and the Office of Enrollment Services to develop 
recruitment activities for athletes and to increase their retention and 
graduation rates. Later, Bernie served as assistant vice president of 
student services.
  Bernie Wynder's lifetime of service has been recognized and 
appreciated by others. In 1986, Bernie received the Trio Achiever's 
Award for the State of Maryland. He was inducted into Mergenthaler 
Vocational-Technical High School's Hall of Fame in 1993. He received 
FSU's Alumni Achievement Award in 1997 and received the College 
Admissions Representative of the Year Award given by the College Bound 
Foundation for service to Baltimore City high school students in 2002. 
In 2005, Bernie received the NAACP Image Award. In 2010, Bernie was one 
of three Marylanders honored as a ``Living Legend'' by the Associated 
Black Charities for his ``profound achievement in higher education.'' 
He is also an alumnus of Leadership Allegany.
  Mr. President, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, 
``Everybody can be great . . . because anybody can serve . . . You only 
need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.'' Dr. King could 
have been describing Bernie Wynder, who devoted his life to service to 
others. The NAACP and FSU students, faculty, staff, and alumni mourn 
his death, as do his brothers in Omega Psi Phi to whom he was a mentor 
and a source of inspiration. His love and concern transformed the lives 
of so many generations of Frostburg students.
  I send my deepest condolences to his wife of 32 years, Robin Vowels 
Wynder; their son, Bernard ``Bear'' Wynder Jr.; their daughter, Brandie 
McIntyre; and the rest of his family. Bernie Wynder was a man of 
uncommon integrity, wisdom, compassion, and commitment. We will miss 
his courage and vision and voice.

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