A Review of Scholarship and Creative Activity
2024-25
Prepared
by
the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost of the College
Centenary College Division of Academic Affairs
DR. KAREN SOUL, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost of the College
DR. JESSICA ALEXANDER, Associate Provost
MS. LAURON CALLAWAY, Assistant to the Provost
MS. ROBIN LOGAN, Associate Provost for Institutional Research and Strategic Planning
DR. CORY WIKAN, Associate Provost
FACULTY
DR. JESSICA ALEXANDER, Associate Professor of Psychology and Associate Provost of the College, Bill and Sarah James Eminent Scholars Endowed Chair of Psychology
DR. MOHAMMAD ALI, Assistant Professor of Economics, Edwin Charles Harbuck Board of Regents Endowed Professor in Economics
DR. ANDIA AUGUSTIN-BILLY, Associate Professor of French and Francophone Studies, William C. Arceneaux Board of Regents Endowed Professor in Tribute to Sgt. Robin V. Fell
DR. RUDRAJIT BANERJEE, Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Physics
DR. MATTHEW BLASI, Assistant Professor of English, Dr. Ann Brewster Dobie & Mr. C. Walter Dobie Board of Regents Endowed Professor of English
DR. KATHERINE BRANDL, Associate Professor of Mathematics, John E. Goode, Jr. Eminent Scholars Distinguished Professor of Mathematics and the Irene Wright Math Department Endowed Professor
MR. CHRIS BROWN, Director of the Centenary College and UMC of Louisiana Archives and Instructor, Board of Regents Professor
DR. PRIYANKA CHAKRABORTY, Assistant Professor of Economics, Crawford Family Centennial Eminent Scholars Endowed Professor of Business
MR. JOSHUA CHAMBERS, Assistant Professor of Studio Art, Board of Regents Endowed Professor in the Humanities
DR. SCOTT CHIRHART, Dean of the School of Health Sciences and Professor of Biology, Mary Warters Endowed Professorial Chair of Biology
DR. CHRISTOPHER CIOCCHETTI, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Charles T. Beaird Chair Endowed Chair of Philosophy
DR. BARBARA DAVIS, William J. Atkins Dean of the Frost School of Business & Professor of Accounting and Finance, Samuel Guy Sample Endowed Chair of Business Administration
DR. RYAN DOHERTY, Assistant Professor of French, Board of Regents Endowed Professor in the Humanities
DR. AMANDA DONAHOE, Associate Professor of Political Science, J. Hugh Watson Board of Regents Endowed Professor
DR. JAMES EAKIN, Associate Professor of Music, Spencer & Virginia Elizabeth Doyle Hardy Board of Regents Endowed Professor
DR. ELLYN EVANS, Assistant Professor of Biology, Board of Regents Endowed Professor in the Natural Sciences
DR. CHAD FULWIDER, Professor of History, Arthur and Emily Webb Eminent Scholars Endowed Chair of International Studies
Division of Academic Affairs
MR. MICHAEL FUTREAL, Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology, Board of Regents Endowed Professor in the Social Sciences
DR. MICHELLE GLAROS, Professor of Art, R.Z. Biedenharn Eminent Scholars Chair of Communication
DR. GAY GROSZ, Visiting Assistant Professor of Music, Board of Regents Endowed Professor in the Humanities
DR. JAMA GROVE, Assistant Professor of History, Ken & Wanda Curry Board of Regents Endowed Professor
DR. AMY HAMMOND, Associate Professor of Psychology, Board of Regents Endowed Professor in the Social Sciences
MS. JESSICA HAWKINS, Associate Professor of Communication, Robert Ewing, Jr. and John H. Hendrick, Jr. Eminent Scholars Distinguished Professor of Communication
DR. JEFF HENDRICKS, Professor of English, George A. Wilson Eminent Scholars Endowed Chair of American Literature
DR. DAVID HOBSON, Director of Choral Activities and Lecturer, A.C. “Cheesy” Voran Choir Director Eminent Scholars Endowed Professor
DR. CHRISTOPHER L. HOLOMAN, President of the College and Professor of Political Science, Centenary Endowed Professor of Leadership
MS. TAYLOR JEANS, Lecturer in Kinesiology
