Marleny Rothans

What is your current role at Barrett, and what are your primary responsibilities?

In February 2022, I started working at Barrett Recruiting & Admissions as the Administrative Assistant of Enrollment Services. In my role, I greet visitors to Barrett, manage the front desk, organize team calendars, meetings and creative projects, and handle tour check-in.

Can you share a significant accomplishment or project you've worked on during your time here?

A feat that I’m exceedingly proud to have accomplished during my time at Barrett is completing my undergraduate studies. Since May 2022, I have earned 83 credits while maintaining a 4.0 GPA and full-time work schedule. I will be graduating in December with a bachelor's degree in English and another in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies.

What do you enjoy most about your job and working for Barrett?

What I enjoy the most about working for Barrett is the sense of community and belonging that is instilled in students as well as faculty and staff. I feel especially blessed to have a position that is made all the more enjoyable by my lively, encouraging, and considerate colleagues in the Recruiting & Admissions office. 😊

What motivates you on a daily basis, both personally and professionally?

Both personally and professionally, I am consistently motivated to “love my neighbor” through kindness, acceptance, respect, and forgiveness. We are all human beings, and therefore, deserve basic human rights, decency, and protection. Sometimes I fail, but I have never stopped trying to be a good neighbor and hope I never will.

Is there a specific quote or mantra that resonates with you and guides your approach to life and work?

Yes! When I was younger, I constantly complained about how much longer it would take to complete my degree.

One day I told my Aunt Raylene, “I’m going to be THIRTY by the time I graduate college!” (Oh, the horror!)

To which she responded with a sigh, “Well kiddo, you’re going to be thirty anyway – might as well have a degree.”

That one comment has become my mantra over the last decade, and I constantly use some variation of it when trying to challenge my perspective in professional or personal situations.