Barnhart student travel scholarship seeking funds

Funds are being raised to start a travel scholarship in the name of University of Wisconsin-Stout Professor Emeritus Carolyn Barnhart of Menomonie.

The Dr. Carolyn Barnhart Student Travelship would be awarded to UW-Stout students enrolled in programs in and related to Family and Consumer Sciences Education. The travel scholarships would provide financial assistance for students to participate in state, regional and national professional organization conference and meetings related to the Family and Consumer Sciences discipline. The scholarship will be used for such things as membership in Phi Upsilon Omicron, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Wisconsin Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Delta Kappa Gamma and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America. 

Barnhart is battling a rare form of leukemia and is receiving treatment at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. A group of her colleagues, including Carol Mooney, Mary Hopkins-Best, Julie Furst-Bowe, Janice Coker, Diane Klemme and Jennifer Rudiger, decided to start up the travel scholarship in her honor. Klemme is the program director for the Bachelor of Science Family and Consumer Sciences Education at UW-Stout. Furst-Bowe, the former UW-Stout provost, is the academic vice president at Chippewa Valley Technical College. Rudiger is a development program specialist at the Stout University Foundation. Hopkins-Best is a retired dean of the College of Education, Hospitality, Health and Human Sciences.

Mooney, who retired in 2015 and was a professor and program director in Career and Technical Education, said Barnhart was highly engaged in family and consumer sciences education. “One thing Carolyn always did was to encourage students to attend different organizations as part of their professional development,” Mooney said. “Carolyn is one of the most generous people I know of her time, expertise and resources. She is a great colleague. Student travel is so near and dear to her heart.”

The goal is to raise enough funds so the travel scholarship could be awarded each year as a perpetual scholarship. The scholarship is expected to be awarded this spring. The amount given toward travel and the number of scholarships will depend on how much is raised for the scholarship. Potential recipients would complete an application and review process by faculty and Stout University Foundation staff.

Barnhart, who retired in 2011 as the chair of the food and nutrition department, said she was humbled by the recognition of her friends and colleagues.  “I appreciate their commitment to encouraging students to participate and provide leadership at professional meetings,” Barnhart said.

She hopes the travel scholarships will allow students an opportunity to experience a sense of accomplishment and a desire to continue to be a leader in their profession.

“Participating and presenting at the state, national and international levels will increase their confidence in themselves and their profession,” Barnhart said. “UW-Stout has outstanding students, and when they share their research posters and lead professional sessions they confirm and appreciate their talents, abilities and skills. UW-Stout is an innovative university with high-quality learning experiences. The students, with travel scholarships, will gain a desire and the confidence to continue to provide leadership in their profession.”

Coker, who retired in 2011 as the associate vice chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs, said she worked for many years with Barnhart in the food and nutrition department. “Carolyn exemplifies a student-centered faculty member,” Coker said. “She always made time to advise student organizations and was very active in a number of professional organizations nationally. One of her passions was to involve students in professional organizations and help them realize how important that networking is.”