Ashford, Leon

DR. LEON EUGENE ASHFORD

Dr. Ashford was born in St. Louis, MO on January 11,1930. He is married to Marian Ruth Sanders Ashford and their anniversary is April 16,1966. He is a member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. He is sincere, responsible, analytical, conscientious, energetic and observant.

The Ashfords are parents of one son, Stephen Ashford, who is 17 years old, and a competitive student in high school. He wants to be a performing artist. He is a lector in church. He participates in choirs in school. He was one Of the top ten academically talented in the Upward Bound program in the seventh grade in St. Louis, MO.

"As a Black man in this Christian society, I have grown in that I have become more tolerant, much less chauvinistic. My training in Counseling Psychology has gotten me into sharing hurt and expressed feelings which is something I would not have done earlier. I have become much more democratic and have grown stronger in my faith in God. God helps those who help themselves."

"My greatest personal achievement was earning the Ph.D degree while being employed full-time. I earned it here, at Washington University. An adversity in my life occurred in 1984, during the night of the Olympics, August 12. The next thing I knew, I was in the hospital with people hovering all over me. it was discovered that I had a brain tumor and under surgery, it was found to be benign. By October, I was back at work here, not completely well, but recovering nicely. I had to walk to regain my strength, which had ebbed quickly away. My mother would walk with me.

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Having the faith and confidence in God makes it, my recovery, seem miraculous. I can scarcely explain it, and it causes me to help others more so than before my illness.

My title is Director of Student Educational Services at Washington University in St. Louis. I use my training and talents as a Counseling Psychologist to help people. it is the job of my office to provide support and assistance to others on campus and especially Black students."

Memberships: Omega Psi Phi Fraternity-Basileus of Upsilon Omega Chapter; Mid American Association of Educational Opportunity Personnel (MAEOPP); American Association of Counseling & Development (AACD), former president of the Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska chapter; Licensed Psychologist for the State of Missouri, the second Black to earn this distinction; president of Association of Multicultural Counseling & Development (AMC&D).

Awards: Omega Man of the Year; State Committee of Psychologists; and Distinguished Service Award from MAEOPP.

"My hobbies are playing cards, music and singing. I enjoy watching TV game shows, THE COSBY SHOW and some dramas. I like books that tell of overcoming difficulties."

An instance of discrimination: "While serving in the military in Germany, they needed a non-commissioned officer and decided to choose the person with the most education. I had four years of college and it was on record, but they chose a White guy with three years of college. They made me a TIE Instructor. They informed me, that if they caught anyone sleeping in my classes, they'd bounce me. I became the company clerk. More racist incidents occurred to me while serving in the military than any place else."

"As a child, I would receive whippings as punishment. At age 12, 1 loved track and field. I went to the St. Louis Public Schools Stadium Field Day, and got home real late. I tried to tell Mama, everyone I saw, but she whipped me, and I refused to cry. That was my last whipping."

"As a child, my mother used to cut my hair and she would slick it and the fellows would then thump my head and make fun of me. We laugh about it now, but it was a near tragedy then."

"We live in north St. Louis behind Norwood Squad, and it is still kept up and selfcontained; and the neighbors watch your home."

Leon Ashford, Ph.D.