DR. RACHEL JOHNSON, Director for the Center of Teaching and Learning and Lecturer, Centenary Endowed Professor of Leadership
DR. TERRIE JOHNSON, Assistant Professor of Education, Centenary Endowed Professorship of Leadership
DR. LISA JOHNSON, Assistant Professor of Accounting, Board of Regents Endowed Professor in the Social Sciences
DR. BELLEE JONES-PIERCE, Assistant Professor of English and Director of First Year Program, O. Delton Harrison Board of Regents Endowed Professor in Humanities
DR. DAVID KORDAHL, Assistant Professor of Physics, Gus S. Wortham Endowed Professorial Chair of Engineering and Liberal Arts
DR. DANIEL KRYWARUCZENKO, Assistant Professor of Sport Management, Atkins Family Centennial Eminent Scholars Endowed Professor of Business
DR. JOSHUA LAWRENCE, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Albert Sklar Eminent Scholars Endowed Chair of Chemistry
DR. JOHN LINSTROM, Assistant Professor of English, Mattie Allen Broyles Inaugural Year Eminent Scholars Endowed Chair
DR. MAE MacINTIRE, Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology, Board of Regents Endowed Professor in the Social Sciences
DR. CHRISTINE MARTIN, Assistant Professor of English, Delores Threlkeld Harbuck Board of Regents Endowed Professor in English
MR. THOMAS MORAN, Visiting Assistant Professor of Accounting
MR. PATRICK MORGAN, Library Director and Lecturer, Ilona Dones Board of Regents Endowed Professor in Library Administration
DR. MAUREEN MUROV, Associate Professor of Spanish, Board of Regents Endowed Professor in the Humanities
DR. REBECCA MURPHY, Professor of Biology, Mary Amelia Douglas-Whited Eminent Scholars Endowed Chair of Neurobiology
DR. LATOYA PIERCE, Associate Vice President for Innovative Learning and Inclusive Excellence and Associate Professor of Psychology
DR. DEWAN RAHMAN, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, John B. & Minnie Sue Entrikin Board of Regents Endowed Professor
DR. JAMES REID, Associate Professor of Mathematics, John E. Goode Eminent Scholars Distinguished Professor of Mathematics
DR. JARRET RICHARDSON, Associate Professor of Neuroscience, Board of Regents Endowed Professor in the Natural Sciences
DR. TODD RINDER, Visiting Assistant Professor of Kinesiology
DR. KYRA RIETVELD, Assistant Professor of Art History, George D. Nelson, Sr. Board of Regents Endowed Professorship
MR. LOGAN SLEDGE, Associate Professor of Theatre, Rea J. Fox Memorial Board of Regents Endowed Professorship
DR. BRIANA SOSENHEIMER, Assistant Professor of Music, Board of Regents Endowed Professor in the Humanities
DR. KAREN SOUL, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, and Professor of Education, Crawford Eminent Scholars Endowed Chair of Liberal Arts
DR. THOMAS TICICH, Professor of Chemistry, Velma Davis Grayson Eminent Scholars Endowed Chair of Chemistry
DR. GEORGE TILLER, Assistant Professor of Biology, Board of Regents Endowed Professor in the Natural Sciences
DR. JOAN TUREK, Visiting Assistant Professor of Education, Board of Regents Endowed Professor in Social Sciences
DR. SCOTT VETTER, Professor of Geology, Allen Harvey Broyles Eminent Scholars Endowed Chair of Science Education and the William C. Woolf Endowed Professorial Chair of Geology
DR. KATHRINE WEEKS, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Cornelius D. & Florence Gillard Keen Endowed Professor in Natural Science
DR. CORY WIKAN, Dean of the Hurley School of Music and Associate Professor of Music, Associate Provost of the College, Ed E. and Gladys Hurley Endowed Chair of Music
MS. KENNEDY WILCHER, Assistant Professor of Theatre, Board of Regents Endowed Professor in Humanities
DR. MICHELLE WOLKOMIR, Professor of Sociology, Tracie Whitehurst Woods Board of Regents Endowed Professor
MS. CHRISTY WRENN, Director of Library Services and Instructor, Joanna G. Magale Board of Regents Endowed Professor in the Sciences
DR. PETER ZUNICK, Associate Professor of Psychology, Board of Regents Endowed Professor in the Social Sciences
