The Wisely Family Interview

When the Alumni Office sat down with the Wisely siblings, Willie ’83, Beth ’86, and Jake ’88, we weren’t sure what to expect because they were our first family-style feature for the alumni e-newsletter. We couldn’t have been happier with the result. The video conversation was a high-energy trip down memory lane, weaving personal anecdotes into the broader Breck experience. As an interviewer, it was inspiring to hear how each sibling drew on their experiences at Breck to pursue different yet remarkably successful paths. From international concert stages to managing major music companies to university science labs, the Wiselys have certainly made their mark. We caught up with them to discuss their origin stories, the influential teachers who "survived" them, and the programs that helped chart the course of their lives.

Choosing Breck

The first interview question addressed how the Wiselys made their way to Breck. Recalling their move from the suburbs to Minneapolis in the 1980s. Willie, the eldest, dug through old family emails to find the official record. "Dad’s notes say: 'Wanted the best education, didn’t want to be tied to a district, parent participation was a big factor.” Then, Willie added, "Dad noted they were 'encouraged by a touch of religion.'" Jake interjected with a grin, "That’s a little revisionist. If anything, we were raised Jewish," while Beth said, "May I emphasize the agnostic and atheistic sides of the family? "But looking back," Willie retorted, "there was a spiritual element that Breck got right. I mean, we spent a lot of time in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit at the Golden Valley campus; it was a central feature of our time there. Breck found a successful mix of spirituality and community that we benefited from." In addition to the spiritual aspect, the Wiselys found the right mix of experiences and connection with faculty and staff during their years at Breck.

Faculty Impact

No Wisely interview would be complete without a nod to the faculty members who shaped and occasionally reigned in the siblings during their formative years. 

Beth’s memories lean toward the warmth in the classroom, recalling her chemistry teacher, Lois Fruen, as "kind, intuitive, and personable with her students." A mantra of how Beth now teaches her students. Jake’s recollection of Mrs. Fruen was a bit more electric… He laughed, recalling the moment she literally pulled the power during his talent show performance, a 14-minute jam session alongside future jazz icon Craig Taborn ’88.

That blend of kindness and firm boundaries extended to the rest of the faculty as well. Both Beth and Jake credit  Señora Raths for her enduring gentleness in Spanish classes. Beth formed a deep personal connection with her, while Jake admits he largely benefited from the sterling reputation his sister left behind. In the theater department, Warren Schueneman left a mark on Willie’s experience with his thick and rich sarcasm, challenging students’ worldviews by introducing them to influential figures in the arts.

Perhaps the most pivotal figure in Jake's life was Dean John Severn. Though Jake admits he "ended up in his office a lot," he credits Severn for helping him move forward. “He really took me through important years and guided me to a more mature place; he always did well by us."

Preparing for Life After Breck

If there is one common thread in the Wisely narrative, it is the May Program. For their family, it wasn't just a break from classes; it was a career launchpad. 

Jake attributes his career to his May Program internship at Twin/Tone Records, the seminal label for the Replacements, Soul Asylum, Jayhawks, and more. "I was a 15-year-old taking an internship that turned into a summer job, which turned into my foot in the door of the music industry," he said. That foot in the door eventually led Jake to start publishing a fanzine in which he interviewed everybody who came to Twin/Tone Records, including Hüsker Dü, REM, and others. He pursued his interest in music by co-founding and helping to lead Concord, a global powerhouse that holds music labels, publishing, and theatrical licensing rights worldwide. 

Willie used his May Program to record original music, a passion that has sustained him for 45 years. Today, while also handling high-level acquisitions for Concord, he is a musician who has just completed his ninth studio album. May Program was a positive experience for him, so much so that he broke into the school on Memorial Day, because he thought the experience wasn’t long enough to finish his project: recording a track. He never got in trouble because he hid when the police arrived on campus, but his bandmates received heavy detention for their involvement in what can best be described as a passion project.  

For Beth, May Program provided the "academic edge" necessary for her Ph.D. "As an educator now, I see it as the shift from being told what to do to directing your own education," she explains. "It gave me the grit to buckle down in grad school." Her work is dedicated to her students, first as a Montessori teacher and now as a college professor, with a commitment to helping them learn, modeled on the styles of many influential Breck teachers in her life.

The Wisely Family Today

Beth Wisely, Ph.D., is a Professor at Mankato State University. Beyond teaching geophysics and oceanography, she finds her greatest reward in outreach, specifically teaching geology to incarcerated women through the "Scholars Serving Time" program at Shakopee Women’s Correctional Facility. Jake Wisely recently retired from the day-to-day management at Concord, splitting time between Minnesota and Palm Springs, while Willie Wisely remains a force in the Twin Cities music scene and a key player in Concord’s acquisition team. All three remain very close.

The End of a Wonderful Conversation

As the interview wrapped up, the laughter on the video call was constant. "I’m glad the statute of limitations has run out on our Breck records," Jake joked on camera. Beth playfully chided me, saying, “When we first heard from Willie that the Alumni Office was interested in interviewing us, I said, ‘Seriously, all three of us got into so much trouble. Does he even know who he is interviewing?’” I didn’t, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat. And for the record, the statute of limitations has definitely run out, and we aren’t unsealing any more files than the ones they already disclosed. But seriously, hearing the impact the trio has had on music, business, and science education, it’s clear that each member of the Wisely family took their bumpy yet wonderful experience at Breck and used it to end up exactly where they were meant to be.

It is so great to be able to interview Breck alumni and have wonderful conversations with them.