Spotlight on Cheyenne Barber, UDC Board of Trustees student member
Spotlight on Cheyenne Barber, UDC Board of Trustees student member
Cheyenne Barber is a UDC senior and the Board of Trustees’ student member who will graduate with honors this spring with a bachelor’s degree in business management. A fourth-generation Washingtonian, Barber’s roots with the University run deep. Several members of her family were trained or taught at UDC predecessor institutions.
Her grandmother attended Washington Teacher’s College, where she taught special education. Her mother teaches special education at Malcolm X Elementary School in DC. She is also the great-granddaughter of former DC Superior Court Judge John D. Fauntleroy.
Barber is one of a small group in the country providing a unique perspective as the student member on the Board of Trustees. Running on a campaign of inclusion—to represent student needs and increase graduation rates—her slogan, “Our Voices Need to be Heard!” resonated with her student peers and allowed her to be effective in her one-year term.
She is also actively involved on campus as a member of the National Association of Black Accountants and the National Society of Leadership. In addition, she is the program coordinator for UDC’s Prayer Works Club.
“My parents encouraged me to run for the Trustee seat. My mom noticed how involved I was with helping my classmates, and she believed I could do more for students if I ran for the position,” Barber said. “I asked a few of my classmates, and they gave me a vote of confidence to run as well. Having that support and knowing that if I was elected, I could help people is what convinced me to run.”
That decision has been life-changing for her and the diverse students she proudly serves. Barber touts her open-door policy to ensure that she is armed with student concerns and opinions as she represents them at board meetings.
“I feel that I, along with other students, are being heard, and the student body is represented,” she said. “The administration works with student leaders to ensure that they support us while we obtain our education. I’m grateful that all the board members have the mindset of putting students first, making my job a lot easier.”
Barber had a half scholarship for the five-year MBA program at Hampton University before transferring to UDC. Once here, she received counseling to address some personal issues.
“At UDC, we have a mental wellness department. I went through things at school before, but no one helped me as UDC did. They made sure I was okay,” she said.
Barber is grateful for her experience at UDC and is looking forward to graduating and starting her professional career. She has already received job offers, including from Standard & Poor’s (S&P).
“The overall support at the University has helped me thrive. Everyone has a story at UDC, sometimes it may mirror my own, or it might be about a single parent who has not been in school for 20 years and are ready to come back,” said Barber. “The faculty’s amount of care and expertise is amazing and makes UDC great. I honestly wish I had come to UDC first.”
