“I think that my experience as a student-athlete who was also highly involved in music and theatre was rare. My coaches, directors, professors and everyone at IC were all on the same page. I had to put in a lot of work, but the amount of collaboration by everyone who wanted to see me succeed was incredible,” said Barker, who double majored in communications and rhetorical studies, and music, also played football, was on the men’s swim team, a member of the choir and performed with IC TheatreWorks.

After graduation, Barker earned his master’s degree from the University of Illinois at Springfield and participated in the Graduate Public Service Internship Program. He was a project manager, sold life insurance and worked as an agronomist, before taking his current position as branch manager at Insight FS, a division of Growmark. He says being able to do everything he was passionate about rather than choose one or two activities really made a difference in his education and taught him that being effective in any role requires adaptability and good communication.

“I love communicating and collaborating with other people; it’s what connects all the jobs I have worked in across various fields,” said Barker. “When you get a degree from IC, your major isn’t what grabs the eye of employers. It’s what you’ve done, what you’re doing now and what you’re capable in the future. You’re becoming a well-rounded individual, and that’s what sticks out.”