By Fred Sgambati (’83)

Resilience amid grief, service above self. Fundamental qualities that reflect Acadia’s motto, In Pulvere Vinces.

There are few people in Acadia’s alumni community who have confronted personally devastating circumstances and debilitating heartbreak with as much grace, humility and determination and were able to turn it into service for our university as this year’s Acadia Alumni Isaac Chipman Award for Excellence in Alumni Service recipient, Barry Taylor (’80).

Barry came to Acadia in 1975 as a kind and caring human being who had an appreciation for his classmates, colleagues and peers. He settled into campus life comfortably, made friends easily, and personified the Acadia spirit. He was involved and engaged, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration before heading to the United States to establish a management career in the video game market.

Later, with young daughter Sydney in tow, Barry moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia and created Crossridge Construction, now headquartered in Chester, building million-dollar homes on Nova Scotia’s south shore. He also served three terms on the Associated Alumni of Acadia University Board, attended myriad Acadia events and shared his affection for the University with everyone he met. Small wonder that when it was time for Sydney to choose a post-secondary school, Barry naturally recommended Acadia.

A strong and independent soul herself, though, Sydney was determined to make her own way in the world and initially looked elsewhere. But after meeting then University President and Vice-Chancellor Ray Ivany, Sydney was convinced that Acadia was the right choice for her, and she had four very successful years on campus, completing a political science and sociology program with honours. No one was prouder than Barry to see his only daughter soak up everything that Acadia and the local community had to offer. Tragically, just as Sydney was planning for the next steps in her life, she passed away at the age of 21 while on her grad class trip in May 2013.

It is impossible to gauge the impact of such a loss, and even more difficult to imagine how to process it, but Barry somehow managed to embrace the pain and grief, seek the light, and immediately began a journey to honour Sydney’s memory. This resilience was on display two weeks after her death, where Barry was present at University Hall during that year’s convocation ceremonies to personally accept his daughter’s diploma.

He invited Sydney’s many friends, all of whom were still reeling from the loss, to celebrate her memory with music and song at his Chester home, and has done so every year. He launched Sydstock, a musical celebration that became a staple during subsequent Homecoming Weekends, raising funds to create the Sydney Taylor ’13 Memorial Award, given to a returning student(s) in the Faculty of Arts who has enriched campus life as an active Acadia citizen through academic, on- or off-campus leadership or activities. Barry also worked with the Politics Department and the Acadia Politics Student Association to develop the Sydney Taylor Memorial Lecture, which brings a notable scholar/leader to campus each year.

He has honoured Sydney’s memory faithfully and done so in a manner that has strengthened the University and made each member of the Acadia family better.

“It is a privilege to announce Barry Taylor as this year’s Acadia Alumni Isaac Chipman Award for Excellence in Alumni Service recipient,” says Acadia Alumni Association President Matthew Rios (’14). “I was a student in 2013 and counted Sydney as a close friend. Her infectious spirit, energy and affection for music, family, friends and Acadia left a lasting impression on all who knew her, and Barry’s tireless efforts to communicate those magical qualities of hers to members of our community have been inspirational to me and successive generations of students and alumni alike. Sydney was brilliant, charismatic and quite frankly larger than life, and Barry’s heroic efforts to keep her beautiful memory alive and benefit Acadia and its students at the same time are laudable and impressive. I am humbled and honoured to acknowledge him as the 2022 Acadia Alumni Isaac Chipman Award for Excellence in Alumni Service recipient.”

The award will be presented to Barry at our Holiday Reception on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at McInnes Cooper, Purdy’s Wharf, 1969 Water Street in Halifax.

To learn more about the Sydney Taylor Memorial Lecture, please click HERE.

To donate to the Sydney Taylor ’13 Memorial Award, click HERE.