Northwestern theatre prof awarded for faculty service

Karen Bohm Barker, professor of theatre at Northwestern College, is the recipient of the college’s 2016 Faculty Recognition for Inspirational Service Award. Her selection was announced at a recognition banquet for faculty and staff on May 10.

The award recognizes faculty members who consistently provide outstanding contributions by going above and beyond what is expected, who personify a strong Christian commitment, and who distinguish themselves as an inspiration to the campus community. A selection committee composed of faculty and staff chose the winner from among candidates nominated by Northwestern employees.

Barker, a member of the faculty since 1988, has been described as a mentor and guide who’s always available for students. “Her dedication to the lives of our students is inspiring,” wrote Jennifer Sabo, theatre secretary and building manager for the DeWitt Theatre Arts Center. “She regularly welcomes students and their guests to her home for Easter and Thanksgiving, gathering them around her table with family and friends. She has spent countless hours mentoring, advising and praying with our students. No matter how busy she is, a student who needs to talk is always her priority.”

Barker has also been described as a guide for other faculty members. She serves as the faculty representative to Northwestern’s Board of Trustees and has been on the Vice President for Academic Affairs Search Committee and the Academic Affairs Task Force this year. “She has served diligently and amazingly effectively in all of these roles,” wrote Dr. Kim Jongerius, professor of mathematics. “She inspires me to do my work better; to be willing to take on more; and to keep the needs of students, in particular, and the college, in general, always in my mind no matter what task I am involved in.”

Drew Schmidt, assistant professor of theatre and speech, says Barker assists the department in many ways, but he’s most inspired by the moments when he hears her talking about how to help her colleagues flourish. “She would bend over backwards to help make this place better. Christ seeps from her every action and calls us to be better, not just for ourselves, but for the sake of those around us.”

Barker’s extensive acting biography includes roles with the Taproot, Saltworks and Eastcheap theatre companies and on the Moody Broadcasting Network. She and her husband, Jeff, who also is on Northwestern’s theatre faculty, perform regularly at conferences and lead seminars on incorporating drama into worship. The couple received Northwestern’s Sears-Roebuck Foundation Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership Award in 1991 and were honored by the regional Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for exceptional service to theatre in 2003.

A member of the Western Theological Seminary Board of Trustees, Barker earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in acting from Northern Illinois University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Greenville College.