President Mike Allen weighs in on the complicated higher ed landscape— and Barry’s bright path forward. PG 18
UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
INTO THE FUTURE
SPRING 2022
IN THIS ISSUE THE ART OF CLEANING GARBAGE PG 10 WHEN EXPERIENCE LEADS TO HOPE PG 14 STEPPING UP PG 24
7,000 smiles 7,000 stories
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President Mike Allen invited several Barry students to join him for his Barry Magazine cover shoot. Student participants: Julienn Cedeno, Arnelle Boucicault, Brianne Miller, Wesley Joshway.
Table of Contents 5 President’s Letter Making an impact. 6 Parrot Packs Students share the everyday items they can’t live without. 8 Faculty Viewpoint What trash can tell us about climate change. 10 Numbered A look at Barry’s community service by the numbers.
STAY INFORMED
FEATURES
14 Lifeline Thirty-three percent of the Commonwealth of Dominica suffers from some form of sickle cell disease. Kellyn George ’10 represents one of those people personally, but she represents all of them in her day-to-day work.
18 Future Forward Blaine Montgomery ’23 spent some time with President Mike Allen to discuss his early tenure, and his hopes and aspirations for the future of Barry.
11 Take Note News & updates from Barry.
24 Step by Step
12 Looking Back The stories behind our artifacts and treasures.
For 25 years, Barry podiatrists have traveled to the Yucatán to help children with severe foot deformities. Their goal: to see these children walk pain-free.
Correspondence and Reprints If you have comments, questions, or suggestions for Barry Magazine or would like information about reprinting any article appearing in the magazine, please contact: Editor, Barry University Magazine Barry University 11300 NE 2nd Avenue Miami, FL 33161 magazine@barry.edu. Postmaster: Send address corrections to the Barry University Division of Institutional Advancement, 11300 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, Florida 33161. Barry University is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization under federal guidelines.
ALUMNI 30 Profiles Chris Harrison ’98 developed a love for computer science while a Barry student. As he was learning to develop algorithms and master computer languages, he immediately applied the new knowledge. 31 eSports New Era of Esports 32 Alumni Awards Five alumni honored with 2021 Distinguished Alumni Awards. 34 Comparing Notes Victoria Logis ’14 and Marvin Best ’20, ’22 both joined Barry’s Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) as students. They share stories of their experiences.
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Editorial Committee
Bernadine Douglas, Vice President for Institutional Advancement Jennifer Boyd-Pugh ’94, ’01, Vice President for University Administration Julie Isha, Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing Meredith Amor, Director of Communications Gina Margillo, Communications Manager Monique Armbrister ’89, Director for Alumni Relations Martin Hamilton ’10, ’13, Art Director Karen Subran ’10, ’15, Project Manager Liz Viering, Dog Ear Consultants Design & layout
Contributing Writers Meredith Amor Marisa Demers Maureen Harmon Kim Kobersmith Gina Margillo
Contributing Photographers Daniel Bock Carl Juste
President’s Cabinet Mike Allen, President
Jennifer Boyd-Pugh ’94, ’01, Vice President for University Administration Yvette Brown-Koottungal ’94, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and CIO Bernadine Douglas, Vice President for Institutional Advancement Julie Isha, Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing John Murray, Provost Sue Rosenthal, Vice President for Business and Finance Scott Smith, Vice President for Mission and Student Engagement
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FROM THE PRESIDENT
Making an Impact I am delighted to celebrate the relaunch of our Barry Magazine and further strengthen our connection to our alumni and friends worldwide. At Barry, our 80-plus-year tradition of making an impact—changing lives, advancing social justice, and serving the community—is as strong as ever. It is reflected in our classrooms and our every endeavor, and we are so deeply proud. Perhaps most notably, it is reflected in the incredible work of our tens of thousands of alumni across the globe. Meeting and talking with alumni are great highlights of serving as president. A recurring theme of my many conversations is the love our alumni have for Barry. Without fail, our graduates are effusive in sharing how special their time at Barry was, and that they wish there were more opportunities to stay involved. This magazine is one of many ways we want to engage with you and involve you in the life of the university. In reading about Barry today, I hope you share in our pride and are moved to forge an even deeper connection with your alma mater.
Mike Allen, Ph.D. President
PARROT PACKS
WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG? Snowbird Rubio ’25: Computer science major with specialization in digital media
tendo My Nin Switch!
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LAPTOP: Most classes require it. The bonus? “It lets me do homework anywhere.” NINTENDO SWITCH: When you love video games as much as Rubio, games on the go are a must. “I would say my Nintendo Switch is my favorite backpack item, because it shows my passion for playing video games,” she says. “I have been playing games ever since I was in elementary school.”
s!
Dum Dum
CANDY: “I love sweet things,” says Rubio, who can be seen snacking between classes.
Photos courtesy of Adobe Stock / Shutterstock
STUDENT ID: Most students aren’t caught without an ID. It gives them access to buildings on campus and is linked to their meal plan. OLD-SCHOOL NOTEBOOK: In a world of laptops and digital notes, believe it or not, Rubio still uses these relics of the past. “I usually use it for math and Spanish,” says Rubio. “I like to solve problems on my own while the teacher works it out.”
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FACULTY VIEWPOINT
Trash Talk
What everyday trash can tell us about climate change
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Photos courtesy of Shutterstock
By Gina Margillo
For Dr. Anita Zavodska, associate professor of environmental science and garbologist in the Department of Biology, the passion for teaching stems from a deep desire to inspire students to fight climate change. Her work, analyzing core samples of landfill waste, has revealed how societal consumption contributes to the current climate crisis. “The same way looking at someone’s cart in the supermarket gives you an idea of what’s going on in their body, these landfill studies tell us what is going on in society,” she explains.
