Barry University, like other institutions around the globe, has had to take unprecedented steps because of the COVID-19 pandemic to balance our educational mission with the duty to protect the health and well-being of our entire community. Over the past several weeks, the faculty and staff of the College of Arts and Sciences have made valiant efforts to maintain the integrity of the curriculum and our authentic engagement with students, while addressing the public health demand for remote teaching, and other forms of physical distancing.
The global pandemic has made even more visible the challenges that many of our students face routinely. They are balancing complicated school, family, and work responsibilities, which now means helping educate their own children or younger siblings, dealing with loss of income, and completing coursework remotely. Our faculty and staff are being creative and resourceful to respond to our students’ needs. However, many students are facing circumstances that could easily jeopardize their ability to remain in college. Contributions to the Barry University Opportunity Fund from donors like you will ensure that our students can continue to receive a first-rate, mission-centered education. Your support can make the difference between a student who becomes overwhelmed by these challenging times and one who is able to persist, continue to build their self-efficacy, and take full advantage of all the opportunities Barry offers. You may also designate this Opportunity Fund gift for any specific Arts & Sciences program.
If you are able to make an annual contribution of $2,500 per year for four years, you can create a Barry University Opportunity Scholarship, which will go directly to a student in need. The material impact of this funding is obvious. However, receiving scholarship support also symbolizes how much the University values the presence and contribution of each student. This commitment is crucial to the success of our many first-generation and underserved students. You may designate an Opportunity Scholarship for any specific program in the College of Arts & Sciences.
We welcome any gifts that can assist us with enhancing and enriching the educational experience for students. All programs in the College offer an array of experiential learning opportunities for students. A donation of $25, $50, or $100 can help us cover stage costumes for our theatre majors, lab-based research projects for our STEM students, and travel expenses to conferences and internship sites for students in most majors.
The strength and the compassion of our Barry community is always apparent, but even more so when we come together to care for our students and each other. Your assistance is vital to the continued success of our College.
Thank you for all that you do to support Barry University.
Best wishes,
Dr. Karen Callaghan
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences