On the Move with Jarred Barnes!

On the Move" with Jarred S. Barnes

Jarred is a junior Political Science major and Mass Communications minor from Pittsburgh, PA and has been "on the move" since his arrival 2 years ago. Whether he is playing an Intramural or Club Baseball game, helping the incoming First-Years through the Orientation Leadership program or running and becoming Class President, Jarred has made quite an impact in our programs. We asked Jarred to share his experiences with us.

You have been an active participant in our Intramural and Club Sport Programs throughout your undergraduate years at Lehigh. Can you share what you have been involved in?

I have been fully involved with the Intramural program as well as the Club Baseball Team which I am the President. I serve as a supervisor for Club Sports and Intramurals

What other Campus activities or organizations are you currently or have been involved with?

Other than Club Sports and Intramurals I have been involved with a lot here at Lehigh. Whether it be Class Officers which I am Class of 2013 President, Leadership Lehigh and their various programs or Orientation I have found myself involved in many different organizations across this campus.

Do you find it difficult being so involved?

I do find it very difficult, I have to manage my time well and be flexible at the same time. I never know when an assignment or a meeting will pop up so I have to juggle a lot to be successful in all my endeavors.

Is it hard to keep up with your classes and grades, or do you feel that you balance them well?

It sometimes is hard to keep up. However, with being a junior I have learned how to keep all of my ducks in a row and know when it is time to study and when I can enjoy a little time to myself and with my girlfriend Kaitlin and my best friend Paul. Once you find your happy medium you are all set.

How has participating in our Campus Athletics programs helped to enrich your college experience?

It has allowed me to keep competing in competitive baseball with the club team and be in a leadership role with the team, which I was not allowed to do in high school. As per Intramurals, I can play sports for fun that I never would have imagined I would be competing in and have fun with a team in a process.

How has our programs helped you to make connections and friendships with people that you otherwise probably would have never met?

As stated before it allows me to stay connected with friends from my first year on campus and also play sports with fellow classmates and make connections that I will know will last a life time. Plus when you share a victory together it is a sweet feeling

What inspired you to become so involved?

I was involved in high school and from my folks to always strive to help out. That's mainly why I stayed in Scouting and got my Eagle Scout. I love helping people and it is very rewarding to do so. You look at your heroes and see how they like to help out and be there for people, like my Pap has always been and you want to be just like them. Helping others by being involved is more rewarding than anything else, especially when someone thanks you for it.

Do you think you've grown as a leader? Do you feel more confident in general?

I think I have, it is all thanks to the various organizations I have been a part of since I have come to Lehigh. Be it Club/Intramurals or Orientation I can thank these organizations for making me more of an open person and a leader. I feel more confident as well. It's funny, I was an extravert before I came to school and I have even become more of one.

How do you think you will be able to apply these leadership skills in other areas such as the workplace and in everyday life?

These skills have taught me how to communicate well and how to work with others. It sounds juvenile and something you learn in 2nd Grade, however the skills I have learned from everything I have done here on campus I know will help me be successful in my future and for that I am indebted to all of those that I have learned from.

What are your future plans?

My future plans are to obtain my masters degree in Political Science here at Lehigh and from there hopefully get into the Federal Government somehow. I would like to make it all the way to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue one day (The White House). We will just have to see what curveballs life throws me haha.

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