The professional helper

Christian Barrientos has earned a Ph.D. in educational leadership while putting his academic and personal experience to work serving both prospective and current students at Clemson

Even at 31, if Christian Barrientos earned money every time he said, "I can help," he'd already be a millionaire. He's been saying it in one form or another his entire life before holding multiple titles at Clemson University that scream "professional helper." Barrientos serves as director of the Clemson Career Workshop, interim director for Tiger Alliance and associate director of College Preparation and Outreach in the division of community, engagement, belonging and access.

Barrientos is involved in multiple campus outreach activities-often simultaneously-but is energized by it all because he does this work in the service of others. He helps and always has on progressively larger scales as his career has progressed. Barrientos is earning his Ph.D. in educational leadership from Clemson's College of Education this August, and he serves as an example to prospective and current college students who might not think higher education is for them.

"Any student who comes through our programs-whether they are currently in college or on their way to it-is looking for help and guidance on how to be successful," Barrientos said. "I help expose a prospective or current college student to something like experiential learning that will help them grow and prepare them for college or life after college, whether that is grad school or the military or the workforce. And if I'm not the right person I can help them get to the person they need to make an informed decision."

Barrientos sighs and then laughs when he realizes he has said "help" four times across three statements, but he admits it's true that this concept has led him throughout his life and career. Through the Clemson Career Workshop, Barrientos works with rising juniors and seniors interested in coming to Clemson and exposes them to college life's benefits and realities. Through the Tiger Alliance, he helps to bridge opportunity gaps and create a college-going culture for high school men in the upstate of South Carolina.

Barrientos' dedication to aiding others on their academic journey started early in life. He participated in the Rhode Island Children's Crusade, a college access program in his home state, when he was only in the third grade. He learned about college at student panels and informal meetings in college cafeterias. Even then, Barrientos had his eye on college and enjoyed learning from the people representing higher education.

Then he moved to South Carolina in the seventh grade, and, after a period of feeling a bit lost, Barrientos found Bridges to a Brighter Future, a college access program hosted by Furman University. Fast forward to Barrientos as a first-generation undergraduate student at Furman University. He is attending school and thriving while working as a summer camp counselor, imparting many of the same lessons he learned as a youth.

"My family doesn't really understand what I do because they don't understand the context, but they just know they've never not seen Christian in school," Barrientos said, laughing, "but Christian pursuing his bachelor's degree never pictured Christian as a grad student, just as Christian as a grad student never pictured him getting a Ph.D."

Barrientos pursued his master's degree in student affairs from the Clemson College of Education due to faculty reputation; he stuck around for a Ph.D. because of the relationships he had built with the faculty members who more than lived up to that reputation. Barrientos started his Ph.D. during the COVID-19 pandemic, so he needed to know that academic rigor, personal attention, and faculty expertise would be available to him in the program.

He said he didn't want his Ph.D. experience to be "just a transaction." The student affairs faculty in the College of Education made his decision to continue his studies an easy one because he had already developed strong relationships with faculty and specifically with the individuals who would go on to make up his dissertation committee.

"I know all my experiences have informed the work I do today and the passion I have for it," Barrientos said. "I had an awareness gap about higher education that was bridged early, so if I can do that for parents, families and communities, then that's success to me, so I knew Clemson's program would only help me improve that work."

Michelle Boettcher, associate professor of student affairs in the College of Education, served as Barrientos' advisor during his master's degree before chairing his dissertation committee. She has seen Barrientos come into his own as a leader, speaker, and innovator who centers students in all he does.

She said that he came into the doctoral program with personal and professional experience that was a helpful "reality check" for his classmates and the faculty. She said Barrientos was never afraid to share a perspective that ran counter to others, especially when he could explain his point of view based on work experience rather than speculation about what he might do in a hypothetical situation.

"He is a wonderful advocate, champion, leader and-most importantly-listener," Boettcher said. "He hears what people say and pays attention to what is unsaid. I'm just really glad he does what he does in higher education because he's a great role model in how he goes about making positive change and celebrating success."

Boettcher was impressed by the focus of Barrientos' dissertation, which centered on the experiences of multiracial students at historically white institutions. He studied the links between these students, their perceptions of campus climate and how their perceptions impact their experiences and sense of belonging. Through the use of PhotoVoice, students were able to use photographs they took to help tell their stories.

Barrientos said his Ph.D. studies have equipped him with the tools to effectively combine data with students' personal stories to achieve truly impactful research that can inform his work and, by extension, the work of student affairs at Clemson. He now feels more confident to delve deeper through research and reflect on how he and his workplace can grow.

Boettcher quickly points out that Barrientos could have graduated in May but opted not to so that his newborn daughter, Eliana, could attend his hooding ceremony. Barrientos and his wife, Kayla, welcomed Eliana, their first child, in late May. Boettcher said she was impressed by Barrientos' ability to prioritize family and see how work and personal life intersect.

As a new parent, Barrientos is now discovering where work and home life intersect with a lack of sleep, but he's also giddy when he talks about his two "babies," the close of one adventure and the start of another.

"I finished my dissertation defense on May 15, and we had baby Eliana on May 28, so I had to put down one 'baby' before I picked up the other, so I'm glad not to split my focus now," Barrientos said. "Between work, school and a baby, I'm glad I don't have to find out if I could handle all three at once."

Christian Barrientos (foreground) poses with students engaging with the Clemson Career Workshop.

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