Shari Robinson to Take Over as Director of Western’s Counseling Center in August

Shari Robinson has been named the new director of Western’s Counseling Center and will assume her position in August; she takes over from Nancy Corbin, who is retiring after 15 years of service to the University.

Robinson comes to Western as the interim director of the Counseling and Wellness Center at the University of Florida in Gainesville. She received her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from West Virginia University in 2004.

As director of Western’s Counseling Center, Robinson will ensure professional, responsive and effective psychological counseling, crisis intervention, consultation, and outreach services are available to students. The Director of the Counseling Center is a collaborative team member of Counseling, Health and Wellness Services, and contributes to the strategic goals of the institution, the division of Enrollment and Student Services, and Counseling, Health and Wellness Services.The position reports to the assistant vice president for Enrollment and Student Services.

“I am honored to join the Western family. We are so excited to start this new chapter in our lives! I look forward to meeting and collaborating with all of my new WWU colleagues and serving our students,” Robinson said.

Corbin came to Western in 2000 after working at Stephens College, Washington State University, and Iowa State University.

She said she will greatly miss her interaction with the students at the center.

“It is such a privilege to be a part of their personal growth at Western,” she said, and added that her “dream team” of staff members made her job much easier and more enjoyable as well.

Eileen Coughlin, senior vice president and vice president of Enrollment and Student Services, said Corbin has been an outstanding leader who always puts students first.

“Dr. Corbin helped to grow the doctoral internship program allowing Western to attract emerging professionals with outstanding skills to complete the final stages of their graduate work as service providers under the direction of licensed psychologists within the center,” she said. “Students have always been at the forefront of Dr. Corbin’s leadership.  As a result, Nancy not only provided the overall supervision, and administrative leadership but she also provided direct service to students as the number of students seeking service increased beyond the capacity of the counselors in the center.  Western is grateful for her years of service and the very personal way in which she led the Counseling Center.”