Consumption Culture
Telling It Like It Is
Zavodska’s studies have shown that production, consumption, and waste in the United States have almost doubled in the last 50 years, exacerbating climate change. “We are living in a throwaway society with massive overconsumption. The whole production cycle, from resource extraction and delivery to discarding things, uses fossil fuel energy, which releases carbon dioxide,” Zavodska says, “I want students to understand that if we buy less and use less, overall, we can help save the planet.”
Her passion to raise awareness brought Zavodska to Glasgow, Scotland, in November of 2021, to attend the Convention of State Parties on Climate Change, COP26. In her role to make the youth perspective known to global leaders, she helped produce and present a video of Barry University student testimonies about how the climate crisis has impacted their mental health and the well-being of their families, and how they’ve changed their behaviors by recycling and reducing the use of plastics, among other things.
Next-Gen Knowledge
Diversity of Discussion
Earth Advocates
Although Zavodska networked with other climate change experts and attended various events during COP26, her most exciting moments occurred during the Youth Advisory Meetings. “Hearing these eloquent teenagers speak about the changes they want to see in the world warmed my heart—such a difference from the jaded politicians,” she says. “Their realism gives me hope. I wish more youth were speaking up.”
In her classes Zavodska encourages students to speak up and to use their diverse backgrounds as a source for critical dialogue. She says: “Diversity is part of my class by design, because having grown up in a developing country, like many of my students, we have very rich conversations just by sharing our unique personal experiences. They realize they have a lot to say.”
Although Zavodska loves reading, being in nature, and baking in her spare time, what really makes her tick is knowing that students are listening and acting on behalf of the planet. When students say they hear her voice in the back of their heads, saying, “Turn off the lights,” or when they send her articles on climate change, she knows she is reaching people: “When their eyes light up—it’s my incentive.”
Dr. Anita Zavodska Dr. Anita Zavodska’s work analyzing core samples of landfill waste has revealed how societal consumption contributes to the current climate crisis.
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NUMBERED
At Barry, social justice and community service are built into our core commitments. The Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI) promotes a range of opportunities to make a difference through direct action, programs and events, partnerships, and research. Now in its 11th year, CCSI has earned the prestigious Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement, has institutionalized a service learning pedagogy, and has earned Barry a Voter Friendly Campus designation, among other achievements. Here’s a look at recent community engagement and service, by the numbers.
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63,000 200 120 50 45 31 30 80%
hours of community service by students in the 2020–2021 academic year
community partners (total) conference presentations on community engagement topics by faculty, staff, and students from 2011 to 2021 journal articles and book chapters on community engagement topics by faculty and staff from 2011 to 2021 members in the Barry Service Corps undergraduate courses emphasizing personal and social responsibility designated service-learning courses of community service hours completed as part of courses
TAKE NOTE
Record Time In November, more than 400 students and employee volunteers formed a human assembly line inside the Barry University Health & Sports Center as they raced to prepare 40,000 meal packs bound for Haiti and local Miami communities in an event cohosted by Cross Catholic Outreach. The whole event was expected to take about four hours to complete. Instead, in just two hours and seven minutes, they surpassed their goal by producing more than 43,000 meals.
Big Steps
HOCO COMEBACK Homecoming Weekend came back to Barry in November after a yearlong hiatus due to COVID-19. Throughout the weekend, the 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients were honored and celebrated during a special and intimate breakfast ceremony in Barry’s new HSC pavilion and event space; students and young alumni attended the popular Networking with the Pros event; and visitors had an opportunity to tune in to a special conversation with President Mike Allen, who, along with a select panel of students, faculty, staff, and alumni, discussed how Barry and others have been able to bounce back from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the most beloved tradition? Bucky Fest—an afternoon of food, entertainment, camaraderie, and fun.
Barry University and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami have teamed up to connect Barry University students, faculty, and staff with mentorship and community engagement opportunities and open the door to higher education for local youth. In addition to receiving mentorship from individuals within the Barry community, youth participating in the program have access to Barry University college readiness resources, workshops, and special programs. The inaugural group of Barry “Bigs” were formally paired with their “Littles” on Main Campus in October.
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LOOKING BACK
Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD has a storied history with Barry. One of her many cherished mementos is this quilt, made by classmates from the Class of ’62 for her installation as Barry’s sixth president. (She served in that role from 2004 to 2019.) Each square holds a shared memory—the Barry College Alma Mater, the Rose and Candle Ceremony, her election as Queen for a Day, her classmates’ anguish with metaphysics. “It is a touching reminder of our interwoven lives and wraps me in love,” she shares.
Block by Block The Queen for a Day square was submitted by Theresa (Terry) Vazac Haggerty ’61.
The square with the palm tree, sun, and message was created by Rosa Villalba Dery ’62.
She found the purse in Middleton, Wis., and as she said, “I couldn’t resist using it.” It represents the fact that when we were sophomores (1959—1960), I was elected Barry College’s “Queen for a Day.” I regret that I do not remember much, except that it was a collegewide contest; the students voted; it was an honor: I was “crowned” in the Fine Arts Quadrangle.
The importance of the message is the last phrase: “There ain’t no flies on her,” a tribute to our class chant. We chant it whenever we get together. “There ain’t no flies on us. There ain’t no flies on us. There may be flies on the other guys, but there ain’t no flies on us. Rah!” The heart was created by my roommate of four years and dear friend, Carol Horejs Hardt ’62. The fact that we roomed together for four years was unusual. Carol was a nursing major, and I was an education major. We had a great group of friends from both of our majors and remain close friends to this day. When I was in my formation days at the Motherhouse (1962—63), she asked permission to visit me. She wanted me to meet her boyfriend, Bob. Would I approve? They are married to this day!
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At my Inauguration Ceremony, my classmates, who were well represented, stood up and chanted it. They were a hit!
