MIKE ALLEN
PRESIDENT, BARRY UNIVERSITY, MIAMI
When Allen took the helm of Barry University in 2019, he made history as the first man to lead the Catholic university. All six of his predecessors were nuns. Before joining Barry, Allen served for six years as vice president for student affairs at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and eight years as the school’s associate vice president and director of athletics. Under his leadership, Barry has grown freshman enrollment, landed on U.S. News & World Report’s list of Best Colleges for Social Mobility in 2022 and earned recognition in 2021 as one of America’s Top Colleges by Forbes.
EDUCATION: Trinity College-Hartford (BS), University of Connecticut (MS, Ph.D.)
FIRST JOB: Sealing driveways and running my own lawn mowing business. My first role in higher education was as an academic counselor for student-athletes at the University of Connecticut.
SOMETHING SURPRISING: For several decades, I held the single-game scoring record for my high school basketball team — 45 points. We may or may not have lost that game, but who can remember such details.
HOBBY: I enjoy reading historical biographies of all kinds.
NONPROFIT PASSION: The Robert Renick Educational Center, a public school in Miami-Dade County for exceptional students, holds a special place in my heart. It’s where my daughter Maya attends, and for many years I’ve witnessed firsthand the unparalleled and tireless dedication of their teachers and staff. Their talents, patience and commitment, day after day, in loving support of the children at the school, is extraordinary.
INDUSTRY TREND: The infusion of technology into all aspects of education is reshaping higher education, creating a need to evolve our academic offerings across disciplines. Barry’s recent launch of our new AI Center focuses on infusing tech and AI into everything that we teach.
