Barbara Fullingim is currently teaching 8th grade U.S. History at Central Middle School in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. She has taught for twenty-two years in elementary, middle school, and college and has been teaching at Central for the last twelve years. She is a motivating, innovative and highly energetic person. She has high expectations for her students, is demanding yet caring, and concerned for their overall educational and personal growth and development. She believes wholeheartedly, “Education is not a career for those who cannot do anything else, but for the chosen who want to be a master teacher.”
She received Teacher of the Year in 1996 and the Golden Apple Award in 1997. Barbara was recently selected as the Teacher of the Year for the Bartlesville District in 2004. She is now adding more to her portfolio as the District Teacher of the Year in order to enter into the selection of the Oklahoma State Teacher of the Year.
Barbara and her family served as missionaries with Wesleyan World Missions (now Global Partners) in Papua New Guinea for eight years living with, studying, and learning the language and culture of the Wiru-speaking people for translation and literacy ministries.
Barbara has also taught at Oklahoma Wesleyan University since 1989. She was the Coordinator for sixteen Central American Students in 1989 and taught in the ESL program and in the Education Division until 1992. Since 1992 to the present she has continued her close association with OKWU by teaching as an adjunct professor in the non-traditional Adult & Graduate Studies program.
Barbara attends First Wesleyan Church in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and serves on the World Outreach Committee.
“In my spare time I love to sit and read…at the moment I am reading, The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren and the Ultimate Blessing by JoAnne Lyon.”
Barbara has many great memories from Miltonvale Wesleyan College. “I met so many Christian friends and have enjoyed the reunions at the Homecoming alumni banquets.” She met her husband, Mike at MWC, and since 1969 they have been a team working together to serve the Lord in teaching and mission work. “My greatest memory goes to Dr. Harold Budensiek, who encouraged me at a very critical time as a young college student and directed me into the teaching field to fulfill my dreams.”