Division of Academic Affairs
STAFF
MS. JODI BENNETT, Adminstrative Assistant to the Education Department
MR. ALAN BERRY, Theater Technical Director
MR. CHRIS BROWN, Director of the Centenary College and UMC of Louisiana Archives and Instructor
MS. DEBBIE BURY, Director of Career Development and Internships
MS. AMANDA CURRIE, Associate Registrar
MS. ASHLEY DEHART, Coordinator for Academic Support and Disability Services
DR. RACHEL JOHNSON, Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning and Lecturer
MS. ALISSA KLAUS, Director of the Meadows Museum of Art
MR. ALI MONTAZERIGHAHJAVERESTANI, Director of the Hurley Music Library
MR. PATRICK MORGAN, Library Director and Lecturer
MR. KEVIN PORTER, Student Success Coordinator
DR. LALITA ROGERS, Registrar
MS. KRISTIN SORENSEN, Meadows Collections Manager
MR. KEN CHAN, Administrative Assistant to Dean of Hurley School of Music and Theatre Department Assistant
MS. CATHERINE WALSH, Director of Global Engagement
MS. SALLI WHITE, Administrative Assistant to the Dean of the Frost School of Business and Director of the Center for Family Owned Business
MS. KAT WILLIAMSON, Metadata and Resource Sharing Librarian
MS. CHRISTY WRENN, Director of Library Operations and Instructor
Academic Departments
Art and Visual Culture
Biology
Frost School of Business
Chemistry
Communication
Education
English ........................................................................................
Languages and Culture
Geology
School of Health Sciences
History & Political Science
Kinesiology
Mathematics
Hurley School of Music
Philosophy
Neuroscience ............................................................................
Physics
Psychology
Religious Studies
Sociology
Theatre
Professor Jessica Hawkins, Chair
Dr. Jarret Richardson, Chair
Dr. Barbara Davis, Dean
Dr. Kathrine Weeks, Chair
Dr. Michelle Glaros, Chair
Dr. Terrie Johnson, Chair
Dr. Jefferson Hendricks, Chair
Dr. Maureen Murov, Chair
Dr. Scott Vetter, Chair
Dr. Scott Chirhart, Dean
Dr. Amanda Donahoe, Chair
Dr. Scott Chirhart, Chair
Dr. Katherine Brandl, Chair
Dr. Cory Wikan, Dean
Dr. Christopher Ciocchetti, Chair
Dr. Jarret Richardson, Chair
Dr. David Kordahl, Chair
Dr. Jessica Alexander, Chair
Dr. Chris Ciocchetti, Interim Chair
Dr. Michelle Wolkomir, Chair
Professor Logan Sledge, Chair
Faculty Advisors to Student Organizations
Alan’s Hot Tub
Professor Logan Sledge, Associate Professor of Theatre
Alpha Chi Honor Society
Professor Jessica Hawkins, Associate Professor of Communication
Alpha Epsilon Delta
Dr. Scott Chirhart, Dean of the School of Health Sciences, Professor of Biology
Beta Beta Beta (Tri Beta)
Dr. Rebecca Murphy, Professor of Biology
Centenary Film Society
Dr. Jefferson Hendricks, Professor of English
Chemistry Club
Dr. Thomas Ticich, Professor of Chemistry
Disabled Students Union
Dr. Bellee Jones-Pierce, Assistant Professor of English
Hispanic Students Association
Dr. Andia Augustin-Billy, Associate Professor of French and Francophone Studies
Honor Court Advisors
Dr. Amanda Donahoe, Associate Professor of Political Science, Dr. Joshua, Lawrence, Professor of Chemistry, Dr. Chris Ciocchetti, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Dr. Cory Wikan, Associate Provost, Dean of the Hurley School of Music, and Associate Professor of Music
International Student Ambassadors
Dr. Cory Wikan, Associate Provost, Dean of the Hurley School of Music, Associate Professor of Music
Kappa Pi
Dr. Michelle Glaros, Professor of Art
La Legion Louisianaise
Dr. Andia Augustin-Billy, Associate Professor of French and Francophone Studies
National Organization for Women (NOW)
Dr. Amanda Donahoe, Associate Professor of Political Science
Outreach
Dr. Rachel Johnson, Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, Lecturer
Pre-Health Society
Dr. Scott Chirhart, Dean of the School of Health Sciences, Professor of Biology
Pandora Magazine
