Fall 2015, Volume 91, Number 3

A L U M N I ' M A G A Z I N E Fall 2015, Volume 91, Number 3

From the

PRESIDENT/CHANCELLOR LSU Wouldn’t Be the Same Without You We’ve made it back around to my favorite part of the year: time to welcome all of our new Tigers to campus for the Fall 2015 semester! I don’t think anything is quite as fulfilling as seeing the Quad flooded with freshmen taking their first steps toward a degree from LSU, a journey that will enrich their lives in so many ways. These future alumni have trusted their education to us, and we will not disappoint. In fact, we are embarking upon a time of growth and opportunity for LSU. We have seen much change over the last several years, but it is precisely that change that has us poised to take advantage of our growth and leverage it for further excellence.

After a nerve-wracking legislative session, we were able to avoid devastating budget cuts thanks to YOU – our community of loyal LSU alumni. Your efforts through Tiger Advocates made it clear to our state legislators that people care about this university, and that our success is tantamount to the success of Louisiana. Thank you for your tireless efforts. You roared loud and long, and made a difference for your alma mater.

So when the LSU Class of 2019 arrives for their first day of classes, they walk into a foundation of recent success. For example, May saw our largest-ever LSU graduating class, which was also our most diverse graduating class, for the second year in a row. We are expecting one of our largest freshman classes after seeing outstanding participation in our summer orientation sessions. And we just closed our most successful fundraising year on record, proving that everyone knows LSU is not only a great university, but a great investment as well.

We also enter the new academic year with higher than the national average graduation rates and alumni starting- and mid-career earnings among the best in the nation. These outcomes, when coupled with one of the lowest student loan indebtedness rates in the country, clearly indicate the great value of an LSU education. We’re getting more and more LSU students through to the finish line, and when they cross the stage with that long sought-after degree in hand, they will join an astonishingly successful network of alumni and enter the professional world with little-to-no debt and all the potential in the world.

This fall, take a moment to think back on your first day as a Tiger. Think about what LSU meant to you and what it means to you now. Remember all the great things LSU brings to Louisiana and our region. And know that no matter where you are now, your alma mater stands forever strong behind you. Thank you for remaining connected to your university. LSU wouldn’t be the same without you.

Geaux Tigers!

F. King Alexander President and Chancellor @lsuprez

LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

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Publisher LSU Alumni Association

Contents

Editor Jackie Bartkiewicz Advertising Kelsey David Art Director Chuck Sanchez STUN Design & Interactive

A L U M N I ' M A G A Z I N E Features

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24 Power Players As one of the South’s leading Research I institutions, and the only one uniquely situated adjacent to some of the most oil, petroleum, and natural gas-rich areas in America, LSU has not only the faculty but also the systems and resources to partner with the energy industry to forge powerhouse teams. The energy industry is of the utmost importance to Louisiana’s economy and the nation’s future, and research conducted at LSU is paving the way in efficiency and discovery with powerful research, energized alums, and the “Energize Business” initiative.

32 BMLI: A Competitive Edge The Black Male Leadership Initiative (LSU BMLI) celebrates five years of helping male students of color at LSU achieve success in higher education by enhancing leadership skills, improving social awareness, and providing support to improve graduation and retention rates and encourage student involvement, brotherhood, and academic engagement.

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In Each Issue 1

From the President/Chancellor

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President’s Message

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LSU Alumni Association News

42 Around Campus 52 Focus on Faculty 54 Locker Room 64 Tiger Nation Cover design by STUN Design & Interactive.

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Contributors Barry Cowan, Ed Cullen, Rebecca Docter, Shelby Hodge, Bud Johnson, Danielle Kelley, V. Todd Miller, Alison Satake, Will Stafford, Suzanne Stinson, Clyde Verdin Photography Mark Claesgens, Tim Cowie, Luke Davis, David Fisse, Steve Franz, Johnny Gordon, Danielle Gueho, Aaron Hogan, Larry Hubbard, LSU Press, LSU Sports Information, Eddy Perez, Aaron Phipps, David Postma/GenesisPhotographers, Sam Rosenthal, Bryan Wayne, Jim Zietz Printing Baton Rouge Printing NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS Gil Rew Chair, Mansfield, La.

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Jan K. Liuzza Chair-Elect, Kenner, La. Jack A. Andonie Immediate Past Chair, Metairie, La. Lodwrick M. Cook Director Emeritus, Sherman Oaks, Calif.

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36 Annual Report Your LSU Alumni Association’s growth and success is made possible by the steadfast, generous support and involvement of alumni, friends, and former students and a committed, energetic staff. We are pleased to share with our readers data from the fiscal year 2014, as well as some of the accomplishments realized thus far this year.

Editorial Assistants Patti Garner, Brenda Macon

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Mary Lou Applewhite, New Orleans, La. Leo C. Hamilton, Baton Rouge, La. Jon D. “Jay” Babb, Baton Rouge, La. Ronald M. Johnson, Baton Rouge, La. Karen G. Brack, La Jolla, Calif.

Louis R. Minsky, Baton Rouge, La. C. A. “Buddy” Brice III, Biloxi, Miss. Richard C. “Rick” Oustalet, Jennings, La. Stephen “Steve” Brown, Sherman Oaks, Calif. Beverly G. Shea, New Iberia, La. Gregg Cordaro, Baton Rouge, La. John T. Shelton, Jr. Houston, Texas Randy L. Ewing, Quitman, La. Carl Streva, Morgan City, La. Kathy Fives, Las Vegas, Nev. Susan K. Whitelaw, Bossier City, La. Stan Williams, Fort Worth, Texas LSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the LSU Alumni Association.

Annual donations are $50, of which $6 is allocated for a subscription to LSU Alumni Magazine. Approval of Periodicals Postage Paid prices is pending at Baton Rouge, La., and at additional mailing offices. The LSU Alumni Association is not liable for any loss that might be incurred by a purchaser responding to an advertisement in this magazine.

Editorial and Advertising Office LSU Alumni Association 3838 West Lakeshore Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70808-4686 225-578-3838 • 888-RINGLSU www.lsualumni.org / e-mail: jackie@lsualumni.org © 2015 by LSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to LSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE, 3838 West Lakeshore Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808-4686 Letters to the editor are encouraged. LSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE reserves the right to edit all materials accepted for publication.

Publication of material does not indicate endorsement of the author’s viewpoint by the magazine, the Association, or LSU.

LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

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President and CEO

MESSAGE

Your Tiger Roars Were Heard!

Thanks to Tiger Nation, LSU and Louisiana higher education escaped an unprecedented $608 million budget cut in the 2015 legislative session. For the moment, LSU is funded at FY2014-15 level, with some additional monies provided to offset significant costs. (See Legislative Update on page 46.)

You roared loud and long – and you were heard. You made the difference. But this is just the beginning. As re-election campaigns begin and candidates seek your vote, remember – your voices matter. Together, we must insist with a collective voice that LSU is always a funding priority. The Association’s advocacy efforts on behalf of the University and higher education will continue to provide an independent voice for more than 250,000 alumni and friends in Tiger Nation. To stay informed, visit www.lsualumni.org/tigeradvocates.

This issue of the magazine includes the Annual Report for FY2014 and highlights significant accomplishments to date in 2015.

You’ll also read in the Annual Report that, in addition to the ten $10,000 Rising Faculty Research Award stipends the Association first presented in 2014, this year the inaugural International Student Scholarship awards – four valued at $2,500 each – were presented. We are proud to provide vital support for our young faculty, and, given that the Association is a truly a global community, we are delighted to recognize the accomplishments of students who will carry Tiger values with them when they return to their home countries.

You, of course, make these endeavors possible, and these are just two examples of your Alumni Dollar$ at Work.

Also in this issue is an update on our Core Values, which we defined earlier this year.

We have created team expectations associated with each item in the “values puzzle” (look for clues – and the solution! – throughout the magazine), and future visitors will find a customized presentation of these items on the mezzanine wall in the Lod Cook Alumni Center.

We look forward to visiting with you during football season – on campus and at away games. Also on slate for the fall semester are the Scholars Banquet, the Chapter Leadership Summit, the Annual Meeting/Past Presidents-Chairs Luncheon, Senior Happy Hour and Commencement, and, finally, the New Year’s Eve Extravaganza. We’ll see many of you at each of these events.

Again, thank you for your commitment to LSU and to the Association. We couldn’t do it without you!

