Thank you for that great article about the migrant workers. I would like to inform you that the Division of Nursing has also been involved with the migrant families in the Florida City/Homestead area for the past five years. I have around 30 Baptist-Cohort RN to BSN nurses every year in the community health class completing clinical every Friday in the spring semester at all six RCMA camps. They assess the 500-plus children in the child day care centers and educate them on hand washing and basic hygiene. The students found that many children had skin rashes from pesticide residue on their parents’ clothing. They also found errors in the height and weight charts of the children, which classified many children as obese when they were not. The students also do presentations for the day care staff on seizures, elevated temperatures and Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements. The students also stay late in the day and give basic health education and screenings for the parents when they come to pick up the children after working the fields. The students all had positive feedback and outcomes from the families and the center’s staff regarding their rotations. We are proud that we can offer some health assistance for those who have limited resources.

Gene Majka, MS, ARNP
Assistant Professor
Division of Nursing

The Pals-4-Paws Barry University Cat and Kitten Initiative (BUCKI) Project was very proud to be written up in the spring issue. Pals-4-Paws is a student-run organization that is not supported financially by the university. We are only able to exist by fundraising and donations such as the ones we received from several alumni after the article came out. Thank you for your contribution and caring. Regrettably, no information was given in the article concerning donations despite my emphasizing that at the time of interview. Checks must be made out to Pals-4-Paws as we maintain our own bank account as is required of every student club.

I am leaving Barry, but the project I founded with two pre-vet students more than five years ago is very dear to my heart and it was not an easy decision to leave. The students have vowed to continue the project, but they need help. They will have the strong support of our No. 1 fan Sandy Southmayd, alumni board member and huge animal (and Barry) lover. Without Sandy’s unwavering support the BUCKI Project would not be here today. But as with any worthwhile endeavor, help is always needed, any help the Barry University community can provide for the continuation of the BUCKI Project will be greatly and deeply appreciated. I have met so many members of the Barry community through working on and at the project’s animal rescue and adoption activities, and I want to thank everyone who has ever helped us and hope you will continue to help us to do our calling in the future.

Dr. Paul Higgs
Former Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Faculty Advisor Pals-4-Paws

Note: Dr. Higgs accepted a position at the University of Tennessee at Martin, which began in the fall of 2007.

To say we shall miss Paul and his heartfelt commitment to the BUCKI Project goes beyond words. There are a few rare souls who pass a stray dog or cat and understand that if they do not stop to help it, no one will. Paul is one of them – in spades. Due to his leadership, countless animals have found safe and happy homes, and our “Barry” cats are tended to daily and bring much joy to our campus community.

Although it is easy to get discouraged in the face of a never-ending tide of abandoned, abused and neglected animals, seeing just one dog or cat taken off the street and placed in a caring, safe environment is unbelievably rewarding.

With that in mind, we hope to continue Paul’s work. However, in order to ensure that the BUCKI Project continues to thrive in his absence, Paul’s request for continued contributions in the form of funds and donated food cannot be overstated. We need the help of a caring Barry community if more of Miami Shores’ homeless pets are to find a happy ending, including someone who may be interested in taking over as faculty advisor for Pals-4-Paws (the BUCKI Project) in light of Paul’s departure.

More details regarding the logistics and operation of the project will be available shortly. In the mean time, God bless you, Paul. Cheers!

Sandy Southmayd ’63

Thank you for the great article on Barry’s NCAA “Woman of the Year finalists.” We’re very proud of their accomplishments and of all the student-athletes who have participated the past 23 years.

Barry’s intercollegiate athletic program is well-rounded with great accomplishments from both our men’s and women’s teams – on the playing fields, on the court, on the water, and more importantly, in the classroom.

The Bucs have crowned seven national champions, three each in women’s soccer and volleyball, and the latest in men’s golf this past spring. We have 160 All-Americans in 13 different sports in 23 years of athletics competition. We have made 99 NCAA Tournament appearances in 12 sports, including 51 trips to the NCAA final round.

The Bucs have 34 Sunshine State Conference titles in 11 different sports and have captured six SSC Mayor’s Cups, including the SSC Mayor’s Cup (Men’s division) for the first time in 2006-07.

Academically, the Bucs set classroom records for term GPA and cumulative GPA for all athletes in 2006-2007 as well as the percentage of student-athletes above 3.0 for both the term and cumulatively in the fall semester of 2006.

Of the Bucs’ 184 student-athletes, 66.8 percent compiled a term GPA of 3.0 or higher, topping the previous record of 63.4 set in the fall of 1998.

The term GPA for all teams was 3.233 -- making it the first time that the Bucs have topped the 3.2 mark. Women’s golf led the way for all teams with a term GPA of 3.636. Men’s tennis was first among the men’s team with a term mark of 3.445.

The cumulative GPA was 3.229, with 10 of 12 teams topping 3.0. Women’s tennis was the top squad at 3.573, while the men’s tennis team led the men at 3.329.

For the second straight semester, the Bucs set new marks for percentage over 3.0, with 65.2 percent of the 184 student-athletes carrying a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, beating the mark of 62.3 percent set in spring 2006.

As you see, the Barry University community -- faculty, coaches, staff, parents, alumni and friends of the program -- have many reasons to be proud.

Michael L. Covone
Director of Athletics