Kimberlie Goldsberry joined DePaul from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wis., where she was vice president for student affairs and dean of students for six years. (DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)
Sometimes the path of one's career starts simply from connecting at just the right moment with the right people.
For Kimberlie Goldsberry, that moment came as a young undergraduate at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where she worked closely with the school's student affairs staff.
These collaborations, she says now, "were pretty influential in my academic journey," and ultimately, her professional journey as well.
That journey now brings Goldsberry to DePaul, where she began in June as the university's newest associate vice president of student affairs. She will oversee several of the Division of Student Affairs' departments: the Dean of Students' office, the Office of Gender Equity, Health Promotion and Wellness and University Counseling and Psychological Services.
In announcing Goldsberry's appointment, Eugene Zdziarski, vice president for student affairs, said, "I am excited to welcome Kimberlie and look forward to working with her during a time of great transition for higher education and DePaul. She will be an exceptional asset to us and our students."
Goldsberry previously served Carthage College as vice president for student affairs and dean of students. In her six-year tenure, she helped the Kenosha, Wis., college expand its student services, including greater inclusion services for students from underrepresented groups.
She also has held national and regional leadership roles at the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators — the professional association for those working in student affairs.
While Carthage — and Ohio Weslayan University before that — provided Goldsberry with the opportunity to oversee the totality of student life, she says DePaul will allow her to focus more fully on a few key areas and develop them toward achieving success in serving students.
Another important factor in Goldsberry's decision to move south was DePaul's Vincentian mission.
"I'm public-educated, from preschool through my PhD, but I've worked primarily in private institutions, most of them being religious-affiliated," she says. Over her 30-year career, she also has worked at Xavier University and the University of Findlay.
"I've learned that being at a very mission-driven, student-centered institution is important to me. The religious affiliation also helps us to open up conversations about values and what's important to our students in a way that can be unique to that institution," Goldsberry adds.
Goldsberry's initial contact with student affairs at Bowling Green ultimately led her to pursue a master's degree in college student personnel. Years later, she earned a PhD in higher education at Ohio University.
Her personal experience signals the importance of connecting individually with students, which suggests a question: How does Goldsberry plan to make such connections with students at DePaul?
"It's really important to learn about the DePaul student experience, and I'm in the process of trying to identify that path," she answers.
Student organizations will play a part, she says, but she also wants to stay open to discovering "different events and programs that reflect what the students are experiencing here at DePaul."
Scott Butterworth is an editor of Newsline.