Fall 2011 Issue

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‘And that’s the way it is’ Barry communication professors on how the news business has changed – and where it may be headed

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Turning inmates into academics From corporate VP to artist in Italy

FALL 2011 | VOLUME 17 | NUMBER 1

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Editor & Publisher Michael Laderman News Editor Jeremy Jones Art Director Diana Striker Writers Gladys Amador Dennis Jezek Jeremy Jones Jasmine Kripalani Michael Laderman Jeff LaLiberte Whitney Sessa Lance Thomas Richard Webster Photography & Illustration Robert Glazier David Jeannot Silvia Lizama George Martinez Ray Russotto Donna Victor Michelle Webster Printer Bellak Color Graphics, Inc. Barry Magazine is published biannually for all current students and their parents, alumni, trustees, employees and other friends of Barry University.

Communications may be addressed to: Barry Magazine Office of Communications and Marketing 11300 N.E. Second Ave. Miami Shores, FL 33161-6695 305-899-3188 mladerman@mail.barry.edu Unsolicited manuscripts and art must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Copyright@2011 Barry University www.barry.edu

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from the editor Let’s face it, when it comes to college athletics, football can sometimes take up all the oxygen in the room — at least in the national media. But the truth of the matter is that college athletics is about a lot more than March Madness or who makes it to which bowl game. College athletics, at every level and in every sport, is about fellowship, synchronicity and hard work as well as lifelong passion, pushing past frustration and fatigue, and sheer enjoyment.

At Barry, our overall athletics program has always been an intense source of pride. Our student-athletes are not only lauded for their success on the field, they are recognized and respected for their academic achievement. So, in this issue, we decided to offer an expanded sports digest in order to celebrate our victories, such as the first-ever NCAA title for the women’s tennis team as well as extraordinary student-athletes such as Barbi Pocza (women’s tennis) and Daniel Stapff (men’s golf ). In 2010-2011, Pocza and Stapff were named Sunshine State Conference Male and Female Athlete of the Year — making it only the second time in Conference history that one school has swept both categories.

Also, in this issue we are happy to have the opportunity to tell you the story of the Cherry family, who made School of Social Work “history” by having four members of the same family simultaneously enrolled in the same degree program. The University plays an important role in the lives of many of “its families,” but the Cherrys’ story was particularly inspirational and representative of the significant challenges so many people today have to overcome in pursuit of their education. And, we’re happy to share insights from Barry communication professors, all experienced reporters, on how the journalism profession has changed over the past few decades. As always, we hope you enjoy reading through the issue as much as we did putting it together.

Sincerely, Michael Laderman Editor & Publisher, Barry Magazine mladerman@mail.barry.edu

Table of C O N T E N T S

features [26] ‘And that’s the way it is’ Barry communication professors, all experienced reporters, describe how the news business has changed – and where it may be headed.

[32] ‘True love’ caught on film Senior Ryan Sherman traveled all the way from Thailand to the Miami International Film Festival.

[35] Leading with their hearts The Cherry family overcame past struggles and ended up making ‘Barry School of Social Work history.’

[38] From inmate to academic Female prisoners receive business training and a renewed sense of self thanks to Barry’s Entrepreneurial Institute.

[44] A ‘quick’ change artist From corporate America to a cabin in the mountains of North Carolina to the halls of the Vatican, the life of Malcolm Wolff ’77 has taken some fascinating twists and turns.

Cover illustration by Ray Russotto

departments [ 4] Headliners [20] Sports Beat [40] Arts & Culture [46] Alumni News & Events [48] Class Notes

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Barry President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD, poses with Joshua’s Heart founder Joshua Williams at the first-ever Celebration of the Human Spirit event on Feb. 3 in Miami.

You Gotta Have Faith Against the backdrop of one of the world’s most extensive and eclectic private art collections, Barry honored the generosity and service of extraordinary philanthropists and community leaders on Feb. 3 during its firstever Celebration of the Human Spirit event at The Margulies Collection at the WAREhOUSE in Miami.

Among those honored was 9-year-old Joshua Williams, who may possibly be the world’s youngest and smallest philanthropist. Through his foundation, Joshua’s Heart, he and others 4

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By Jeremy Jones JSJones@mail.barry.edu

who volunteer with him have helped feed more than 7,000 people and distributed more than 250,000 pounds of food to needy communities in South Florida.

He started the foundation more than three years ago with a goal to end hunger and increase awareness of the issue. His passion for the less fortunate has been evident since he was just 4 years old. Seeing a homeless man on the street, Joshua gave him $20, which he received as a gift from his grandmother.

Later, Joshua saw a program on

TV about poverty and hungerstricken children, which inspired him to create the foundation.

His contributions to those less fortunate in Miami-Dade County has garnered national attention and made a significant impact in the community.

For his work, the University honored Joshua with the Faith and Freedom Award, which recognizes men and women whose work and actions have embodied the shared religious values of civility, mutual respect and justice while addressing controversial and challenging issues.

Past recipients of the Faith and Freedom Award include Sen. Bob Graham, Alonzo and Tracy Mourning and Dr. Pedro Greer.

Also recognized during the Celebration were Dr. Paul Farmer, founding director of Partners in Health; philanthropist Norma Jean Abraham; educator and community activist Marvin Dunn, PhD; and filmmaker Alexandra Codina. These four individuals received the Laudare Medal, which is given as a particular expression of gratitude and appreciation for outstanding community service.

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Here Come the Brides

More than 300 people participated Feb. 11 in Barry’s first-ever College Brides Walk.

The nationally-recognized event raises awareness of domestic and dating violence. Hundreds, dressed in bridal gowns and tuxedos, walked 7.5 miles from the University’s Miami Shores campus to North Miami and back. The event included opening remarks from Josie Ashton, creator of The Bride’s March, which began as a 1,300-mile journey in a wedding gown to raise awareness about domestic violence.

Groups from all across South Florida participated, including Nova Southeastern University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Johnson and Wales, Lynn University, Broward College, No More Tears, Women in Distress, Sisterhood of Survivors, and Safe Schools South Florida. Barry Assistant Professor of Sociology and Criminology Laura Finley and her students helped children from Gratigny Elementary School create banners and Tshirts with messages of nonviolence that hung on their school’s

fence as participants in the College Brides Walk passed by.

The latest statistical report from the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence concluded that nearly all violent crime is down in the state, but domestic violence incidents increased 3.7 percent. Domestic violence-related murders increased 15.6 percent from last year, while domestic violence manslaughter increased 71.4 percent. Forty percent of all violent crimes were domestic violence-related, and 20 percent of all murders were domestic violence-related.

Josie Ashton (center), creator of The Bride’s March, stands with some of the more than 300 participants in Barry’s first-ever College Brides Walk.

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Welcome Aboard

Dr. Scott F. Smith joins the University as the new vice president for Student Affairs. Smith, who has more than a decade of professional experience in student development for Catholic higher education institutions, joins Barry from Saint Louis University, where he has served as assistant vice president for student development and dean of students since 2007.

Prior to working for Saint Louis University, Smith held other various positions in student development, including assistant dean of students and director of Housing and Residence Life for Seattle University; director of Residence Life for Ohio Northern University; residence hall director for Marquette University; and assistant area director for Housing and Residence Life at North Carolina State University.

Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from The University of the South, a master’s dual degree in adult and community college education and counselor education with an emphasis on student develop-

Access Granted ment from North Carolina State University, and a Ph.D. in higher education administration with an emphasis on leadership and organizational development from The Ohio State University.

“I am honored to serve as the next vice president for Student Affairs at Barry University,” Smith said. “I look forward to working closely with President Bevilacqua, the administration, Barry’s dedicated faculty and outstanding students to create a caring, vibrant and engaging campus life. Barry’s Dominican heritage and distinct mission resonates strongly with me, and I believe my 12 years at other Catholic schools will allow me to contribute positively to the University’s aspirations.”

Smith will be replacing Dr. Michael Griffin, who was recently appointed to the position of vice president for business development and operations at Barry.

of more than 100 peer-reviewed and trade journals, manuscripts, and book chapters, Snyder will head the school’s research division.

He has been involved in clinical research for 15 years and has performed several randomizedcontrolled trials as principal investigator. He is the founder of the South Florida Wound Care Group and Snyder Wound Research Institute.

Snyder earned his DPM from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine. He is a Diplomat of the American Board of Podiatric Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. In addition, he is a Diplomat of the American Academy of Wound Management and sits on the board of directors as president. Snyder also serves on the executive board of directors as president-elect of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care.

Dr. Robert J. Snyder, a podiatric physician and surgeon and leading wound care specialist for more than 30 years, joined the faculty in Barry University’s School of Podiatric Medicine.

Snyder began his new role as a professor and director of clinical research in January.

He comes to Barry from private practice at University Hospital in Tamarac, Fla., where he is director of the Wound Healing Center. Snyder will teach student doctors about wound management, limb preservation and research. A published author

Jean Max Brun was named assistant director of Grant Programs. Brun has several years of federal grants experience and his specific, extensive knowledge of funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be an asset to the Office of Grant Programs.

Brun previously served as a grants management specialist at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Mass. He received his undergraduate degree from Florida International University and earned an M.B.A from Nova Southeastern University.

“I look forward to working closely with President Bevilacqua, the administration, Barry’s dedicated faculty and outstanding students to create a caring, vibrant and engaging campus life.”

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• The U.S. Department of Defense awarded Barry a $2 million congressionallydirected grant. The funds from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) allow researchers at the university to conduct studies that could lead to the reduction of bacteria in wound infections for soldiers in combat.

Included in the grant, which is the largest single research grant the University has received, are funds to support a team of six researchers, 12 graduate and undergraduate students and more than $450,000 for laboratory equipment and supplies.

The two-year project is guided by Dr. Gerhild Packert, associate dean and professor in the College of Health Sciences, in conjunction with School of Podiatric Medicine Dean Dr. Jeffrey Jensen, and Dr. Evelio Velis, director of the Health Services Administration Program.

This innovative research project titled, “Identify parameters for the optimal delivery of pressurized nitric oxide to reduce bioburden in wound infections,” studies how to deliver nitric oxide to deeper layers of skin in order to reduce the presence of pathogens.

Researchers are examining how much pressure is safe to use by testing on human skin models in the laboratory.

“Enabling nitric oxide to penetrate tissues and eradicate bacteria would certainly benefit soldiers in the field,” said Jensen, who has clinical experience with

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nitric oxide in healing chronic wounds. “But there is also a tremendous need for addressing bacterial infections in chronic wounds secondary to diabetes, venous insufficiency and pressure areas in elderly patients. Nitric oxide could assist in the healing process by addressing bacterial burden in wounds without ‘drug resistance’ so commonly seen with systemic antibiotics.”

Barry’s Institute for Collaborative Sciences Research provides an opportunity for faculty and students from the College of Health Sciences and School of Podiatric Medicine to work together in advancing scientific studies. Findings could result in the manufacturing of emergency medical equipment to treat soldiers hurt on the battlefield.

These results can also lead to further funding for clinical studies.

This is the second DARPA grant awarded to the university.

Last year, Packert and Velis received $1.2 million to assist military and humanitarian needs by testing water quality for safe use during emergency conditions. The team is currently examining the reliability of water test kits in finding bacteria and parasites in fresh water.

“The reason why we write these grants is to help students, especially undergrads, who rarely receive this kind of hands-on experience,” said Packert, a geneticist and expert in molecular techniques. “We want them to use modern equipment and be challenged; it is important for them to have these opportunities that will lead to successful

careers or continued education.”

Jensen, a surgeon and wound healing expert, is assisting in the oversight of the project and supervising graduate students, while Velis, a medical doctor with postgraduate training in biostatistics and epidemiology, is assisting in research design and statistical analysis as well as developing and implementing research methods workshops for students.

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded Barry’s Physician Assistant Program two grants totaling $1.5 million.

Funds from the grants are being used to support expansion of the program into the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). The fiveyear project is led by Dr. Doreen C. Parkhurst, associate dean and director of the Physician Assistant (PA) Program.

The PA Program’s expansion into the USVI responds directly to the health care and educa-

tional needs of its residents, the objectives of “Healthy People 2010” and the recommendations made in the HRSA State Health Workforce Profile for the Virgin Islands. The project received full funding through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. The first of the grants encompasses a one-year project of $273,332, which addresses primary health care shortages in the U.S. Virgin Islands through the effective use of technology, such as establishing video conferencing capability in the USVI. The second grant of $1,223,615 is a five-year project to address primary health care shortages in the U.S. Virgin Islands through PA training.

These funds will support the recruitment and professional development of local physicians and PAs from the islands as faculty members for Barry’s PA Program in the USVI. It will provide the initial administrative and technical support personnel needed for the start-up phase of the operation until it is self sustaining. It will enable

clinical training to take place in patient populations comprised of underinsured, low income, culturally diverse, indigent and elder individuals.

At this time there are only 21 licensed physician assistants serving 108,000 residents of the U.S. Virgin Islands, which includes St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John.

• The Counseling Department in the Adrian Dominican School of Education received a $10,000 grant from the beauty and fashion boutique mark. as part of its m.powerment by mark. Healthy Relationship Peer Educator Program. It is managed by the Avon Foundation for Women through its Speak Out Against Domestic Violence initiative.

