Skip to Content
Give Now Contact

W. Leslie Barnette Jr.

W. Leslie Barnette Born: 1910
Death: 1980

Born on July 8, 1910, W. (Warren) Leslie Barnette, Jr. was an accomplished classical pianist and professor interested in the psychology of vocational behavior.  He received his bachelor's degree from University of Buffalo in 1932. While completing his Master's degree, which he received from the University of Buffalo in 1936, he taught at Buffalo Collegiate Center and the State Teachers College, Buffalo and worked as an assistant in the University of Buffalo Personnel Office during recesses. 

During World War II, W. Leslie Barnette served in the Army and rose to the rank of First Lieutenant. He served as a Psychological Research Assistant at the San Antonio Cadet Center (1942-1943) and an Occupational Rehabilitation Counselor at Camp Lee, Virginia, and Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland (1943-1944). Between 1944-1946 Barnette was a member of the Far East Planning Staff of the Office of Strategic Services, as well as the Assistant Operational Planning Officer for South-east Asia, Ceylon, and Singapore and the Chief of Research and Analysis Branch for those same areas. He was discharged in 1946.

While a PhD candidate at New York University (NYU), W. Leslie Barnette taught psychology courses at both NYU and Pace College. He received his Ph.D. in 1949.

In 1950, Barnette took a position as Assistant Professor in the psychology department of the University of Buffalo. He also took on the post of Director of the Veterans Testing and Guidance Bureau (which was later known as the Vocational Counseling Center) at that time. From 1953 to 1955 Barnette held the position of Director of the Student Counseling Center within the Office of the Dean of Students. He was appointed to rank of Associate Professor, Psychology in 1954 and Full Professor, Psychology in 1958. In addition, in 1955, he was appointed to the faculty of the Graduate School. Barnette received a Chancellor's Award for Excellence in teaching 1977. He also received a Milton Plesur Award for Excellence in Teaching that same year.

Barnette died unexpectedly on April 11, 1980 at the age of 69.

 


Affiliation(s): Vocational Counseling Center, Psychology
Record Group(s): 41, 22
Biographical File Contains:
  • Photographs