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Toni Woolfork-Barnes Director, First-Year Experience Western Michigan University
T
he first year of college can be overwhelming for students, especially those from other countries and those who are the first person in their family to attend college. Toni Woolfork-Barnes would like to give every student, no matter their background, the opportunity to succeed in college and to fully experience university life. As the director of the First-Year Experience at WMU, Woolfork-Barnes, 56, oversees programs and activities that help students make the academic and social transition to university life. FYE is designed to prepare students for their first year and beyond at WMU. Barnes herself is a three-time alumna of WMU, having earned a bachelor's degree in psychology, a master's in industrial resource management and a doctorate in human resource development. What were some formative experiences you had in college? One of my mentors stressed the importance of being involved in different types of student organizations, which would help me to develop leadership skills. I was involved in sorority
Brian Powers
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54 | Encore MAY 2017