On an uncommonly breezy summer day, I sit in front of Terrell Hall across from a neatly-dressed, clean-cut young man from Vidalia, Ga., and think to myself, how often does one meet a Premed/cellular biology major who also has ballroom dance, ballet, tap, and jazz on his class schedule? Well, meet Michael Barfield, a Franklin College senior who knows the secret to life: Never be afraid to try something new.

“ Michael is a modern renaissance man,” says Dr. Joe Crim, head of the department of cellular biology and also Michael’s advisor. “He embodies the potential of a true liberal arts education.”

Up until his junior year in high school, Michael had always wanted to be a fighter pilot in the Air force. That year, however, he spent Christmas vacation in Jacksonville, Fla., visiting his cousin, Dr. David Sutton, an endocrinologist. Michael spent time shadowing David – visiting with patients, observing David’s daily routine – and discovered he had found his true career interest.

“ Since that visit with David, I’ve shadowed around thirteen specialists in different areas of medicine and in different places, but I find endocrinology to be the most fascinating and fulfilling,” says Michael, his serious and focused expression becoming more relaxed and animated. “Endocrinologists treat mostly diabetics and other individuals who are not terminally or critically ill. You have the opportunity to help them improve the quality of their life, and you can see their progress. I get so much joy out of seeing patients recover and improve.”

Michael started his career at UGA as a chemistry major, working in Dr. Greg Robinson’s lab as a part of his research team. He has since been co-author on three of the group’s publications.

“ This is a major accomplishment,” says Crim, “and further reflects the balance in Michael’s interests here at UGA.”

“ Dr. Robinson always encouraged me academically,” says Michael. “Our lab group would get together at his home for dinner with his family. We always had such a good time.”

Michael will be returning to his work with Dr. Robinson next year to complete a minor in chemistry. Although he enjoys time in the lab, it’s the people that he works with that have kept him interested and involved.

“ I realized that I loved working with other people and that I couldn’t do isolated lab research as a full-time job,” he says. “I have a lot of admiration and respect for people who are able to do that, but I’m glad I recognized that it wasn’t my true interest.”

Michael’s love of people has been noticed by others as well. Dr. Sylvia Hutchinson, a professor in the Institute of Higher Education, remembers Michael fondly from her Honors seminar class entitled, “Problem-Based Learning for Premed Majors.”

“ Coupled with his desire to learn as much as he can about the subject matter, Michael has a delightful sense of humor and an interest in people – a combination that adds a fine seasoning to any group he joins,” she says.

When she invited the class to her home for a Christmas party, Michael struck up an instant friendship with Hutchinson’s eighty-eight-year-old mother. After the students left, her mother commented, “I hope I can be around until Michael finishes his medical study. I have a hunch he could cure whatever will be ailing me by that time.”

Michael remembers Hutchinson’s seminar as one of his favorite courses. The class focused on the doctor-patient relationship and gave insights on how to make patients feel more comfortable. The students would receive paragraphs of case studies to examine and learned how to ask creative questions in order to uncover all possible details that could lead to a correct diagnosis.

“ It was a very enriching class, even beyond the Premed aspect,” says Michael. “Dr. Hutchinson seems to know everyone on campus as well as in the Athens community, and she spent time introducing us to administrators and inviting guest lecturers to meet with us. She shared her knowledge of people and the University with us.”

UGA almost lost Michael to Emory University. He was offered a scholarship to the Atlanta school, but on his third interview, he decided he wasn’t interested.

“ It just didn’t feel right,” he says, “and it turned out to be the best decision of my academic career to come to UGA.”

Living in the Lipscomb dorm his first two years of school, Michael received a card from the Student Outreach Office, asking him if he would be interested in recruiting students in his hometown. Having served as state president of Future Business Leaders of America and as valedictorian of his high school class, Michael was used to giving presentations. He responded positively, and speaks with high school juniors about their college plans several times a year.

But a good deal of Michael’s scarce spare time is spent on his newly found and unexpected passion: dance. Michael credits Drs. Crim and Hutchinson and some fun-loving friends with introducing him to his new favorite hobby. It was Crim who encouraged Michael to take ballroom dancing as his P.E. requirement during his freshman year, but it wasn’t until two years later that Michael would truly realize his interest in dance.

“ I was dealing with a lot of distracting personal issues the spring semester of my sophomore year,” Michael explains, looking away for a moment toward the fountain at the entrance to campus. “That next fall some of my friends from the Baptist Student Union encouraged me to join them at a Friday Night UGA Ballroom Dance Party, and it marked a turning point in my life. It opened up a whole new world of friends and activities that I hadn’t had the opportunity to explore.”

Dr. Hutchinson introduced Michael to the Friends of Dance, a fund-raising group composed of individuals on campus and in the community interested in supporting the art of dance at UGA. She discovered their mutual interest in dance when she came upon Michael in the vacant conference room next to their classroom practicing his steps for an upcoming ballroom performance.

“ I used to get to class early and use the conference room as a make-shift dance studio,” he explains.

Michael and Dr. Crim have also extended their academic relationship into a friendship and appreciation for the arts. Crim is involved with the Friends of Dance and is an avid dancer himself.

“ Dance changed my perception of life,” says Michael. “I realized that there is more to life than knowledge from books. Without the arts, it’s like life is all meat and no dessert.”

When he’s not dancing, working in a chemistry lab, recruiting, or serving as a peer mentor to other Premed students through the Premed honor society, Michael is most likely volunteering at Mercy Health Center, a Christian Health Clinic that offers free medical care to individuals with out insurance. Every Monday night from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. the clinic accepts 25 patients. Michael’s duties range from taking vital signs and medical histories, to shadowing doctors, talking to diabetics about lifestyle changes, and serving as an interpreter.

“ My mom is a high school Spanish teacher, and I’ve always had an interest in Spanish language and culture,” Michael explains.

He has traveled to Spain and Mexico several times on school trips with his mother, and has developed a deep affection for different cultures and languages.

“ I would really love to live in Spain for a while -- perhaps six months to a year,” says Michael. “I love the beauty of the landscape, the food, the art. Europeans seem to have a more laid-back approach to life, which appeals to me.”

Growing up in Vidalia, Michael had a great deal of exposure to theatre, but not as much experience with other art forms. He now enjoys singing and teaching ballroom to his mom’s high school classes, where the students have been very receptive. Michael is also training with a partner to enter ballroom dance competitions.

“ Something I’ve learned at UGA is that you should never be afraid to do something new,” says Michael. “Don’t let anyone keep you from doing what you want to do. People will question what you want to do, and what you like. Ultimately, it can pay off to take risks because you never know when you might find something that you really love…. You can add a lot of flavor to your life by not sticking to the middle of the road.”