After Earning Manny Cunard Scholarship, North Carolina Central’s Barber Receives ACUI’s MHB Internship
As a recent graduate of North Carolina Central University, where he earned a master’s in higher education administration, Brant Barber’s name has been turning up frequently in ACUI circles. After receiving the 2026 Manny Cunard Scholarship, Barber was able to attend his first ACUI Annual Conference this year in Pittsburgh and connect with seasoned professionals and ACUI peers alike. And now, beginning this month, he will start working with ACUI’s Central Office staff as the 2026 recipient of the Marsha Herman-Betzen Internship.
The eight-week MHB Internship will allow Barber to network with student affairs professionals, learn the inner workings of the ACUI Central Office, obtain career development guidance, and most importantly build upon the skills he has already displayed at North Carolina Central. Barber will also be able to attend IPDS: New Professionals Orientation at Indiana University in July.
Reflecting on his first ACUI Annual Conference, Barber said, “One of the main things I took away from the conference was gaining a broader view on student affairs and higher education in general. I come from an HBCU background, so meeting professionals of different levels from different parts of the country, and even the world, who were all from different types of institutions gave me a wider view on institution types and made me more open and motivated to explore employment at various kinds of colleges and universities.”
He also appreciated hearing about the state of higher education from a diverse group of higher education professionals and was impressed with how ACUI connected campus professionals with vendors that provide services and products that impact campus communities.
“One of the main things I appreciated was the willingness of every upper-level professional I met to give me career advice and help me feel a part of ACUI,” he said. “Finally, I would add that in coming to the conference and getting in touch with and joining COMP helped me to gain a better understanding of the perspectives of the minority members of ACUI and learning how I could be a better ally to minority students and professionals at higher education institutions.”
At the start of 2026, Barber began working as a full-time program coordinator for the federal TRIO STEM Success Program at North Carolina Central University. In the position, he provides professional development and educational support for first gen, low-income, and disabled STEM students. Prior to that, while studying as both an undergraduate and graduate student, his employment included serving as a graduate assistant in the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs for Student Engagement and as a Career Eagle Officer in the campus Career and Professional Development Center. He also served as director of operations for the Student Government Association, vice president of the Joint Greek Council, and as head ambassador for the Center for Financial Advancement.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Engagement William Clemm had this to say about Barber: “Brant played a key role in the university’s implementation and management of our new EMS event scheduling software, assisting in process development, staff training, and communication planning. He has also contributed significantly to student engagement through targeted social media and video-based text messaging campaigns that helped increase event participation and awareness across campus. His work reflects a rare blend of technical skill, creativity, and strategic thinking, qualities that make him an asset in any professional environment.”
Barber is from Fayetteville, North Carolina, and earned a bachelor’s degree in history from North Carolina Central University in 2024. During his undergrad, he was a member of the Nu Mu Chapter of Mu Phi Sigma National Percussion Fraternity and the Gamma Beta Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