The grant is helping to fund the Healthy Relationship Peer Educator Program at Barry to promote healthy dating relationships among college-aged women and men. This is the first year Barry has received funding from the m.powerment program.

The grant is one of 23 m.powerment by mark. 2010 Healthy Relationship Peer Educator Program grants, totaling nearly $220,000, awarded to colleges nationwide to fund a network of dating peer educators on college campuses. The peer educators provide preventive education on dating abuse and violence, sexual assault, harassment, stalking and the promotion of healthy relationships, as well as offer local resources, and provide referrals for communitybased domestic violence

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“We are very excited about this partnership with The Florida Bar Foundation. With these funds, we can jump-start this effort to help the courts and the state of Florida remedy these illegal sentences and begin a discussion on what is an appropriate sanction for children who commit serious crimes.” experts. The grant also supports educator training, materials and support sessions about healthy relationships.

“We are proud that the Avon Foundation for Women and m.powerment by mark. share our mission and have chosen to support our program.

With these funds we will be able to train and establish a network of peer educators (Barry University Counseling students) to provide preventive education on dating abuse/ violence, sexual assault, harassment and stalking to increase awareness of resources available and to promote healthy relationships among university students,” said Silvia Reyes, grants and outreach coordinator in Barry’s Counseling Department.

The Avon Foundation for Women is the world’s largest corporate-affiliated philanthropy focused on issues that matter to women. It launched Speak Out Against Domestic Violence in 2004 to support domestic violence awareness, education and prevention programs. m.powerment by mark. is a philanthropic initiative committed to breaking the cycle of dating abuse and partner violence.

• The Florida Bar Association awarded the Dwayne O. 8

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Andreas School of Law a $100,000 grant to assist in the funding of the school’s new Juvenile Life Without Parole Defense Resource Center.

With these funds, the Resource Center is coordinating the Florida response to the May 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Graham vs.

Florida. The ruling stated that it is cruel and unusual punishment to sentence a defendant, who was a child at the time of the offense, to life without the possibility of parole upon a conviction of a non-homicide offense. The Resource Center is addressing the individual needs of the juvenile clients as well as the broader public policy questions raised by the Graham decision. Its primary goal is to ensure that all Florida youth affected by the Graham decision receive competent counsel resulting in fair sentences.

The Juvenile Resource Center is serving as a clearinghouse for all cases subject to review under the Graham decision.

It is also, among other things, providing technical assistance and training, coordinating with advocates across the country representing youth entitled to relief under the Graham decision, and providing direct client representation.

“We are very excited about this partnership with The

Florida Bar Foundation. With these funds, we can jump-start this effort to help the courts and the state of Florida remedy these illegal sentences and begin a discussion on what is an appropriate sanction for children who commit serious crimes,” said Gerard Glynn, director of Clinical Programs at Barry Law School.

• The College of Arts and Sciences received a $300,000 congressionally directed grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Funds from the grant are being used for Barry’s new Center for Community Service Initiatives (CCSI).

The creation of a center that would help coordinate and facilitate all of Barry’s community initiatives was one of the major initiatives of the University’s 2005 strategic agenda. CCSI will allow students to do service internships, community-based research to target communities in need locally and abroad, and complete an important piece of their undergraduate and graduate experience.

In 2009, Barry received an earmark of $167,000 towards operating expenses, and the $300,000 grant will be used for additional operating expenses including the hiring of a director who will be fully appointed for 17 months.

• The Adrian Dominican School of Education’s Counseling, Reading and Literacy Department was awarded a grant in the amount of $190,095 from the Florida Department of Education (combined state and federal funds).

Funding from the grant provides mentoring, individual and group counseling, tutoring and leadership development services to 150 middle and high school students (grades 6-12). Of the 94 applications received, only 18 were funded. Barry University and the Non-violence Project were the only organizations in South Florida to be awarded the grant.

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Pioneers in Research South Florida is saddled with one of the worst diabetic amputation rates in the nation – if not the world – and to battle the diabetic epidemic and its complications the School of Podiatric Medicine has established the Paul & Margaret Brand Research Center.

Drs. Paul and Margaret Brand are pioneers whose groundbreaking research, from Louisiana to India, made it possible for insensate patients, including those with leprosy and diabetes, to function normally despite enormous handicaps. The Paul & Margaret Brand Research Center

at Barry University furthers the Brands’ legacy with collaborative research to reduce diabetic foot complications including ulcers and amputations.

“The mission of the Paul & Margaret Brand Research Center is to create a world-class research site utilizing the collaborative efforts of basic and clinical sciences,” said Dr. Jeffrey Jensen, dean of the School of Podiatric Medicine.

“The research will result in publications in peer-reviewed journals, enhancing Barry University’s academic and scholarly reputation as well as the resident and student experience at Barry.”

In 2008, Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties reported more than 1,500 diabetic amputations costing more than $57 million. The Paul & Margaret Brand Research Center will enable Barry professors and students to conduct research studies to identify the best treatment to promote wound healing, reduce amputations and educate the public on prevention.

“The Paul & Margaret Brand Research Center reflects the first step in Barry University’s commitment to develop our recently approved Master Site Plan,” said Barry University President Sister

Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD. “We anticipate that our research will provide patients with diabetic foot complications in South Florida and the world with a more hopeful future.”

By the year 2050, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate the number of Americans living with diabetes could grow to one in five or even one in three. Through this new research center, Barry commits itself to the battle against diabetes by providing innovative research that will help the nearly 500,000 residents in South Florida affected by this disease.

Accolades

• Barry students Brian Garner and Gabriela Toro received awards for their poster presentations at the national Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students, held last November in Charlotte, N.C. Garner, a biology major and Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC U*STAR) Scholar, conducted the research at Princeton University during the summer of 2010. He studied the relationships between ubiquitin conjugating enzymes and the ubiquitin ligase enzymes as they interact with Msh2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Toro, a biology major and Minority Biomedical Research Support Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (MBRS RISE) student, presented her research poster which focused on morpholino-based screen to identify genes involved in vertebrate nervous system development. Toro and fellow RISE student Elizabeth Nguyen spent last summer at the University of Missouri and are continuing their research at Barry.

Barry students Gabriela Toro and Brian Glazer show off the awards they received for their poster presentations at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students in Charlotte, NC. BA RRY

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• Senior Ariadne Alcantara won first place in the undergraduate category for the presentation of her poster, “Synthesis of Novel Muscarinic Agonists for Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease,” based on work done with physical sciences faculty member Dr. John Boulos. The poster was presented in May at the 87th Florida Annual Meetings and Expositions (FAME) in Innisbrook, Fla. Alcantara competed against other undergraduate students from across Florida. Her poster was based on research for a drug that could be of therapeutic value for the symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

• The University’s student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) was awarded the 2010-2011 Superior Merit Award, which recognizes student chapter achievements and a commitment to providing meaningful programs and services to its members.

As a recipient of this award, Barry’s student chapter distinguishes itself as an outstanding organization dedicated to serving the needs of student members and to the advancement of the human resource management profession. There are more than 450 active student chapters of SHRM across the country.

• BICED (Barry University Institute for Community and Economic Development) was selected by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce as a finalist in the Business Corporate Champion category for South Florida’s 2011 Top 100 Minority Business Awards.

BICED, part of the Andreas School of Business, serves Miami-Dade County’s small businesses and organizations, both profit and nonprofit, with 1 0

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skill development, job creation and retention, as well as community service and volunteerism.

BICED’s main objective is to strengthen community development and reduce economic disparity among these targeted groups.

The Institute was up against four other non-minority business finalists: Southern Florida Minority Supplier Development Council, Miami-Dade Expressway Authority, Baptist Health

South Florida and the University of Miami.

The awards were presented by Bank of America and co-sponsored by The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald, certified public accountants Kaufman Rossin & Co., and Baptist Health South Florida. The awards were given in partnership with the South Florida Progress Foundation.

• Members of Barry’s Alpha Alpha Xi chapter, led by Dr

Lillian Schanfield, professor of English, were selected as secondplace winners of the 2010-2011 Outstanding Literary Arts Journal award. The winning journal, “What Oft Was Thought,” earned Alpha Alpha Xi a $300 cash prize.

The selection committee received a number of journal entries from several chapters across the country, making Barry’s second-place finish quite an accomplishment.

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Left to right: Jack Lowell, chair of The Beacon Council; Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD, president of Barry University; Gene Schaefer, market president for Miami-Dade/Monroe Bank of America Merrill Lynch, sponsor of the Education Award; and Frank R. Nero, president and chief executive officer of The Beacon Council, are pictured at the Council’s Ninth Annual Beacon Awards for Education.

• The Migrant Clinicians Network honored Gene Majka, professor of nursing in the College of Health Sciences, as its 2010 Unsung Hero for his support of the migrant community in South Florida. Majka is distinguished as a “champion for quality health care for the migrant population” and was selected for his dedication, innovation to health care service, and prevention strategies.

He supervises the community health clinical experience of registered nurses (RNs) who

are returning for their baccalaureate degree. Under his direction and supervision, these RNs have completed health care assessments on more than 600 children, ensuring their immunizations, weights and medications are recorded.

“Gene Majka could have chosen any community in South Florida and he chose the most disenfranchised – the migrant community in Homestead. He is tireless in his efforts to improve their lives and make sure they have what

• The University is the recipient of The Beacon Council’s Ninth Annual Beacon Awards for Education. The council chose Barry for its exceptional contributions to the educational system in Miami-Dade County through innovation, leadership and community involvement.

The Beacon Council awards recognize people, businesses or organizations for their noteworthy contributions to the local economy in the areas of job creation, business expansion and corporate citizenship.

“The Beacon Awards recognize and celebrate a wide range of dynamic organizations and individuals which are firming up our economy,” said Jack Lowell, chair of The Beacon Council.

“They are the best, and we thank them all for their commitment and many contributions to our community.”

they need now as well as in the future,” said Dr. Pegge Bell, dean of the College of Health Sciences.

During the flu outbreak in the fall of 2009, Majka worked with the Florida Department of Health to provide hundreds of H1N1 immunizations to migrant farm workers and their families. His students have provided more than 100 health education tutorials in English, Spanish and Creole to staff members of community agencies, as well as to parents.

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Barry students, faculty and staff enjoy an evening at the Florida Campus Compact awards ceremony. Left to right: Dr. Sean Foreman, Roodelyne Davilmar, Cherie Cancio, Barry President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD, Roxanne Davies, Dr. Jill Farrell, Laura Fothergill, Steffano Montano and Greta Moncayo.

• Barry University and the Community Learning Partnership (CLP) of Greater Miami Shores won the 2010 Graham-Frey Civic Award and was a finalist with Florida State University for the Most Engaged Campus Award.

The prize comes from Florida Campus Compact (FLCC), an organization of more than 50 college and university presidents committed to helping students on their respective 1 2

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campuses develop the skills of active citizenship through participation in public and community service.

“The Graham-Frey Civic award recognizes our strong institutional commitment to civic engagement and community service inspired by our Catholic identity and our resolve to provide our students with a variety of service learning opportunities,” said Barry University President Sister

Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD. By combining service with academic study, Barry and the CLP have been able to engage its students, faculty, staff and residents in becoming active citizens. The civic award was named in honor of former Sen. Bob Graham and former Rep. Lou Frey.

The CLP, established in 2008, is a group of educational institutions and community organizations, both public and

private, in the Miami Shores area that strive to serve as a catalyst for community engagement. Together, the organizations have demonstrated innovative techniques and collaborative projects that help minimize barriers - culturally, socioeconomically, geographically and ethnically – while helping to reduce costs and duplication efforts by sharing resources and creating a sense of community.

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• Leticia M. Diaz, dean of the Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law, was named to the advisory committee for the American Bar Association’s newly formed Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights and Responsibilities.

The new commission and its members were announced by ABA President Stephen Zack at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., last fall.

“I feel passionate about the legal issues facing Hispanic-Americans today, and I am honored to be part of a commission that will work to address these challenging matters,” said Diaz, the first female Cuban-American dean of an ABA-accredited law school in the United States.

The Commission will play a vital role in investigating legal access for the fastest growing minority population in the United States; convening principal legal and Hispanic advocacy organizations to review the state of legal disparities in the U.S. justice system; exploring impediments to access to justice through the lens of the Latino experience ultimately for the benefit of all U.S. residents; and making policy recommendations based upon findings of regional hearings.

• The U.S. Commerce Association selected Barry for the 2010 Best of North Miami Award in the category of Universities and Colleges.

Barry beat out two other area universities – Florida International University and Johnson & Wales University – for the honor.

Each year, the USCA identifies companies that have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. The USCA Best of Local Business Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Winners were determined based on information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

• The School of Podiatric Medicine awarded students William Burmeister, Katherine Machado, Luis Rodriquez and Annabelle Santos, with the 2010 Dr. James V. Stelnicki Scholarship for Excellence in Lower Extremity Vascular Medicine.

The scholarship, which comes from Stelnicki’s $100,000 donation to the School of Podiatric Medicine, awards $2,500 to each of the Barry students. Burmeister, Machado, Rodriquez and Santos were selected by the podiatric medicine clinical faculty committee based upon their strong interest in lower extremity vascular medicine and submission of their research paper, “Variations of the Origin of the Arcuate Artery.”