The word block was created by Gwen Best McCann ’62. Each word has a meaning either to me personally or to our lives as Barry College students. Theology: We all had to take 15 hours of theology (basically, we all had a minor in theology). Theorems, logic, philosophy: We all had to take 15 hours of philosophy, and everyone had to take logic as sophomores. Rose and Candle: A traditional ceremony that still takes place every year in May. Olympics Day: An annual event when each class (freshmen, sophs, juniors, and seniors) competed against one another in team sports, along with competitions for best theme, best cheer, best uniform. The goal? To win Olympics Day! Torch and Shield: The name of our yearbook. Tara Singers: The all-women’s Barry College chorus. I was not a Tara singer, but they were well known and students auditioned to join. Education: My major field of study. Sun and sand: These words represent Miami. I am Adrian Dominican.
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FEATURE
Lifeline Thirty-three percent of the Commonwealth of Dominica suffers from some form of sickle cell disease. Kellyn George ’10 represents one of those people personally, but she represents all of them in her day-to-day work. By Maureen Harmon
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It was a relatively normal summer evening in 2010 for Kellyn George ’10. She had just gotten home from an eight-hour shift at work and was feeling a little sluggish. Nothing terribly abnormal, she thought. Within hours, though, George was on the floor of her apartment in massive pain. She reached out to her boyfriend at the time, who came and carried her down six flights of stairs to take her to the hospital. George was hemorrhaging, though she wouldn’t learn that until she woke up from a coma at the hospital five days later. Right around the same time, an eight-year-old boy in George’s home village in the Commonwealth of Dominica suffered similar symptoms—a sharp decrease in hemoglobin levels. He died. Both George and the little boy had sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder that affects the red blood cells and prevents them from carrying oxygen throughout the body. “Our situation was the exact same,” says George. “It was a normal day, and by the end of the day it was a crisis.” But there was one major difference: George—whose family has known since her birth that she had sickle cell disease—received care in the U.S. The little boy—whose family may or may not have even been aware of his condition—was treated in Dominica, without the same technologies, treatments, and sickle cell education. The boy’s death haunted George, so when she returned to Dominica a year later, she started to do research into sickle cell disease within the Dominica population. What she learned startled her: 33 percent of the small island population carried some sort of sickle cell disease— anything from sickle cell anemia to sickle cell trait. What was more startling: the newborn screening that she was lucky to receive in the late ’90s had been decommissioned to some level, so many people from Dominica were unaware that they had the genetic disorder. “Remember,” says George, “it’s a small island population— there’s always a resource strain. So some things get put on the back burner.” Even so, it didn’t sit right with her. Having the disease herself, facing death, and knowing a little boy had died when there was a chance he didn’t have to prompted George to take action. Within a year, the Sickle Cell Cares Foundation was born.
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FEATURE
Photos courtesy of Kellyn George ’10
Sometimes George’s phone rings late at night. At the other end of the line is often a family with questions. “They might say, ‘My daughter is in the hospital. This is what’s going on. What should I do?’” says George. “I’m not a doctor or a nurse. So I try not to give medical advice. What I will do is say, ‘From my experience, if I had to get blood transfusions I would ask the nurses X, Y, and Z.’” The Sickle Cell Cares Foundation—built to raise awareness and education around sickle cell disease in Dominica—is rooted in George’s experience. She knows her story can help others and is willing to share it at every turn. “I talk about it all the time,” she says. Part of her story is recognizing her own journey. Prior to coming to Barry, she knew she carried the disease, but didn’t know what triggered it. She learned quickly that stress will do it. She knows, too, that if she starts to feel more tired than usual, she needs to rest—no matter what. She knows her normal hemoglobin level is 7.8 to 8 grams per deciliter, so if she feels off, she proactively asks her doctors to check it. She has a support network—the boyfriend at the time of her collapse in 2010, for example—who know how to speak for her if she is unable to speak for herself. But her overall goal with the foundation is to speak up—to share information about the disease in all its forms and help others who suffer. George, who worked as a laboratory research assistant with Dr. Stephanie Bingham in the Biology Department at Barry, is no stranger to digging into research and disseminating information. In its early years, the Foundation was all about educating the healthcare community and the population of her island home. In 2015, George received the Queen’s Young Leaders Award, a program that “celebrates and supports exceptional young people from across the British Commonwealth for taking the lead in their communities and using their skills to transform people’s lives.”
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In 2015, George received the Queen’s Young Leaders Award, a program that “celebrates and supports exceptional young people from across the British Commonwealth for taking the lead in their communities and using their skills to transform people’s lives.”
“I had the opportunity to travel to London, attend various functions, including an award ceremony at Buckingham Palace,” says George. That recognition led to a number of networking opportunities for George and the Foundation, and those opportunities turned into partnerships. She became a One Young World Ambassador. She forged partnerships with neighboring islands. She partnered with other regional organizations for sickle cell disease, including CAREST, the Caribbean Association for Research on Sickle Cell and Thalassemia. “That puts us in touch with the sickle cell units of Jamaica, which is considered the premier sickle cell research and treatment institute in the Caribbean,” says George.
When COVID-19 hit, things slowed down a bit, as healthcare reprioritized around the pandemic, but George is ramping back up. She recently met with colleagues in Guadalupe to help produce webinars for healthcare professionals to bring information about the latest treatments and therapies— including the promise of gene therapy—to the table. And, of course, they never stopped their newborn screening program to help families. “If you are aware of what challenges you face early on,” says George, “you’re better equipped.” “We’re trying to bring the treatment protocol into the 21st century. We’re trying to bring it up to date, so our clients, our patients, don’t have to suffer,” says George. “They can take a proactive approach and reduce mortality rates.” The next hurdle for the Foundation will be tackling mental health issues around sickle cell disease. “We’re seeing better treatments are available, and people can live longer,” says George. But too often, they have been told their time is limited. “So now we are facing issues where those with the disease are having mental health issues because they never aspired to do anything,” says George. “They never went to finish high school. They never went to college. They didn’t go after that job. They didn’t get married to that person.” What started with George has grown to include two staff nurses, two affiliated doctors, a board of six, and an internship program that has ushered 50 interns through the Foundation since 2018. Every year, George estimates, 3,000 people across the country are more knowledgeable about sickle cell disease than the year before.