Dr. Bellee Jones-Pierce, Assistant Professor of English and Dr. Christine Martin, Assistant Professor of English
Phi Beta Lambda
Dr. Thomas Moran, Visiting Assistant Professor of Accounting
Red River Poetry Society
Dr. Christine Martin, Assistant Professor of English
Rivertown Players Honor Society
Professor Logan Sledge, Associate Professor of Theatre
Sigma Alpha Iota
Dr. Gay Grosz, Visiting Assistant Professor of Music
The Conglomerate
Professor Jessica Hawkins, Associate Professor of Communication
Women in STEM
Dr. Rebecca Murphy, Professor of Biology
Mattie Allen Broyles
Inaugural Research Chair
The Mattie Allen Broyles Inaugural Research Chair was established in 1994 to provide new faculty members with a reduced teaching load or funds to support research at the earliest stage of their appointment at Centenary College. In a taxing period of adjustment to a new environment, the chair assists the faculty member in establishing a research program and/or accomplishing specifically research-related tasks such as preparing a grant proposal to fund the faculty member’s research/joint research with students or to help fund the research itself.
Broyles 2024-2025 Recipient:
Dr. John Linstrom
Assistant Professor of English
Dr. Linstrom was awarded the 2024-2025 Mattie Allen Broyles Inaugural Research Chair to complete and publish his monograph, “Demolish the Fence: Interspecies Fieldwork Ecospheric Writing from the Margins of the Progressive Era.”
Outstanding Teacher Award
Centenary College is fortunate to have so many talented and devoted professors. Each year students and faculty members select a professor who epitomizes the “best of the best” in teaching ability, excellence in advising, College service, mentoring ability, and campus leadership.
Outstanding Teacher 2024-2025 Recipient:
Dr. Andia Augustin-Billy
Associate Professor of French and Francophone Studies
Dr. Andia Augustin-Billy, Associate Professor of French and Francophone Studies earned the Outstanding Teacher Award for being an excellent teacher, advisor, mentor, and leader.
Faculty Student Research Awards
Fall 2024: Dr. Priyanka Chakraborty and students
Isabella Giglio, Ashton Martin-Kibbey, Ron Masti for their proposal
Expectations, Culture, and the Gender Gap in Entrepreneurship, Management, and Innovation.
Spring 2025: Dr. Ellyn Evans and students Kaleb Atkinson and Trinity Thomas for their proposal Examining Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Northwest Louisiana: How can we track AMR and what are the stress tolerance mechanisms among environmental microbes?
Faculty Research Awards
Fall 2024: Dr. Amanda Donahoe for her twopronged proposal
Pedagogies and Practice: Teaching Conflict Resolution in Northern Ireland and Community Peacebuilding in the Wake of Brexit
Dr. Brianna Sosenheimer for her proposal to participate in the Summer Vocology Institute at the University of Utah.
Dr. Peter Zunick and student Julianna Malloy for their proposal Diverse Anatomical Models as Identity Safety Cues in STEM: Testing Different Modalities
Spring 2025: Dr. George Tiller for his proposal Assessing the local Shreveport community environmental microbiome and its impact on community health
Charlton H. Lyons Faculty Research Award
The Charlton H. Lyons Research Award is gifted annually to a scholar in the entire range of academic or artistic fields to engage in research, writing, exhibition, or performance. Each year, faculty members are eligible to submit competitive proposals that hold the reasonable promise of publication or presentation at a scholarly conference, production of an original work of art, or significant enhancement of the applicant’s knowledge or teaching skills.
Dr. Kyra Rietveld Assistant Professor of Art
Dr. Kyra Rietveld, Assistant Professor of Art History, was bestowed the 2025 Charlton H. Lyons Award to investigate the use of images of Artemis of Ephesus on ancient Mediterranean coins and the impact on cult practices and cultural identities.
