Space Education and Strategic Applications Journal
Work Ethic & Education
“ I I learned early on that you just
grew up on a farm . I ended up being the sole source of income .
work to get the job done . You pursue until you accomplish the mission .
You know growing up we didn ' t have much money was always in short supply . I kept a tobacco can that was my bank . I put money in that bank . And if anybody asked me what that was for , [ I would say ] I was saving it to go to college . My life education was the ticket to capability or the ticket to opportunity . And so , I got a bachelor ' s degree and then I went to night school to get a master ’ s degree . I had to work five jobs at a time to get through to pay for this , but I got the education and that has been the doorway to opportunity . I would certainly not be here today , if it weren ' t for the education that I had to scrimp for .” ( Barrett , 1999 ).
An Impressive Resume
Barrett ’ s career started very early in life . One of Barrett ’ s earlier resumes proudly displays her first job at McConnell ’ s Riding Academy in Clarksburg , Pennsylvania . At the young age of 13 , she shoed and trained horses and also taught people how to ride . To evidence her determination and grit , on the resume she described her responsibilities at the academy as “ Whatever it Took . Ran the whole enchilada .” ( Barrett , 1999 ).
Following high school , she landed a scholarship to Arizona State University where she would earn not only her Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts , but a Master of Public Administration in international business , and a Juris Doctor degree . She remembers a time when she stretched her funds to insure she could continue to go to college :
“ I recall that at one point I lived for two months on $ 2 and I had five jobs to have to pay tuition and buy books .” ( Barrett , 1999 )
Professional Career
Figure 2 . The tobacco can where Barbara Barrett saved her money to go to college .
For nearly five decades , Barrett has held high-level positions in business , academics , professional organizations — and of course , government . Before the age of 30 , she was an executive of two global Fortune 500 companies . However , one will notice a common thread throughout her career that places a distinct , and specialized focus on an industry that paved the way to her to her current position ... space . Space , aviation , aeronautics , science ,
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