• Jessie M. Colin, PhD, RN, a professor in the College of Health Sciences, was one of two Florida nurses inducted into the American Academy of Nursing as a Fellow during the academy’s 37th annual meeting and conference. Selection for membership in the academy is one of the most prestigious honors in the field of nursing.

“This was an amazing experience,” said Colin, who follows Dr. Sandra Walsh as the second nurse at Barry to receive the honor. “There were 114 nurses inducted this year, seven of which were international nurses, and there were more than 1,400 in attendance. I was proud to be a nurse and to know that my work makes a difference in people’s lives.”

Colin teaches in the graduate and doctoral programs, where she has designed and implemented various educational strategies to promote cultural competence in nursing students.

She is a cultural consultant for academic and practice settings

and has developed a conceptual model, “Haitian Cultural Care Model” to assist health care practitioners in understanding Haitian clients.

A Haitian native, Colin is fluent in English, French, and Creole and has devoted her life’s work to underserved populations in the United States and in her home country. She co-founded the Haitian Health Foundation, an organization that provides health education and health services to Haitians and others in need. She was one of three volunteers to consult in Léogane, Haiti, on a new baccalaureate nursing program for which she helped obtain financing through United States Agency for International Development.

Colin is a national and international speaker and has received numerous accolades, including her recognition for nursing leadership by the Florida Hospital Association and being named one of the 25 “Most Influential & Prominent Black Women in South Florida” by Success Magazine.

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• Mark Summers, professor of law at the Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law, was awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant. As part of the grant, Summers spent five months teaching international criminal law at the University of Zagreb in Croatia.

Summers has previous experience with criminal law in the region, serving as an adjunct prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY ) in the late ’90s.

The ICTY was established by the United Nations to prosecute crimes committed during the wars in the former Yugoslavia that broke out following Croatia’s declaration of independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.

“I envision an international criminal law classroom in Croatia as a laboratory where I will have the opportunity to glean insights and perspectives unavailable anywhere else,” said Summers. “This experience will inform my teaching and scholarship for the rest of my career.”

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the United States government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the U.S. and the people of other countries. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields.

• Barry seniors Roodelyne Davilmar and Cherie Cancio won first place for their video celebrating the Florida Resident Access Grant. The students were honored at a recent Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF) delegate meeting in the presence of State Rep. Will Weatherford, Dr. Ed Moore, president of ICUF and various ICUF representatives.

As Barry’s ICUF Presidential Fellows, Davilmar and Cancio were chosen by Barry President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD, for their leadership, maturity and dedication to organizing grassroots campaigns that encourage students to actively engage with their state govern1 4

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ment for the good of their state, their communities and independent higher education.

The seniors set out to create a short film to show Barry students’ appreciation for the FRAG, which provides tuition assistance to Florida under-

graduate students attending an eligible private, nonprofit Florida college or university.

Filmed on a busy Saturday morning in Landon Student Union, the students showcased how the grant supports the typical, everyday college student through personal testimonials.

“Students need to be knowledgeable about the Florida constitution and how FRAG not only affects Florida’s student residents, but all Florida taxpayers,” Cancio said. “Many students, such as myself, depend on the FRAG to continue their education in private institutions.

By allowing these students to stay in private schools with the help of the FRAG, the burden

on Florida’s over-crowded public colleges and taxpayer dollars is alleviated” Cancio said.

Davilmar added that students must educate themselves on the benefits of the grant and actively show support.

“Students need to understand the importance of the FRAG and how easily it can be taken away from them,” she said. “We all need to show support so that we can keep our private education and not risk attending a public school that may not be able to support our needs.”

To view Cancio and Davilmar’s award-winning video, visit www.youtube.com/ watch?v=AMDFNcNNA4Y.

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Left to right: Stephen Loffredo, Village councilman; Vice Mayor Prospero G. Herrera II; Barry University President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD; Village Manager Tom Benton; Chamber President Georgeé Kluck; Councilwoman and past chamber president Herta Holly are pictured at the presentation of the Greater Miami Shores Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award.

• Barry was presented with the Greater Miami Shores Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award for its many years of continued support to the community. The chamber noted Barry’s dedication to its mission, values and service as important factors when choosing this year’s winner.

“This award is an expression of your respect and an acknowledgment of our renewed intent and success to forge

an energizing and satisfying partnership with the Village of Miami Shores; a relationship that truly makes a difference for our university community, our neighbors and business associates, and for that we are grateful,” said Barry University President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD. “ We count our partnership with the Miami Shores community as one of our assets, and we look forward to strengthening the bonds we

have formed during the past 70 years.”

The Miami Shores Chamber selected Barry University in recognition of the significant initiatives made by those associated with the University to become more integrated into the community of the village.

Barry’s projects demonstrate strong support from the student body and several departments throughout the campus, including the Celebrate Village Place

event held last year, the Community Learning Partnership (CLP) and Relay for Life.

The chamber also credited the University for involving local youth in Barry athletic events, supporting the redevelopment of Village Place, offering the school’s expertise to help envision the future for the downtown and for seeking the community’s involvement in the process to develop a new Master Plan for the University.

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“There is no podiatric physician in the country providing clinical training of students and caring for podiatric patients more deserving of this award than Dr. Nelson.”

• Dr. John Nelson, professor and dean of clinics in the School of Podiatric Medicine, was elected in May to the National Academies of Practice (NAP) as a Distinguished Practitioner in Podiatric Medicine.

NAP is an organization of distinguished practitioners representing 10 different health care professions, working together to advance delivery of health care.

The NAP recognition is awarded to inductees who have been judged by their peers and have made enduring contributions in their profession.

Nelson achieved this recognition in part for his 22 years of professional service in the practice and direct delivery of podiatric care. His patients include those at Barry University’s four Foot and Ankle Institute clinics, in which he serves as clinical dean, and in the five affiliated teaching hospitals in MiamiDade County where he directs the clinical training of podiatric medical students.

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and medically underserved individuals in Miami-Dade County have received podiatric care from Barry’s clinical faculty and students. These services represent more than $1 million in charitable care delivered by the Barry University Foot and Ankle Institute to the county’s disadvantaged citizens each year. He has trained more than 1,100 junior and senior podiatric medical students who are now practicing podiatric physicians.

“There is no podiatric physician in the country providing clinical training of students and caring for podiatric patients more deserving of this award than Dr. Nelson,” said Dr. Jeffrey Jensen, dean of the School of Podiatric Medicine. “We are proud that he serves the podiatric profession at Barry University.”

• Kastriot Rexhepi, an international student from Ferizai, Kosovo, is the recipient of the 2011 Clarence Jupiter Fellowship award in Institutional Advancement.

The Clarence J. Jupiter Fellowship program provides opportunities for individuals of diverse backgrounds to work in the advancement field at higher education institutions across the United States. Each year, selected fellows receive a paid internship of $2,000 for 200 hours of work and a sponsorship of up to $1,000 to attend a CASE District Conference.

Rexhepi, a senior majoring in criminology, serves the

University’s Office of Alumni Relations. The fellowship began in January and is fully funded by CASE. Rexhepi was one of nine students nationwide chosen for the fellowship. He assists the Office of Alumni Relations with student alumni programming and student philanthropy research.

• Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) granted the Master of Science Program in Anesthesiology continued accreditation until the year 2020 − the maximum allowed under the guidelines.

In November, the COA stated in its report that it is “especially pleased with the program’s endeavors to strive for excellence ... that receiving no citations during the program’s on-site review process is a tremendous accomplishment derived from focused attention to program details, continuous quality, and quality enhancement.” The Anesthesiology program was first established in 1993 and has received continued accreditation since.

“Achieving the maximum 10-year accreditation status is an honor for Barry University and reflects the collective hard work and commitment of students, faculty and staff to the tremendous success of the program,” said assistant professor and director of the Master of Science Program in Anesthesiology, Tony Umadhay, Ph.D., CRNA.

• Dr. Michael Griffin, former vice president for Student Affairs, has assumed the responsibilities of a newly created position of vice president for Business Development and Operations. Griffin is in his 24th year of service at Barry.

In his new role, Griffin will oversee several university operations, including food service, public safety, bookstores and the student union.

This new division will also monitor campus construction projects and oversee various auxiliary contracts.

Griffin will focus on entrepreneurial and business opportunities within the various national and international communities in which the University operates. He will also oversee on and off campus facilities utilization and the buying, selling and/ or leasing of institutional/ residential properties.

Keep the Good News Coming • In 1940, four founders brought to fruition the idea of an institution of higher education, known then as Barry College, to the city of Miami Shores.

Recently, Barry University completed its 70th year of offering a quality, Catholic education and celebrated seven decades during its annual Founders’

Week celebration.

The week-long celebration kicked off with the unveiling, blessing and dedication of the statue “Mary, Bearer of Good News,” located in Barry’s Garner Quadrangle. Sculpted by artist David Wanner of Milwaukee, Wis., the elegant statue stands 6 feet high on a 5-foot pedestal of

travertine. Mary faces Cor Jesu Chapel, the spiritual heart of thousands of students and alumni of Barry.

The statue is a depiction of the Blessed Virgin, which represents the dedication of the Adrian Dominican Sisters, the founding community of Barry University.

Just as Mary is portrayed in this

statue, for more than 100 years, Adrian Dominican Sisters journeyed forth, empowered by the gospel to seek truth, make peace and reverence life. In 1940, one of those journeys brought Mother Gerald Barry and the sisters of the founding community to Miami Shores to open Barry College for women.

Adrian Dominican Sisters, including Barry President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD, (center) stand in front of the new ‘Mary, Bearer of Good News’ statue during Barry’s 70th anniversary celebration.

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Nun on the Run • Barry was selected as one of less than 100 universities/ colleges in the country to participate in the Centralized Student Career Experience Program (CSCEP) with the United States Marshal Service.

CSCEP is a cooperative educational program that prepares undergraduate students to serve in deputy U.S. Marshal positions. It is a 16-week work-study program for college students pursuing degrees in criminal justice, political science, psychology, public administration, sociology or social sciences. CSCEP allows students to apply classroom experience to the real world, and offers work experience in the public sector.

Clocking in at just over 80 years old, Sister Madonna Buder, also known as “The Iron Nun,” brought her special brand of inspiration to Barry on March 16 as part of a lecture hosted by the School of Human Performance and Leisure Sciences.

Sister Madonna continues to compete in numerous marathons, triathlons and Iron Man competitions all over the country, many of which are chronicled in her new book, “The Grace to Race.”

Aside from her 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of cycling, and 26.2 miles of running, Sister Madonna’s primary calling is to serve God. Although she has had her ups and downs as well as some bumps and bruises over the last 30 years, she says that her ability to continue to compete at her age is all part of God’s plan for her. “This is not about me. It’s about what God does in and through us,” she said.

During her visit to Barry, Sister Madonna ran with Barry’s endurance club, threw the first pitch at a Buccaneer softball game, and visited various classes.

Hard Copy

• School of Social Work professor Susan Gray, PhD, EdD, LCSW, has written a textbook, “Competency Based Assessments in Mental Health Practice: Cases and Practical Applications.”

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Gray’s textbook introduces an innovative new approach to mental health assessment by partnering a competency-based evaluation grounded in strengths and possibilities with other traditional and widely used assessment methods.

Gray’s competency-based assessment provides a framework for clarifying the patient’s competence by evaluating not only the impact of mental illness, but also the relationship between a client and his or her environment. By evaluating both problems and competencies, Gray’s method seeks to provide a more comprehensive view of a patient’s “story,” rather than defining a patient solely by a mental illness diagnosis.

Gray served as a member of the task force responsible for creating the Advanced Practice in Clinical Social Work Standards for the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

• Accounting professor Michael A. Broihahn has coauthored a book titled, “International Financial Statement Analysis.”

The book is part of a Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) Institute Investment Series whose lead co-author, Thomas R. Robinson, PhD, is managing director for the educational division of CFA Institute, a global, nonprofit association of investment professionals.

“It was an honor to work on

a book that will help finance professionals better understand international standards for accounting policies in companies throughout the world,” said Broihahn, who worked on the book over the course of two years.

The book seeks to help professionals in the finance world better understand international financial accounting policies and also serve as a text for students studying the profession. The challenge for many is being able to compare domestic companies with ones overseas on an equal playing field or being able to compare policies “apples to apples.” Broihahn and Robinson hope that their book will make the process simpler.

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On the Road Again • Dr. Andrea Greenbaum, professor of English, was a speaker in April at the Conference on College Composition and Communication’s annual convention in Atlanta. Greenbaum’s lecture was titled, “It’s a Bird … It’s a Plane … It’s a Jew! An Exploration of Jewish Ethnicity and Rhetorical Practice in the Graphic Novel.”

The annual convention attracts faculty members from around the world who gather to hear award-winning keynote speakers, attend presentations on the latest innovations in education, and network to gain knowledge of best practices in the field.

• Dr. David M. Kopp, associate professor and chair of the Organizational Learning and Human Resource Development Department in the Adrian Dominican School of Education, recently traveled to the Balkans to lecture at two universities and present at an international conference in Skopje, Macedonia.

Kopp and doctoral candidate Irena Nikolovska presented their paper, “Organizational Storytelling as a Crisis Management tool,” at the International Conference on The Challenges to Economic Theory and Policy in the Aftermath of the Global Economic Crisis at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University.

Following the conference, Kopp lectured at Ss. Cyril and FOM University, Macedonia’s largest public and private universities.

