Horatio Alger Association Announces 2013 Alumnus of the Year Bart C. Barrett (’97)

"My mission is to remind students and scholars alike that regardless of how the world may seem stacked against them—when they can't find the strength to pick themselves up just one more time, the Horatio Alger Association will always be there to provide the lift they need to carry on."

Bart Barrett received the Horatio Alger National Scholarship in 1997 and decided to attend one of the Association’s first Collegiate Partners, Missouri Valley College. After attending school in Marshall, Missouri for a semester, Bart decided it was time to move closer to home and enrolled in Eastern Oregon University. After his first semester at Eastern Oregon, Bart enlisted in the U.S. Army in July 1998 and served with the Oregon Army National Guard, attending college simultaneously. Bart graduated with a bachelor of science in sports medicine in 2003 and his time in the military ended a year later after six years of service.

Bart is currently the Director of Career Services at DeVry University's Carrington College in Spokane, Washington. Bart oversees the department that is responsible for the overall professional development and internship experience of the students across six Allied Healthcare fields.

Since joining Carrington College in 2009, Bart has redirected his professional aspirations to the education field and obtained a master of science in higher education from Walden University in 2012. He is currently working towards his doctorate in education in an effort to “drive change and support students in a larger capacity throughout their education.”

Dedicated to the mission of the Horatio Alger Association, Bart embodies the spirit of being an Alumnus and works tirelessly at giving back to the Association that he believes has given so much to him. Bart has been an active participant of the Alumni Ambassador program since its inception in 2009 in addition to fulfilling a variety of other volunteer roles for the Association. Bart has been a mentor to several National Scholars over the years and also serves as a Field Director for the state of Idaho, volunteers as a member of the National Scholars Conference staff, and most recently, was invited to serve on the Horatio Alger Association Scholarship Selection Committee because of his expertise in working with college students and his commitment to the field of education. Additionally, Bart has contributed to Strive and Succeed, the newsletter for National Scholars and led sessions on career development and college majors at the 2010 Alumni Summit and National Scholars Conference, respectively. Bart lives by the maxim “life is a journey not a destination,” and continues to strive toward being an effective leader and committing his life to service and the betterment of others. Bart lives with his wife, Erin, who is also an educator, and their three sons in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.