Marvin Ludwig was born on August 29, 1926 in Sioux City, Iowa. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a BA in physical education and has done graduate work in sociology and group work. He was awarded a Doctorate of Human Letters from George Williams College in 1975 and has also received a Doctorate of Technical Letters from Northwest Technical College.
His first professional position within the YMCA was as a youth director at the Marion, Ohio YMCA, a post he held from 1949-1954. From 1955-1968, Ludwig worked in Ethiopia as a YMCA World Service executive helping to expand that country's YMCA from one association in Addis Ababa to twenty-three centers in eighteen cities. Under his leadership, the organization became the first non-governmental organization to receive the Haile Selassie First Prize Trust Award for outstanding achievements in humanitarian activities. Another achievement of Ludwig's was the training of indigenous leadership, which eventually led to total Ethiopian leadership of the YMCA and the appointment of the first Ethiopian to serve as National Executive Secretary. Also during this time, five YMCA buildings were constructed with only three percent of the support coming from overseas.
In 1968 he became the executive director of YMCA education and income production for the International Committee, traveling extensively across the country raising money for World Service work.
In 1975 Ludwig became president of Defiance College in Defiance, Ohio. He stayed at this post until his retirement in 1994. During this time, he was still very active in YMCA committees and boards, including the Ohio/West Virginia area board from 1976-1980, the Midwest Field Committee from 1980-1990, the National Board from 1984-1992 and the International Committee from 1978-2001.
From the guide to the Marvin Ludwig papers, 1951-1997, (University of Minnesota. Kautz Family YMCA Archives. [ymca])
