Dylan Pillivant
By: Kara Szymanski | Shelby-Utica News | Published April 22, 2025
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Shelby Township resident Dylan Pillivant was recently named the 2025 recipient of Oakland University’s Alfred G. Wilson Award.
The Alfred G. Wilson Award was established in 1965. The Alfred G. and Matilda R. Wilson Awards each recognize a senior who has made significant contributions as a scholar, a leader, and a responsible citizen of the institution. Interest in the social issues of the community and society is of special significance in granting the award. Oakland University was founded by a donation from the Wilsons.
Nominees must have an academic record of a 3.5 GPA or higher. The award comes with $1,000.
Pillivant is a graduate of Utica High School and is soon to graduate from Oakland University with a degree in biology. Pillivant, a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, maintained a 3.98 GPA.
His accomplishments that led to him winning the award include serving as president of United 2 Heal, a student organization that works with community partners to deliver medical supplies to underserved communities abroad. As co-founder and treasurer of Oakland University’s Minority Association of Premedical Students, he supported mentorship, academic success and health care advocacy for underrepresented students. Through his work as a peer mentor with Oakland University’s Gender and Sexuality Center, he helped foster a sense of belonging and a supportive environment for LGBTQ+ students.
Pillivant also volunteers at the Gary Burnstein Community Health Clinic in Pontiac, helping hundreds of patients in financial need access health treatments. As a volunteer at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit, he helps children who are facing medical challenges. He also wrote a book called “Feline Physicians,” which introduces children to careers in medicine, and he is co-founder of the Feline Physicians Foundation, which aims to increase medical literacy for children.
The Wilson Awards are presented annually to two graduating seniors who have contributed as scholars, leaders and responsible citizens. A committee reviews nominations from faculty, staff and students and selects recipients of the Wilson Awards. Recommended candidates are approved as honorees by the vice president for student affairs and chief diversity officer, and the president.
Pillivant said he is honored to be recognized with this award.
“My work has always been driven by a deep commitment to service. I’m grateful to Oakland University for giving me the opportunity to grow, lead and make a difference. This recognition is not just a reflection of my efforts, but also of the many mentors and peers who have supported and inspired me along the way. I’m excited to continue this work and hope it encourages others to get involved in causes they care about,” he said.
Blake Ilan, the coordinator of Oakland University’s Gender and Sexuality Center, who nominated Pillivant for the Alfred G. Wilson Award, said Pillivant walks the walk as a leader striving toward a more equitable and inclusive world.
“He is deeply committed to making health care where more LGBTQ+ people report experiencing ongoing issues than most anywhere else as LGBTQ+ affirming as possible. He does what I hope all students learn to do — find their lane, and make waves. Dylan has been pivotal in developing the Gender and Sexuality Center’s relationship with the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine and will continue to serve as a resource for us throughout his career,” he said.