Today, George is recovering from total hip replacement at the age of 34. “What happens with sickle cell is that clots can form and cut off blood flow to specific areas of the body,” she says. “There’s a really, really tiny vessel, a tiny blood flow system right there around the pelvis area, and it feeds into the femur. Once that area is cut off from receiving nutrients from the blood, your bone starts to degenerate.” Vascular necrosis of the femoral head is the technical term. Foundation staff, interns, and friends think George’s surgery and recovery would make for some great educational material for their audience. They’ve even suggested she document it through video. As much as George has been open about her experience with sickle cell, she’s drawing the line here. She’s fought through a lot of pain in her recovery. And while she’s willing to talk about the experience with anyone who asks, she plans to keep the day-to-day struggle private. “Physical therapy is the most painful thing I’ve ever done in my life. I never, ever imagined that I would have to learn to walk again at 34,” says George. She even put her 35th birthday celebrations on hold. “I want to celebrate 35, but I don’t want to be on crutches.” George’s current journey is one of strength and perseverance. But it’s also a reminder that she lives with a disease that needs constant vigilance. When she recovers from her surgery, she will walk into those 35th birthday celebrations. She’ll take a minute to enjoy the fact that she has lived long past what doctors expected of her. And then she will continue the work that will allow others to do the same.
“We’re trying to bring the treatment protocol into the 21st century. We’re trying to bring it up to date, so our clients, our patients, don’t have to suffer.”
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FEATURE
Future Forward In July 2019, Mike Allen joined Barry as its president, and he’s recently contracted with the Board to serve Barry for the next decade. In just a few short years, Dr. Allen’s administration has faced hurricane threats to campus, a global pandemic, and the daily challenges that lie on the higher ed landscape. It’s been an eventful few years, to say the least, but President Allen couldn’t be more proud of the way the Barry community handled the events. Interview by Blaine Montgomery ’23 Photograph by Carl Juste
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FEATURE
in ourselves, we believed we would make all the right decisions, but the virus was in control, and we were simply responding to what was happening. But now, roughly two years later, we’re not only on solid footing, we’re thriving. That really only happened for one reason: the strength and resilience of our students, faculty, and staff.
One of President Allen’s favorite days of the year is Commencement. “Graduation is such a special celebration,” says Allen, “the joy of our graduates, watching them celebrate with their families, knowing how many sacrifices they’ve all made to get to that point, but also knowing how well prepared they are for whatever comes next.”
Q. What excited you about coming here to lead the University? A. There are so many things that are special about Barry. But more than anything else, there was this amazing sense of community. Even as an outsider at the time— interviewing and getting to know people—the sense of community was palpable. It was a place that was warm and welcoming. It was a place where you felt energy. It was vibrant. I wanted to be a part of that kind of community. Q. You came to Barry in 2019. You had a few months to get acclimated, but for two years now, we’ve been living through a pandemic. How well do you think Barry responded to the crisis?
Q. Aside from the immediate issue of the pandemic, what are some challenges that Barry—even higher education—may be facing in the next five to 10 years? A. One of the outcomes of the pandemic is that the world has changed so much in a short time— and our students are facing uncertainty in the job market and in how those jobs are performed. So a challenge for any university is to adjust to that and to monitor what’s happening in various industries. To see where our students are getting jobs, to see where the growth opportunities are, and then aligning ourselves with those so that our students not only are in the right majors and the right tracks, but then go on to have impactful careers. It can be a challenge for universities to be that nimble, to be able to move quickly to adjust to changing landscapes, but I think Barry is in a good position to do just that. Q. How do you measure the success of your administration?
A. Some have dubbed me the disaster president because even before the pandemic, there was a Category 5 hurricane off the coast. It was my third week on the job. We, fortunately, were lucky on that one, but the pandemic hit seven or eight months later. It’s been difficult, but it’s also been a rewarding experience to lead the university during this time. So many industries have been completely disrupted by the pandemic, but higher education is very much near the top of the list.
A. When I think of whether or not we’re being successful, I think of our students. My favorite day of the year professionally is graduation. Graduation is such a special celebration—the joy of our graduates, watching them celebrate with their families, knowing how many sacrifices they’ve all made to get to that point, but also knowing how well prepared they are for whatever comes next. When I see that, and I see the success our graduates have after Barry, I try and allow myself to exhale and say, OK, we’re doing things right and making a difference.
To be honest, in March 2020, we were legitimately worried about our future as a university. We projected confidence, we believed
Q. How do you think that Barry is preparing students for today’s world, and what sets Barry apart from other schools?
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A. First, our faculty. Our students receive outstanding teaching from our faculty—there’s no question about that. But we couple that teaching with experiential learning— making sure that our students aren’t just learning in the classroom, but that they’re getting real handson experience. For example, we’re having this conversation in the Brinkley Studio, with a junior communications major getting practical experience. Students also get real-world experience in cybersecurity, in data analytics, in healthcare fields. We have our Student Managed Investment Fund, which is a group of students who come together to invest over a million dollars of the school’s endowment every year, and they often outperform our regular advisors and our regular investment people. Those students go in for their job interviews and can talk about having had this practical experience, of investing money and making hard decisions as markets rise and climb. They are in incredibly high demand upon graduation. Q. You have made community partnerships and contributions to the South Florida community a priority. Why is that so important to you? A. The core of our mission is advocating for social justice through collaborative service, and that’s what we do every day. One thing I love about this community is that people say “yes,” and they say yes easily and enthusiastically. They embrace opportunities to help others and make a difference. I go to our faculty, our staff, our CCSI organization, our students, and ask them to be involved in community initiatives—Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami; United Way of Miami; a local group called Honey Shine; Casa Familia, which provides residential living for adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our students, faculty, and staff always say yes, and they always show up, and that’s a wonderful thing about Barry.