• Honor students Fatima Zimichi, Marc Knesevic, and Megan Barnes presented papers this past spring at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Ithaca, NY. More than 3,500 students and 1,500 faculty members were in attendance. Barnes, Knesevic and Zimichi joined other student presenters from Ithaca College, American University, University of Texas at Austin, Hendrix College and University of Wisconsin, La Crosse.

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Champions!

Women’s tennis team captures first-ever NCAA title, Barry’s ninth overall In the end, it was fitting that it came down to Barbi Pocza.

Pocza, the Barry University senior co-captain, who would go on to be named the Sunshine State Conference’s Player of the Year and Female ScholarAthlete of the Year, was engaged in a three-set battle against Lynn University’s Magdalena Ekert, with the NCAA Division II national championship on the line. Pocza swept the first set, 6-0; Ekert the second, 6-3.

Tied at 3-3 in the third, Pocza did what she does best – rally to win.

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Game. Set. Match. Champions.

As a result of Pocza’s 6-3 triumph over Ekert, her Buccaneers (26-1) won their first-ever national title – Barry University’s ninth overall since 1989.

“Barbi came through, as she always does,” coach Avi Kigel said. “That is what makes her so special. She has a knack for coming up big when she needs to. We have asked her to help lead this team, and she did what a strong leader does – lead by example, and come through in the clutch.”

Pocza and the rest of her Buccaneer teammates were forced to regroup after a rain delay halted the previous day’s action. When play resumed, though, the Bucs took one doubles match and four singles matches to earn the crown.

In doubles action, Pocza teamed up with Angie Werschel to defeat Lynn’s Eleonora Iannozzi and Ioana Ivan, 8-6. The Buccaneers’ remaining points came during singles competition at flights three, four and six. Wins by junior Caroline Wendling and freshmen Mona

Mansour and Olivia Matuszak combined to give Barry its margin of victory.

“This was truly a special year for us,” Kigel added. “It was important for this group of seniors [Pocza, Laura Bouget and, Werschel] to go out on top, especially after last year’s loss in the national championship tournament [5-0 to Armstrong Atlantic]. The whole team made it a goal to not only get back to the tournament, but to win it, and to do so against such a strong opponent as Lynn, made it even more special.”

sports news

Men’s tennis takes second place at NCAA tourney Barry University’s men’s tennis team fell just short of repeating as NCAA Division II champions, as the Buccaneers fell, 5-2, to Valdosta State in the title match.

Freshman Romain Costamagna gave the Buccaneers their lone win in singles action, defeating Otto Lenhart, 6-1, 6-3. Barry’s lone doubles win came courtesy of No. 3 Sergio Velez and Ollie Lemaitre.

The runner-up finish is the fifth all-time for the Buccaneers. Most recently, they were runners-up in 2008 and 2009 before beating Valdosta State last season, 5-4, in the national championship match. The Bucs finished the season with a 22-8

overall record.

“We gave it a great run, unfortunately we just couldn’t finish against a very good, very strong Valdosta team,”

Barry head coach Dr. George Samuel said. “I’m proud of all our student-athletes, though – especially the seniors [Emanuel Fraitzl, Simon Raagaard, and

Sergio Velez], who helped guide this team to many successes during their years at Barry, including a national championship.”

Grace Collins earns 2 softball All-America awards Barry University women’s softball right fielder Grace Collins picked up two All-America awards, including a first-team selection by the National Fast Pitch Coaches Association and third-team by Daktronics, Inc. Utility pitcher Brianna Smith was also a second-team selection by the NFCA, while first baseman Jessica Tabor was named Daktronics honorable mention.

Collins, who led the Sunshine State Conference in hitting at .433, set a Barry record with a 19-game hitting streak from Feb. 25 to March 20. She led the team in runs scored (42),

stolen bases (23) and sacrifices (10), while driving in 20 runs.

Smith was 16-9 on the season with a 1.43 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 171.2 innings. She tossed her third career no-hitter on Feb. 28 against Mercyhurst.

In addition to her pitching, Smith hit .323 on the season while scoring 18 runs. Smith was selected for the second straight season as utility pitcher.

First baseman Tabor hit .401 with team-highs in homers (6), doubles (17) and RBI (44).

She also had hitting streaks of 10 and 14 games sandwiched around a two walk game from Feb. 28 to April 10, giving

her a 25-game streak of reaching base.

The sports information directors’ team is sponsored by Daktronics Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition. The team is voted on by the members of the Division II Sports Information Directors of America (D2-SIDA).

The NFCA team is voted on by a panel of Division II softball coaches and sponsored by Louisville Slugger brand bats made by the Hillerich & Bradsby Co.

Buccaneers sweep Sunshine State Conference ‘Scholar-Athletes of Year’ For just the second time in Sunshine State Conference history, one school swept both the Male and Female ScholarAthlete of the Year, as Barry

University’s Daniel Stapf (men’s golf ) and Barbi Pocza (women’s tennis) earned the awards for 2010-11.

For Stapff, it was his second

straight SSC Scholar-Athlete award, also having claimed the 2009-10 honor. He is the just the third student-athlete in the history of the award — and the

first male — to win back-toback. Barry’s Greta Trotman (2004-05 and 2005-06) and Shyla Rider (softball, 2007-08 and 2008-09) were also repeat

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Barbi Pocza

winners. Tampa’s Dawn Rawlins (volleyball, 1996-97 and 1998-99) won nonconsecutively.

In 2004-05, Barry tennis players Thomas Hipp and Trotman won the awards.

“Barbi and Daniel are exemplars of outstanding student-athlete achievement,” said Maritza Ryder, assistant dean for Barry’s School of Human Performance and Leisure Science “They have consistently demonstrated commitment to our university and athletic mission, and through their drive, hard work, resolve, and focus, carry on the Barry student-athlete academic and athletic traditions gained before them. We are extremely proud of them — they are truly standouts.”

A junior finance major, Stapff carried a 3.92 GPA. He was also named the Barry University Professor Emerita

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Neill Miller Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the second year in a row. Stapff is a two-time SSC Spring Commissioner’s Honor Roll member, having earned the distinction in 2010 and 2011. He was recognized as a member of the Barry University President’s List for both the fall 2009 and spring 2010 semesters.

A native of Curitiba, Brazil, Stapff ’s accomplishments were equally impressive on the golf course this season. He was a 2011 PING Division II FirstTeam All-American. Having earned medalist honors at the SSC Championship, he was chosen SSC Men’s Golfer of the Year and was an All-SSC First Team selection. Stapff additionally landed Golf Coaches Association of America First-Team All-Region accolades for the second year in a row.

Active in the community, Stapff has volunteered his time to the Special Olympics, Barry Pride Day, The Ryder-Benjamin Golf Tournament, and the Miami Shores Presbyterian Church living nativity.

Stapff ’s Male ScholarAthlete of the Year award marks the fourth time a Buccaneer student-athlete has claimed the recognition. In addition to Stapff ’s selection in 2009-10, Barry tennis players Patrick Rittenauer (2006-07) and Hipp (2004-05) were previous winners.

Pocza, a senior finance major, carried a 3.71 GPA. She was recently named to the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic AllAmerica Second Team, having won First-Team Academic

All-District Honors earlier this spring.

She is a two-time member of the SSC Spring Commissioner’s Honor Roll, having earned the distinction in 2010 and 2011.

She was also named to the Barry University Dean’s List for the fall 2009 and spring 2011 semesters. Additionally, she was a member of the fall 2010 Barry University President’s List and spring 2010 Athletic Director’s List. Pocza is a three-time Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement recipient (200809, 2009-10, 2010-11).

On the court, Pocza led Barry to the 2011 NCAA Division II Women’s Tennis National Championship. She was tabbed 2010-11 Collegiate Women’s Sports Award DII National Tennis Player of the Year and ITA South Region Senior Player of the Year. She was a 2011 First-Team ITA All-American in both singles and doubles.

A native of Gyor, Hungary, Pocza was selected SSC Women’s Tennis Player of the Year for the second straight season. She was an All-SSC First Team honoree in both singles and doubles play.

Pocza was also active in a number of causes in the Miami Shores community. She participated in the Barry Gives Back Tennis Clinic, Miami Shores Village Celebration, Make-A-Wish Foundation fundraising, and the National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Pocza’s honor marks the eighth time that a Barry student-athlete has been named SSC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Previous Barry winners were: softball player Shyla

Rider (2007-08 and 200809); tennis players Trotman (2004-05 and 2005-06) and Victoria Courmes (2002-03); and volleyball players Janina Morusiewicz (1997-98) and Marya Morusiewicz (1995-96).

Since 2004-05, the Buccaneers have held a lock on the awards, picking up either the men’s or women’s honor each year. Overall, the Bucs have garnered 12 awards and have won nine of the last 14 possible awards in the past seven years.

Voting for the SSC ScholarAthlete of the Year awards is conducted among the league’s athletic directors and faculty athletics representatives.

Criteria considered in selecting recipients include 40 percent grade point average, 40 percent athletic prominence, and 20 percent school and community involvement.

Daniel Stapff

Buccaneer athletes shine in the classroom Barry University’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced that, in both semesters of academic year 2010-11, more than 60 percent of Barry’s student-athletes compiled a term GPA of over 3.0, with 62.7 percent in the fall and 60.9 percent in the spring. For the program, it was the 11th term in the last 12 that at least 60 percent have achieved a 3.0 GPA or better.

“I am very pleased with these results,” Human Performance and Leisure Science Assistant Dean Maritza Ryder said. “It demonstrates that our student-athletes are not only committed to their athletic success, but their academic success as well.”

The term-average GPA for all teams was 3.143 in the fall and 3.179 in the spring, the ninth term of the last 11 in which the Bucs have maintained a 3.0 cumulative grade mark.

The women’s tennis team ended the volleyball squad’s lock on the top spot, which they had held for three terms, in the fall, posting a 3.424 GPA to top all squads. Women’s golf took over in the spring with a remarkable 3.646 mark. Men’s soccer topped the male sports with a 3.23 mark in the fall and 3.286 in the spring.

A total of 10 student-athletes made the President’s List with a 4.0 GPA for the fall semester, while the spring bumped up the total to 15 (including one graduate student). Mark Kilpatrick (men’s soccer) and Anne Fourdraine (women’s golf ) led the way, being named to the President’s List for the third time, with Fourdraine getting the distinction in both semesters this year.

Alex Decker (baseball), Amanda Frontino (women’s basketball) and Joanna Stewart (women’s soccer) also earned the award both semesters and have two for their careers. Alicia Guerrero (volleyball) made the list in the fall for the second time, while Daniel Stapff (men’s golf ) and Grace Collins (softball) made the spring list to earn their second awards.

Hannah Shy (softball), Barbi Pocza (women’s tennis), Angie Werschel (women’s tennis), Katrina Molfetta (women’s soccer) and Willie Whitfield (men’s basketball) made the fall list for the first time. In the spring, Chris Carlin (men’s golf ), Zeina Cline (women’s soccer), Kisa Duncan (women’s basketball), Amie Manke (volleyball), Louise Perulf (women’s golf ), Johnny Rodrigues (men’s soccer) and Isadora Stapff (women’s golf ) earned the award for the first time.

Graduate student Simon Raagaard (men’s tennis) earned his first 4.0 in the spring term, as well.

Anne Fourdraine

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Sports Digest Rowing

The Buccaneers’ squad of sophomore Grace Horwitz (cox), sophomore Kelly Harrison (stroke), senior Vanessa Viadero (7), junior Jaimee Lampardd (6), junior Nicole Marek (5), sophomore Helene Pierre (4), junior Renee Forcier (3), junior Courtney Greene (2) and freshman Haley Stark (bow) jumped out to an early lead, but eventually fell to Seattle Pacific in the petite final of the NCAA Division II National Championships.

The Falcons were nearly eight seconds faster than the Buccaneers in the second half of the race. Seattle Pacific won in a time of 7:14.80.

The Bucs finished in 7:20.16.

Golf

The sixth-ranked Barry University men’s golf team fired a one-under 287 in the third round of the NCAA Division II Golf Championship but it was not enough to make the eight-team cut to determine the national champion. The Buccaneers finished the tournament in ninth place with an 899 (312-300-287).

The Bucs were led by sophomore Marcus Segerstrom in the third round. Segerstrom fired a five-under 67 in the third to finish the tournament tied for 21st place with a 221 (79-75-67). His third-round 67 was tied for the lowest round of the tournament and ties a Barry record for third lowest round all time. Junior Daniel Stapff and senior Chris Carlin each fired a par 72 in the third round. Stapff finished as the top Buccaneer in the tournament. He was tied for 16th overall with a 220 (72-76-72). Carlin finished third best for the Bucs behind Stapff and Segerstrom. He was tied for 54th with a 229 (80-77-72). Senior Guillermo Pumarol posted a 76 (+4) in the third round. Pumarol ended the tournament tied for 60th place with a 230 (82-72-76). Freshman Marcelo Huarte rounded out the Buccaneer finishers. Huarte was a stroke behind Pumarol in the third round with a five-over 77.

He finished tied for 97th place with a 242 (81-84-77).

