April Wolford ’92

Antioch Class of 1992

Literature / Women’s Studies

Preferred Pronouns are She/Her

Bio- Tell us about your self

I was born and grew up in a small, rural, Ohio farm town named Mt. Vernon. At 19 I was desperate to get out of Ohio so I hitched a ride with a friend who was moving to the SF Bay Area. After a year of working at a fast food restaurant, an ice cream parlor and a part time landscaping gig I was barely making enough to pay my rent and feed myself. I decided it was time to get a college degree so I road the Greyhound bus back to Ohio. Soon after, a childhood friend talked me into visiting Antioch College. For two hours I had the most fascinating conversation with a guy in the admissions office. I had no idea that was my admissions interview but a few weeks later I received a letter of acceptance from Antioch and my life changed forever. I graduated with a degree in Literature and Women’s Studies and launched a 30 year career in technology upon graduation. Since then I have managed technical services at four Universities, including UC Berkeley where I have worked for the past 10 years.

How did Antioch College’s Co-op program prepare you for work life?

Antioch’s co-op program allows you to explore both career opportunities and ways to apply what you learn in the classroom to work experience. Because Antioch’s program is liberal arts based you are encouraged to choose a wide range of work experiences. Co-op jobs I had included a counselor at a runaway shelter, organizer for NARAL and a goat farm grunt. This broad base of experience helped me to develop important skills for my work life and encouraged me to apply concepts I was learning in the classroom.

How did your Antioch experience prepare you for life?

Antioch College is a microcosm of our society in many ways. When I was a student our community was very diverse and, while it could have been more inclusive, it represented a broad range of backgrounds and experiences. I learned that working with people different from you makes your work stronger. The co-op program prepared me for uncertainty and I developed skills such that you could drop me anywhere and within a few weeks I would have a job, a place to live and friends.

What does our charge to “win a victory for humanity” mean to you?

This charge has become an essential part of my life. It is my mission to make the world a better place. I work in education because of the impact it has on individual lives and our collective experience. My friends are people of principle who are committed to fighting oppression and injustice. I was a leader in the movement to create the Sexual Offense Prevention Policy at Antioch in 1990-91 which has literally resulted in the definition of active consent we use today in the California’s sexual assault laws. That work was truly a victory for humanity.