Q. Knowledge and truth, social justice, inclusive community, and collaborative service are integral core commitments to the culture and teaching at the university. What role and responsibility do you believe Barry students, staff, and faculty have in the current national social justice issues? A. There are many ways our students and faculty contribute to these complicated discussions, but I will highlight two initiatives that we’re particularly proud of. About a year and a half ago we started our Anti-Racism and Equity Coalition on campus. I asked Dr. Phyllis Scott, who’s the former dean of our School of Social Work, to lead this initiative. The coalition has been making an enormous difference on our campuses, and they’re working to do the same in the wider community. They’re looking at ways to combat systemic racism, systemic inequality. Looking to make sure that our campus is examining these issues, that we are truly the inclusive community that we aspire to be, and that we are a fair and a just community in every way that we aspire to be. We’re always thinking about how we can lend our expertise to critical issues of the day, like voting rights, access to healthcare, climate change, immigration. Two examples: We have a student on White House panels around climate change, and we recently launched our Institute for Immigration Studies, an academic center dedicated to the study and understanding of the multicultural South Florida immigrant experience. Their work will include, of course, the preservation and understanding of historical immigration experiences, but it will also involve making an impact on current policy. There are many issues that need to be addressed by the great minds of our time. We want our community here at Barry to be leaders in that regard.
BLAINE MONTGOMERY ’23 SPENT SOME TIME WITH DR. ALLEN TO DISCUSS HIS EARLY TENURE AND HIS HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF BARRY.
Photo courtesy of Daniel Bock
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FEATURE
Q. Alumni always ask: what has changed at Barry over time and what has remained the same? A. Obviously all colleges go through a natural evolution. We’ve certainly modernized our academic programs to meet the needs of the day. The demographics of our school have also evolved and changed over time. We’ve always been a very diverse institution, but we are currently one of the most diverse institutions in the entire country. Over 80 percent of our students identify as students of color. Many of our students are the first in their families to go to college. We truly have become a place where individuals and families can use education as a path for social mobility. I think that really is just a fabulous statement about our university. At the same time, Barry remains a very personal place. It’s a place where students know their faculty. It’s a place where faculty know their students. It’s a place where you’ll be supported as a student and cared for in a really impactful way. I say this all the time, but I do so because I mean it: it truly is one of the warmest and most welcoming environments you could find in terms of a university community, and I think that’s always been true.
We asked President Allen to tell us more about what his life is like outside the big job. What are your picks for binge-worthy television? We love Schitt’s Creek. We liked Ozark—it’s a little dark, but certainly a lot of fun. But a great watch is a documentary called, The Way I See It. It focuses on the personal photographer for both the Reagans and the Obamas during their administrations. Two very different ideological presidents. I’d recommend everybody watch it, wherever your political allegiances lie. It was a very emotional, moving documentary. What keeps you up at night? We have an 18-year-old daughter, Maya, who has an intellectual and developmental disability. She’s the love of our life, she’s amazing, but she is a terrible sleeper. She literally keeps me up at night. From a work standpoint, it’s probably the unknowns that are out there right now. These existential threats keep popping up, whether they be a health crisis or a financial crisis. These are things that we can’t control, but can have dramatic impacts on our students and their families. What gives you joy? People. I really mean that. This is an around-the-clock job, but it’s not work. Obviously there are parts of it that feel like work and require work-type thinking, work-type interactions. But this job is about being around people. I enjoy meeting new people, and that’s what’s been so wonderful about being Barry’s president. I get the chance to meet so many incredible alums and so many people around the country and around the world who love our university.
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Invest in yourself with a graduate degree. Advance your career or change course with Barry University. Our quality 50+ graduate, doctorate, professional degree, and certificate programs range from business to leadership, healthcare, mental health, education, and more. We understand you are balancing work and family responsibilities. That’s why we offer online, face-to-face, and hybrid graduate programs to meet your needs. We are invested in your success, in and out of the classroom. We are here to help you discern which program aligns with your goals, guide you through the application process, discuss tuition discount opportunities (like our Lifelong Learning discount for alumni), and share financial aid available to you.
Hear from our graduate students!
Find your program at barry.edu/en/find-your-program
STEP BY STEP For 25 years, Barry podiatrists have traveled to the Yucatán to help children with severe foot deformities. Their goal: to see these children walk pain-free. By Marisa Demers
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Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
FEATURE
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FEATURE
Assistant Professor Luis Rodríguez Anaya, DPM ’11, originally volunteered for Barry’s Yucatán Project because he wanted to work on complex medical procedures. The project, run by the School of Podiatric Medicine, was focused on children with severe foot deformities—and it gave him the perfect opportunity to enhance his skills treating patients with cerebral palsy, polydactyly, clubfoot, and other issues of the foot and ankle. But the trips to Mexico’s Yucatán soon became more than procedure. Year after year, he returned to visit the children he treated. What he saw was thrilling: children who once struggled to walk were now playing soccer.
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After a few years of planning and networking, a small team of Barry faculty and doctors-in-training joined Dr. Southerland (pictured here), founder and director of project, in the Yucatán in July 1996.
“What makes this project so special is the amount of time we’ve invested in the people and the region,” says Dr. Rodríguez Anaya, who first joined the Yucatán Project as a podiatric resident and now serves as its faculty director. “The ability to change lives, not only the life of the patient but that child’s family as well, is amazing.”
