Campus Traditions

Baccalaureate Mass - is celebrated prior to the Commencement exercises to ask God’s blessing on the graduates and their families.

Winter and Spring Chorale Concerts - are Barry’s gift in music and song to the Miami community in December and April.

Commencement - takes place in May, and December of each academic year.

Founder’s Day - ordinarily celebrated November 15 (Bishop Patrick Barry’s birthday), marks the traditional tribute to the four founders. A special program is planned and always includes the celebration of the Eucharist to invoke God’s continued blessing on the university.

Honors Convocation - is held the day before commencement to honor students who have achieved high academic standing or who have been elected to campus and/or national honor societies. The event is sponsored by the university’s Honors Committee.

Mass of the Holy Spirit - is celebrated for the university community during the first week of Fall classes to pray for God’s blessing and protection on the new academic year and the members of the Barry family.

New Student Investiture - is the official welcoming ceremony for new students to Barry University. Held during the fall orientation, the New Student Investiture is an inter-faith ceremony which highlights the religious dimension of Barry University and commemorates the opening chapter of college life at Barry for the entering class. New students and their families are the honored guests at this ceremony.

StART - is a two-day program designed to introduce you to life at Barry and serve as a major component to the university's student transitional support efforts. Through the StART program's informational sessions, placement and challenge testing, meetings and receptions, you'll become acquainted with the Barry University community. New students will have an opportunity to explore our academic facilities and university housing, meet with representatives from academic school and register for fall semester classes. New students also discover the rich variety of activities and programs available at Barry University. StART also offers an important opportunity for new students and their families to meet faculty and staff and to learn firsthand about the philosophy of education that will guide their undergraduate at Barry University.

Orientation - serves as the second major component in the university's transitional support efforts for new students. Mandatory for all new students, Orientation focuses on cultural, spiritual and social orientation to Barry University. Orientation is collection of programs and activities facilitated by undergraduate student leaders called the Orientation Team. The Orientation Teams facilitates numerous small group gatherings which provide a give-and-take pattern of learning and establishing new relationships among new students and their peers.

Freshman and new students are also encouraged to enroll in the continuing orientation course (ORI 100) during the Fall semester. This course provides an opportunity for on-going support and friendship for the new student.

Rose and Candle Ceremony - is one of the oldest traditional student activities at commencement. The ceremony attempts to symbolize in word and song the deep bonds of friendships that have developed between seniors and underclassmen. Seniors give a candle, symbol of knowledge and wisdom, to an underclassman of their choice and receive, in return, a red rose, symbol of love and friendship.