Cliff Vannoy President and CEO

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From Our Readers Dear Jackie,

Dear Cliff,

Editor,

Thank you, Ed Cullen, and Johnny Gordon for covering my award (Summer 2015). I have had more people get in touch with me after seeing the article. It was wonderful! Thank you.

Just wanted to drop a quick line to let you know that I just received my LSU Alumni Magazine, and it really looks great! Hope all is well!

It was with delight and yet a bit of sadness that I read of J. Tinsley Oden’s induction into the Hall of Distinction.

My late husband, Ronald Steven Reagan (1964 BACH ENGR LSU, 1970 PHD ENGR), was a great admirer of Dr. Oden’s and often spoke of him. Ron died as the result of a serious fall on July 15, 2014. In death he was able to give life, donating his liver and corneas. Like Dr. Oden, I have a warm place in my heart for LSU, even as I am surrounded in Mississippi by Ole Miss and Mississippi State fans.

Bonnie Richardson (1975 BACH HS&E) Baton Rouge, La.

Julie Dauzat Grunewald (2002 BACH BUS) Baton Rouge, La.

Dear Jackie,

Dear Rebecca, Jackie, and Cliff,

Really was delighted to see the Owen/ Tate write up in the LSU Alumni Magazine (Summer 2015). The response has been terrific. It started when Jennings alumni started calling and then others in the state. Thanks so much. And, Lolo Jones is beautiful!

Jeannine Tate (1951 BACH AGR) Zachary, La.

Thank you all for highlighting the LSU Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi in the LSU Alumni Magazine. Great job on the article! It really is an honor.

Richard P. Vlosky Director, Louisiana Forest Products Development Center President, LSU Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi

Llewellyn (Lucy) Morrow Reagan 1966 BACH HS&E, 1969 MAST H&SS Long Beach, Miss.

LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

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LSU Alumni Association

NEWS

Future Tigers at the LSU New York crawfish boil.

Chapter Events

LSU Alumni Association President Cliff Vannoy, Stevan Ridley, Odell Beckham, Sr., Odell Beckham, Jr., and New York Chapter President Tim Gaiennie.

LSUNY – More than 350 LSU faithful, including former LSU football greats New York Jet Stevan Ridley and New York Giant Odell Beckham, Jr., gather at the Boat Basin on May 9 for the LSU New York Chapter’s annual crawfish boil, featuring 2,500 pounds of boiled crawfish, jambalaya, Abita beer, and snowballs.

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LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

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LSU Alumni Association News

Chapter Events

Oliver and Kim Lawrence.

Buddy Cox and Markie Russell.

Stephen LaHaye and Clement Bourg.

Central Virginia – “The mudbugs were absolutely great, the weather was Baton Rouge warm, and the James River was flowing her steady pace at the edge of the facility,” writes Terry Jarreau, describing Central Virginia’s crawfish boil held on May 16 at American Legion Post 354 in Midlothian, Va. “My 164-pound son ate his share, and there was a lot of baseball talk.” More than 125 Tiger faithful enjoyed “a taste of home” and entertainment by Zydeco DJ Talia Moser of WRIR radio 97.3 in Richmond, Va. Volunteer cooks were treated to a pot of Jarreau’s gumbo, and special recognition was given to chapter members Sam Rosenthal, Markie Russell, and Bill Bagley for their dedication to the annual event.

Photos by Danielle Gueho

Mulberry Jam provided musical entertainment for the Memphis boil.

Memphis Tigers – “It was an awesome day for Memphis LSU Tigers,” writes Doug Gremillion, of the chapter’s annual crawfish boil hosted by Jennifer and John Lawhon at their home in Collierville, Tenn., on April 25. More than 180 alumni and friends put away 800 pounds of crawfish and enjoyed the music of Mulberry Jam.

Doug and Cathy Gremillion with Joel and Cindy Benson.

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Dawn Hebert Beasley and Dan Beasley.

Phil Gagnet with LSU Alumni Association staffers Claire McVea, left, and Kelsey David.

Boil at the Barn – South Alabama Tigers gathered on May 2 at Kenny’s Barn in Fairhope, Ala., for the Baldwin Bengals second annual crawfish boil. In addition to good food, good music by singer/songwriter Ryan Balthrop, and good company, the event also featured the first Baldwin Derby crawfish races.

“Race Commissioner” Aaron Beam sets up for the inaugural Baldwin Derby crawfish races.

