Barry University
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Barry University is a Catholic university, which was founded in 1940 in Miami Shores, Florida, a suburb northeast of Miami, Florida. Barry is well known for its business, nursing, health sciences, teacher education, and liberal arts programs. It currently has more than 9,300 students, a faculty of 871 and 39,922 alumni. Student to faculty ratio is 14:1.[link]
History
Beginnings
Barry University began as a result of by Patrick Barry's (Bishop of St. Augustine, FL) and Mother M. Gerald Barry's (Prioress General of the Dominican Sisters of Adrian[link]) dream of establishing an intitution of higher education, one in which students, throught the Adrian Sister's mission of being "the change" one "wishes to see", would become catalysts for positive change.[link]
The construction of Barry college began in 1940 in what had previously been "a tract of tropical vegetation"[link] in Miami Shores, FL. Soon the empty lot was transformed into the campus of Barry College.
Barry University was initially a women's Catholic college. Since Barry's inception, the faculty and administration at Barry have worked diligently in fostering high "quality educational programs"[link] as well as caring environment aimed at helping students reach their full academic and spiritual potential. Barry College became Barry University on November 13, 1981.
"Barry University has had five Adrian Dominican Sisters serve as president since its inception: Mother M. Gerald Barry, 1940-1961; Mother M. Genevieve Weber,1962-1963; Sister M. Dorothy Browne,1963- 1974; Sister M. Trinita Flood, 1974-1981; Sister Jeanne O'Laughlin, 1981 to 2004; and Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD, 2004-present".[link]
Cor Jesu Chapel
The Cor Jesu Chapel is "the spiritual and physical heart of the campus."[link]
The Cor Jesu Chapel was financed with the generous aid of Margaret Brady Farrell, a parishioner of St. Patrick's Church in Miami Beach.
The story behind the construction of the Cor Jesu Chapel speaks of the generosity of the local community and of the spirit of the Catholic faith. Soon after discovering that the construction of the Cor Jesu was postponed due to insufficient funds, Mrs. Farrel donated all the funds need for completetion the chapel's construction. Thanks to Margaret Brady Farrell's generosity, the construction of the Cor Jesu resumed as scheduled.
The Cor Jesu holds a chalice decorated with Margaret Brady Farrell's personal jewels. The chalice was given to Barry University shortly after Mrs. Farrell's death. In honor of Mrs. Farrell, the Division of Business and Finance building was dedicated in her name as "Farrel House."[link]
"As the Miami Herald described the new college on Sunday, September 15, 1940, 'Forming the central motif for the campus is the chapel, named Cor Jesu (Heart of Jesus),...Topped by an 80 foot tower holding carillon chimes, the chapel will seat 500 persons and will be equipped with a pipe organ and marble altar...Arranged around the double royal palm fringed driveway which leads to the chapel from the entrance on Second Avenue, the college buildings are airy and spacious, marked by a liberal use of glass'."[link]
Traces of Romanesque architecture can be seen in the inside of the chapel which "was built in choir style with wood wainscoting and a canopy over the altar."[link] A stained glass window of amber color, containing the image of a Celtic cross, is visible from the main entrance of the campus.
The Cor Jesu Chapel is widely recognized by the local community as a symbol for Barry University.
Facilities
Barry University's main campus is located in Miami Shores, FL. While the main campus is in Miami Shores, Barry University offers several continuing adult education classes at other locations. Barry University also has a second campus in Orlando, FL which houses the school of law.
The Miami Shores campus houses an array of over forty buildings and continues to expand. These buildings house state of the art technology, "as well as indoor and outdoor sporting facilities."[link] "The tropical beauty of the campus, its excellent educational facilities, and the ideal South Florida climate combine to create an atmosphere conducive to learning and to continued personal development."[link]
While the Cor Jesu Chapel is the spiritual and physical center of Barry University, the intellectual heart of Barry is the Monsignor William Barry Memorial Library. "The mission of the Monsignor William Barry Memorial Library is to provide services and resources to Barry students, faculty, staff and administrators in support of quality education within a caring environment."[link]
"The library includes more than 710,000 items, including 2,600 periodical titles, 5,000 audiovisual items, and 150 electronic databases. A significant strength is the excellent Catholic American collection".[link]
The Monsignor William Barry Memorial Library also contains a collection of documents pertaining to Operation Pedro Pan.[link]
Expansion
While Barry University is recognized as primarily a liberal arts college, the university has expanded its programs of study to include specialized programs in nursing, teacher education, medical technology, and social work.
