Getting Personal

We asked President Allen to tell us more about what his life is like outside the big job.

What are your picks for binge-worthy television?

What are your picks for binge-worthy television?
We love Schitt’s Creek. We liked Ozark—it’s a little dark, but certainly a lot of fun. But a great watch is a documentary called, The Way I See It. It focuses on the personal photographer for both the Reagans and the Obamas during their administrations. Two very different ideological presidents. I’d recommend everybody watch it, wherever your political allegiances lie. It was a very emotional, moving documentary.

What keeps you up at night?

We have an 18-year-old daughter, Maya, who has an intellectual and developmental disability. She’s the love of our life, she’s amazing, but she is a terrible sleeper. She literally keeps me up at night. From a work standpoint, it’s probably the unknowns that are out there right now. These existential threats keep popping up, whether they be a health crisis or a financial crisis. These are things that we can’t control, but can have dramatic impacts on our students and their families.

What gives you joy?

People. I really mean that. This is an around-the-clock job, but it’s not work. Obviously there are parts of it that feel like work and require work-type thinking, work-type interactions. But this job is about being around people. I enjoy meeting new people, and that’s what’s been so wonderful about being Barry’s president. I get the chance to meet so many incredible alums and so many people around the country and around the world who love our university.

Sign in to use the pins