Michelle Barrentine

Michelle Barrentine

Michelle Tesar Barrentine came to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) from Parma, Ohio, graduating with a bachelor's in Spanish Translation and French in 1978. She went on to have a full civilian career in the U.S. Department of Defense starting as a translator and ending as a customer liaison manager in 2011. Since retirement, Michelle came back to SMWC for her master's in leadership development (Nonprofit) in 2016 and has been using her second degree to work with the ministry she so loves: Beginning Experience, on both the local and international levels. She became a Providence Associate in 2019 by the grace of God and help from Sister Carolyn Kessler, her companion.

BEing Providence in the World

For me, this was a providential encounter of Beginning Encounter (BE) and the Providence Associate program. After my husband died in 2010, I came to my “BE Weekend.” I joined the team in late 2011 and have been, in Henry Nouwen’s words, a “wounded healer” ever since, serving in various capacities, helping myself while helping others like me.

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