January 22, 2004

Staff profile: Ward Belford

Title and length of service: Program assistant in the Medill School’s Office of Graduate Admissions and Financial Aid, almost four years.

What do you do? I process all the applications for students seeking a Master of Science Degree in Journalism or in the IMC Programs. I review international transcripts and verify degrees. I set up interviews with the director of admissions and the assistant director of admissions. I generate all the letters of admission and the letters telling applicants that their admission has been denied.

What did you do before Northwestern? I worked in corporate records management for a Fortune 500 company for 11 years. I decided I didn’t care for the corporate arena. I like the academic world better.

Where do you live? I live in Rogers Park. It takes me 12 minutes to get to work on the bus. I grew up in Itasca. My mom lives in Elk Grove Village now. My dad is in Florida. I have two sisters. One lives in Gurnee and the other in Wisconsin.

What do you do outside of work? I enjoy movies, cooking, beer tasting and hanging out with my partner. I play the cello. I like to travel around the United States. I’ve been to Florida and the East Coast. I’m planning a trip Hawaii. I can’t wait to take a helicopter ride over a volcano.

Back to the books: I’m taking environmental studies classes at the School of Continuing Studies. When I have to declare a major, it will be biology. I’ve been interested in science for years. The astronomy class was one of my favorites. It was terrific going to the Dearborn Observatory.

In a fantasy life, what would you be? I’d be an astronaut. Or I’d be the personal assistant to Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac.

— Marilyn Idelman Soglin