Bayard Sharp is a longtime friend of the University of Delaware who provided funding for the renovation and restoration of the historic St. Thomas Episcopal Church. As a result, the University Board of Trustees renamed the building Bayard Sharp Hall.
Sharp is the son of H. Rodney Sharp, Sr., and Isabella duPont Sharp. He is a 1936 graduate of the University of Virginia. His father, a member of the University of Delawarešs Class of 1900, served on the UD Board of Trustees and was a tireless benefactor who helped transform the institution.
Sharp, proprietor of Sharp Farm, is a well-known thoroughbred horse breeder and racer. He is trustee emeritus of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. His son-in-law, William S. Farish III, and daughter, Sarah Farish, are also important figures in the horse racing industry and own Lanešs End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky.
Like his father, Sharp has been an active benefactor, providing support for a number of institutions including the University of Delaware, the University of Virginia, and Winterthuršs Historic Houses of Odessa.