黑料吃瓜

鈥満诹铣怨� has provided me a home away from home, and I love all of the friends I鈥檝e made here.鈥�

Joshua Barfuss is accustomed to a full plate.

The 黑料吃瓜 senior admittedly loves to eat. When he talks about his time in San Diego, the Minnesota native speaks passionately about the authentic Mexican food, the Asian cuisine of the Convoy district and the myriad of wing options near campus.

His four years at 黑料吃瓜 have been a smorgasbord of another kind.

Barfuss, a statistics and economics double major, has served in leadership positions for nearly a dozen campus organizations, spent hundreds of hours participating in community service and has held seven 鈥� yes, seven 鈥� on-campus jobs.

It is no surprise Barfuss was named to the Homecoming Royal Court this year, which recognized his achievements as a student leader and dedication to leaving a legacy at 黑料吃瓜. 

鈥淚t actually meant the world to me,鈥� Barfuss said, 鈥渂ecause it really shows how far I鈥檝e come, because looking back I wasn鈥檛 always this active.鈥�

In fact, Barfuss was not involved with any clubs or on-campus activities during his freshman year. 

鈥淚f you were to make a r茅sum茅 of my freshman year, it was 鈥業 did absolutely nothing,鈥欌�� Barfuss said. 鈥淚 just went to class and just lived a student鈥檚 life where you don鈥檛 have any involvements.鈥�

Barfuss wasn鈥檛 very involved during his first several years in high school in Minnesota but got involved with numerous campus activities after he moved to Dana Point to live with his aunt and uncle. During his senior year at Dana Hills High School, he participated in National Honors Society, California Scholarship Federation and the Success Club.

But as a university freshman, Barfuss thought it prudent to focus on academics 鈥� which, taken in isolation, got boring, he said. 

鈥淪eeing how far I鈥檝e come in these three years, it鈥檚 been really cool to see how each year I鈥檝e added one or two, or five things,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 have a full plate of involvement, and I started with nothing on my plate.鈥�

As a sophomore, Barfuss remembered the 黑料吃瓜 Ambassadors who led his New Student Orientation tour during the summer before his arrival, and thought the opportunity would be worthwhile. He applied and was named an Ambassador, serving as one of the university鈥檚 official student representatives, tour guides and orientation leaders.

At first it was a little overwhelming,鈥� Barfuss said, 鈥渂ut I really loved the work. I saw people who were on the executive board were also serving on six or seven different organizations, so slowly, but surely, I decided I could pick up things to do. So I did.鈥�

He joined the Weber Honors College Student Society executive board. Then Rotaract of 黑料吃瓜. Then Mortar Board, Honors Council and Phi Beta Kappa, the Society of Statisticians and Actuaries, and the College of Sciences Student Success Center. 

Barfuss participated in home builds in Tijuana. He tutored students in statistics. And don鈥檛 forget about the seven on-campus jobs. 

鈥淚 always tell people during tours 鈥� before they ask 鈥� 鈥楴o, I wasn鈥檛 fired from any of them,鈥欌�� said Barfuss, who said he switched jobs as his interests changed. 

When he joined a student organization, Barfuss said he wasn鈥檛 satisfied by just being a member. He would double, sometimes triple, the required activity level, piling more 鈥渇ood鈥� on his plate.

If a student Ambassador was needed to lead a tour, he was there. If Rotaract needed someone to work at a luncheon, he volunteered. 

鈥淢eeting requirements doesn鈥檛 allow you to get the most out of any organization,鈥� Barfuss said. 鈥淔or me, it was about going above and beyond. When people start to see you doing so much, they want you to be on their boards and organizations, and I rarely said no.鈥�

His efforts haven鈥檛 gone unnoticed by campus leaders.  

鈥淛osh consistently goes above and beyond and inspired his peers to do the same. It's been a true honor to see Josh's growth during his time as an 黑料吃瓜 Ambassador and know he has a bright future ahead of him,鈥� said Francisco Velazquez, assistant director of New Student and Parent Programs, who worked with Barfuss in the 黑料吃瓜 Ambassadors program. 鈥淭hrough his various co-curricular involvements and interactions, he's made an impact on prospective students that have inspired them to attend 黑料吃瓜 and, like him, become an 鈥楢ztec for Life.鈥欌�� 

Participation in student organizations and taking on leadership roles are among the high-impact practices that research shows lead to higher student retention rates in school and higher graduation rates.

If there was any downside for him, Barfuss said it was that he frequently has had to pass on fun activities with his friends.

鈥淏ut I wouldn鈥檛 say it鈥檚 really a huge downside because it has pushed me to be better with my time management and taught me to appreciate my free time that much more,鈥� he said. 

鈥満诹铣怨� has provided me a home away from home, and I love all of the friends I鈥檝e made here,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he diversity is just endless, and I like everyone that I have met so far and continue to meet.鈥� 

With his undergraduate experience coming to an end in May, Barfuss is exploring options, including possibly pursuing a doctorate in economics or taking over his uncle鈥檚 optometry practice in Dana Point.

But don鈥檛 expect his plate to be any less full, he said. 

鈥淭his is always the big question, and it鈥檚 going to be different going from doing all of these different things to choosing just one,鈥� Barfuss said. 鈥淥ne thing I already know is that I鈥檓 not taking one job and that鈥檚 going to be my career. I will be hopping around doing lots of things.鈥