Fast Facts:

• Number of Years at LA: 42
• Current Role: Social Studies Teacher
  Previous Roles:
  Social Studies Department Chair, Led both the 8-Period Day Committee and 9-Period Day Committee
• LA Legacy: Mike and his wife Ann (Zebold) Barry LdM '79 are parents of four Loyola graduates (Timothy '06, Patrick '10, Sean '13, MacKenzie '22)
• Hometown/Current Town: Skokie
• Education: Loyola University Chicago (BA Political Science, MA Political Science, Focus on American Government)

What is one thing people might not know about you? 

For many years once I started to work at Loyola I had a part-time job at Crafty Beaver Lumber Yard. I had worked there through college and continued for my first 20 years or so while working at Loyola. One of the fun things I learned there was to drive a forklift. It was fun to do in the summer because it was a job that was a complete change from what I was doing during the school year. 

Aside from the curriculum, what do you hope students learn from being in your class? 

I want students to learn that the world around them is diverse and complicated. We have a certain way we do things in the United States and, like in many countries, we believe our way of doing things is the best. In the political science classes I try to teach about other countries and how they do things different from the US. The UK has a Parliament. Mexico has a one term presidency. Iran has a theocracy. That doesn’t make them better or worse than us, just different. Understanding those differences can lead to better relationships. 

What makes Loyola Academy a special place? 

I earned my degrees in Political Science. My intention was to run political campaigns and work in politics. I think I would have enjoyed that, but I took education classes as a “fall back” in case politics didn’t work out. I still get my political fix since I teach political science to a couple of sections every year. 

If not currently in your role, what do you think you'd be doing instead? 

I earned my degrees in Political Science. My intention was to run political campaigns and work in politics. I think I would have enjoyed that, but I took education classes as a “fall back” in case politics didn’t work out. I still get my political fix since I teach political science to a couple of sections every year. 

What advice do you have for students today? 

I think the best advice I can give students is to take responsibility for your actions. If you do something well, take credit for a job well done. If you struggle at something, own it and understand that you need to grow in that area. If you do that you will be able to see yourself getting better and have a sense of accomplishment. Others will respect you both for your successes and for your growth. 

What Loyola moment will you never forget? 

I was teaching on the morning of September 11, 2001. One of the teachers came into my class and said turn on the television, there is something going on in New York. As a class we watched the day develop. The first group had left class before the second plane hit the second tower. There were lots of questions since we did not know at the time what was going on. As the day progressed and unfolded in a very scary way, there were lots of questions, but not many answers at that point. It was clear the world was changing for the United States and some things would never be the same. 

What do you like to do in your spare time? 

I enjoy working around the house. My family and I have redone our basement and we are in the process of replacing most of the first floor windows. I have painted exterior doors, put in a new tile backsplash in the kitchen, and a handful of other projects. I enjoy doing it because you can see the results, but I would never want to do that for a living. 

Over the course of your time at Loyola, what has changed? 

Since I started in the fall of 1981, I have served under six different school presidents and seven different school headmasters/principals. We have added the west gym, the math and english corridors were added when we went co-ed in 1994. That was maybe the biggest change. We have also redone the swimming pool and added a new theater. The addition of the west campus gave Loyola athletes a wonderful venue to compete in. My oldest son was on the first baseball team that played at the west campus. 

Over the course of your time at Loyola, what has stayed the same? 

I think, as long as I have been here, Loyola has always provided students the opportunity to be their best selves. Academically, students at all levels are challenged to push themselves to be the best they can be. There are clubs that provide students with outlets that allow them to follow their interests with others that enjoy the same thing. Athletes are provided with teams that are competitive and help them develop their skills, enough to possibly play at the next level. Loyola also provides students the opportunity, through retreats, to figure out what they believe and to understand how important the other people in their lives really are. The focus has always been on the students since I have been here and that has never changed.