Sister Linda Bevilacqua to Be Inducted into the Diocese of Brooklyn Hall of Fame

October 10, 2012, Brooklyn, New York – Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, PhD, President of Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida, is being inducted into the Diocese of Brooklyn Inaugural Hall of Fame on October 10.
 
“I am utterly amazed at this honor, but very pleased to represent our congregation and Barry University,” Sister Linda said.

The inaugural inductees include a range of individuals from public officials, such as former U.S. Senator Alfonse Marcello D’Amato (R-NY), Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York, and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to businessman Donald Trump and director Martin Scorcese to noted entertainers Mary Tyler Moore, Tony Danza, Jimmy Smits, and Cyndi Lauper, among others. Sister Linda is the only woman religious among the Hall of Fame’s first inductees, who will gather at a private reception on Wednesday evening with Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn.

Sister Linda’s roots are in the Diocese of Brooklyn. She was born on Long Island, New York, and attended St. Thomas the Apostle School in Woodhaven, Long Island, where she was taught by the Amityville Dominican Sisters. She then went on to attend schools in Jamaica Estates in Queens: Immaculate Conception School, an elementary school; and the Mary Louis Academy, a high school. Both were staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, Long Island. 

When her family moved to Miami, Florida, Sister Linda studied elementary education at Barry College (now University), founded and sponsored by the Adrian Dominican Sisters. She entered the Adrian Dominican Congregation in 1962 after receiving her bachelor’s degree in elementary education. 

Sister Linda taught first grade for five years, then earned her master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Siena Heights College (now University) in Adrian, Michigan. She then returned to Barry in1969 as assistant dean of students. She was the dean of student affairs by the time she left Barry in 1978 to earn her doctorate in higher education administration and leadership from Michigan State University. She again returned to Barry where, as the first dean of the School of Adult and Continuing Education, she was instrumental in developing degree programs for adults.

After serving a term as administrator on the General Council of the Adrian Dominican Sisters from 1986 to 1992, Sister Linda became President of Gwynedd-Mercy College in Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania, where she oversaw the construction of four buildings and helped to raise $10 million.

She returned to Barry University as President in 2004 and has proven to be a leader at her alma mater, in the Miami community, and in the professional circles of higher education.