Artistic Performances and Exhibits
Mr. Joshua Chambers’, Assistant Professor of Art, paintings We Turn, To Know Them More, and To Know were selected for inclusion in the exhibition Little Things, presented by Ol’ Blue Gallery in Hannibal, Missouri. The exhibition will be open April 18-May 24, 2025.
Mr. Michael Futreal, Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology, along with his trio Twang Darkly released their 8th album, Beyond the Fields We Know, and is featured in the inaugural slate of local music releases selected for Shreve Memorial Library’s new, online music streaming platform, the SML Logjam. This 2024 album features original instrumental amalgams of Appalachian sounds, spiritual jazz, and world fusion, many of which utilize Futreal’s hand-built dulcimers and flutes.
Professor Jessica Hawkins, Associate Professor of Communication, was featured in the Planetarium 2024 Juried Exhibition for her piece, /imagine in the style of Marimekko. 28 Sept. 2024-Nov. 2024.
Mrs. Alissa Klaus, Director of the Meadows Museum of Art, and Mr. Chris Brown, Director of the Centenary College and UMC of Louisiana Archives and
Instructor, curated the Centenary Legacy exhibit titled Centenary’s Legacy: A Bicentennial Exhibition in celebration of the College’s bicentennial.
Ms. Kristin Sorensen, Collections Manager, received Honorable Mention for her oil painting, Marigolds, at the 2025 group show Critical Mass 13
Dr. Briana Sosenheimer, Assistant Professor of Music, and Mr. Ken Chan were selected to perform “Hat dich die Liebe berührt” composed by Joseph Marx in the Charles Lloyd Jr. Memorial Member Recital during the National Association of Teachers of Singing Southern Region Conference and Student Auditions at Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi.
Dr. Sosenheimer also successfully completed the “Training Young Voices” course at The Contemporary Commercial Music Vocal Pedagogy Institute of Shenandoah Conservatory at Shenandoah, University - Winchester, Virginia in July/August 2024.
Appointments, Awards, and Grants
Dr. Andia Augustin-Billy’s, Associate Professor of French and Francophone Studies, essay “White Women, Black Men: Interracial Intimacy in Adolphe Duhart and Samuel Snaër’s Short Stories,” was selected to receive the 2024 Ulloa Prize, which is awarded to the best essay in each published volume of the MIFLC Review as determined by a committee composed of members of the journal’s editorial board.
Dr. Matthew Blasi, Assistant Professor of English, was elected to serve on the Executive Council for the Society for the Study of Southern Literature.
Mr. Chris Brown was elected to serve from 2024-2028 as chair of the Archives and Library Committee, General Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church.
Professor Jessica Hawkins along with seven Centenary students, Kay Christopher, Teddy Graves, Raven Hayes, Dani Kimmey, Savannah Stowers, Arionna Thomas, and Bryan Washington, took home a record-breaking 11 awards at the 2025 Addy Awards Gala.
Mrs. Lisa Johnson, Assistant Professor of Accounting, was appointed to serve on the Accounting Education Issues Committee for the Louisiana Society of Certified Public Accountants (LCPA).
Dr. Christine Martin Assistant Professor of English, was nominated for Best New Poets 2024 by swamp pink magazine for her poem “Centerfolds.”
Academic Excursions
Dr. Barbara Davis, William J. Atkins Dean of the Frost School of Business, along with students, Rene Escobar, Conor Fisk, Claire Flores, Eoin Hamill, Malick Hasan, Daniel Lewis, Ron Masti, Sophie Schmitz attended the annual Global Asset Management Education (G.A.M.E.) Forum XIV in New York.
Dr. Chad Fulwider, Professor of History, and five student delegates, Beth Vogler, Braydon Gaston, Arionna Thomas, Jordan Hall, Adonijah McCarty, represented Centenary College at the 18th Annual Bilateral Model Arab League Conference in Houston.
Dr. Russel Rahman, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, and his research student, Henry Pudwill, were awarded first place for their poster presentation at the 2024 BRAID conference hosted by LSU Health.
Dr. Jeff Hendricks, Professor of English, and Mr. Chris Brown hosted a group of Alumni for the Centenary Bicentennial “Tour de 1825” trip to Centenary’s original campus in Jackson.
