Michael A. Worlds: The sigma, the public servant

By Gabrielle Gale Prendatt-Carter

Michael A. Worlds, a Kean College graduate and member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., is the acting Associate Director of Transfer Student Services at Kean University.

Worlds received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Kean College in 1986. Upon completion of his degree, Worlds was hired as the Assistant Director in Undergraduate Admissions at Kean College, where he furthered his education part time in graduate school and received his Master’s degree in Counselor Education. As the Assistant Director in Undergraduate Admissions, Worlds was responsible for minority recruitment at Kean College.

“The job was literally my testimony of the experience that I had here,” said Worlds. “I found myself as a very useful asset to students in providing them with a sense of direction, and an advisor on a path to survival of the college experience.”

After serving five years in Undergraduate Admissions at Kean College, Worlds went on to be the Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions at St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, NJ. After working at St. Peter’s College for six years, Worlds became a school counselor at Morristown High School for two years before returning to Kean University as an EOF Counselor.

Worlds was an EOF Counselor for two years, then became the Coordinator for Transfer Student Services at Kean University. As the Coordinator for Transfer Student Services, Worlds worked very closely with and coordinated academic advisors, who were responsible for advising transfer students and doing their transfer credit evaluations. Worlds’ position later turned into his current position as acting Associate Director of Transfer Student Services.

Worlds manages a staff of seven evaluators and supports a team of students that work for the Transfer Division, referred to as Academic Instructional Mentors.

“We are very busy in doing the admission evaluation of the many students that transfer from their local community colleges to Kean,” said Worlds. “We provide the admission and evaluation or degree audits for students that are transferring from their local community colleges to Kean University, and we try to do that within a 24-hour period of them applying.”

Worlds became a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. during his undergraduate college years at Kean College. His sister, Michelle Miller, was a member of Phi Beta Sigma’s sister organization, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. at Kean College.

“It was absolutely the right choice,” said Worlds. “It’s a fraternity whose motto is ‘Culture For Service and Service For Humanity,’ and that is what I see myself doing.”

Worlds has been married to his wife, Donza Worlds, for almost 25 years. They have two children, Destiny, 10, and Michael, 9. Worlds is a member of Grace Temple Baptist Church in Lawnside, NJ, where he will soon become a Deacon.