Barbara was one of the first professors I had at GVSU and she became one of my mentors and a collaborator on my documentary "Up From the Bottoms: The Search for the American Dream". She was my co-writer. I asked her if she would write or at least help edit my narration script for the documentary and she took the rough script and started working through it, basically reminding me of everything she had taught me in Scriptwriting class. She made it probably about half way through the script, adding some of the best narration, I might add. She then said, "you have the idea, right?" And told me to take it from there. Like I said, the lines she wrote in the script were some of the most impactful. She was integral to the success of the documentary.

The last long conversation I had with her was about a year before she retired. She pulled me into her office to tell me something. She had a grin on her face as she told me that she had met with an incoming film student who asked her "Do you know Jim Schaub?" She responded, "yes". And he asked if she knew me personally and hung out and everything. We both got a good laugh, Remembering this story reminded me how Barbara always supported me and had confidence in me. I think she was proud of what I had accomplished and wanted to let me know in her own way. I'm so glad that I got to learn from her and be her friend for so many years, she will always be a part of me and all that I do in my career. I will remember the long hug I gave her in the hallway of Lake Superior Hall in her last semester when she said, "I can always count on you for a hug."

-Jim Schaub

Back in the '70's I joined Barbara's film class. We were shooting 16mm black and white film...learning editing...cutting and splicing. Sounds pretty archaic but there was a kind of magic and excitement that she brought to the craft. I pursued still photography instead of filmmaking, but I love watching films with a depth of insight that would not be there were it not for Barb.

- David R Banta