A passion for personal development

Parker Barrett is passionate about personal development -- both for himself and in helping other people on their individual journeys. He said, “The opportunity to make improvements and get better is what makes me excited to wake up every single day.”

His nominator wrote, “Through his studies and his extracurricular pursuits, Parker demonstrates a passion for learning, a strong curiosity for improving the future world, and a commitment to embodying Virginia Tech values. His achievements as charter president of Sigma Phi Epsilon particularly illustrate his uncompromising pursuit in creating an organization that he, his fellow fraternity members, and the Virginia Tech community can be proud of.”

Parker has a tireless commitment to strong values and leadership. He and his executive board worked to redefine Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and developed a strategic long-term vision for the chapter that precisely aligns with Virginia Tech’s Principals of Community and the Aspirations for Student Learning. Under his leadership, he and his brothers have created a culture of education, community outreach, and healthy wellness practices.

Parker said, “My values can be strongly characterized by those of my fraternity, which are virtue, diligence, and brotherly love. Exhibiting virtue is to display integrity and hold yourself to a high standard regardless of who is watching. Diligence is to hold myself accountable to complete my responsibilities. The idea of brotherly love is how I approach all of my relationships, with intentionality and purpose. By trying to live by these values, I have become a better student, mentor, and friend to those in my life.”

Parker is a junior majoring in Aerospace Engineering and a member of the NASA Student Launch Initiative Design Team. He led a team of six students in the Virginia Tech Aerospace Engineering Design Analysis Project. He is an undergraduate teaching assistant in the College of Engineering and a member of the Virginia Tech American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

In 2018, Parker was the chairperson of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Balanced Man Scholarship program, which celebrates the standards of non-hazing, non-pledging, and personal and academic development for members.

He said, “After graduation, I plan to work in the aerospace industry, preferably in a small company that provides me opportunities for personal growth and real world learning. I eventually hope to begin my own company and make an impact on the future of aerospace technology.”

Parker said he reconnects with who he is by engaging in deep and meaningful conversations with the important people in his life. He said, “It helps ground me in my values and remind me of the person I aspire to be. I have learned that the most important thing on your journey is the people you spend it with, and by investing in your relationships, you can attain a meaningful and fulfilling life.”