STEPHENVILLE, Texas — A serious car accident in 2021 led Cole Barrington to make a life-changing decision and come to Tarleton State University.
He graduates Saturday morning as part of the commencement exercises with a double major in finance and economics. Additionally, he’ll deliver the student address to his fellow graduates.
His speech will be centered around his anything-but-ordinary journey to a bachelor’s degree and the importance of finding meaning and purpose in life, even in the face of adversity.
“I’ll talk about my job before the accident and where I believed my life would go, and how life had other plans for me,” said Barrington, a graduate of Mansfield High School. “I’ll talk about the necessity of having resilience, adaptability and perseverance to push through challenges. That determination got us here.”
He was a student at a North Texas trade school in February 2021, when the accident changed everything.
“I was working and majoring in industrial systems when I crashed my truck,” he said. “The accident put me in a wheelchair and changed all my plans.”
His decision to come to Stephenville was based on the need to be close to his support system, his parents and grandparents, who lived in nearby Granbury.
Just months after the wreck, he enrolled at Tarleton State, initially to pursue a degree in education. He eventually chose a different path.
“I wanted to do something where I could meet with people and still use numbers and build things with my mind instead of my hands,” said Barrington. “I’d done welding and worked remodeling when I was in high school, and I loved that, but I’m passionate about eventually working in finance.”
When deciding on a minor, he discovered he’d taken several classes without taking the prerequisite course beforehand. Instead of losing those credits, he added a second major.
With a 3.8 GPA and two degrees, he was admitted to the master’s in finance program at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where he’ll move in the fall to begin working toward a career in corporate or investment banking.
He said his time at Tarleton State was fulfilling, but he’s ready for the new challenge.
“I’ve met some life-long buddies here,” he said, “But I’m excited about moving to the city.”
A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of approximately 18,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.