Arts and Sciences | Business and Industry | Health Education and Human Sciences | Lion VoicesNovember 26, 2024

Finding Where She Belongs: Joellen Barthol and UAFS

Written By: Ian Silvester

In 2024, when Joellen Barthol caught sight of a corner utility box celebrating the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, she saw it as a sign about where she belonged.

After graduating from Arkansas Tech University with her bachelor’s degree (2019) in agriculture business and her master’s degree (2021) in student affairs administration, Barthol taught family and consumer science in Waldron, Arkansas.

She shook her head and laughed, saying, “My goal was never really to end up in the public school system as a high school teacher, but that’s just kind of where life took me.”

The job wasn’t too out of the realm of possibilities for Barthol. She was a graduate assistant at Tech, teaching classes for about a year and a half before she moved into TRIO Student Support Services, a federally funded program to help disadvantaged students find success academically, personally, professionally, and financially. Helping students succeed is where she thrived, and she knew it was a career path she wanted to follow.

“I took a little detour on my path,” she said, referring to her three years at Waldron High School.

However, those three years became the path she was meant to follow.

While teaching, Barthol moved to Fort Smith and met the man who would become her husband at church. The pair will celebrate their first anniversary on Dec. 9.

“He is Fort Smith, born and raised, and he kindly let me know we’re not moving anywhere,” she joked, recounting her husband teasing her to find a job around town.

That’s when she saw her sign – all over town.

“I was looking at higher education, and I noticed how involved the university was within the community. That drew me in. When I started looking for jobs, I thought, ‘Well, I know UAFS exists here because I see all their stuff,’” she said, referring to the branded utility boxes, stickers on businesses, and yard signs as part of the Paint the Town Blue initiative.

On June 3, Barthol officially returned to higher education as an academic advisor for the ROAR First-Year Advising Center at UAFS.

“Advising was always where my heart was,” Barthol said. “It’s always been something I’m passionate about.”

She admitted that even though she never saw herself becoming a teacher, her time at Waldron has been pivotal to her success as an advisor, especially for first-year students.

“Being in the high school setting for three years previous to this has helped bridge the gap,” she said. “That first semester (students) don’t really know how to navigate college, and it gives me a sense of connection with them whereas I think if I didn’t have that experience, I would look at them through the lens of ‘you’re a college student’ and expect more out of them.”

In her first six months, Barthol has helped roughly 300 students succeed in their first semester at UAFS. She has learned how and where to guide students and helped them realize it’s OK for college to be a time of discovery.

“There’s no pressure on the student to choose or figure out their major right away. I think I changed my major like five times as an undergrad, and I’ve noticed that a lot of times, when students do change their major, they apologize for it. I always respond with, ‘Why are you apologizing?’ because this is their life, their degree. It’s what they’re choosing to do, and there’s no need to apologize,” she explained.

After having a negative advising experience during her first year at college, Barthol is committed to ensuring students enter their second year and beyond at UAFS with a better outcome.

“I always try to find and make a connection with my students,” she said. “It’s about taking the time to step away from the transactional side of things and making sure that students feel like they’re taken care of and ultimately set up for success.”

Along her way, Barthol has found a sense of belonging in the UAFS community and works to ensure students feel the same way.

“You don’t feel like just another number or just another employee. I hope students don’t feel like just another student because this is a closely knit community,” Barthol said with a smile.

As a believer in making connections, no matter how small they may be, Barthol encourages first-year students to find their way to the ROAR First-Year Advising Center. If they see her, she said feel free to ask her about crocheting or bluegrass music as an easy way to break the ice.

• Tags:
• Advising
• ROAR First Year Advising Center
• Staff Voices