2014 Clyde V. Bartlett Distinguished Service Award – Dr. David Barnett

Introduction from Melissa Bestgen

The purpose of this award is to recognize an Ohio school psychologist for outstanding service or achievement in the profession. Nominees should possess personal qualities thought to be desirable in the profession, have made outstanding contributions to the profession beyond duty, contributed significantly to the growth and development of the profession, and demonstrated outstanding service in the area of mental health. Nominees must be OSPA members and can be nominated by anyone.

This year’s recipient is Dr. David Barnett.

Dr. David Barnett graduated from Indiana State University with his doctorate in school psychology in 1974 and has been  serving the students of southern Ohio since. Dr. Barnett then went on to become a professor at the University of Cincinnati, where he has trained school psychology students since 1976. Dr. Barnett has devoted his career to the youngest students in southern Ohio and Kentucky, focusing his research and consultation efforts on early intervention services and preschool assessment. He serves as a consultant for the University of Cincinnati Arlitt Center and Northern Kentucky Headstart, helping to design best practices in early intervention. Through these partnerships, Dr. Barnett has written scores of scholarly articles, and is sought out by the editorial boards of established research journals, such as the Journal of School Psychology and the School Psychology Review. For his career-long devotion to the field of school psychology, and the impact of his training and research, the Ohio School Psychologists Association Executive Board is honored to present Dr. David Barnett with the Clyde V. Bartlett Distinguished Service Award.

 Remarks from David Barnett

Thanks Antoinette Miranda, your phone call was a real surprise; thanks Cindy Thompson and Melissa Bestgen for helping with this award. This means a lot to me because it’s an OSPA award. Looking at those honored by the Clyde V. Bartlett Distinguished Service Award I see many persons I know, had a chance to work with, or went to school with, and I am honored to be a part of this group. 

A big part of my role at UC was helping to prepare University of Cincinnati students for internship and supporting their internships. OSPA was central in making internships excellent and of national significance and Ohio was way ahead nationally even before I came to Ohio. The exceptionally strong school psychology internship program in Ohio helped me to become the
professor I wanted to be since its contribution was already at a place of national distinction and at the center of my UC role.  

Those nominating me spoke to relationships with school psychology students, teaching, and mentoring as top priorities, many years of productive early intervention and decision research, and national as well as state-level professional service. I could not have accomplished what I did without support from a strong State ODE innovations agenda, professional organizations such as OSPA, and the environment at UC including great students and faculty. Thanks Janet Graden, Renee Hawkins, and Julie Morrison, recent former colleagues who helped me celebrate this award along with Tai Collins, the newest member of the UC faculty. Throughout  these years little would have been accomplished without loving and strong family support—thanks Rita!