The women’s golf team finished seventh at the Sunshine State Conference Golf Championship in Boca Raton after firing a 347-324-330−1001. Freshman Sophie Weilguni paced the Bucs, tying for 19th overall, shooting three-over-par on the final round to finish 80-83-75−238. Junior Lizzi Over was three strokes back in 22nd place at 82-77-82−241. Sophomore Taylor Babcock (91-81-81−253), junior Anne Fourdraine (94-83-92−269) and freshman Lucia Garcia (98-92-97−275) rounded out the team score.

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Baseball

The Barry University baseball team forced a deciding, winner-take-all game for the NCAA Division II South Region championship. Unfortunately for the Bucs, their quest for their first-ever region title must wait another season, as the University of West Florida ended Barry’s season, 7-4.

Barry (40-17) had won the first do-ordie game earlier in the day, 3-1, as junior right hander Manny Rodriguez scattered just nine hits and did not allow any earned runs, while pitching on three days’ rest. He struck out eight and walked one to force the deciding game.

The Buccaneers put four players on the All-Tournament team, including senior catcher Chris Leon, senior first baseman Dean Green, Rodriguez and sophomore infielder/designated hitter James Young.

Softball

The Buccaneers’ season ended at the hands of Valdosta State, 8-0, in an elimination game of the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament in Alabama. The Bucs finished the season in the NCAA tournament for the 15th time, the fourth under coach Danielle Penner.

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‘And that’s

the way it is’ Barry communication professors, all experienced reporters, describe how the news business has changed – and where it may be headed

O

nce upon a time, the 6 p.m. evening news was king. There were three channels and every night families across the country gathered around the television to watch their favorite broadcast.

Besides the daily newspaper, it was their main source of information, their friend and confidant, giving them the scoop on everything from national elections and foreign wars to corruption in the local motor vehicle department and the upcoming Strawberry Festival.

“I remember living in suburban Chicago, and when my dad came home from work he would put on Channel 2 news at 5 o’clock,” said Craig Stevens, an adjunct professor of communication at Barry University and the evening anchor for WSVN-TV, the FOX affiliate in Miami. “To me it was background noise but it had an effect, because later I discovered I was interested in the whole notion of communicating ideas through words and pictures.”

But times have changed and the evening news is no longer appointment television.

More people are getting their news through the Internet, cellphones or social media, says Gene Eklund, an adjunct professor and manager of sales production at ABC affiliate WPLG-TV.

In the late ’70s, evening newscasts in Miami typically scored a 33 share, which means that 33 percent of the people watching TV were watching that newscast. Today, those numbers have dipped into the single digits, Eklund says.

“I don’t think any of the students I’ve bumped into at Barry watch a traditional news show at 6 or 6:30. I’m not so sure they know they exist. I’m not so sure they think it’s relevant to their world.”

The picture isn’t any prettier in the newspaper industry. The migration of newspapers and their readers to the Internet has diminished the importance of the print product, causing circulation and advertising revenue to drop. In 2008 alone, daily newspapers shed 5,900 newsroom jobs, according to the American Society of News Editors.

“People over 40 still like the newspaper in their hands. I do,” says Michael Sallah, an adjunct professor of communication at Barry and the investigations editor at The Miami Herald. “But there are kids in college who have probably picked up a newspaper maybe half a dozen times in their entire life, sad to say.”

One-man bands

Recent graduate Elena Marte ’11 admits that she doesn’t know a single person her

By Richard A. Webster

age who reads newspapers, and few, if any, who watch the local evening news. But the knowledge didn’t dissuade her from earning a bachelor’s degree in broadcast communication, or pursuing a job at WFOR television, the CBS affiliate in Miami, where she was hired as an associate producer a few months before graduation. And now that she’s been on the job for a few months, she understands why people continue to be drawn to journalism.

“Despite what some say, no matter what’s going on, somebody needs to report the news,” she says. “A lot of the reporters who have been in the field for a long time, they tell me the thing that keeps them around is the adrenalin. As a reporter, you’re the first person to know something. You’re able to stand somewhere no one else can stand and bring them to where you are visually or with the words you use. It’s incredibly rewarding.”

And that’s the key, says Kellie Butler, an adjunct professor of communication for Barry and freelance reporter for WPLG-TV. Advancements in technology may have created shockwaves in the industry, but they have also expanded the tools a reporter can use to tell a more compelling story. Audio and video components can be added to online articles in addition to slideshows and downloadable documents such as court records.

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And young reporters working in the profession today are given more autonomy over their work. When students enter the field, many times they will be expected to be self-contained units doing the interview, shooting the video, editing it on a laptop and feeding it back to the studio, Butler says.

“When I started, it was myself, a photographer and a truck operator on the scene. It was a whole production just to get one story. But now we’re seeing one-man bands, even in big markets. As a news organization, you can double your coverage by having these self-contained reporters,” Butler says.

The ‘two-headed’ techno-monster

Kellie Butler, adjunct professor of communication, is also a freelance reporter for WPLGTV in Miami.

The upside of the one-man band is that reporters are now forced to be multi-skilled, said Connie Hicks, an assistant professor of communication and a former Emmy award-winning reporter with WPLG-TV. The downside, she says, is that no one excels in one area and as a result the quality of journalism has suffered with both print and broadcast stories being shorter, more superficial, with less background or context.

Top 10 Legendary TV News Anchor Sign Offs

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“And that’s the way it is.”

Walter Cronkite

Often referred to as the most trusted man in America, “Uncle Walter” anchored the CBS Evening News for nearly 20 years.

He was named anchor in 1962, and the following year launched network television’s first 30-minute newscast. He did his final broadcast on March 6, 1981.

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“Good night and good luck.”

Edward R. Murrow

Although many people today may associate the phrase with the 2005 George Clooney film, the real Edward R. Murrow began his career in radio, reporting the Blitz of London during World War II. Murrow also produced a series of TV news reports that helped lead to the censure of Sen. Joesph McCarthy.

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“When I started, it was myself, a photographer and a truck operator on the scene. It was a whole production just to get one story. But now we’re seeing one-man bands, even in big markets. As a news organization, you can double your coverage by having these self-contained reporters.”

“Some of my students are better at editing and shooting than I’ll ever be because I never had to do it,” Hicks says. “But I still stress to them that, as reporters, the most important thing they need to have are very strong writing skills. You need to get the details and know how to interview people and convey it in a compelling way. The basics remain.”

Sallah imparts the same advice to his students looking to become newspaper writers: Do not let the technology distract you from the heart of what makes a great story. The Internet has made research fast and efficient, but too often young reporters rely on it almost exclusively. To be truly good journalists they have to turn off their computers, get up from their desks and hit the streets. Those who don’t will create lazy, weak stories, he says.

“Nothing takes the place of shoe-leather

reporting. You can only get some information online but you have to get your butt out and into the field to bring it all home,” he says.

“However, combining those two elements is something that is very exciting about journalism today.”

Here today, here tomorrow

One of the most important elements in the 21st century newsroom is obviously social media. In a time of decreasing viewership it is the most effective way to reach people who may not be typical consumers of the conventional evening broadcast. This is where his students, who came of age in the Facebook and Twitter era, have an advantage over some old-school reporters who refuse to embrace these new tools of communication, Stevens notes.

“They are a great way to cultivate relation-

ships with people, to get them to sample us more, to promote our work. I also have people who send me leads over Twitter all the time and sometimes they turn out to be good stories,” he says.

This instantaneous interaction between reporters and their readers, however, can sometimes be a painful exercise.

“I tell my students you better have very thick skin if you’re going into this business.

In the old days, someone would have to pick up the phone and call the station or write you a letter. Now, all they have to do is post a response via Twitter,” Butler says. “Sometimes in class I’ll read my students some of the messages I get and they’ll say, ‘Wow, that was a really mean thing that person said.’ But it’s human nature. We tend to dwell on the negative.”

“See you on the radio.”

Charles Osgood

Osgood is the creator of the well-known radio broadcast, “The Osgood File.”

Each three-minute segment focuses on a single story ranging from a national news story to a slice-of-life vignette. He sometimes does the segments in rhyme, which earned him the title “Poet in Residence” at CBS.

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“Peace.”

Dave Garroway

As the first host of the “Today” show on NBC back in the 1950s, Garroway would sign off by saying “peace” and extending the palm of his hand. He is largely credited with being one of the broadcasters who introduced conversational style and tone to television.

*Based on Daily Top 10’s “Top 10 Legendary TV News Anchor Sign Off ”

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Adjunct Professor of Communication Craig Stevens, pictured here during his days as a reporter/anchor in Ft. Myers, is now the evening anchor for WSVN-TV in Miami.

Susan Nesmith, faculty advisor to the Barry Buccaneer student newspaper and a freelance reporter for Bloomberg news, considers herself an old-school print reporter.

But she is also a strong proponent of what the digital age adds to her craft having worked as the multimedia coordinator for The Miami Herald. However, there is one invention of

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the digital age, increasingly popular among her students, that she hasn’t fully embraced — blogging. While there are exceptions to the rule, she sees many bloggers as wannabe journalists operating without any accountability.

“Bloggers won’t go to the city commission meeting and sit there through whole thing and pull the documents. The city commis-

sion reporter is still the only person who will do that. As a society, we lose out if we don’t figure out a way to fund those people,” Nesmith says.

The same technology that has given rise to blogging has made the margin for error much slimmer for journalists. For television reporters, any little mistake has the possibility of achieving eternal life.

“When I was starting out, if something happened during a live shot, or if it was terrible, or something funny but embarrassing happened, it was done once it aired. Nobody else saw it. Now it’s on YouTube for everyone to see,” Butler notes.

Some mistakes can be humorous while others can ruin a reporter’s reputation. The latter, in the age of the Internet, is usually committed out of the all-consuming desire to feed the beast, i.e., the website.

“There is this need to get information on the web as fast as possible but you have to take extra care to make sure it’s factual and not rush to put things on there,” Butler says.

“Everything now travels so quickly. You can have a story with some factual errors and all of a sudden, before you know it, it’s on websites all over the country.”

“Good night, Chet, Good night, David.

And so good night for NBC News.”

Chet Huntley and David Brinkley

The two men anchored from two different cities and reportedly didn’t particularly like each other that well either. The “good nights” that the public assumed was friendly banter was really a cue for the engineers to switch the live transmission from New York City to Washington, D.C., or vice versa.

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“Well, that’s the story, folks. Glad we could get together.”

John Cameron Swayze

Swayze was a nightly TV news host on NBC from 1949 until 1956 when he was replaced with Huntley and Brinkley. He was equally known for his two-decade long stint as the Timex watch spokesperson, making famous the slogan, “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking!”

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“Bye-bye.”

John McLaughlin

He created, produces and hosts the long-running political commentary series “The McLaughlin Group” as well as “John McLaughlin’s One on One.” Known for his quirky, rapid-fire manner of asking questions, he has been the subject of many parodies, including one by Dana Carvey on “Saturday Night Live.”

“A class can’t fully prepare you for the psychological aspects of being a reporter. It’s just something you have to experience. Now I see car accidents and I’m not even phased by it anymore. I’m not callous but it’s my job now.”

In her first few months as an associate producer, Marte was still adjusting to the fast-paced action of the newsroom and misspelled a word for an on-air graphic.

When it splashed across the television screen, she says she wanted to cry until a seasoned producer gave her some comforting words: “He said the good thing about news is that the next day it’s old and people forget what happened yesterday.”

Not quite extinct

However, Marte found that the hardest part of the job was the shock she experienced upon seeing her first images of violence and death.

She had to write a story about a teenager who jumped off a bridge. She sat down in the editing booth, rolled the video and watched as rescue divers disappeared under the black water to cut the dead boy free from a tangle of seaweed.

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“I saw the body float to the top and my face went pale,” she says. “I was so not ready for it. A class can’t fully prepare you for the psychological aspects of being a reporter. It’s just something you have to experience. Now I see car accidents and I’m not even phased by it anymore. I’m not callous but it’s my job now.”

And that job, despite the recent turmoil and changing landscape, remains as vital as it was 20 years ago, Stevens says.

He tells his students to discount all the doomsayers predicting the end of journalism, because when something momentous or terrible happens, the world turns to newspapers and the evening news, to reporters and anchors to learn the truth.

“We’re at our best when things are at their worst, when there is a natural disaster or something like Sept. 11. Then what we do is public service all the way. (We let people know) what’s open or closed

or where you can get water, food or gas.

When that happens, I dare someone to tell us that what we do is not important.”

Communication professors today need to honestly address the shortcomings of the media, while recognizing that stellar examples remain, such as “60 Minutes” and The Miami Herald’s “rare but always good” investigative pieces, Hicks adds. “Cable television’s need to fill a 24-hour news cycle could, eventually, turn viewers off — paving the way for the public to seek out more substantive, less strident information.

If that happens, there will be an increased demand for ‘old-school’ journalists and investigative reporters — Woodward and Bernsteins for the 21st century.” n Richard Webster is a staff writer for New Orleans CityBusiness, covering crime and health care.

“And so it goes.”

Linda Ellerbee

Ellerbee used this sign off as the co-anchor of NBC News Overnight, which has been recognized by the jurors of the duPont-Columbia University Awards as “possibly the best written and most intelligent news program ever.” She also used it as the title of her 1986 autobiographical book about her experiences in TV news.

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“So long, until tomorrow.”

Lowell Thomas

Thomas’ nightly radio news broadcast was an American institution for nearly two generations, and he appeared on television from its earliest days. A war correspondent in Europe and the Middle East, he helped make T.E. Lawrence famous with his exclusive coverage and later with the book “With Lawrence in Arabia” (1924).

