caption predecessor successor death_place birth_place death_date title birth_date image article_title name alma_mater
wilkinson byu yearbook pictured in '' the banyan 1952 '' , howard s. mcdonald dallin h. oaks salt lake city , utah ogden , utah 6 april 1978 president of 4 may 1899 ernest leroy wilkinson.jpg ernest l. wilkinson
 ernest l. wilkinson george washington university
ernest l. wilkinson

ernest leroy wilkinson -lrb- may 4 , 1899 -- april 6 , 1978 -rrb- was an american academic administrator and prominent figure in the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints -lrb- lds church -rrb- .
he was president of brigham young university -lrb- byu -rrb- from 1951 to 1971 and also oversaw the entire lds church educational system .
prior to this , wilkinson was a lawyer in washington , d.c. and new york .