"The needs of the local community led Barry to begin graduate programs for men and women in 1954, a continuing education program in 1974, a school of business in 1976, a division of biological and biomedical sciences in 1983, and a school of pediatric medicine in the Fall of 1985."[link]
In 1999, Barry established a School of Law in Orlando, FL.
Academics
Barry University "offers more than 60 traditional undergraduate programs, accelerated bachelor's programs designed specifically for working adults, and more than 50 graduate programs (many of these with evening/weekend classes)"[link]in 9 schools. Student to faculty ratio is 14:1.[link]
- [School of Adult and Continuing Education]
- [School of Arts and Sciences]
- [School of Business]
- [School of Education]
- [School of Human Performance and Leisure Sciences]
- [School of Law]
- [School of Natural and Health Sciences]
- [School of Nursing]
- [School of Social Work]
Barry University's Mission
Barry's mission is as follows:[link]
- Quality Education
- Religious Dimension
- Community Service
- Caring Environment
- "Embrace the intellectual life through study, research and reflection as a means to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and to the refinement of the human spirit."[link]
- "Understand the value of seeking a personal response to the presence of God in their lives."[link]
- "Reflect on the fundamental questions of human experience and study the responses to these questions proposed by the liberal arts and sciences."[link]
- "Pursue continued spiritual, intellectual, physical, and professional growth and development."[link]
- "Demonstrate concern for all individuals in an atmosphere where Gospel values prevail, where people care for and about one another, where diversity is embraced, where individuals are nourished."[link]
- "Assume responsibility in religious, social, economic, environmental, and political affairs as a means of effecting needed change in the Dominican tradition of activist justice."[link]
Athletics
Barry University became a member of the Sunshine State Conference (SCC) in June 1988.
"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 volleyball."[link]
"Sunshine State Conference teams have won NCAA Division II national championships in baseball, men’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, volleyball, and men’s and women’s tennis. SSC teams are also nationally recognized in rowing."[link]
Furthermore the athletics department at Barry University follows the university's mission in "acknowledges the presence of God through wholesome and clean competition, comradeship among participants, good sportsmanship, and equality of opportunity exclusive of one's sex, race, or religious affiliation. A caring environment is provided by assuring the academic, physical, and emotional well-being of our student-athletes through the leadership provided by a well-qualified teaching/professional staff, academic support services, comprehensive health care and coverage, and safe playing and practice conditions."[link]
Activities
Barry has many student organizations, fraternities and sororities, and honor societies, including student government.
"The Barry Buccaneer is the student newspaper, ranging from 8-16 pages and published at the first of every month starting in September and ending with May. The Buccaneer serves as a laboratory for the journalism minors. All work, including writing, editing, advertising and design, is completed by students."[link]
WBRY is Barry University's student run campus radio station and is broadcast on 1640 AM. Student DJs play "all kinds of music, from hip hop to classic rock, classical to inner city blues."[link] Other programming includes sports shows, talk shows, and daily news.[link]
Recognition
"In its 2005 Edition of America's Best Colleges, U.S. News & World Report ranked the academic quality of Barry University as one of the strongest in South Florida. Barry maintained its position in the second tier of master’s-granting universities in the South."[link]
"For the six years in a row, U.S. News and World Report 2006 Best Colleges Edition ranked Barry as number one for campus diversity among schools of our size in the South. Students are drawn from 49 states and 80 countries."[link]
References
External Links
- [Barry University]
- [Virtual Tour of Barry]
- [Barry Quickfacts]
- [Adrian Dominican Sisters]
- [Atheletic's Website]
- [BUCWIS Network]
- [WBRY Online]
- [Catholic Online]
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