D. Wesley Poythress has been appointed director of multicultural life at Hope College.
He will work to develop more multicultural leaders
on campus, and provide advisory support to the college's
organizations of color, Hispanic Student Organization and
Black Coalition. Through collaborative efforts with
individuals, offices and groups on and off campus, he will
seek to increase and enhance multicultural understanding via
programs and other efforts.
"I'm very excited to have Wesley join us," said
Dr. Richard Frost, dean of students and vice president for
student development. "I think he brings a lot of very
important gifts and skills to Hope College; that he's a
strong and committed Christian; and that he understands that
the student's life has multiple segments, and is interested
in the whole person."
"I think his background--at Berea, the University
of Iowa and most recently Miami University in Ohio--brings a
wealth of experience that will benefit the students, faculty
and staff of the college," he said.
Poythress, who is a native of Alabama, was
previously coordinator of support services with the Office
of Retention and Scholastic Enhancement in the Division of
Student Affairs at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Prior to joining the staff at Miami in 1993, he
served as the assistant director for curriculum and then
counseling with the University of Iowa's Upward Bound
Project.
While at Iowa, he also held the position of
advisor and was later promoted to coordinator of minority
outreach in the Office of Cooperative Education. During his
tenure there, he served as a recruiter for the university's
Graduate College.
Poythress earned a master's degree in counselor
education from the University of Iowa and his bachelor of
arts from Berea College in Kentucky. His awards/honors and
acknowledgements include being named to Outstanding Young
Men of America in 1992 and 1996, and Exceptional Staff
Mentor at Miami in 1995, as well as a "CE" Service award in 1991.