Aces of Trades: Leslie Beary found herself by helping others

MARION − For her, it’s about giving back.

“I’m the youngest of four kids who grew up in an adventurous family,” began Leslie Beary. “I was very shy as a kid, but with the support of my family and role modeling of my parents and siblings, I was willing to try new things and engage in the adventures.

“I come from a family that values education,” she added, “and I’ve always been taught you never stop learning.”

Today, Beary is the manager of mental health and wellness services for students at the OSU Marion campus.

“My primary role is to diagnose and treat mental health and substance abuse disorders," she explained. "I also worked with our faculty and staff to know how and when to make referrals. These collaborative relationships were a game changer and we got busy quickly, which resulted in hiring a second full-time counselor, Ellen Farrell. With Ellen on board, we’ve been able to offer psychotherapy groups, see more individual students, and increase our outreach.”

Beary also serves on the advisory board for the OSU Suicide Prevention Program, among other things.

“In 2021, I completed OSU’s College of Nursing graduate certificate program in Health & Wellness Coaching," she added. "I passed my national board exam in May of 2022 and now we can offer health and wellness coaching services to students too.”

Beary grew up in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, about an hour west of Philadelphia. She graduated from high school there in 1981, Kutztown State University of Pennsylvania in 1985 with a degree in speech and theater, then worked for the Department of Defense as the director of youth programming for American military children in London, England, from 1989–1992. After returning to the states, she earned a master’s in social work from the University of Pittsburgh in 1995. She worked in community mental health for 17 years, then began at OSU in 2012.

Chris Trapp is Beary’s good friend and colleague at OSU Marion. Trapp is the school’s director of student retention.

“Leslie is an authentic leader and an asset to our campus,” assessed Trapp. “As a colleague, I rely on Leslie’s ability to think creatively and be open to new ideas. She is continuously thinking of innovative ways to engage with students and support their needs.”

“I grew up learning that helping/supporting others is just what we’re supposed to do,” Beary responded. “It’s just the basis for being a good human. My mom volunteered in many capacities and my dad probably taught most of the youth in my hometown how to water ski. When I was little, I was always in tow and witnessed these acts over and over. Then my older siblings got involved with the same types of things in high school and college. When I started to help and give back, it felt good, and I sort of found myself.

“I’m incredibly fortunate and grateful for my life’s journey,” she concluded. “I’ve had so many powerful role models and people who invested their hope and belief in me. I am forever grateful.”

The Ohio State University at Marion is located at 1465 Mt Vernon Ave. For more information, call 740-389-6786 or log on osumarion.osu.edu.

Aces of Trades is a weekly series focusing on people and their jobs — whether they’re unusual jobs, fun jobs or people who take ordinary jobs and make them extraordinary. If you have a suggestion for a future profile, let us know at news@marionstar.com.