organizations,” said Gautier. “The Lady Lions basketball team is always there at opening ceremonies, cheering on the athletes. “ He said the Greek organizations are also heavily involved in Olympic Town, a fair-like experience the athletes enjoy between competitions. Special Olympics CEO and President Pat Carpenter Bourgeois said Southeastern has been a valuable partner, and not just in hosting the summer games. “We depend greatly on Southeastern,” she said. “We use students from a number of areas who intern here or work as volunteers, such as accounting and marketing students to help manage the operation. We use the sports management students in helping to run the games. We give the students lots of opportunities, so they’re not just doing mundane tasks but are involved in meaningful ways. It works well: they gain the experience needed to find jobs, we get the benefits of their work and expertise. “The athletes and coaches love Southeastern,” she added. “It has a nice community atmosphere and home environment, and Southeastern bends over backwards to accommodate us in every way.”
A 5 a.m.
Day in the Life
Begin day with a run with my Great Dane Oberon, followed by a healthy breakfast of organic cereal. “All those endorphins coursing through my body prepare me for a great day.” Prepares for work and begins her short commute from Mandeville to Southeastern in her Prius.
7:30 a.m.
Arrives at D Vickers Hall on the Southeastern campus. Starts up her computer and tackles the myriad of e-mails received overnight from students and others, prioritizing them according to urgency. “I check the ones from my Romantic Relationships telecourse, since I don’t actually see those students; their emergency questions may need to be answered immediately.” Reviews lecture notes for morning class.
29
8 a.m.
Teach class in Organizational Communication Theory. “The favorite part of my day. The students are so interesting and fun.”
9:15 a.m.
Brief discussions with individual class members regarding assignments, etc.
9:30 a.m.
Dr. Suzette Plaisance Bryan,
Teach class in Communication Theories and Research
10:45 a.m.
Brief discussions with individual class members regarding assignments, etc.
11 a.m.
Office hours. Meet with students who have appointments or drop in. Respond to inquiries from organizations that have requested her for presentations. On the schedule are presentations for the East St. Tammany Business Women’s Network, the Positive Action Group, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. “Some of these may involve a PowerPoint presentation, development of handouts and other materials.” Class prep begins and includes reviewing and revising lecture notes, determining how to supplement lectures, and working on ancillary materials such as handouts or PowerPoint presentations.
Southeastern Louisiana University – Nine Universities Strong