Tuesday, January 20, 2026

From early‑morning skating practices to evening Panhellenic meetings, Amber Barth moves through her day with an unstoppable drive, always chasing her goals with purpose and poise.
 

Before sunrise, Amber Barth (B.S. ’26) is already on the ice. By mid-morning, she’s in class. By afternoon, she’s at work. And by evening, she’s leading one of the largest student organizations on campus.

Amber practicing an ice skating routine at the ice rink.
Amber trains five to six hours a day on the ice, plus ballet and stretching off the rink.
Balancing Academics and Athletics

Amber, a University of North Texas junior and competitive figure skater, was recently elected president of the Panhellenic Council, which oversees the university’s sororities. She’s also a member of Pi Beta Phi and works part-time. She does all of this while training six days a week for national-level skating competitions.

“I’ve been skating my whole life,” says Amber, who started skating at age 4 in Wisconsin.  “I have a very set schedule, so I always know what I’m doing the night before. I wake up around 5:30 or 6 a.m. and go to practice. After practice, I go to school, and then after school, I go to work.”

Balancing academics with elite athletics isn’t easy, but UNT’s flexibility helps. Her training is intense – five to six hours a day on the ice, plus ballet and stretching off the rink. She competes in nine events a year. Each competition requires a week of travel, meaning Amber travels at least nine weeks out of the year. Luckily, she’s able to balance two in-person classes with online courses, allowing her to finish homework at the rink and still complete at least 15 credit hours a semester.

Leadership and Greek Life at UNT

After years of focusing on the rink, Amber was accustomed to the independence that comes with a solo sport. But when she arrived at UNT for orientation, she discovered a different kind of team. She met a few girls who mentioned UNT's sorority life.

 “I had never thought about it,” she says. “I signed up at orientation thinking it sounded fun. I’d meet a ton of people, make new friends and get involved on campus.”

And that’s exactly what happened. Amber pledged Pi Beta Phi, lived in the chapter house, and built friendships that have become lifelong connections. As Panhellenic president, Amber wants to showcase the positive impact of sororities.

“We really help the community. We care about academics, and we care about being involved on campus,” she explains. “It’s important for people to truly understand what we do.”

Resilient and Unstoppable

This season, Amber advanced to the U.S. Sectionals, competing against more than 200 skaters for a spot in the top 18. Amber narrowly missed qualifying for Nationals by just five points, but she’s determined to keep competing and set her sights on the next Olympic cycle.

Amber has no intention of stopping. She’ll continue skating, studying and leading, proving that with discipline and support, students can balance big dreams on and off the ice.

Her advice for incoming students? “Be open to everything. You never know what opportunities will come to you. Joining Greek life… it’s really fun. So try Greek. It’s fun!”

About UNT's Fraternity and Sorority Life
Fraternity & Sorority Life at the University of North Texas is a vibrant community committed to leadership, scholarship, service, and belonging. As part of the Center for Leadership Development within the Division of Student Affairs, the program supports more than 40 chapters across four councils and provides holistic development opportunities that empower students to lead with integrity and contribute positively to campus and beyond. Through meaningful engagement, educational programming, and values-based experiences, Fraternity & Sorority Life helps students build lifelong connections and grow into leaders who make an impact.