Editor's Letter
In November, Barry University hosted its first-ever Distinguished Alumni Awards, honoring 10 alumni, one from each of Barry’s academic schools, for their career achievement, community service and commitment to the University. The event coincided perfectly with our theme for the spring issue of Barry Magazine, a tribute to Barry alumni who protect and serve.
When planning the issue, we were initially struck by the number of alumni who have made significant contributions in the field of law and law enforcement, such as David Sherman ’91, supervisor of the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Cyber Crimes Unit, who was named 2006 Prosecutor of Distinction by the Miami-Dade County Association of Chiefs of Police, and Hollywood Police Chief Chad Wagner ’91, who is running his nearly 600-person department and working for more community policing in the face of a growing crime wave in South Florida and around the country.
And then there are those like alumna Susan Jeter ’04, the first female commander of the Brevard County Jail, who is working to break the cycle of repeat offenders by introducing innovative programs into the prison, such as Paws and Stripes, which pairs inmates with shelter dogs, giving the dogs a second chance at life and the inmates a chance to bond with an animal and gain skills in dog handling and training. As the director for the 11th Circuit Guardian Ad Litem Program, Joni Goodman ’77 has not only devoted her life to giving abused and neglected children a voice in court, she has amassed an entire ‘army’ of volunteers, government officials, and other advocates who are “moving mountains of bureaucracy” to help South Florida’s most vulnerable children.
Whether on the ‘virtual’ front lines fighting cyber crime; or in the prison system working for ‘one less’ repeat offender; or in the courts climbing mountains of bureaucracy for kids, these Barry alumni truly protect and serve. We hope you are as absorbed by their stories and as inspired by their achievements as we were while putting this issue together.
Paige Stein
Editor |
