My name is Garrett Barton III and I am a junior majoring in journalism and emerging media at Kennesaw State. Since the beginning of this semester, I have worked for the Sentinel as a staff writer, contributing weekly to the sports section. I was recently given the immense privilege of becoming the sports editor.
I was born in Atlanta and raised in the suburbs of Sandy Springs. In 2017, I graduated from Riverwood International Charter School. Despite spending my entire childhood less than 20 miles from KSU, my journey to this campus was abnormal.
Following graduation, I chose to attend Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia. There, I majored in English and minored in rhetoric. During my freshman year, I contributed to the school’s student newspaper as a staff writer and became the publication’s sports editor during my sophomore year.
This past spring, I decided to transfer to KSU for several reasons, including proximity to home, offered majors and school size.
It is hard to recall exactly, but I am almost certain that my passion for sports existed long before I even knew how to form a sentence. Most of my young classmates rushed home after school every day to catch programs on Nickelodeon or Disney Channel, but I only ever watched ESPN.
While I looked up to athletes and coaches, I worshipped the reporters that I would see on television each day. As early as the age of six, I can remember promising parents and friends that I would cover sports for a living.
Approximately 14 years later, I am beyondproud to be fulfilling my lifelong goal. To be completely honest, however, I am not yet satisfied. What was once my childhood dream has now become a tangible, serious goal — to turn my obsession with sports into a stable career in media. I refuse to stop until I reach SportsCenter.
The journey that led me to this job began with a promise. So, it is only fitting that I begin my tenure with a promise to you, the reader. As sports editor, I will ensure that each week we will put forth the most entertaining, informative sports content possible.
Let’s get started.