Dr. Thomas Ticich, Professor of Chemistry, along with two students, Mavy Gigante and Henry Pudwill, attended the 2025 Spring American Chemical Society Meeting in San Diego, CA. Gigante presented a poster on Chemistry Club activities and was awarded a Commendable Award. Pudwill presented the poster “Recovery of nickel from spent batteries using a zero waste process” on research he conducted with Centenary faculty member Russel Rahman.
Publications
Dr. Mohammad Ali’s, Assistant Professor of Economics, article, “The Effect of Current Health on Time Allocation and Cognitive Production” was accepted for publication by Economic Letters
Dr. Rudrajit Banerjee, Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Physics, published a research paper titled “Analytic semigroups approaching a Schrödinger group on real foliated metric manifolds” in the Journal of Functional Analysis.
Dr. Matthew Blasi, Assistant Professor of English, published the short story “An Apology from Your Proctologist for Writing Poems About Your Colonoscopy” in the online humor magazine Points in Case.
Mr. Joshua Chambers has three paintings, “You Almost Believed Me”, “We Are Alive for Now” and “This One Taught Nothing,
Knew Nothing, and Wished Nothing”, featured in the Creative Quarterly 2025 Annual and Creative Quarterly Online Gallery 79
Dr. Ryan Doherty’s, Assistant Professor of French, article, “Faneries et Famineries : l’inanition et la décadence dans Monsieur de Phocas de Jean Lorrain” was published in the special edition Spectres de la faim of the series Travaux de littérature (print book, collection of essays).
Ms. Katherine Williamson, Metadata and Resource Sharing Librarian, and Mr. Patrick Morgan, Library Director, published an article, called “We Are the Library: Leveraging Library Work-Study to Build Communities of Consequence” in conjunction with a presentation to the ACRL Conference.
Published Scholarly Articles and Creative Writing
Dr. Matthew Blasi, published “Call Steckerson, Miff, and Slough, Attorneys at Law So We Can Dropkick a Horseshoe Crab or Old Lady,” Robot Butt. July 2024.
Blasi, “The Thief So Quiet: Grotesque Desire in Barry Hannah’s ‘Get Some Young,’” The Southern Quarterly, vol. 58, no. 4, 2024, pp. 70-87.
Dr. Bellee Jones-Pierce, Assistant Professor of English, published ”After This,” tiny wren lit, Issue 7.6: Memento Mori. August 2024.
Dr. Christine Martin, Assistant Professor of English, published “Ode to Willow Pill’s Flip Flops” and “Cosmo for Carrie,” After: A Collection of Ekphratic Writing and Art, by Gasher Press, May 2024.
Martin, “Laying Hands,” The Minnesota Review, vol. 102, 2024, pp. 6-7. Duke University Press, May 2024.
Dr. Daniel Krywaruczenko, Assistant Professor of Sport Management, coauthored, “The Relationships Between Reaction Time Scores and False Start Penalties of Offensive Linemen in the National Football League (NFL),” Perceptual and Motor Skills.
Dr. John Linstrom’s, Assistant Professor of English, debut poetry collection, To Leave for Our Own Country (Black Lawrence, 2024), was reviewed by Abbie Kiefer for Electric Lit as one of “8 Poetry Collections with a Compelling Sense of Place.”
Linstrom published a poem, “Autumn Stridulation,” Northwest Review, vol. 53, no. 1, Winter 2024, p. 76.
Linstrom published a poem titled “Mom Tunes Up a Guitar in the Lake Superior Rental Cabin” in the online environmental literary journal, Terrain.org. October 2024.
Linstrom cowrote a case-study chapter, “Someday, all this: The Climate Museum Pop-Up in Manhattan,” published in the book Cultivating Futures Thinking in Museums (Routledge, 2024).
Dr. Kathrine Weeks, Associate Professor of Chemistry, co-authored with Centenary alumnus, Christopher Stevens, the paper “Potential of Vitamin D and L-Cysteine Co-supplementation to Downregulate Mammalian Target of Rapamycin: A Novel
Scholarly Presentations
Dr. Andia Augustin-Billy moderated a session, Just in Time: Reclaiming Louisiana’s Heritage Languages, and presented her paper, Black and White Knots: Forbidden Passion in NineteenthCentury Louisiana Creole Literature at the 140th MLA Annual Convention in New Orleans.
