Sherry Bryan
Sherry Bryan is Professor Emerita of Architecture. Before retiring in 2020 with over 36 years teaching at the UofM, Sherry served as Director of Architecture and Director of Graduate Studies in Architecture and held many committee assignments and other roles within the department, college, and university.
In addition to her teaching and administrative duties, Sherry served as faculty advisor (with Professor Michael Hagge) to the UofM chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS). Under her leadership, AIA Memphis received the first Outstanding AIA Component Honor Award from the national chapter of AIAS in recognition of their partnership with the Department of Architecture and the UofM AIAS chapter. During her tenure, Sherry was a leader in the move of the Architecture Program from the College of Engineering to the College of Communication and Fine Arts, the establishment of a NAAB-accredited professional Master of Architecture degree, the creation of the highly-popular dual major in Architecture and Interior Architecture program, and the creation of several scholarships and awards for Architecture students.
Sherry holds a professional Master of Architecture degree from Virginia Tech. She also holds a MS (Architecture) degree and a BSEd degree from the University of Memphis. Sherry was awarded a two-year professional development fellowship to study at Virginia Tech including working in the Basel (Switzerland) Studio.
Among the many awards Sherry has received over her career, she is most proud of the Francis Gassner Award from AIA Memphis (co-recipient with Professor Michael Hagge), the Tau Sigma Delta Architecture Honor Society Silver Medal for her contributions to architectural education from the TSD Kappa Alpha Chapter, and the UofM Excellence in Advising award. She is also the first person to be honored by the UofM as Professor Emeritus in the Department of Architecture. In 2012, the centennial of the UofM, Sherry was recognized in the "100 Years, 100 Women" celebration honoring 100 women who made a significant difference to the University of Memphis. She was also co-recipient with Michael Hagge of the United Nations International Year of Shelter Merit Award for work in fair and affordable housing, and the National Winner of the Partnership for Fair and Affordable Housing Award from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In 2021, the Professor Sherry Bryan-Hagge Endowed Scholarship was established to honor Sherry and her legacy at the UofM. The scholarship is awarded annually to a student in the professional Master of Architecture degree program at the UofM.