Barry University

Barry University is a private Catholic university in Miami Shores, Florida, United States. Founded in 1940 by the Adrian Dominican Sisters,

The university offers more than 100 degree programs, from bachelors to doctorate, in six schools and two colleges. Barry University has almost 7,000 students, a campus of 54 buildings, a branch campus in Tallahassee, a law school in Orlando, and 50,000 alumni.

History

Beginnings

Barry College was founded as a women's college by a pair of siblings: Patrick Barry, Bishop of St. Augustine, and his sister, Mary Gerald Barry, OP, then prioress of the Adrian Dominican Sisters. The construction of what was then the Barry College for Women began in 1940, in what had previously been "a tract of tropical vegetation". The empty lot was soon transformed into the main campus in Miami Shores, Florida. The original campus consisted of five buildings. Mother Barry served as president from 1940 to 1961. 1940–61; M. Genevieve Weber, 1962–63; M. Dorothy Browne, 1963–74; M. Trinita Flood, 1974–81; Jeanne O'Laughlin, 1981–2004; and Linda Bevilacqua, 2004–2019. Mike Allen began his tenure as the seventh president of Barry University on July 1, 2019. He is the first man and lay person to lead Barry University since its founding in 1940. The motherhouse of the sisters is in Adrian, Michigan. It was financed with the aid of Margaret Brady Farrell, a parishioner of St. Patrick's Church in Miami Beach. Soon after discovering that the construction of the Cor Jesu was postponed due to insufficient funds, Farrell donated all the funds needed for completion the chapel's construction. In her honor, the Division of Business and Finance building was dedicated as "Farrell House". The chapel is topped by an tower holding carillon chimes. It seats 500 persons. Barry University has a campus in Orlando containing the Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law.

There are more than 40 buildings at the Miami Shores campus. These contain technology laboratories and indoor and outdoor sporting facilities. The library also contains a collection of documents pertaining to Operation Pedro Pan.

Academics

Barry University offers more than 50 traditional undergraduate programs, accelerated bachelor's programs designed specifically for working adults, and more than 40 graduate programs (many of these with evening/weekend classes) in 9 schools. As of 2019, student to faculty ratio was 12:1.

Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law (Orlando)
College of Health Professions and Medical Sciences
Barry University School of Podiatric Medicine
School of Professional and Career Education
School of Social Work

Branch campus

Rankings

Forbes 2015 ranking listed Barry University 615th on their list of America's Top Colleges. In 2022-23, Barry University was ranked #331-440 in the National Universities category by U.S. News & World Report.

Student activities

Athletics

Barry University became a member of the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) in June 1988 and a member of NCAA Division II since 1984. The Buccaneers have won 16 NCAA Division II national championships (women's soccer 1989, 1992, 1993; volleyball 1995, 2001, 2004; men's golf 2007, 2013, 2014; men's tennis 2010, 2013, 2015; women's tennis 2011, 2014 and rowing 2015, 2016) and 65 SSC titles. The Bucs have produced 309 All-Americans and 361 Scholar All-Americans.

The SSC sponsors championships in 14 sports for men and women: baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, rowing, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis, and women's volleyball.

Multiple alumni of Barry's baseball team have gone on to play Major League Baseball, including pitcher Henry Owens, catcher Yan Gomes, pitcher Tyler Kinley, and second baseman Alex De Goti. MLB pitcher Josh James also briefly attended Barry before transferring to Western Oklahoma State College.

Student organizations

thumb|right|Landon Student Union

Barry University has more than 60 student organizations, two fraternities and one sorority, honor societies, and a student government.

Student media

The Barry Buccaneer is the student newspaper, ranging from 8 to 16 pages, and is published at the first of every month starting in September and ending in May. The Buccaneer serves as a laboratory for journalism minors. All work, including writing, editing, advertising and design, is completed by students.

WBUJ, 99.5 FM, is Barry University's student-run campus radio station. Sponsored by Barry's Department of Communications, WBUJ provides students the opportunity to gain knowledge of radio-industry practices and standards, hands-on technical skills, and marketable on-air experience. Student DJs cover a wide range of music genres, from hip hop and classic rock to classical music and blues. Other programming includes sports shows, talk shows, and daily news. The sacraments of the Catholic Church are administered in accordance with the guidelines of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami.

Notable alumni