Honors Siblings: Meet the Bartas!

By Holly Buczek

Meet the Bartas!  This month, the Honors Pulse would like to introduce you to Kelli ‘24 and Brianne Barta ‘21 from Kewaunee, WI.  Kelli is pursuing an accounting degree to become a CPA, and Brianne will be graduating in May with a degree in Mathematics and in Business Administration.

It’s not every day that two sisters both find their home in the Honors Program, but they both joined because of family members; Brianne joined the Program because their cousin (Sarah Jensen ’18) had been a member and enjoyed it very much.  Brianne then recommended it to sister Kelli, who so far enjoys the challenge that the Program presents to the students. The sisters both have wonderful memories from their time in the Program’s Bergstrom Hall. Brianne loved the Nerf wars that frequently occurred and really enjoyed living with her roommate, Sydney. Kelli loves playing games outside on Friday nights with the other Bergstrom residents and watching old Disney shows with her roommate, Amelia.

St. Norbert College is known for its sense of community, and both Brianne and Kelli both felt it from the minute they stepped foot on campus.  Both women said the main reason they decided to make SNC their home is because they both felt very welcomed.  Kelli said the overall feeling of hospitality on campus was a big influence on her, as well as having an older sibling on campus that she could count on. 

Both of the Bartas are very involved on campus.  Brianne is a member of both Cross Country and Track and Field teams here at St. Norbert.  She also works in the Office of Admission as a tour guide for prospective students.  Kelli is a member of the accounting club, the Knitting Knights, Emerging Leaders, and, similar to her sister, works in the Office of Admission as a tour guide.

Even though they’re busy, the sisters make time in their schedules to connect with each other. They have a standing tradition of getting dinner at Dale’s every Thursday and, occasionally, Kelli will visit Brianne in her dorm to make muffins together while watching reality TV. Brianne enjoys spending time with Kelli on campus, and she says it’s nice to see her little sister every once in a while.  Kelli enjoys having Brianne on campus because she is a source of support and she knows Brianne is always willing to help her if she needs it, including deciding what classes to register for, as well as other tips and tricks when it comes to classes, and to recommend campus events she should attend. Big sister Brianne also helped Kelli get to know campus in her first couple of weeks last fall.

Here are some fun facts about Brianne and Kelli

• Fave Study Spot: Brianne’s favorite study spot is the library; Kelli likes to study in Cofrin.
• Ruth’s Marketplace: Brianne’s favorite meal is either Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter Dinner; Kelli enjoys the veggie lasagna.
• Phil’s Favorites: Brianne likes to get things off of the breakfast menu; Kelli likes the chicken tender basket with Phil’s sauce.
• SNC Classes: Brianne’s favorite class is Dr. Arendt’s Advanced Organizational Behavior; Kelli’s favorite is financial accounting.