DAN BARBOUR- BROADCASTING
Former homeschooler builds friendships, professional skills at Southeastern

When Dan Barbour was researching universities, he had three main criteria: Was his major offered? Was it affordable? And did it have a warm climate? Southeastern passed with flying colors, for it had a broadcasting major, it was affordable, and as for the climate, Southeastern offered him the warming rays of friendship as well as those of sunny Florida.

A place where Barbour could develop great friendships has been a bonus in his university experience, because as a person who was homeschooled, he lacked opportunities to meet youths his age who shared his interests. Now at 21, he credits Southeastern for cultivating an environment in which he’s now building friendships that others likely developed in high school. Barbour and other homeschoolers describe the Southeastern community as a second family that’s not unlike the environment in which they were homeschooled alongside siblings. Barbour’s camaraderie with his schoolmates is even apparent when he’s working his new job as shift supervisor at the Steelman Library on campus. During most days of the semester Barbour can be seen smiling and chatting with library workers and patrons as he addresses their needs.

Southeastern also is good for Barbour because it is enabling him to pursue his academic and professional interests without extraneous liberal commentary by professors, his father said. Moreover, at the public university Barbour attended in Massachusetts before transferring to Southeastern, Dan felt unable to express a dissenting view to liberal professors without his opinion negatively affecting his grade, Barbour’s father added. By contrast, Barbour feels his professors at Southeastern, such as communication arts chair Wade Mumm, are friends who allow him to discuss personal as well as academic issues.

Although Barbour’s parents left college selection up to Dan, they say they’re pleased he found a school such as Southeastern that helps him build upon the Christian foundation he gained being homeschooled.