Alumni / About Us / Alumni Awards / Alumna or Alumnus of the Year Award
Alumnus of the Year
Celebrating our Alumni leaders
This award recognizes a graduate who has achieved a significant accomplishment in the previous 18 months, thus reflecting honor upon the College of Charleston.
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2024 Alumnus of the Year
Canyon Barry ’16
Canyon Barry ’16 is an accomplished Systems Engineer at L3 Harris Technologies in Melbourne, FL, and represented the USA in Paris on the 2024 Olympic Team in 3×3 Men’s Basketball. A summa cum laude graduate of the College of Charleston Honors College, he earned his BS in physics in 2016 with a perfect 4.0 GPA, while simultaneously excelling as a member of the Men’s Basketball team.
Originally from Colorado Springs, CO, Mr. Barry played three standout seasons for the College, leading the team in scoring his junior year. He earned a spot on the 2014 CAA All-Rookie Team and received numerous accolades, including the CAA Winter Sports Scholar-Athlete Award and CoSIDA Academic All-American honors. His achievements extended beyond the court, as he was awarded the prestigious John Lewis Gervais, Jr. Award for academic excellence.
After graduating from the College, Mr. Barry transferred to the University of Florida to pursue a master’s degree in nuclear engineering and used his final year of collegiate eligibility to help the Gators reach the NCAA Elite Eight in 2017. He set school records for consecutive free throws made (42) and most 20-point games off the bench in a single season, earning the title of Southeastern Conference Sixth Man of the Year.
Mr. Barry’s professional basketball career has been equally remarkable, with international stints in China, Finland, and the Czech Republic, alongside playing for the Iowa Wolves of the NBA G-League. His prowess in Team USA 3×3 basketball has led to multiple gold medals, including the 2019 3×3 World Cup and consecutive AmeriCups, where he earned MVP honors in 2022. He was a key player in winning the 2023 3×3 Men’s Pan American Games gold medal and the 2023 FIBA 3×3 World Cup silver medal.
Beyond his professional and athletic achievements, Mr. Barry enjoys golf, pickleball, surfing, yoga, and playing the violin and guitar.
Alumna or Alumnus of the Year Past Recipients
| 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2022 2023 |
George C. Rogers, Jr. ’43 * Julius Burges ’35 * Patricia Carter ’37 * Richard H. Gadsden ’50 * Louise Mosimann Smith ’41 * Robert C. Heffron, Jr. ’67 * H. Biemann Othersen, Jr. ’50 Glenn F. McConnell ’69 Troy Cook ’57 * Bette Smith Griffith ’56 * Linda Schwartz Lombard ’64 Charles V. Boykin ’37 * Benjamin H. Cheek ’46 * Jeanne Campbell Sink ’75 Helen Bradham Furnans ’63 Lu Parker ’90 Edgar V. McKnight ’53 Cheryll Novak Woods-Flowers ’81 Jody L. Stallings ’92 Dave J. Schlachter ’72 Margaret E. Bridges ’69 Laura Jenkins Thompson ’77 Mary Eileen Leonard ’45 * Paul A. Sandifer ’68 Stephanie Schwabe ’90 John C. Lovell, III ’90 Chandra Fripp Vick ’74 Jeffery E. Kinard ’77 Ron J. Menchaca ’98 Callie Shell ’83 Lucy Garrett Beckham ’70 * Kellie N. Bentz ‘04 John E. Alessi ’98 Padgett Powell ’74 Cary Ann Hearst ’01 Nafees Bin Zafar ’98 Joni Harvey McLeod ’82 Evan Linder ’04 Quentin E. Baxter ’98 Heidi VanDerveer ’86 Debra J. Gammons ’87 Ranky Tanky Margaret Mungin Patterson ’87 Tracey Swinton Bailey ’95 Scott Foxhall ’94 Jennie Stephens ’89 |
* Deceased