Jacksonville native, Brother Marques Wilkes is the son of the late Coach Bernard Wilkes and Sybil Wilkes and is a 2001 graduate of Ribault High School, where he served as Student Body President during his Junior year and became Senior Class President during his senior year. After leaving Jacksonville, he graduated from University of Florida with a Bachelor’s in Economics, then to Georgia State University to received his Master’s in Mathematics, and earlier this month, he earned his PhD in Urban Higher Education from Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi. Currently, he is the Inaugural Director of the Accelerated Degree Program and Dual Enrollment at Edward Waters University.

In 2018, Brother Wilkes, along with 4 others, chartered the University of Florida Association of Black Alumni Jacksonville chapter and became its second President.

Initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha in 2005, Brother Wilkes became a Life Member in 2006. Quickly rising in the ranks of leadership, Brother Wilkes served on the chapter, District, Regional and National levels and was the Assistant to the 33 rd General President. In 2008, he became the Charter Chapter Advisor at Kennesaw State University and in 2018, became an honored “Guiding Light” and Charter Member for the Sigma Pi Lambda chapter, where he is currently the 1st Vice President.

Aside from his educational, civic and fraternal accomplishments, he is most proud to be the father of Savannah, a freshman at his Alma Mater, the University of Florida, and Jonathan, a 10th grade student at Pompano High School.