Owen ’06, Mother Establish Scholarship for JLC Students

(Photo: Alumnus Blake Owen '06 (pictured, right) and his mother, Glenda Owen (left), with University President Richard Dunsworth, recently established The Barry S. Owen Endowed Scholarship to support students in the Jones Learning Center.)

University of the Ozarks alumnus Blake Owen '06 and his mother, Glenda Owen, have established an endowed scholarship at the University in memory of Blake's father, a lifelong educator who devoted his career to helping students succeed.

The Barry S. Owen Endowed Scholarship, created in February, will support students in the University's Jones Learning Center (JLC), a nationally recognized program that serves students with documented learning disabilities, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD), or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who have average or above-average intellectual abilities.

Barry S. Owen was a U.S. Navy veteran and longtime educator and school administrator in Memphis. He began his career as a football and track coach as well as a geography and history teacher at his alma mater, Humes High School. He later served as an assistant principal at Kingsbury and Wooddale before becoming principal of Bellevue Middle School.

Owen went on to lead Central High School for 15 years before continuing his educational leadership in DeSoto County, Mississippi, where he served as both assistant principal and principal, culminating his career as principal of Olive Branch High School. Later in life, he also served as a behavior consultant for at-risk youth.

Blake Owen said his father's philosophy of education centered on relationships and ensuring that every student felt safe, supported and valued.

"My dad dedicated his life to education and believed deeply that every student deserved someone in their corner who believed in them," Blake Owen said. "Creating this scholarship is a way for our family to honor his legacy and the values he lived by every day - supporting students, building relationships, and making sure no one falls through the cracks. We hope it helps students in the Jones Learning Center pursue their goals with the same encouragement and support that meant so much to both my father and to me."

Blake Owen utilized the services of the JLC while earning his degree in history from Ozarks in 2006. He currently serves as a middle school special education teacher for the Memphis-Shelby County School District in Memphis.

Barry and Glenda Owen were married on Feb. 14, 1981, and were together for 44 years before Barry died on Feb. 13, 2025, at the age of 84 following a brief battle with esophageal cancer.

Glenda said Barry was a man of boundless warmth and humor who never met a stranger.

"Blake often joked that if you had ears, Barry would talk to you," Glenda said. "From cheering on his children and grandchildren at games, cracking a dad joke, or asking where you went to high school, Barry had a way of making everyone feel special. His legacy is one of kindness, dedication, and an unwavering belief in the power of relationships. Though he may no longer walk among us, his impact on the lives he touched will endure for generations to come."

Blake Owen, who was named the University's Outstanding Student in history in 2004, said he flourished at Ozarks thanks in large part to the support he received through the JLC and from his academic support coordinator, Debbie Williams '81, who died in 2017.

"The Jones Learning Center changed the trajectory of my life, and Debbie Williams was a huge part of that," Owen said. "She believed in me at a time when I needed it most and helped me see what was possible. Establishing this scholarship is a way to honor both Debbie and my dad - two educators who devoted their lives to helping students succeed. If this scholarship can help even one student find the confidence and support that I did at Ozarks, then it will mean the world to our family."

For information on establishing a scholarship at University of the Ozarks to honor or memorialize a loved one, please contact the Office of Advancement at 479-979-1234.

Topics: Giving