University of Delaware Athletics
Blue Hen Feature: Barnett Harris Sets Stage For Political Career With Capitol Hill Internship
1/4/2017 12:04:00 PM | Men's Basketball
In our society, it's quite rare to see a prestigious athlete transition into politics. It's been done before, though — take Bill Bradley, basketball star for the New York Knicks who went on to hold a seat in the Senate, and even emerged as the leading contender for the 2000 Democratic nomination. Though we haven't really seen anything like it since, it looks like the next of them may be right under our noses here at UD: senior men's basketball player Barnett Harris. Barnett has always gravitated towards politics, and for good reason — he's proven his ability through an internship last summer working for Delaware State Senator Tom Carper.
Though in the modern world where networking is playing a bigger and bigger role in getting a job, Barnett got his internship the old-fashioned way. He says he simply applied online for the position, and then was summoned for an interview. Barnett believes he did exceptionally well in the interview, which was key to his selection. Barnett soon after settled into his internship, but with everyday offering something new, his daily routine was far from redundant.
“Life on the hill was very cool and unique, because everyday there was something for you to do, and your responsibilities could be different everyday,” Harris said. “I was charged with doing research on a plethora of topics, as well as drafting letters to constituents and escorting the senator to committee hearings and so on.”Though these are all exciting tasks, he also says some days were not as action-packed.
“There were also days that I did absolutely nothing, which goes to show how your responsibilities can change on a daily basis, whether we are in session or out of session,” Harris explained. “I would also give tours of the capitol building on almost a daily basis, so I was able to gain a great understanding of that building and its history.”
Upon reflection, Barnett says his internship was a great experience.
“I expected some of the things it provided, but I would say that it reaffirmed my interest to go into politics,” he stated. “I feel that is a field I am destined for. I could help people on a great scale in such a profession. The satisfaction of helping others, especially to constituents of your home state, would be very gratifying.”
When it comes to this choice of field, Barnett says, “I have always been interested in politics. It was always an area I could understand in great detail and follow along with great interest. It is such a unique topic that I could talk all day about.”
After completing his time with the senator, Barnett returned back to UD to refocus on both his undergraduate academics, and his upcoming senior season. Barnett says he chose UD because “it provided me with an opportunity to succeed in the classroom as well as on the basketball court.” It was also a comfortable proximity from his hometown of Pittsburgh, so Barnett says he felt at ease upon visiting campus.
Looking forward to the rest of his final basketball season, Barnett says his goal for the team is to simply be as good as it can be. He would also like to see continuous growth as a group throughout the year, and hopes for them to be playing their best basketball towards the end of the year.
As one of four seniors on the team, Barnett says his leadership role is of high priority.
“I feel I am in a leadership role more now than ever, as a senior and as a older guy who some of the younger players look up,” he noted. “I must be a person that can show them how to go about themselves the right way, while also setting an example for the entire group.”
While Barnett is happy to fulfill this role, he says it hasn't always been easy fulfilling others.
“Some of the challenges I've had to overcome as a player would be accepting my role on the team and excelling in that role,” he stated.
However, his dedication to the greater good of the team doesn't go unnoticed.
Martin Ingelsby said. “He is a great teammate and a firm believer in what we are trying to accomplish."While reflecting upon his time playing for UD, a few specific memories come to mind for Barnett.
“I have had many great experiences on the team in my career, from winning a CAA title, to playing in the NCAA Tournament, to being able to visit the White House,” he stated. “Those would be the three highlights of my career so far that stand out in my mind.”
With these fond memories to hold on to, Barnett will soon conclude his time at UD, but he has much to look forward to with some concrete plans and dreams. After graduation, Barnett says he will enroll in law school and then practice for a few years before transitioning into a political career in his home state of Pennsylvania.
For Barnett, the sky is the limit as he has plenty of ambitious dreams. He says his dream job would be either the Governor of Pennsylvania or the President of the United States. He understands the road ahead to make that happen, and gladly accepts the challenge.
Tto accomplish either of these goals, I feel I will had to have done some substantially good things as a lawyer, then have accomplished many great things early in a political career to build a name for myself,” he said. “Then, if I have a great enough following, I will just need to gain the people's trust to believe I could hold such a position and work for their best interest. I would also need a great deal of luck, and a lot of wealthy friends/donors to help me campaign and maintain a legit chance of success.”
If Barnett can navigate the political arena as well as he can the basketball court, we may just have the next Bill Bradley.
