Reed Barrett '03
As a proud "lifer" of St. Andrew’s, Reed says, "I feel very lucky to be associated with St. Andrew's, it had such a huge part in shaping who I am today." Over the next several weeks, he aims to raise $50,000 for a research grant. He has already received a donation from one SAS student who gave in honor of Kethan Kumar, St. Andrew's Class of 2020, who died of ALL in 2012. Reed says, "I'm really touched by this, if I am able to raise enough money, I will aim to give a second research fund in the name of Kethan Kumar." Read more about Reed here.
Where did life lead you after graduating St. Andrew's?
I went to Ole Miss, and graduated in '07 with a BBA in Marketing. I have been working in the oil and gas upstream technology space since 2007. I am currently working with Expert System and some of the major oil and gas companies on training Cogito (like IBM's Watson) to read information within various oil and gas contexts. I have also helped start LifeSafetyLink with fellow St. Andrew's alumnus Ryan McLaren '03. LifeSafetyLink is a cloud-based software company that helps safety professionals manage their life safety programs and responsibilities. The creation of LifeSafetyLink was inspired by a tragic fire that happened during my time at Ole Miss, and we founded it in the honor of those who lost their lives in the fire that day.
Can you identify some skills you learned at St. Andrew's that are helping you in your life?
Visual art made a huge impact on me in my time at St. Andrew's. Specifically, the one-week painting trip we made with Ms. Kemner-Reed to Georgia O'Keefe's Ghost Ranch in New Mexico. It was a trip that transformed the way I look at the world, through the eyes of a painter. It was truly the most transformative trip of my life.
Can you name a teacher or class that had a lasting impact on you?
Ms. Kemner-Reed made a huge impact on me. Darryl Borges also made a huge impact on me, as my advisor and AP Spanish teacher. He is just a wonderful guy, an embodiment of the kind of humble, funny, and smart guy I wanted to become someday.
Do you have a favorite St. Andrew's tradition?
St. Andrew's Day with the bagpipes. Also, chapel: Getting to know God, and learning to make time for Him every day, is a habit that I feel very lucky to have been taught all through St. Andrew's.
What advice would you give St. Andrew's seniors as they prepare to graduate?
Be proud of what you've learned at St. Andrew's, and don't be afraid to apply it and use it in college and beyond into the professional world. It is an education unlike any other and we are lucky to have been a part of it. Don't be afraid to fail, every failure is one more step toward success. Take time to exercise your creativity (paint, play music), it will help you keep that ever-so-important part of you alive!
