Barbara Horton felt her life was lacking a mission when she enrolled at Walters State Community College in 1997. Not long after she had completed college, a mission found her.

“Horton is executive director of New Hope Recovery Center in Morristown, the only treatment center between Knoxville and Johnson City that serves families and individuals affected by substance abuse.

“I wanted to do something that mattered. I didn’t care so much about how much money I made, but I cared about making a difference. I knew I couldn’t do that where I was,” Horton said.

Horton had started college right out of high school. She didn’t get serious, though, until 1997 when she moved back to the area and began taking classes full-time. She completed her associate’s degree, and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree. Around the time she graduated, she noticed an advertisement in the paper for a community agency seeking a director.

“The strange thing was that I really wasn’t looking for a job. I just happened to be reading the newspaper and noticed the advertisement. I felt moved to apply. I talked it over with my husband and turned in my application,” Horton said.

Horton has been directing the non-profit agency for three years and feels she has finally found her calling and her place in the world.

Her job is challenging, but she credits her former professors with giving her the confidence and the ability to meet those challenges.

“Walters State was a fantastic place for me. The professors made me challenge myself. They push you to realize your own potential.”

Horton took over the center a year after the death of its founder, Dee Frances. “I really strive to carry out her original mission of helping people with drug and alcohol problems. I hope she is proud of what we are doing.”

New Hope Recovery Center is a United Way Agency and sees patience regardless so their ability or inability to pay, Horton said.

For Walters State alumna Barbara Horton, finding a job wasn’t just about money. She enrolled in college hoping to find a way to make a difference. Now, as executive director of New Hope Recovery Center in Morristown, Horton is making a big difference in her community and in the lives of individuals and families served by the center.

Learn about other students who invested in themselves