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“For everyone at ABC News, I’m Peter Jennings. Good night.”

Peter Jennings

Jennings was the sole anchor of ABC World News Tonight from 1983 until his death from lung cancer in 2005. He was known for his marathon coverage of breaking news stories, staying on the air for 15 or more straight hours during the outbreak of the Gulf War and the Sept. 11 attacks, among other such events.

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‘True love’ caught on film Senior Ryan Sherman traveled all the way from Thailand to the Miami International Film Festival

By Jasmine Kripalani Ryan Sherman shares a laugh with four students at the Karen Hill Tribe village school in Ban Huai Tong, Thailand. The remote village is located on the northern slope of Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s highest mountain.

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ith the sun beating down on them, a handful of children living in a small village in Thailand plant rice seedlings that will nourish, not just them, but their entire community. Their small, sturdy hands embed the seedlings into the moist earth and their voices trail off into the humid air as they share stories about their day at school.

These children are among the lucky ones who live with a foster mother in northern Thailand. She provides them with shelter, food and access to a nearby elementary school — a luxury since most village children live too far from a school to attend. Here in Ban Huai Tong, located about 100 miles north of Bangkok, the lives of these children and the foster mother who cares for them was a story known only to a handful of people.

But a Barry University student’s trip to the Asian nation last summer changed that. Senior Ryan Sherman traveled with a group of students as part of a course led by Denis Vogel, professor and then-chair of Barry University’s Communication Department. Vogel’s course includes a study abroad component that not only exposes students to a vastly different culture but also requires them to create a short film.

Encouraged by Vogel, Sherman entered his 15-minute film, “Compassion in Thailand,” in the Miami International Film Festival, and it was selected as a finalist for the grand prize under the student film category. Festival organizers recently opened the competition — known as the CinemaSlam — to students and accepted nominations from local universities.

While Sherman’s film did not win the grand prize, his film was judged to be the best one from Barry University and was screened at the Colony Theater on Miami Beach earlier this year.

“I think part of what made Ryan’s film so successful was that he was good at making his subjects, in this case, the children, feel comfortable,” Vogel said. “He captured one child saying a brief prayer and crossing himself. He couldn’t have gotten personal, unguarded moments like that unless they felt very comfortable around him and the camera.”

Sherman, along with three of his fellow classmates Carmel Victor, Catherine Galeano and Amy Sobalvarro, ventured out to the remote village after Vogel introduced them to Jesuit priest, the Rev. Vinai Boonlue, who has been

involved with the Thailand study abroad program since 2007. Boonlue talked to the students about the village children cared for by his sister Melawan. All four students set out with the same mission: to capture footage for a short film and to teach the village children English.

The students worked individually on their films after teaching English.

Equipped with an HD camera and microphone, the group set out from Chiang Mai in northern Thailand to Ban Huai Tong, where the population is scarce and electricity is unreliable.

Despite the rustic working conditions, Sherman produced an eloquent 15-minute film that opens with him sitting atop a wooden hill tribe home introducing what viewers are about to see — foster mother Melawan “and her unique family.”

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Left to right: Amy Sobalvarro, Cathy Galeano, Carmel Victor and Ryan Sherman take a moment at the end of the school day to pose with a group of students they have been teaching.

But behind the scenes, Sherman had doubts about his ability to pull it off. Earning the children’s trust to capture those personal images took time, so to make them feel more comfortable around him he often played games and ate meals with them.

“At first they were shy,” he said. “They never see foreigners or anyone [not from their village].

We were [all] nervous.”

Although the children are featured prominently in his film, many of the on-camera interviews are with Melawan, who spoke into the camera in broken English and offered a universal message: “Simple life. Don’t want something more than we can make. Don’t hate some people who has (sic) more than ours.

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“An ordinary morning consists of the children washing dishes, cleaning the property, cooking breakfast and getting ready for school. This is all done at a time when I would be fast asleep.” must be lived together in the village and sometime in the future I want somebody to do like me, to take care of the kids, to teach the kids.”

Throughout the film, Sherman also compares his upbringing to theirs. With images of the children using a garden hose to clean the dishes on a patio appearing on screen, he narrates: “An ordinary morning consists of the children washing dishes, cleaning the property, cooking breakfast and getting ready for school.

This is all done at a time when I

would be fast asleep.”

While his time with the children left Sherman with a renewed gratitude for his own upbringing in Brooklyn, NY, he said meeting someone like Melawan gave him added motivation to do as much as he could in his own life.

“Another big distinction, which I feel makes the children’s lives tougher is that they’re there without their own parents and have to grow up without the true family experiences I had,” he said.

“Luckily, they have a caretaker

like Melawan, one who supports them financially and emotionally, with the hopes of giving them a chance at a better future. Meeting her and the children definitely made me think about the whole idea of what it means to make a contribution in life.”

In fact, in one frame, the camera zooms in on a sign in the village that reads, ‘Without good done in this life, it is useless hoping for heaven in the afterlife.’

It’s one of the many details Sherman’s film captured. n Jasmine Kripalani has been working as a journalist in South Florida for more than a decade. Her work has appeared in numerous publications including The Miami Herald, Washington Post, and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She lives in Miami Beach with her daughter Melanie.

Leading with their hearts How the Cherry family overcame past struggles and ended up making ‘Barry School of Social Work history’

By Whitney Sessa

Left to right: Gina Bennett, Khurshiba and Kathie Cherry are pictured on the mall of Barry’s main campus in Miami Shores.

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“In the past, I’ve seen social workers who were just there to collect a check.

But I know what it’s like to be on the other side of that desk, and I believe that you must always treat people how you want to be treated.”

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ost families have common traits such as eye color, freckles or face shape, but the Cherry family shares a distinct characteristic that bonds them together — a strong desire to help others.

Mother Kathie Cherry, daughter Khurshiba Cherry, son Leonard Ross and soon-to-be daughter-in-law Gina Bennett all followed their passion into the field of social work, where together they have made “Barry School of Social Work history” as the first family to be simultaneously enrolled in same degree program, according to Mabel Rodriguez, director of admissions.

In December, Kathie graduated from the School of Social Work’s MSW program, paving the way for Khurshiba, Leonard and Gina, who all enrolled in the program this past fall, just in time for Kathie’s final semester.

“Having the Cherry family simultaneously enrolled in the MSW program speaks volumes about the mother, Kathie, and her desire and determination to advance her knowledge, skills and abilities to serve vulnerable members of our community,” said Dr. Phyllis Scott, dean of Barry’s School of Social Work. “Her genuine commitment to professional growth and service has inspired a generation, and we are honored they chose Barry University School of Social Work to be a part of their extraordinary journey.”

After battling an addiction to drugs for more than 13 years, Kathie, 51, found inspiration from a social worker who spoke at a drug and alcohol support group meeting. The two exchanged phone numbers and began checking in with each other frequently.

“We had a connection,” said Kathie, who became drug free following the birth of her daughter in 1989. “She came in and took me

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under her wing. She saw potential in me to go on and better myself in society.”

Kathie spent 23 years working for the Department of Children and Families as a clerk before being laid off in 2005. During most of the ‘80s, she battled her drug addiction and struggled financially as a single mother. “We were a paycheck away from being homeless.

When I was laid off, I had to apply for food stamps and unemployment,” she said.

While tremendously difficult to have lived through, these personal struggles are exactly what allow her to empathize with and relate to her clients. In effect, they are why she views her work as a calling rather than a job.

“Being a social worker is something you can’t just have as a job; it’s something that you really have to want to do,” Kathie said. “In the past, I’ve seen social workers who were just there to collect a check. But I know what it’s like to be on the other side of that desk, and I believe that you must always treat people how you want to be treated.”

Her experiences working at DCF and a promise made to her late brother who died in 1994 prompted Kathie to return to school and become a social worker, she said. In 2007, she earned a bachelor’s degree in human services from St. Thomas University and in 2010 she earned an MSW from Barry’s School of Social Work.

Today, as a social services specialist for St. Alban’s Enrichment Center, which enrolls nearly 200 children, Kathie continues to work one-on-one with families, meeting with them monthly to help them set short-term and long-term family goals while directing them to any needed resources and services.

Kathie’s lifelong struggles as a single mother and recovering drug addict have inspired her daughter Khurshiba, 24, to also want to help others — and herself.

“My hero is my mother,” said Khurshiba, who struggled with low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts during high school and college. “She’s shown me that no matter what mistakes or choices you make in life, you still have time to make changes and be that person you want to be.”

Like her mother, Khurshiba has also learned to use her personal hardships to help her clients. “As a social worker you have the chance to explore different aspects of life and have contact with people from a variety of backgrounds, as well as people who are at different stages of life. Whatever their situation, everyone needs that other person they can talk to,” she said In 2010, Khurshiba founded the KCherry LLC Agency for Persons with Disability, a Miami-based agency that services clients who are developmentally disabled. In addition to building her agency and earning her MSW, she also plans to pursue a doctorate in family counseling, hoping to one day open her own counseling practice.

A once-troubled teen, Kathie’s son Leonard, 32, also uses past struggles and difficulties to inform his work at the Village South in Miami. Leonard works one-on-one with adolescents from the juvenile justice system, serving as a mentor to help at-risk youths return to school and develop their strengths.

“These kids can relate when they see someone who’s been where they are,” said Leonard, who served a two-month jail sentence as a teen. “I’m not the traditional case worker; I understand where a lot of them are coming from.”

Following the completion of his MSW, Leonard plans to pursue a doctorate in theology.

As with the rest of the family, Gina Bennett’s early experiences also drew her to a

Leonard Ross is completing his internship at the Belafonte Tacolcy Center in Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood.

career in social work.” As a child, Gina, 25, spent a lot of time in hospitals and nursing homes, as her mother battled multiple sclerosis. Her family relied on a social worker as a vital part of their support system, she said.

“While my mother was in ICU, she (the social worker) was more concerned about our family, whereas the doctors and nurses were mostly concerned with the patient,” Gina said. “She really helped me and my family through that time.”

When her mother passed away in 2007, Gina switched her major from nursing to social work. “I just felt that as a medical

social worker I could help others cope in similar situations,” she said.

Gina, who also works as a family intervention specialist in Miami, hopes to become a licensed clinical social worker and work in hospice or some other health care setting.

“The main thing that impresses me about the Cherry family members is their sincere desire to complete their social work education, to work to provide services for others in the community and to better themselves in the process,” said Dr. Walter Pierce, associate professor for Barry’s School of Social

Work. “They are an interesting family, and though each is unique in their own way, I have enjoyed working with every one of them.”

Ultimately, there’s also no denying a particular characteristic that unifies the Cherry family: their compassion for others.

“That’s our defining trait — our hearts,” Leonard said. “We all have big hearts.” n Whitney Sessa, a former communications coordinator in Barry’s Office of Communications and Marketing, is pursuing a doctorate at the University of Miami.

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From inmate

to academic Female prisoners receive business training and a renewed sense of self thanks to Barry’s Entrepreneurial Institute

By Gladys Amador gamador@mail.barry.edu

L.E.A.P. graduate Anne Lanzetta, pictured in Barry’s Cor Jesu Chapel, one day hopes to open a Christian bookstore called Glad Tidings.

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he last time Anne Lanzetta was a free woman, she lived alone. She was divorced, and her children had been taken away by state welfare workers. Lanzetta paid her bills by using the credit card of a friend suffering from multiple sclerosis. In 2009, she was arrested and served 20 months in prison for exploiting the elderly or handicapped. Today, the 55-year-old is once again free and plans to open her own business − a Christian book store she hopes to name Glad Tidings.

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“I’ve made a lot of bad choices, things I’m not proud of,” Lanzetta says of her life before prison. “I threw it all away, but now I am going to rebuild it.”

Thanks to an innovative four-month program co-directed by Barry’s Entrepreneurial Institute, Lanzetta’s new life actually started behind bars, before her release date.

During her prison stint, Lanzetta was one of 11 other women at the Broward Correctional Institute (BCI) who took part in L.E.A.P. (Ladies Empowerment and Action Pro-

gram), a curriculum designed to teach female inmates how to reintegrate into society.

The classes cover everything from life skills lessons to how to start and operate a small business.

L.E.A.P. is the first program of its kind in Florida. Taught inside the prison’s chapel, it caters to women, convicted of non-violent offenses, who are about to be released. It is unique because it is geared exclusively toward women, and teaches both social rehabilitation and business entrepreneurship.

“Education is among the most powerful tools for change at our disposal; these women serve as the physical embodiment of this truth.”

Gemma Betancourt and Pat Glover, or the “L.E.A.P. Ladies” as they are known by the inmates, started the nonprofit organization in 2009, after they volunteered for another faith-based group working with inmates. Through the help of Beverly Kovach, assistant vice president and compliance officer at Mercantil Commercebank, the ladies found the missing piece in Barry.

“We really believe this program makes a huge impact not only in a person’s life but in society,” Betancourt said. “It’s a greater good that keeps recidivism rates down, keeps them from going back in.”

While they may be in short supply in Florida and nationwide, the need for programs such as L.E.A.P. has never been greater. Women constitute the fastest growing demographic of prisoners in the nation. As of 2006, there were half a million women in prison worldwide; onethird of which were in the United States.