THE VISION The project might never have come into existence if it were not for a Good Morning America segment that aired in the late 1980s. By chance, Barry Professor Emeritus Charles Southerland, DPM, was watching the news show and learned about a group of West Coast podiatrists treating children in Mexico’s Baja peninsula. The segment inspired Dr. Southerland. On Mexico’s other coast, closer to Barry, was another peninsula with communities that had an even greater demand for podiatric care. “Imagine carrying a live electrical wire and every time you stepped on it you got a shock,” Dr. Southerland says. “That’s what chronic foot pain is like. For children, it could affect their education, their career prospects, and even their personality.”
with several Mexican officials. After a few years of planning and networking, a small team of Barry faculty and doctors-in-training joined Dr. Southerland in the Yucatán in July 1996. For the next 25 years, Barry doctors treated 9,600 children with foot deformities in the region and performed 1,500 surgeries. Until the pandemic closed the borders in early 2020, Barry volunteers were visiting Mexico four times a year. They resumed their visits in September 2021 and remain just as committed to helping children walk again. On each trip, they bring four large bins filled with surgical instruments, hospital gowns, antibiotics, and more to ensure that patients’ families are never charged for the services. “We never do the surgeries and then forget about the patients,” says Dr. Southerland. “We always follow up with them and partner with Mexican doctors who make sure they are taken care of.” Barry also has a partnership with the International Foot and Ankle Foundation, which supplies additional volunteers. It is one of the most successful university-led humanitarian efforts that is focused on the foot and ankle.
“Imagine carrying a live electrical wire and every time you stepped on it you got a shock...”
Dr. Southerland had the right combination of skills and connections to turn his idea into a reality. He was a fluent Spanish speaker and, through assisting with Hurricane Gilbert relief efforts, became acquainted
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FEATURE
It’s so cool to be in different countries, studying the same thing, and then coming together and sharing a common goal...” THE COMMITMENT During their five- to six-day stay, Barry volunteers evaluate young patients, perform surgeries and procedures, and follow up with past patients. With the need so great, doctors participate in as many as 20 surgeries in a day. Another day is dedicated to cultural immersion, an idea proposed by Keith Kashuk, DPM, professor emeritus and former Barry trustee, who was one of the first podiatrists to join Dr. Southerland on the humanitarian trips. The Yucatán is rich in Mayan history, with pyramids and other ancient ruins constructed more than a millennium ago. Today, Mayan people continue to live in the region.
“In the U.S., congenital deformities are often addressed early in a child’s life, but the conditions we see in the Yucatán tend to be more advanced,” Dr. Toribio says. “In helping children, we are also being exposed to a broader range of issues that will make us more well-rounded surgeons.” Dr. Mugno also appreciates the cross-border collaboration with Mexican doctors and residents. “It’s so cool to be in different countries, studying the same thing, and then coming together and sharing a common goal,” Mugno says. “We’re able to exchange ideas and also laugh and get to know each other. It’s really sweet.”
“It is important to learn the culture of the people we are treating,” Dr. Kashuk says. “Especially for the indigenous communities we serve, visiting their villages and seeing how they live has been a tremendous and enriching experience.” Podiatric residents Alexis Mugno, DPM ’19, and Marilyn Toribio, DPM ’19, care deeply about helping vulnerable communities access healthcare. In fact, the Yucatán project was one of the main reasons they applied to Barry’s podiatry school. They also believe that international experience will make them better doctors at home.
Asim Sayed, a third-year resident, poses with a patient at Progresso, Merida-Yucatan, the project’s headquarter clinic, in July 2019.
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For 25 years, Barry doctors have treated 9,600 children with foot deformities in the Yucatán and performed 1,500 surgeries. Here, a group of those doctors stop for a photo with Dr. Charles Southerland, DPM, founder and director of the Yucatán Project.
“One of the great lessons I learned from this project is that meaningful things happen because people decided to work together...”
THE FUTURE The impact the project has had on the lives of children is so great that Robert Snyder, DPM, Dean of Barry’s School of Podiatric Medicine, wants to secure the next 25 years. He hopes to establish an endowment that would permanently cover travel and expenses for generations of Barry volunteers, and, with enough donations, Dr. Snyder aims to expand the project to other countries, including the Bahamas.
He now lives in Utah with his family but is never far away from Barry. He is still involved in the Yucatán Project, and his former students, including Dr. Mugno, continue to reach out to him whenever they have questions.
“This program has helped thousands of children lead productive lives and has the potential to help thousands more,” he says. “My hope is that we can get enough support to make the project sustainable long into the future.” Dr. Southerland retired last year after 33 years at Barry.
“One of the great lessons I learned from this project is that meaningful things happen because people decided to work together,” Dr. Southerland says. “One person may have the opportunity to start something, but to keep it running takes others’ help. I am fortunate to have so many members of the Barry community believe in our work.”
Looking back on the history of the Yucatán Project and everything it has accomplished, Dr. Southerland is filled with gratitude instead of pride.
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PROFILES
At the time that Chris Harrison ’98 was a Barry student, airplanes had no onboard computers. His stepfather, a commercial pilot, had to perform calculations in his head, so Harrison designed a program that would do those calculations for him. “I realized I could have an impact in the real world,” says Harrison. “At 18 years old I was already building solutions and listening to user feedback.” Since graduation, Harrison has worked in banking, insurance, hospitality, and higher education. He started out designing computer applications, but reached a crossroads eight years into his career: Should he remain an individual practitioner or grow his managerial skills?
WALKING THE TALK CHRIS HARRISON ’98
developed a love for computer science while a Barry student. As he was learning to develop algorithms and master computer languages, he immediately applied the new knowledge.
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Harrison’s supervisor gave him valuable career advice: “Whatever you pursue, make sure you are connected to it. Follow your passion and success will come along the way.” His passion moved him toward management roles, where he has found a place for over 20 years. With his technology background, he has a unique perspective on this foundational aspect of modern business. Harrison recalled this advice again nine years ago. He was firmly established in the corporate world, yet he couldn’t quite shake the desire to be an entrepreneur. So, Harrison put his career on hold to create a digital marketing company for Hispanics in higher education. After four and a half years, he sold the company. “I needed to try that,” he says. “It was an amazing experience.”
Now Harrison works for the largest educational technology company in the world as the vice president of strategy and operations for Latin America and the Caribbean. Anthology provides strategies and technical platforms for institutional operations, from recruitment to alumni relations. Their 150 million users are students, faculty, and staff at 9,000 institutions across 80 countries. At Anthology, the trilingual Harrison can follow another of his passions: travel. The exposure to people with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and philosophies he experienced at Barry gave him the sensitivity, experience, and understanding he has needed to work for multinational companies. Having classmates at Barry from multiple countries was formative, the most important element of his college experience.
