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.