According to the Federal Bureau of Justice, the recidivism rate is above 65 percent nationally. L.E.A.P.’s goal is to empower ex-offenders with the tools they will need to start their own business, be hired or become economically self-sustained and less likely to commit another crime. It is currently in its third chapter.

“It takes many people to do good work, community work,” said Dr. Philip Mann, professor and director of the Entrepreneurial Institute at Barry’s Institute for Community and Economic Development (BICED).

The grant-based initiative from the Andreas School of Business provides expertise and counsel to existing and aspiring business owners as well as to nonprofits working with or representing economically disadvantaged communities.

“There’s a strong social-emotional effect that is a byproduct of L.E.A.P. It is almost as important as the [class] content that the inmates get,” Mann added, noting that there is a sobering moment when parents and friends come into a prison and see a member of their family graduate from a business preparation program. He believes it imparts hopefulness and gives families a

sense that the problems that contributed to incarceration, such as domestic violence, poverty and substance abuse, are not completely insurmountable.

“The good feelings L.E.A.P. generates are great motivators as they prepare to leave incarceration,” said Mann, who committed to the project last year. “Life outside prison is going to be difficult enough.”

In order to prevent the inmates from becoming overwhelmed by the challenges they face, the L.E.A.P. ladies commit to staying connected with the women for up to one year after their release, to help them stay on track for a successful transition to the outside world.

During training, inmates are asked to complete full business plans that include marketing, branding, management and bookkeeping. Guest speakers teach them about coping with stress outside prison walls, time management, dressing for interviews and computer skills, among other topics.

Dr. Anne Fiedler, a management professor at Barry’s Andreas School of Business, was hesitant when approached about teaching inmates inside a prison compound, but said she soon found she looked forward to coming back each week.

“When I gave them an assignment, they put their heart into it,” said Fiedler. “I’m not used to that kind of enthusiasm. Often my students complete assignments simply because I tell them to, but these women really wanted my feedback.”

Above all, Fiedler says that she goes back to teach because these women don’t have resources, in or out of prison, and education is the only way to break that cycle of crime and poverty.

For Lanzetta, the classroom setting helped to rebuild a sense of self that had been lost in an institution where the women are known by inmate numbers, not their first names.

“For a long time, I didn’t respond to the name Anne,” she said. “I was called by my last name, or as an inmate.”

For now, Lanzetta is working part time for a cruise line selling customers upgrades

for their vacations, and lives in a Pompano Beach halfway house with several other women striving to build their futures.

She meets with her probation officer regularly, and attends substance abuse support meetings and Bible study once a week.

“I have a plan,” she said. “I know it’s not going to happen overnight, but my dreams of owning my business are real.”

Lanzetta explained the idea of owning a Christian bookstore stemmed from some advice she received during her L.E.A.P. training, that a good business venture required passion.

“My passion for books and study combined with my passion for the Word is the basis behind Glad Tidings,” said Lanzetta. “I can do the Lord’s work.”

As for other program graduates, thanks to L.E.A.P. and Barry’s Entrepreneurial Institute, their plans include opening up a salon, a mobile food truck and an electrical contracting company, among many other enterprises.

“Education is among the most powerful tools for change at our disposal; these women serve as the physical embodiment of this truth,” said Glover, L.E.A.P.’s cofounder.

On Dec. 1, 2010, the program’s first graduation day, Lanzetta told fellow inmates, the L.E.A.P. ladies, family members and Barry University professors in attendance how she already felt like something in her life had changed.

“For three hours a day, I step through those doors into this chapel and I am no longer a convicted felon serving time in prison, but an academic.”

That morning, the first group of graduates wore white caps and gowns.

The guest speaker was Barry University President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD, who moved the inmates to tears.

“On the first of every month, know you did this for yourselves,” Bevilacqua said.

“Remember, this is not your identity. You are all bound, not by the fact you were in this facility, but because you walked together in this journey as ‘leapers.’ ” n

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got art?

Donzell Williams and Giordan Diaz perform Playing Scrabble with Eddie, a scene from ‘What Do You Make?’

Passing with flying colors The theater area of the Department of Fine Arts put on five performances of “What Do You Make?” Based on the writings of slam poet/educator Taylor Mali, the original production was conceived and directed by Equity actress and adjunct faculty Elena Maria Garcia. Utilizing the talents of 12 Barry undergraduates, the piece dealt with the American education system, and how teachers make a difference in the lives of students. The production, which was supported by The Salon Group and Citizens Interested in Arts, ran from Feb. 24-27, and included a special matinee for Miami-Dade middle school students.

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‘REVOLUTIONARY’ concepts in art and design

Nine graduating seniors — including four graphic designers, three photographers and two fine artists — participated in the Senior Art and Photography Exhibition on display at the Andy Gato Gallery from April 29 to Sept. 16. Among the featured photographers was Julia Lethbridge, whose work consisted of images of “nature pathways” that were shot with a Diana plastic film camera and hand printed. “I used a soft focus lens to achieve a dreamlike effect and included the sprocket holes and light leaks in the prints to highlight the imperfections of film that give the images their individuality,” Lethbridge said.

Graphic designer Mark Kilpatrick created a contemporary product and marketing concept with REVOLUTION, a vodka-infused wine intended to reach young adults. The wine is bottled inside a W5 Bordeaux 750 ml, with a synthetic cork and a two-color, screen-printed paperless label.

“The wine label, logo and bottle design are all-important aspects in reaching the target market, and when combined create a shelf personality that stands above the rest,” said Kilpatrick, who operates his own company, Mark Ryan Design, in Bay Harbor Island, Fla. Kilpatrick’s wine bottle design was photographed by George Martinez, who is working toward his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

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Rock of Ages Approximately 60 performers, including 45 from outside organizations, participated in the Barry University Interfaith Concert on March 20. The program featured a children’s Christian dance ensemble, a Christian dancer/performer/mime, a black gospel choir, a traditional Jewish cantor, a Catholic children’s choir, and Barry student dancers and singers. Co-sponsored by the Office of Mission and Ministry and the Department of Fine Arts, the concert attracted a capacity audience of more than 200 guests to the Cor Jesu Chapel.

“My inspiration came from the cumulative experiences I have had producing interfaith concerts on a much larger scale at Temple Israel of Greater and Miami, and in collaboration with Trinity Cathedral in downtown Miami,” said Associate Professor of Music Dr. Alan Mason, one of the co-directors of the program along with Dr. Giselle Rios, assistant professor of music, and Sister Mary Fran Fleischaker of the Office of Mission and Ministry.

Demma McDaniel of the Expression of Joy Dance Academy (top) and the Barry University Repertory Dance Ensemble perform before a capacity audience at the Cor Jesus Chapel on March 20.

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Fusion Fantastic

In April, the Department of Fine Arts presented FUSION-A Beautiful Blend of Style and Structure at the Broad Center for the Performing Arts. The showcase merged vocal/choral and instrumental music, as well as different genres of dance, and included current and former music/dance students, faculty and guests. The University’s orchestra-in-residence, the South Beach Chamber Ensemble, afforded the performers a solid musical frame as they embarked on masterpieces by composers such as Mozart, Haydn and Bach. Conducted

by Dr. Beverly Coulter, graduating senior Erica Williams (left) was featured in excerpts from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” (Die Zauberflöte) as the menacing Queen of the Night or Königin der Nacht. Frederic Bertino (below), another graduating senior, premiered his original composition, “Overture for the Human Spirit-The Shanti Mantras,” that united music students, faculty and guests, all under the baton of Italian visiting/guest conductor Pasquale Veleno.

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alumni profile

A ‘quick’ change

artist

From corporate America to a cabin in the mountains of North Carolina to the halls of the Vatican, the life of Malcolm Wolff ’77 has taken some fascinating twists and turns

By Richard A. Webster

I

t sounds like a pitch from a Hollywood screenwriter, one of those stories too fantastic to ever occur in ‘real’ life.

A man leaves his job as vice president of publishing at CBS after the new president sells off the division. Instead of seeking out a new job in corporate America, he chucks it all, ditches his comfortable life in Miami and moves to the mountains of North Carolina.

At 50 years old, he builds a cabin in Franklin, where he lives with his two dogs, chopping wood to feed his stove, the only source of heat.

Ten years later, on a whim, after hearing an advertisement on the radio, he enrolls in a class at the Atlanta College of Art, commuting 125 miles twice a week.

Even though he had never showed an aptitude for art (except for one time when he was 8 years old and carved an elephant out of a piece of soap with a butter knife), he exhibits a natural talent for sculpting and his instructor, touched by his skill and passion, arranges for him to travel to Orgiva, Spain, to study with some of the greatest European artists.

Illusion

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alumni profile

“Being in the wilderness and among the trees and animals, I learned to communicate with nature. I didn’t create any art, but I was already going through the internal process of becoming an artist.”

His talent flourishes, he shows his art, sculptures of nature and the human form, in museums across the country, and is accepted into a master class in art at the Florence Academy of Art in Italy.

He finds love and remarries.

The story culminates 26 years later with the man sitting in the presence of the Pope who requested he donate one of his sculptures to the Vatican’s historic art collection.

It sounds like a Hollywood fairy tale, but every word is true and the star of this movie is Barry alumnus Malcolm Wolff ’77, who moved to the mountains after resigning his job in 1985.

Wolff still finds it hard to believe the unexpected turns his life has taken, counting his meeting with the Pope as the strangest of them all.

“It was a wonderful experience and regardless of one’s faith you have to be moved by the majesty of it all,” Wolff says of his meeting with Pope Benedict XVI last year.

The audience with the Pope came about after a member of the Vatican saw Wolff ’s work in Florence. “After he thanked me, I thanked him and the Church for bringing such beautiful Renaissance art to the world.”

Wolff donated a bronze sculpture of an abstract human figure to the Vatican called Illusion. “From any angle the piece appears to be in perfect symmetry, but that fact is in itself an illusion,” he explains. “That inspiration and the faith that it requires to complete the picture in one’s own mind is very likely one of the reasons his Holy Father was so taken with this particular piece.”

Wolff said he never dreamed that somewhere inside of him there existed a talent that would one day catch the eye of the Pope; nor did he move to the mountains of North Carolina thinking it would spark some long dormant artistic spirit, but that’s exactly what happened.

“Being in the wilderness and among the trees and animals, I learned to communicate with nature,” says Wolff, who today lives

Malcolm Wolff puts the final touches on ‘Opus’ in an outdoor studio in Pietrasante, Italy. in Palm Coast, Fla., with Geri, his wife of 12 years. “I didn’t create any art, but I was already going through the internal process of becoming an artist.”

It wasn’t always as smooth a process as it sounds. During one of his first classes at the Atlanta College of Art, which he entered in 1995, Wolff was tasked with sculpting a “Rubinesque” model sitting before him.

When he finished, his teacher, Mustafah Dhada, told him it would make a great doorstop. Wolff said he wanted to cry. But Dhada didn’t give up on him.

“He took out a scarf piece, tied it over my eyes, and told me to recreate what I saw in my mind. I worked for the next 20 minutes and when I took the blindfold off, I looked at what I created and the hairs on my arm went up and I received chills. I said to myself, this is living proof of spirituality,” Wolff says.

Since that seminal moment, Wolff has shown his work in museums throughout the east coast and as far west as Utah. He has taught at the Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College and was the resident sculptor at the Asheville Art Museum.

Three months out of the year he teaches private masters courses in Florence, Italy.

“Malcolm is a very dedicated sculptor

who came to his work later in his life,” says Pamela Myers, executive director of the Asheville Art Museum. “He is committed to exploring both historical and contemporary sculpture and charting his own path.

People like Malcolm, who come to art later in life, have more discretionary time to explore passions that have lain dormant for a long time.”

Wolff ’s wife, Geri, knew him when he was working in the corporate world. Even then she saw in him a visual sensitivity and spiritual openness that would later foster the emergence of his artistic sensibility.

“Malcolm is somebody who continually reinvents himself,” she says. “This was yet another very interesting iteration of a man whose life had been to that point and continues to be an incredible journey.”

So what does the ‘star’ of a real life Hollywood fantasy do for his second act? How does he top an audience with the Pope?

Despite his age and his long list of accomplishments, Wolff says he has no intention of resting on past successes and looks forward to discovering more about himself and life through his art.

“Where do I go from here and what’s next? Sometimes one has to say, ‘Maybe that was it.’ But I cannot accept that.” n

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alumni news

Alumni Relations welcomes new team members

Left to right: Elizabeth Reed, assistant vice president for alumni relations, Ryan O’Donnell, coordinator for alumni relations, and Vanessa Garcia, director for alumni programs, are pictured in the Vivian A. Decker Alumni House.

T

he University is pleased to announce that three newcomers with almost 30 years experience in alumni relations and nonprofit fundraising have been brought on to lead the Office of Alumni Relations. Heading the team is Elizabeth Reed as the assistant vice president for alumni relations. Reed jumps into her new role at Barry with nearly a decade of experience in the field. Prior to accepting the position with the University, Reed was the alumni relations manager for Sanford-Brown College, where she oversaw the alumni populations from four campuses: Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Jacksonville and Atlanta.

