Messenger - Vol. 4, No. 1, Page 11
1994
Audrey Doberstein-Wilmington College

     An elementary school teacher for six years, Audrey Doberstein
came to the University to study the psychology of reading instruction
with Russell Stauffer, the late  H. Rodney Sharp Professor Emeritus of
Educational Development, who was her mentor as well as her teacher.
     "At Delaware, I learned a great deal about youngsters and
approaches to reading. The most important lesson was that there are
many different ways that children learn to read," she recalls.
     Under Stauffer's guidance, she honed organizational, listening
and writing skills. "He made you think logically and clearly and write
succinctly. His well-known rule was that if a sentence is over 14
words, it probably should be two sentences," she says.
     The psychology component of her University classes also helped
her to relate to, respect and understand people, she says.
     "My degree from Delaware gave me my first job in higher
education. My husband was transferred to Kentucky, and I was
approached to teach reading at the University of Louisville-my
introduction to teaching at the college level. This was a very busy
time for me because, while teaching part-time, I had four children in
five years," she says.
     Returning to the Delaware area, Doberstein continued her career
as an educational consultant, serving on the faculty of Cheyney State
College and helping to found Dorado Academy, a private, non-profit
school in Puerto Rico.
     President of Wilmington College since 1979, Doberstein says she
believes the small college answers a need in the field of education in
Delaware. "The college delivers a high-quality education to people who
might not otherwise have an opportunity," she says. "It focuses on
working people, and its small classes are a tremendous advantage.
Students receive individual attention, which is important,
particularly for those who have been out of the education scene for
some time."
     The school's main areas of concentration are education, business
and nursing. During Doberstein's tenure at Wilmington College, the
school has grown from a total of 510 full-time and part-time students
and one location in Wilmington to 3,600 students on campuses
throughout Delaware.