Barton Gains career Advantage at UACCB
Barton Gains Career Advantage at UACCB
By Karla Rush, UACCB Freelance Writer
BATESVILLE – Going to college had been neither an option nor necessity for Cindy Barton until she moved to Independence County in 2003. Living and working in the Little Rock area presented bountiful job opportunities and Cindy had twenty years of sales and customer service experience under her belt when she relocated to Magness.
After starting her employment search locally, Cindy quickly discovered the job market was not what she was accustomed to in Central Arkansas. Realizing she needed a college degree to back up her work experience, Cindy began looking at educational options. She found the flexible schedule she needed and more from the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville.
Barton said "UACCB was close to home so the cost of gasoline wouldn't be as high and if I wasn't commuting back and forth, I could use those hours in the day to work part-time." After enrolling at UACCB, Cindy landed a job at North Arkansas Farm Supply where she worked 30-35 hours weekly because the store manager there "was very generous and worked with me so I could attend college. Between homework, house work, and anything else that came up, it got very nerve-racking at times."
According to Barton, she received the kind of support she needed outside the classroom at UACCB. She spent a lot of time in the student success center, especially for tutoring help with a summer course in college algebra. She added, "The student success center was my second home that summer. The tutors there deserve a round of applause for all they do." Tracy Broadwater, accounting instructor at UACCB, was Cindy's advisor and teacher. Broadwater assisted Cindy when it was time for her transfer to Lyon College where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in May 2009.
Armed with an undergraduate degree in business administration but no banking background, Barton interviewed for a loan processor position at First Community Bank and was asked if she felt like she was 'stepping out of the box.' Her answer was yes. She had been out of the box since moving to Magness – going to college while being a parent and working at a farm supply store, learning about cattle, horses, grass killers and insecticides – and she had successfully moved forward with her career all the while. She got the job.
After almost a year at First Community Bank, Cindy has been promoted to Mortgage Loan Officer and says she loves her work although it challenges her in every way. "The people here at the bank are a tight knit family, work together and take care of each other. I've found my perfect job that probably would have never happened if I hadn't attended UACCB."
Barton credits family support as a major factor in her success as a student. She said education is important in her family and "if it wasn't for my husband George, my children Kristin and Brittany and grandson Peyton, I couldn't have accomplished this." Kristin just started attending UACCB in August 2011 as an LPN student, and Brittany recently graduated from Bee Jays Hair Styling Academy.
When asked what advice she could give about her college experience at UACCB, Cindy Barton was adamant. "If you're thinking about going to college, don't hesitate. In today's workforce, to get a good job you need a college degree. And, UACCB is a great starting place. Their team of advisors and instructors will help guide you through whatever challenges you might have. Plus, I guarantee they will push you to succeed. They did me, and I started at age forty-one!"
For more information about becoming a UACCB student, go online to www.uaccb.edu or contact the Enrollment Center at 870-612-2000 or call toll-free at 800-508-7878.
