“Mission Moments with Kelly,” is column from Kelly Taranto, Vice President for Institutional Advancement. Through the lens of Kelly’s perspective, this series will provide a closer look at the meaningful work taking place across Barton’s campus, showcasing the initiatives and people that are advancing our mission and shaping the future of our community.
Do you have a Word of the Year? I’m a planner, and every year the week between Christmas and New Year’s I get out my new planner, set goals, and choose a “Word of the Year” that then guides me throughout the year. For 2024, my WOTY was “purpose,” and unbeknownst to the January-2024-me, this was the perfect word for this year. It isn’t simply about “starting with why”
(channeling Simon Sinek), it is about the foundation – why we exist and who are we best built to serve?
Barton College has been educating students in Wilson, NC for 122 years. This strong foundation rooted in the liberal arts has graduated students who are excellent communicators, and critical and creative thinkers. We had several occasions throughout the fall where we celebrated this purpose. A few special moments that stand out:
Sam Pounds, alumnus and GRAMMY Award-winning artist, returned to campus in late
September to speak with students about perseverance and resilience.
In October, our Board of Trustees and Board of Advisors heard from a panel of students
why they love Barton and where they are headed next.
The dedication event in November of our new Michalak Tennis Complex, a renovation
project 100% funded by philanthropy, showcased our tennis student-athletes, and we
heard from senior Tilde Höweler about what the sport means to her, and the impact of
her Barton experience.
Our vibrant network of over 16,000 alumni continues to shape the world in remarkable
ways, and this fall we were able to celebrate with many alumni returning home during
November 1-2. Throughout Homecoming, stories were shared and one common theme
was how much each alumnus/na got out of their Barton experience. It wasn’t just about
the knowledge and skills learned in their major. It was the critical thinking and problem-
solving skills, the exposure to diverse perspectives, and the opportunity for self-
discovery that occurred during the transformative phase of early adulthood.
The other benefit of being grounded in your purpose? You are more agile. You can reflect on
how the year went – did I accomplish what I was hoping to? Did I lead well? Did I serve well? –
and you can adapt to whatever the future brings, with the confidence that you will get to where
you need to go. I’m excited for what’s next, and hope you’ll come along too.
Until then, I wish you and yours a very merry Christmas, and cheers to a healthy and
prosperous new year.
In partnership,
Kelly