Pony Profiles
Name: Marilynn “Birdie” Barr
Title: Associate Director, Wellness
Hometown: Denton, Texas
Number of years at SMU: 25
Favorite thing at SMU: My students (present & past)!!
Your Most Embarrassing Moment: While an undergraduate at North Texas State (now the University of North Texas), I was a member of the track team. Our team was participating in a HUGE meet where we were all competing to see who would go on to Nationals. I was the first leg of the sprint relay. The starter had given us the command to “take our blocks”. All of us were settled in our blocks and waiting for the command “set”. Now this was in the day BEFORE jog bras were invented! I am in my block and feel a sudden “release”! My bra had come unsnapped! The gun went off … and so did I … and so did my bra! I was rounding the corner, and the strap on the side that I was holding the baton starting slipping down my arm past my elbow! I could not even move that arm! I am coming up on my teammate to pass the baton … she is laughing so hard, which made me start laughing, that she did not take off … which is good because I could not raise my arm to give her the baton! She just waited until I got to her and just took the baton from me laughing all the way! Needless to say, we did not go to Nationals that year!
Favorite Movie: “Tuesdays with Morrie”
Favorite Book: Tuesdays with Morrie … If there was a required text book for my class, this would be the one! Doesn’t get any better than this one!
Favorite Food: A cheeseburger from Whataburger and onion rings (Yes, I’m a wellness instructor!)
One piece of advice for SMU students: Be true to yourself, maintain your own beliefs in the face of others, AND be patient with yourself and find that quiet place where your heart can speak to you. It knows what you want, and if you will listen to it, you’ll find the way.
Name three people you would like to have to dinner: My mother, father and my brother … just one more time.
Horoscope sign: Sagittarius
Fondest childhood memory: Being on my grandfather’s farm and playing in my secret meadow.
Dream Car: I would love to have my green 1965 VW back!!
Dream job: I’m doing it!
Favorite drink: Hazelnut Cream coffee with heavy cream (yes I’m a wellness instructor!)
Pets and their names: I have eight four-leggeds! They all found me except one! Four cats: Goober, Gabby, Montana, and Jordon. Four dogs: Tucker, Ruben, Calie, Arthur! All mutts except Calie and Arthur. They are yellow labs.
Favorite athlete: Mia Hamm … A great example of character and integrity.
Favorite quote: “Oppression makes a child of God feel as he/she is not a child of God” Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Favorite city: New York City
Person who has influenced you the most: Peter Gifford
Three items you could not live without: Coffee maker, microwave, alarm clock
Birthday: Nov.27, 1952 — My mother never let me forget that I spoiled her Thanksgiving dinner!
Game show you would like to participate in: “Wheel of Fortune”
Title: Red Shirt Senior
Hometown: El Paso, Texas
Number of years at SMU: Four
Favorite thing about SMU: All the down-to-earth people that are laid back and friendly !
Favorite Movie: “Rocky 4” and “Kill Bill”
Favorite Book: A Purpose Driven Life
Favorite Athlete: Brian Dawkins.
Favorite Food: SAMOAN food. Anything from bacon, canadian bacon, pork chops, ham and Chipolte Burritos with pork.
One piece of advice for SMU students: Know your limitations because knowing what you can or cannot do is half the battle.
Name three people you would like to have dinner with: Colin Powell, Donovan McNabb and Snoop Dogg.
Hobbies: Working out, listening to music, going to the movies, solitude and traveling.
Horoscope sign: Aquarius
Favorite song: “Prince of Peace”
Favorite quote: It’s from a coach I had as a child: “People are successful because they do the things that the unsuccessful people are not willing to do.”
Person who has influenced you the most: My mother.
Favorite athletic team: The Philadelphia Eagles
Dream job: Head football coach at a Texas high school.
Game show you would like to participate in: I would like to be on the Most Extreme Elimination Challenge, it looks like fun.
Favorite drink: Pineapple and Malibu!
Favorite city: Los Angeles
Dream vacation: Going to American Samoa with my family
Three items you could not live without: a brush, computer, and Bible.
Pets and their names: A Shih Tzu named Gita.
Greatest achievement to date: Making it to my fourth year in college — academically and athletically.
One thing you would change about SMU: Build new apartments on Binkley for the students.
Each Wednesday, The Daily Campus will feature two faculty, staff or students in Pony Profiles. If you would like to suggest anyone to be featured in Pony Profiles, please e-mail their name and contact information to [email protected].
Pony Profiles
