Barrett, the Honors College, celebrates its 25th anniversary as a college this year. (Photo by Ashley Kesweder)Barrett, the Honors College – deemed ASU's equivalent of Hogwarts by some students – celebrates its 25th anniversary as a college this year.
Nicole Greason, Barrett's marketing and publicity manager, said Barrett began as only an honors program.
Greason said in an email that the program was upgraded into a college in 1985 after Ted Humphrey, a then ASU faculty member, spearheaded the initiative to do so.
After three years and with the approval of the Arizona Board of Regents, the program became a college with Ted Humphrey as founding dean, Greason said.
Originally named The University Honors College, Greason said the college was renamed Barrett, the Honors College after a $10 million endowment from ASU alumna Barbara Barrett and her husband Craig Barrett.
Barrett now has about 4,200 students, including 750 national scholars, Greason said in the email, along with a track record for attracting top scholars from across the country and around the world.
“Seventy-five percent of Barrett graduates continue on to graduate or professional schools, while the other 25 percent go directly to employment,” Greason said.
Often those who directly enter the workforce do so at top companies such as Intel or Chase, Greason said.
Greason said Barrett has become an example for other honors colleges to emulate in a relatively short period of time.
“It’s become a catalyst for attracting top scholars from all over the world,” Greason said.
Barrett's first special event of the year launches Feb. 20 with a Rhodes Lecture from former NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao at the Tempe Center for the Arts from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Upcoming events are still in the planning stages and will be held throughout the calendar year, with a signature event to cap the 25th anniversary at year’s end, Greason said.
Greason said Barrett students will be involved in the organizing and planning of the future events and activities.
Biochemistry sophomore Erin Nolan said she did not know the college was already celebrating its 25th anniversary.
She said that Barrett has reached such a milestone because of its good reputation, however, she will probably not attend any of the college’s special events.
Mathematics senior Austin Wehn said he views Barrett as part of ASU’s reinvented image.
“It’s important to have some community support for the intellectual community at ASU,” he said.
Finance freshman Trevor Szafran said Barrett’s 25th anniversary is exciting.
He said the college provides an elevated platform of learning for Arizona students looking to stay in state.
“However they do celebrate it, it will be good,” Szafran said.
Reach the reporter at smande17@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @SarahDeAnderson
