Meet Barry Bradberry '75, one of the many great people who make Elon a special place.
By Jennifer Proto ’13
On any given day, Barry Bradberry ’75 can be spotted walking through campus in full suit and tie taking photos. It’s a habit the associate dean of admissions and financial planning has developed during his 38 years at Elon.
Bradberry’s journey to Elon and admissions traces back to his high school days in Virginia Beach, Va. There, he was encouraged to apply to Elon by the school’s principal, the late Jeff Davis ’50, and vice
principal, Shirley Roundtree. He followed their advice, becoming the first person in his family to attend college. Soon after graduation, he joined Elon’s Office of Admissions as a counselor, where he started mentoring promising high school students.
A car enthusiast with a good eye for detail, Bradberry says he enjoys connecting with guidance counselors, students and families and seeking out the “human potential” of future Elon students. He also loves seeing how students grow under the oaks and beyond and makes it a point to stay in touch with them long after graduation.
Mike Robinson ’81 and Scott Stevenson ’82 are good examples of Bradberry’s commitment to others.
“Not only did Barry recruit me, but when I showed up on campus, he was always following up—going out of his way—showing vested interest in my well-being,” Stevenson says.
Bradberry’s dedication made a lasting impact on Robinson as well. “Barry probably had the most profound effect on my life other than my mom,” he says. “[And] he looks exactly like he did in 1982, which isn’t fair by the way!”
Though his title and responsibilities have changed with time, Bradberry is as passionate today about his job, particularly with the people he meets.
“I give everybody a journal, old school,” he says, “… and there are people—it’ll be 20 some years ago—that will send me pages out of their journals: ‘I was here. I was traveling. I got homesick. I didn’t talk to any students, but Barry, I got a phone call from you saying that it’s going to be OK.’”
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