Augustin-Billy also presented ‘La Lousiane francophone: Un patrimoine à préserver’ [Francophone Louisiana: A Heritage to Preserve] virtually at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John, Canada for French students and the French club.
Dr. Priyanka Chakraborty made a research presentation, Expectations, Culture, and the Gender Gap in Entrepreneurship, Management, and Innovation at the Southern Economic Association annual meeting in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Ryan Doherty presented Antouène et Françoése: Parody and Language in Reconstruction-Era New Orleans at the Society for the Study of Southern Literature in Gulfport, MS.
Doherty presented his paper, “En été des Indiens : la décadence des tribus amérindiennes dans la francophonie louisianaise,” at a conference at Duke University as part of a panel With the Grain: Producing a Decadent Rurality
Therapeutic Approach to Diabetes,” Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders
Professor Jessica Hawkins presented two papers, “Engineering Moments that Matter” and “Simulacrum” for the 2024 Southeastern College Art Conference. October 2024.
Dr. Terrie Johnson, Assistant Professor of Education, and her colleague Ms. Sunny Styles-Foster presented “Closing the Gap: Understanding Literacy Beliefs and Expectations in Teacher Preparation” at the MSERA Annual Meeting in Chattanooga, TN on November 6, 2024
Dr. Bellee Jones Pierce presented “Building Intimacy in The Temple.” Disability and the Lyric Form(s), at the Renaissance Society of America 2025 Annual Meeting, Boston. March 2025.
Jones-Pierce presented “Caring about/ through/with the Lyric.” Who Cares? Care, Caring and Disability in Shakespeare, at Shakespeare Association of America, Boston. March 2025.
Dr. David Kordahl, Assistant Professor of Physics and student, Emma Foster, presented “Beer bottles as acoustical resonators: a teaching tool for the damped driven oscillator model,” at the 99th Annual meeting of the Louisiana Academy of Sciences. March 2025.
Dr. John Linstrom presented the paper, “From the Barracoon to Vibrant Horizons: Toward a Model of Interspecies Fieldwork
for the Climate Humanities in Zora Neale Hurston’s Ethnographic Writing,” in a workshop seminar on the topic of the “Climate Humanities” at the 2025 Modern Language Association (MLA) Annual Convention. January 2025
Linstrom presented the paper, “Climate Humanities and Public Educational Experiences,” at the first meeting of ACRE: The Applied Collaboratory for Religion and Ecology, at Stanford University. March 2025
Linstrom moderated a panel devoted to his recent book edition, The NatureStudy Idea and Related Writings by Liberty Hyde Bailey (Cornell UP, 2024), at the North American Association for
Scholarly Events
Dr. Terrie Johnson and Dr. Rachel Johnson organized the Full STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) Ahead Educator Symposium for local K-12 educators on February 27 and 28, 2025. The two-day event included workshops, interactive collaborative sessions, individual presentations, panel discussions, and poster presentations that explored the power of connection in shaping progress and understanding. The symposium was designed to facilitate connections between STEAM content area educators, between experienced educators and new educators, between K-12 and higher education educators, and between community partners and educators. There were more than 50 attendees from across the State of Louisiana and 22 presentations including faculty and students from Centenary.
The second annual Magale Fest was held at Centenary’s Magale Library on Saturday, March 29th. Like last year, Magale Fest 2025 featured live music and host of fun activities sponsored by some great Centenary and communitybased collaborators. In addition to music,
Environmental Education (NAAEE) Annual Conference.
Linstrom read from his recent poetry book, To Leave for Our Own Country, and spoke about the path from college education to book publication as part of Valparaiso University’s annual Wordfest literary series.