“I am passionate about the power of education to transform people’s lives,” says Harrison. “I love the multicultural atmosphere at Anthology and thrive on traveling all over the world and helping people succeed.”
Photo courtesy of Daniel Bock
New Era of Sport Barry has added its first new varsity sport since 1998— and it’s not like any you’ve seen before. The fastest-growing sector in college and university sports— by far—is a new player to the game: Esports. “Nothing else is even close to that,” says Dennis Jezek, director of athletic communications. So it made sense that students supported Barry’s decision in 2019 to create an Esports program, similar to programs at schools across the country, including Ohio State, Georgia State, and UC-Irvine. “Esports has a lot of student engagement. It has a lot of applications for college athletics,” says Jezek, “so that’s the primary reason why Esports was targeted as the first new intercollegiate varsity sport since 1998.” A newer professional sport, Esports involves video gaming leagues and teams that compete in organized, multiplayer video game competitions. They often feature games that have risen in the era of streaming internet and include Fortnite, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, Overwatch, and Madden NFL. Professional gaming today is a billion-dollar, international industry. So, a Barry program? Sure. But a varsity sport? Absolutely, says Lance Hotchkiss, head coach of the program. “These are skillsbased games that require a high level of metacognitive thinking and processing—similar to chess— all while taking in constant new information,” says Hotchkiss, who came to Barry from St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Fla., where he launched their successful Esports program. “These athletes are expending a lot of mental effort, and they’re playing with their team, and there is a lot of strategy involved. I think those are the core things that make a sport a sport.”
Think of Esports in the way you think of a more traditional athletic program. Just as you have soccer, basketball, football, and volleyball teams, Esports teams are, likewise, made around specific games: Call of Duty, Fortnight, FIFA, and more. Barry players are gearing up for tournament season—and there’s a lot of excitement around the Call of Duty team, made up of Thomas Oswald ’23, Theodore Vu ’25, Robert Diaz ’25, and Angel Soto ’25. The foursome will train in the Arena, a room at Barry with 20 gaming computers, LED lights, a dedicated fiber internet connection, and massive screens. Their win-loss record in the College Call of Duty League is 7-0, as they move on to pool events in the Southeast Division. Hotchkiss suspects the team will make it to the division “LAN event,” during which 64 teams all compete on the same host server: “If they finish top eight or top 16, they go to Texas for a $20,000 prize tournament.” And they have a fair shot: The team of four is ranked 13 among the top 25 college CoD teams, and already have wins against the teams ranked 10 and 11. “The university did a good job of setting us up for success,” says Hotchkiss.
“These are skills-based games that require a high level of metacognitive thinking and processing— similar to chess.”
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ALUMNI
HONORED WITH
2021 Distinguished Alumni Awards Alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of Barry University came together to kick off Homecoming Weekend 2021 festivities at the Distinguished Alumni Awards celebration in HSC Pavilion on Main Campus in November. The breakfast ceremony, emceed by charismatic NBC6 Anchor Jawan Strader, who is a proud Barry parent, recognized five individuals with the highest honor granted to Barry University graduates who lead in their respective fields and simultaneously transform the community through their service. The 2021 recipients are highly accomplished in the fields of healthcare, education, law, and business and embody the Barry University Core Commitments to the lifelong pursuit of knowledge and truth, promoting inclusive community, advancing social justice, and collaborative service.
Inclusive Community Award
Collaborative Service Award
Inaki G. Bent
Lisa Bisogno
DO, MBA, MS ’05, Attending Physician, Corrections Health Services (CHS) of Jackson Health System A South Florida native, Dr. Bent was the first in his family to attend college, and his impact extends far beyond the hospital walls. His nonprofit, MediQUES, is paving the way for underrepresented students to pursue medicine, providing mentorship to those interested in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine. “I want to thank my professors for their impact. What sets Barry apart from other institutions is the genuine love that it has for its students. The love set me up for success and because of it, I stand before you.”
PhD ’12, Associate Dean, College of Education, Northeastern State University Dr. Bisogno is a second-generation educator whose passion for the field and for service dates back to her childhood. In addition to her leadership role in higher education, she is nurturing future educators by teaching high school students pro bono, sparking the same love for the field that she developed at a young age. “Barry University and the leadership program in the School of Education were the pillars of my understanding of effective collaboration, and I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for that program.”
A recurring theme of the morning was the transformative nature of a Barry education, and each honoree spoke eloquently of how Barry put them on the path to success and fulfillment.
Congratulations to our 2021 DAA Award recipients, pictured with Barry University President Mike Allen. (L—R: Lenora Easter, JD ’07, Eileen Egan-Hineline, BS ’80, MS ’99, RN-BC, President Mike Allen, Ph.D., Avon King ’05, MBA, Lisa Bisogno, Ph.D, ’12, Inaki Bent, DO, MBA, MS ’05)
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Social Justice Award
Knowledge and Truth Award
Faculty & Staff Alumni Award
Lenora M. Easter
Avon D. King
Eileen Egan-Hineline
A lifelong learner, Avon King continually drives development and innovation in his chosen field while also supporting the education and development of the next generation of leaders. He chairs the scholarship committee as a director on the Barry Alumni Board, regularly participates as a judge for The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) yearly stock market challenge, and coaches through the Optimist Club.
Eileen Egan-Hineline is a proud Barry alumna who returned to serve as the university’s Director of Student Health Services after more than a decade of working as a surgical nurse. Now in her 30th year back at Barry, she is driven to ensure that all students have access to quality health care. Her next project will be a focus on “Continuity of Care,” aimed at reducing disparities faced by children by building nationwide quality primary school programs that lead into college health programs.
