Barrett becomes president of Nebraska college

Walter Sprague
Art and Culture Reporter
 
On Jan. 1, Newcastle native Dr. Leah Barrett accepted the job of president of Northeast Community College of Norfolk, Neb. Stepping in after three and a half years as vice president of student affairs at the Northern Wyoming Community College District in Sheridan, Barrett was unanimously appointed by the Nebraska school’s board of governors on Oct. 23, making her the ninth president of the institution and its first female leader.
Because this is the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which guarantees and protects the constitutional right of women to vote, the board’s decision seems fitting, particularly in light of Barrett’s qualifications.
Barrett is the daughter of Ron and Bette Sample, of Newcastle, and is a graduate of Newcastle High School. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wyoming in business administration and her doctorate in executive leadership from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York.
Barrett and her husband, Doug, have two sons: Sean, 14, and Finnian, 11. She is excited to be serving NCC, which was founded in 1928. 
“My family and I have been warmly welcomed to northeast Nebraska,” Barrett said. “There are some exciting initiatives happening here that will provide continued economic development and vitality for the region. NCC has a significant role to play supporting workforce development and innovation in agriculture, information technology and industrial technology.”
The success of the college was what drew Barrett to seek the position, she said. She is looking forward to seeing the empowerment of the faculty and staff, but especially of the students, to listen and learn from each other, she said. She also wants to see that vision created by everyone together with a focus on making the college the best place possible for the future.
“The role of our college is to support the success of our students and be an effective partner in our region’s vitality,” she said. “I look forward to engaging the college community and the citizens of northeast and north-central Nebraska in conversations that lead us into the future.”
Tom Wright, a long-time member of the Weston County School District No. 1 board of trustees, remembers Barrett well, and with great fondness. Wright called Barrett as one of the most focused of all the students he had seen and that he knew what she would go on to do. Wright recognized that Barrett had the drive, skills and discipline that would propel her into a leadership role like this. Bette Sample said that Wright knew long ago that her daughter would become a college president even before any of the family knew.
In high school, Wright said, Barrett was getting the right kind of preparation for her career. She was on the school board, a born leader, and in 1988 she was recognized for her leadership skills by her fellow classmates.
“I had great high school teachers and coaches that saw my potential and encouraged me to seek leadership opportunities – both on the court and in the classroom,” Barrett said.
As Barrett begins her new position, she leaves behind a legacy of strength in a well-built team.  Walter Tribley, the Northern Wyoming district’s president, told the Sheridan Press that the district has solid middle management and that it can sustain operations capably to Barrett’s credit, training and inspiration.
“Part of what Barrett has done is to develop teams,” Tribley said, “and those team members now are levels of a like director or associate vice president.” 
He described the teams as competent and capable and said that Barrett is not leaving the college with a sense of urgency in her absence. He also said that those directors continue to gain leadership experience in the areas where they have expertise and that they can now develop their visions and goals on their own.
“Leading student affairs departments,” Barrett said of her years at Northern, “provided me with a variety of experiences managing complicated operations and large budgets, dealing with crises and streamlining processes.” Of her continuing career, she said,  “Working with managers to improve the experience for students is our priority. The highlight for me is when we remove barriers and create pathways for our students to reach their academic goals.”
“My parents are my inspiration.” Barrett said, “They are such incredible people. From a young age, they taught me to treat all people with respect. Especially those that have been marginalized because of their race, their gender, their sexual orientation or their socio-economic status. I learned that I have a responsibility to show grace and forgiveness and leave the world a better place than when I entered it. They do this work every day in Newcastle. I hope to contribute in the same way in northeast Nebraska.”
The board at NCC believes it has placed the college in good and capable hands and is looking forward to what the future holds under Barrett’s leadership. And taking the lessons learned from her parents and teachers and implementing them into practical application, Barrett said she is looking forward to a bright future for NCC and Nebraska for years to come.