In addition to conceiving and implementing a wide range of alumni events and activities for more than 20,000 SanfordBrown graduates, Reed also developed marketing, communications and social media plans for Sanford-Brown. Reed began her alumni relations career at her alma mater, Cornell University, where she was the associate director for Alumni Affairs and Development. Her responsibilities included managing alumni activities and supporting admissions and fundraising for more than 20,000 Cornell alumni living in the southeastern United States. Reed recruited, trained and managed more than 250 volun4 6

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teer leaders and increased alumni involvement in the southeast region by 26 percent.

In her spare time, Reed is president of Alpha Omicron Pi’s Fort Lauderdale Alumnae Chapter, a director at large for the Cornell Club of the Gold Coast and a volunteer and instructor for the Paw Hero Program, educating the children of Broward County about animal cruelty and neglect.

Vanessa Garcia, Barry’s new director for alumni programs, comes to the University with extensive alumni relations and fundraising experience. Most recently, she was the development manager for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra in Charlotte, NC, where she had a proven track record of cultivating and soliciting gifts, planning events, writing grants and developing relationships in the local community.

Prior to that, Garcia was the manager of alumni relations for the southeast region of Johnson & Wales University where she increased alumni membership and participation by 75 percent in her region. Garcia has served as a member of many organizations including the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Junior League, and Big Brothers and Big Sisters. She is a graduate of Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. Ryan O’Donnell, who graduated from Barry this past May with a Bachelor of

Science in sport management, was named the new coordinator for alumni relations.

O’Donnell, who also minored in business, with a specialization in the scuba diving industry, has been heavily involved in Barry the past few years.

As a student, O’Donnell worked in the Annual Fund as a phone-a-thon associate and was later promoted to senior phone-athon supervisor. In this role he supervised and trained fellow students in addition to soliciting gifts for Barry. O’Donnell was also one of only nine students selected to intern with Miami-Dade County Parks and Recreation, where he received training on all aspects of park operations including event planning, volunteer coordination, fundraising and grant writing. O’Donnell was also involved in extracurricular activities where he served as an alumni relations student ambassador, was awarded a Council for the Advancement and Support of Education scholarship, and was elected chapter president for Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.

The new staff members join veteran office manager Susan Lang, who has held that position for eight years.

For more information or to connect with a member of Barry’s Alumni Relations staff, phone 877-899-2586 or email alumni@mail. barry.edu.

alumni news

Office of Alumni Relations staff hosts events nationwide Barry alumni in various cities across the country have had a chance to meet members of the new Office of Alumni Relations team as the University’s Alumni Association has hosted numerous events the past few months. Elizabeth Reed, assistant vice president for alumni relations, and Vanessa Garcia, director for alumni programs, met alumni throughout Florida (in Orlando, Brevard County, Palm Beach County, and southwest Florida) and Washington, D.C., Atlanta, New York and Chicago.

The two attended each event and led discussions on developing regional alumni chapters, alumni activities and a variety of leadership opportunities that are available within respective alumni chapters. More than 75 alumni participated in the regional events.

“It was great to see so many new friendships being developed, and so many professional connections being made,” Reed said. “We want to bring Barry to our alumni, so select regional cities will also be hosting elections for chapter leadership positions beginning in August.”

Those interested in getting involved with regional alumni chapters or in planning an event in a city not listed above should contact Garcia at 305-899-3040 or email vgarcia@mail.barry.edu.

Marsha Kraft ’73 (left) and Barbara Seifert ’06 share Barry stories at a reception for the Orlando Barry Alumni Chapter at OLV Café in Orlando, Fla., on June 14.

Distinguished Alumni Awards

Celebrate Barry’s ‘finest’ at the 5th annual Distinguished Alumni Awards The Alumni Association will host its signature annual event, the Barry University Distinguished Alumni Awards, on Saturday, Nov. 12 from 6 to 10 p.m.

Created in 2007, the awards recognize alumni for their outstanding professional achievements, contributions to society, and support of the University and its mission.

Honorees will be announced in September before being officially celebrated at a reception and dinner in Miami.

Once again the event will feature the crowd-pleasing Barry Distinguished Chef competition, in which several of South Florida’s most talked about chefs whip up culinary creations with attendees voting for

their favorite. In addition to the reception, the event will also include a three-course dinner and wine pairing, featuring tributes to the Distinguished Alumni Award winners.

Last year’s event, held at the Weston Diplomat Resort in Hollywood in front of more than 200 guests, was hosted by Ingrid Hoffman of Food Network’s “Simply Delicioso.” Honorees were: Dr. Mary Elizabeth Crane, managing partner, Foot and Ankle Associates of North Texas, LLP; Alfredo J. Gonzalez, shareholder, Greenberg Traurig; Phillis Inez Oeters, vice president of Government & Community Relations, Baptist Health South Florida; Javier Polit,

chief information officer, The Coca Cola Company, Bottling Investments Group; and Gary John Spulak, president, Embraer Aircraft Holding, Inc. Sister Attracta Kelly, OP, was honored with the Distinguished Adrian Dominican Award.

Chef Fulvio Sardelli Jr., of Fulvio’s 1900, was named Barry University’s 2010 Distinguished Chef. Other participants of the chef ’s competition included those from Bulldog BBQ, The Miami City Club and the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa. For more information, or to reserve tickets, phone 305-899-3175 or email alumni@mail. barry.edu. Please note: A portion of all ticket sales will support Barry University scholarships.

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class notes

Col. Hank Malanowski ’82 retires from Marine Corps Col. Malanowski, an expert logistician who served in the Gulf War, retired from active duty from the Marine Corps with 28 years of service, and was awarded the Legion of Merit. He will reside in Lorton, Va. upon retirement and work in the supply chain organization for AT&T. Col. Malanowski graduated with a Bachelor of Science in economics and finance and has advanced degrees in systems and information management and strategic studies.

’71

Pamela Amoury Taylor is retiring from her position as social worker/ care manager and lives in England. She hopes to reconnect with folks who knew her from her years at Barry. Pamela’s email is pam_amy @hotmail.com if anyone would like to touch base with her.

’92

Brendan C. Francis was a recent participant in the Harvard Medical School Leadership Program. Dr. Francis has been elected to the Fellowship of the Linnean Society of London. The appointment to this prestigious post is the highest accolade that can be obtained in the field of biodiversity.

Barrett E. Mincey ’05 awarded Teacher of the Year Mincey was selected as Region VII Teacher of the Year (2012) of Miami-Dade County Public Schools and Teacher of the Year-District Finalist. His research in juvenile justice education, organizational change and community improvement and redevelopment led him to create an educational program, “Big Chief Productions,” and subsequently to write a grant titled, “The Big Chief Turnaround Program: a prevention mechanism for at-risk youth.” The turnaround program would be focused on providing a continuum of care that would embrace and empower at-risk youth.

Mincey is eager to contribute his expertise in juvenile justice education or in any capacity/agency that wishes to utilize him. His ultimate goal is to help his students become critical thinkers and develop analytical approaches that may be useful for researching and making contributions in the areas of social change.

Ira Gonzalez ’01, MBA ’05 joins Adams and Reese New Orleans office Gonzalez has joined the law firm of Adams and Reese as an associate in the firm’s New Orleans office as part of the Litigation Practice Team. He has experience in environmental, real estate, land use and zoning law.

He formerly served in a number of roles in Miami government, including as chief of operations for code enforcement, executive assistant to the city manager, assistant policy coordinator for the mayor, and law clerk for the Office of the city attorney. He is a former director of real estate development for an outdoor advertising firm, where he was a market manager and negotiated contracts with landlords, including Fortune 500 companies, for outdoor advertising contracts in major markets such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, New York and Miami. Gonzalez graduated from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law in 2010.

American Lawyer includes Adams and Reese on its distinguished list of the nation’s top law firms - “The Am Law 200.” The National Law Journal also includes the firm on the “NLJ 250” list of the nation’s largest law firms.

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class notes

’95

Jason Bulger has been living in Melbourne, Australia, since 2006. His first son, Macallan, who was born in Los Angeles, is turning 7 in August. He and his wife added another Bulger boy to the clan, Campbell, in January 2010.

Jason has heard of the changes made to the Barry campus and can’t wait to see them in person on his next trip back to South Florida.

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Christopher J. Weir earned an MBA from the University of Central Florida in May of 2010.

’03

Lorna Washington was promoted from a sales representative to a key account sales representative at the News-Press Media Group in Fort Myers, Fla.

’09

Weiselande Cesar has written a new book, “The Colors We Feel,” which advocates connecting with one’s emotions in order to lead a healthier life and to better understand others. Ms. Cesar is a professional dancer and a special education teacher for Miami Dade County Public Schools. She is also the CEO of Tradisyon Lakou Lakay, a Miamibased nonprofit that she founded in 2001 to promote Haitian culture, dance and arts. Noted for her dedication to children, she was named Teacher of the Year in 2009 by Toussaint L’Ouverture Elementary School.

The Class of 1961 is ‘Golden’

Members of the Class of 1961 are pictured at the Vivian A. Decker Alumni House in front of the Barry College 1961 official class banner featuring their patron saint, Joan of Arc. Front row, left to right: Rose Marie Curtis, Martha Saconchik-Ryel, Roberta Shivik, Mary Newell Jackson and Jessie Branco Thrashef. Back row, left to right: Alice Brightbill, Kathleen Cashman, Ana Garcia Miranda, Loretta Matus Foy, Carol Ann DeMarco DiNonno.

’10

Marisa Rae Cochrane was recently hired as an associate attorney at Kramer Law Firm in Altamonte Springs, Fla. • Nicole Bosman has spent five years in the theatre department and is now the resident stage manager of a professional theater company, The Alliance Theatre Lab, based in Miami Lakes, Fla. She describes it as her “dream job.”

In Memoriam: Barbara George Carroll ’62 Ellen R. Markowitz ’92 Elizabeth (Betty) Meredith ’57 Patricia Bower ’08

Barry College Class of 1961 celebrated its 50-year class reunion March 25-27. Eleven members of the class, plus several spouses and guests were in attendance for the festivities-packed weekend. On Friday afternoon, the group received a “Back to the Classroom” experience, complete with campus tours, a visit to a special exhibit in the archives, and a lecture from Dr. Jesus Mendez, associate professor of history and political science. Saturday’s agenda included a guided tour of the senior exhibition at the Andy Gato Gallery led by Sommer Wood ’11, one of the student-artists whose work was on display. The tour was followed by a wine and cheese reception at the Vivian A. Decker Alumni House and dinner at a lively Miami restaurant, “Dolores, but you can call me Lolita.”

On Sunday, Barry University President Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD, presented Golden Shield Medals to the newest members of the Torch and Shield Society at the Golden Shield Champagne Brunch, the weekend’s signature event.

The Class of 1962 is planning its 50-year reunion for Feb. 10-12, 2012. In 2013, we will be expanding the reunion to include those celebrating their 5-, 25- and 50-year reunions and are looking for a representative from the classes of 2008, 1988 and 1963 to assist with the planning. For more information or to volunteer, contact alumni@mail.barry.edu or 305-899-3175.

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Campus Life Incoming students Dejuanae Claxton (left) and Taisha Oscar receive a warm welcome from Barry University’s mascot, Bucky, during a meet-and-greet ice cream social June 22 at the Fine Arts Quadrangle.

Barry University students show their support for Earth Day by modeling eco-friendly clothing brands and products during a ‘Sweatshop-Free Fashion Show’ April 5 on the Thompson Hall Plaza.

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COVENANT SOCIETY As an English professor and scholar, Dr. Kate Gartner Frost ’62 touched the lives of countless students and colleagues.

In the classroom she was renowned for her dynamic intellect, irreverent wit, and unwavering commitment to her students. As a longtime friend and colleague recalls, “Kate pulsated with a Rabelaisian joie de vivre and sent gales of laughter gusting across the room.”

Dr. Frost is shown here with one of her students, Arlen Nydam, at his graduation from the University of Texas at Austin in May 2010.

As a member of the Covenant Society, Dr. Frost’s legacy will continue to have a positive effect on the lives of young people for generations to come – some of whom may chose to follow in her footsteps as educators, scholars and lovers of ‘all things Donne.’

“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent.”

– John Donne Dr. Frost would have celebrated her 50-year reunion in 2012 and been inducted into the Torch and Shield Society. Her presence will be deeply missed by her fellow members of the Class of 1962.

By including Barry University in your estate plan, you can make a gift to the University without affecting your present income and secure a significant tax deduction for your estate — all while supporting the school or program of your choice.

To become a member of the Covenant Society, contact Victoria Champion, director of major and planned gifts, at 305-899-4063 or vchampion@mail.barry.edu.

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ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

11300 NE Second Avenue Miami Shores, FL 33161-6695 www.barry.edu

11858-BUmag3-14:I give ad

7/29/11

11:24 AM

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID MIAMI, FL PERMIT NO. 794

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Help provide Barry students with outstanding educational opportunities!

“My choice to attend Barry University was due to the high quality academics, an atmosphere of acceptance and outstanding academic support services, especially for students with learning disabilities. Barry has empowered me to push myself further than I ever thought possible.”

–Alexandria Whittaker BA Public relations, Class of 2011

Your gift to the Annual Fund helps Barry provide scholarships and academic support for students like Alexandria so they can achieve their fullest potential.

Give online today at www.barry.edu/giving For more contact Joe Lahoud, interim director, Annual Fund, 305-899-3170 or jlahoud@mail.barry.edu 5 2 | information, f a l l 2 0 1please 1