JD ’07, Criminal Defense Attorney, The Bronx Defenders A career public defender, Lenora Easter has made social justice her life’s work. She developed the concept for and became the co-team leader and now supervisor of The Bronx Defenders’ (BxD) groundbreaking Early Defense Team, a holistic, interdisciplinary team of advocates and attorneys whose goal is to create an offramp to the legal system for its clients. Building on the success of BxD’s community intake practice, the Early Defense Team advocates for their clients before legal issues become legal cases, thus minimizing, stabilizing, and in some cases preventing further systemic harm. Lenora also volunteers by speaking on local and national panels, conducting “Know Your Rights” informationals and lobbying on key bills concerning criminal justice reform. “I am Barry Proud, and humbly grateful to Barry for this awesome award… if it wasn’t for Professor Birdsong’s criminal defense class, if it wasn’t for me participating and winning my first year legal and research writing contest, if it wasn’t for the two internships at both the juvenile clinic and the PD’s office— that’s what put me on this road to public defense. That’s what gave me the heart when I saw that people needed a voice.”
BS ’05, MBA, First Vice President & Complex Business Service Officer, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
“Servant-leader, giving back to the community, giving back to the next generation. If I can change one life just from information I’ve learned over the years, that’s everything to me. It just starts with one person, and then somebody else and somebody else, and all of a sudden you have a movement and you’re able to effect real change and real outcomes in life.”
BS ’80, MS ’99, RN-BC, Director of Student Health Services, Barry University
“To say I am greatly humbled and honored by this recognition is an understatement. I am so grateful for the kind words, but I must say that Barry has given me so much more. The university gave me my professional foundation in nursing. It’s told me that it’s my vocation, it’s my identity and it gives me the opportunity to always seek knowledge and truth, to care for individuals equally, to work collaboratively to get the best outcomes for not only my patients but the community I serve, and to fight for equal access for all.”
Dr. John McFadden `08, Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences and Dr. Inaki Bent, recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award for Inclusive Community. SPRING 2022 | 33
ALUMNI
Comparing Notes Victoria Logis ’14 and Marvin Best ’20, ’22 both joined Barry’s Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) as students. The SMIF is a student-founded and student-run investment research and management organization that invests a portion of Barry’s endowment. Here Logis and Best compare their experiences.
What did the fund look like when you started investing? VL When I started in 2013, it was $50,000. When I graduated a year later it was $100,000. MB When I joined in the beginning of last year, it was $1.1 million. Now it’s $1.2 million. Biggest win with SMIF? VL When we go to high schools to teach students about finance. It gives us the chance to mentor others, and they benefit from what we learn. MB I’m in charge of our new partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami. Every week, 40 to 50 students participate in a financial leadership program and a program called FinFit Thursdays that talks about developing budgets, scholarships, credit, and investing. Lessons learned? VL Before you ask a professor a question, go and do research. As long as your professor or mentor sees that you are researching first, they will look at you differently. I wish I had done that more often. MB My biggest takeaway is that it’s not easy leading a team, but you have to be able to relate to people. Starting off as a regular member, I was in the back listening and taking it all in. This semester I was given the community director role, so I had to learn how to delegate to people that are in the position I was in a year ago.
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What would you do differently? VL I would develop SMIF as a case study to market it to students. Look at where SMIF students are now after participating in the program—it attracts the best students. MB I would have joined SMIF earlier. I was in student government, but not a finance person. I think SMIF has done for me, in the past year, more that I have done for myself in the past three or four years: the connections I’ve made, the alumni, the networking. What would you tell other students who are interested in SMIF? VL When you start at SMIF, you may be shy, wondering if it’s for you. Later you develop into a leader and you ask how you can give back. You build on your leadership skills and also build your résumé. MB Jump in blindly. Don’t think you need to have a lot of experience to be helpful. It’s really about teaching and mentoring, and leadership development. How are you using your SMIF experience? VL I definitely became more confident. I applied for a position on LinkedIn and got a call within a day. Every time I have an interview, I reference SMIF. I stay in touch with the people from SMIF, and one is my best friend. I always think about my fellow Barry students and those at SMIF whenever there are job openings, because of the relationships we have built. It’s about connections and relationships.
SMIF’S TWO PRIMARY MANDATES ARE 1 To provide experiential education so that
students can apply the classroom theories and concepts of security research, valuation, and portfolio theory to the design, construction, and management of portfolios of securities.
2 To contribute to the health and well-being of the community by teaching financial literacy programs through partnerships.
The Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) is a student-founded and student-run investment research and management organization. SMIF began in 2012 when a few Andreas School of Business Students became interested in developing a program that would give students real-life investing experience. Barry University’s Board of Trustees allocated the initial funds from the University’s endowment to help kick-start the program. SMIF is governed by an Advisory Board composed of highly successful executive-level practitioners in the field of investments.
MB I joined the Miami Finance Forum through SMIF. That has helped me connect with professionals who are mentoring me and connecting me to the job market. SMIF has given me more than just a network, it has given me confidence.
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3, 2,1: With this issue, the NEW Barry Magazine is launched! We want to know what you think about your magazine. Please share your thoughts at magazine@barry.edu. STAY INFORMED
A PRAYER FOR... THE HEALING ON THE BODY By Father Cristóbal Torres, OP
Father of the human family, Who gathered Jacob’s scattered tribes, and made of them a People; Who healed divides of male and female, Gentile and Jew, To build up the one Body; Whose Spirit breathed, through the lips of Jesus: “That they may all be one” ; You draw our gaze toward Christ’s broken body and there reveal our wounds… In these times when neighbors, friends, sisters, and brothers Too often find it difficult to talk with one another about the things that matter most,
We seek, we knock, we pray: As once you gathered Israel’s scattered children, so now gather us; As in the Eucharist you make Christ’s Body present, So make present now the healing of humanity’s broken body. May we look on the fissures that again divide us and see not chasms, but wounds; And may we remember that it was in one wounded body that the body of creation itself was made gloriously whole…