Linstrom was also part of a panel during the Wordfest Writing Series on the topic of “From Valpo to Publication.” November 2024
activities this year included a free book swap, a little free library raffle, a musical petting zoo, giant wordle and a football toss for candy, Shreveport-themed storytelling, a printing press demo, and a series of readings for kids. Among this year’s Centenary participants were Frost School of Business, Hurley School of Music, the Education, Biology, and English departments, Chi Omega, Zeta Tau Alpha, and Centenary Outreach. Community collaborators included Shreve Memorial Library, Walter B Jacobs Wildlife Preserve, the Highland Neighborhood Association, Jessie Bonnevier and Dan Ley, Robert Trudeau, and Terry Lee Wright, Jr. Culinary options featured Bamboo Bites, Jacky’s Kitchen and Boba Express. Magale Fest is organized by Magale Library, CTL and LC staff (Mr. Patrick Morgan, Dr. Rachel Johnson, Ms. Debbie Bury, Ms. Kat Williamson, Ms. Christy Wrenn, Mr. Kevin Porter, Catherine Walsh, and Ashley Dehart).
The Center for Family-Owned Business (CFOB) Programs
The mission of Centenary’s Center for Family-Owned Business (CFOB) is to develop programming to support the continuity and health of multi-generational, family businesses within our region of the south. The Center’s seminars and workshops focus on strategic planning, growth strategies, succession planning, communication, as well as legal, management, and financial issues unique to family-owned, closely-held companies.
The Center for Family Owned Business is led by Dr. Barbara Davis, Dean of the Frost School of Business and Ms. Salli White, Director of the Center for Family Owned Business.
• 2024 Winter Family Business Forum – Guest Speakers: Lindsay and Andrew Nations, “Louisiana Famous Families”, February 8, 2024, Great Raft Brewing
• 2024 Spring Family Business Forum – Guest Speaker: Executive Coach Julie Couret, “Communication, Conflict, and Coaching Mastery” April 10-11, 2024, Whited Room, Bynum Commons
• 2024 Summer Lagniappe Breakfast – Guest Speakers: Heard, McElroy & Vestal, “How to Become a Digitally-Driven Business”, June 13, 2024, Whited Room, Bynum Commons
• 2024 Summer Lagniappe Luncheon – Guest Speaker: Larry Little with Origin Bank, “Current Banking Events and the Economy”, July 31, 2024, Petroleum Club
• 2024 Fall Family Business Forum – Guest Speakers: Marti Beltz with Family Business Consulting Group, “How Will I Know? Assessing Readiness for Next Gen Family Business Leaders”, September 25, 2024, Petroleum Club, Workshop Breakfast: September 26, 2024, Whited Room, Bynum Commons.
• 2024 End of Fall Family Business Luncheon – Guest Speakers: Nene Glenn Gianfala and Vanessa Claiborne with Chaffe & Associates, “Sailing Towards the Sunset: Navigating the Narrow Window for the Federal, Gift, Estate and GST Planning”, November 7, 2024, Petroleum Club.
• 2024 After 5 Holiday Mixer – Mix & Mingle! December 10, 2024, Andress Artist & Entrepreneurial Center
• 2025 Winter Family Business Forum – Louisiana Famous Families, Guest Speakers: Sanela and Zoran Tomic – Owners of Bella Fresca and Sauvage Restaurants, “Our Story”, February 4, 2025, Sauvage
• 2025 Spring Family Business Lagniappe Luncheon – Guest Speakers: Sheila Robinson with Daraja Consulting, “Conflict Resolution: Managing and Resolving Workplace Conflicts”, April 16, 2024, Petroleum Club
Memoranda of Understanding
Centenary College and Willis Knighton Health formally signed an agreement to establish a pathway for Willis Knighton employees to complete courses and certificates through Centenary’s Center for Innovative Learning (CIL). Through the new agreement, Willis Knighton will actively promote career advancement opportunities available through Centenary’s CIL to its employees and will reimburse employees up to $1,500 annually for completing approved courses and certificates. Centenary will create a dedicated web portal for Willis Knighton employees to access CIL offerings and will provide dedicated support to employees enrolled in courses and certificate programs.
Centenary College signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas to allow qualified Centenary students guaranteed admission to the Clinton School’s Master of Public Service program (MPS). Centenary students or alumni who have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher are guaranteed admission into the program, and merit scholarships are available for qualified applicants.
2911 Centenary Boulevard • Shreveport, Louisiana 71104 centenary.edu