Saint Louis University Alumni Start Crowdfunding Campaign to Honor Gary Wayne Barker
The far-reaching impact that late professor Gary Wayne Barker (1963-2026) had on Saint Louis University students in the theatre and dance program will continue to be realized, thanks to a group of alumni who have launched a crowdfunding campaign in his memory.
Saint Louis University’s crowdfunding platform makes it easy for stakeholders to be involved in fundraising for a specific project by inviting their peers to support the cause, said Kate Brennan, director of annual giving.
“I wanted to start this fund for all the current students who just lost an amazing teacher, and for those in the future who will continue to be affected by the donations that ensure his legacy will live on in the department,” said Paris McCarthy (A&S ’08).
Barker was also McCarthy’s advisor. He taught her to be a multifaceted theatre artist and to always enter the rehearsal room with curiosity and a spirit of helping where she could, she said. His open-door policy was popular with his students, who often stopped by his office for advice, she added.
A longtime professor of theatre and associate dean for administration and undergraduate affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences, Barker’s teaching style, leadership, expertise and connections to his students earned him accolades on campus and beyond. He served as associate director of the University Undergraduate Core: Eloquentia Perfecta (Oral and Visual Communication), and among other accolades, earned SLU’s Chauncey E. Finch Award for Excellence in Mentoring.
Over almost 25 years at SLU, he taught classes in acting, auditioning, period styles and movement for the stage. As a St. Louis actor and director, he was nominated in 2005 for the Kevin Kline Award for outstanding supporting actor in a play. In 2020, he won the St. Louis Theater Circle Award for outstanding actor in a drama. Barker died on Feb. 4, 2026.
Contributions to the campaign will enhance SLU’s theatre and dance program and can be made online at crowdfunding.slu.edu through June 30.