The Success of Psychology: SWOSU's Dr. Randy Barnett

September 19, 2023

By Landry Brewer

One man teaching one subject radically changed Randy Barnett’s life.

The 1992 Merritt High School graduate thought that he’d begin an oilfield career after completing an associate degree at Southwestern Oklahoma State University-Sayre.

Working for Triple L Rental and then for Dowell-Schlumberger as its truck washer in the evenings allowed Barnett to live at home in Elk City and commute to Sayre for college classes beginning that fall.

For two years he carpooled with high-school buddy David Pruitt, and he got to know Elk City High School graduates Taylor Cameron and Scott Merrifield there. In fact, Barnett and Cameron became best friends and even entered fishing tournaments together.

Though he didn’t arrive at SWOSU-Sayre eager for more school, he liked the college culture that was very different from high school.

Barnett was drawn to the different learning environment that college offered. “There was a sense of freedom and flexibility in our learning that was very different from what I had experienced in high school,” Barnett said.

As a result, he began enjoying learning in a way he hadn’t before.

And the professors were approachable and eager and responsive to students. One SWOSU-Sayre faculty member stands out.

“I was lucky to have Scott Froneberger as my first psychology professor,” Barnett said. “He was excited and passionate about the material, and that enthusiasm sparked a strong interest in the subject and made the class a great experience for me.”

So great, in fact, that after earning an associate degree at SWOSU-Sayre, Barnett transferred to SWOSU in Weatherford and pursued a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

He was confident in his preparation at the Sayre campus for the rigors of upper-level psychology courses at Weatherford, and he enjoyed meeting new people among his 5,000 fellow students.

He met one very important person named Amy in one of his psychology classes. So important that she became his wife. “Maybe that’s another reason that I became so interested in taking more psychology courses,” Barnett said.

After completing his bachelor’s degree, he enrolled in SWOSU’s graduate psychology program.

Then, with a master’s degree in hand, Barnett went to work for SWOSU’s Juvenile Delinquent Group Home at Foss Lake, and he later worked for the university’s Juvenile Group Home near Weatherford.

While working in those homes for 11 years, he began teaching some courses for SWOSU’s counseling program.

With a view toward advancing in their SWOSU careers, both Barnetts began work on doctorate degrees at Oklahoma State University, and Randy earned his in Educational Psychology.

In 2008, Dr. Gary Gilliland, SWOSU’s Educational Psychologist, retired. Barnett was a natural choice and a great fit for the position, and he assumed that faculty role.

As a full-time Professor of Educational Psychology within the Department of Education, he teaches all the psychology courses required for education majors. And he loves it. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my career with SWOSU,” he said.

Barnett has always wanted to stay in western Oklahoma so that he could help with his family’s farm. “A full-time faculty position at SWOSU was absolutely the best position that I could have ever hoped for,” he said.

Though Barnett has served in various administrative roles for SWOSU since 2012, he stepped away from those additional responsibilities beginning this semester to focus on teaching, which creates more scheduling flexibility.

Barnett lost his father in January of this year to cancer, and he needed to be able to spend more time on the farm.

“This is my first year to try and farm without Dad, and while I often feel lost without his guidance and sad that I can’t call and ask him what he thinks about each decision I’ve made, I feel very close to my Dad and my Grandpa whenever I’m out there working on the farm,” Barnett said. “Every minute spent out there is worth it.”

Scott Froneberger’s SWOSU-Sayre General Psychology class sparked an interest that ultimately led Randy Barnett to meet his future wife, earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in the discipline, and embark on a SWOSU career teaching psychology that he’s loved and has given him the chance to work with his family.

For Dr. Randy Barnett, that’s the success of psychology.