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LSU Alumni Association News

Jerad Nash, Billy Bennett, Daniel Payne, and Monty McCoy share their rendition of “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling.”

Winning team members Tatum Hubier, Daniel Payn, and Dustin Stoma. Ryan Migues not pictured.

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Chapter Events Taylor Golf Classic – The Desoto Parish Chapter hosted its fourteenth annual Dr. Don Taylor Golf Classic July 11-13 at the Cypress Bend Golf Resort. Its twenty-four teams took part in the four-person scramble, which featured an early bird tourney on Friday and a competition tourney on Saturday, with prizes for closest to the hole, the Dave Means Shootout, and team competition. Funds generated by the tournament support the chapter scholarship fund. Tommy Craig, a longtime chapter member and tournament supporter, was recognized for his years of service at a reception on Friday evening, which was followed by a karaoke session. After a long day of golf on Saturday, DJ Boyd Adkinson cranked up the crowd to celebrate another successful year for the chapter.

Great Tigers Mike Woods and Dr. John Gregory.

Vicki Stoma, Stephanie Stoma Calvert, Casey Payne , Jerad Nash, Winter Bennett, and Amy Ables.

More than 4,500 Tiger faithful consumed 24,000 pounds of crawdads at LSU Alumni San Diego’s twenty-seventh annual crawfish boil in May.

Taste the Fun – Spicy crawfish, corn, and potatoes cooked up by Cajun chefs, live music, dancing, and games for the kids – it was all part of LSU Alumni San Diego’s twenty-seventh annual crawfish boil. “More than 4,500 alumni and friends attended the boil, which was held at Chargers Old Practice Field at Qualcomm Stadium, on May 29,” writes Kathy Crossin, chapter secretary. “Acadiana’s Crawfish Express, of Lafayette, La., cooked 24,000 pounds of crawfish, and the Bayou Brothers, Euphoria Brass Band, and Theo & the Zydeco Patrol provided music all afternoon. And, in keeping with the Memorial Day observance, a U.S. Navy Color Guard presented the colors.”

Photos by Danielle Gueho

Little Rock Tigers at Pinnacle Mountain.

Alumni Little Rock – “Good friends, good food, and a lot of LSU purple,” writes

Future Tiger Peyton Carmon digs in.

Kelly Carmon of the April 25 Alumni Little Rock crawfish boil at Pinnacle Mountain.

“More than sixty-five Tiger fans showed up for the festivities and welcomed LSU Alumni Association Vice President John Grubb and The Cook Hotel Sales Director Tammy Brown to Arkansas. Chris Carmon and Brent Dugas cooked the delicious crawfish and gumbo, which everyone raved about – and no one left hungry.” The chapter’s silent auction included LSU memorabilia featuring a Glen Dorseyautographed, full-size helmet, a Les Miles autographed football, and a Bella Casa Kings River weekend getaway.

LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

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LSU Alumni Association News

Chapter Events

From left, front row, Terry Jarreau, Mike Marino, Laura Marino, Scott Lints, and Fisher Lints; back, Marie Bruno, Bill Bagley, Connie DeBaugh, Jake Lindsey, Kaylie Marino, Robin LaHaye, and Stephen LaHaye.

Bon Air – The Mardi Gras-themed trailer decorated by Central Virginia Tigers was a crowd favorite at the Bon Air Victorian Day Festival and Parade, which took place on May 9 in Richmond, Va. The chapter has participated in the event for more than a decade.

Photo by Sam Rosenthal

Triangle Tigers – In addition to crawfish with all the fixins’, jambalaya, and cold brew donated by Abita, Triangle Tigers were treated to fishing, swimming, and lively zydeco and New Orleans music during the chapter’s May 17 crawfish boil. The event, held at Montague Lake in Raleigh, N.C., attracted more than ninety Tiger faithful who raised more than $170 in the raffle.

Photos by Danielle Gueho Liz and Charles Priebe.

Don and Lauren Fleming.

Paul Heroy and Joe Grappe.

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Crawfish – and future Tigers – come in all sizes.

LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

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LSU Alumni Association News

Aucoin Gift Celebrates Family Tradition

It would be an understatement to say that members of the James Aucoin family – which boasts seven LSU degrees (so far!) – are LSU Tigers through and through. To show their love for and loyalty to their alma mater, Aucoin and his wife, Sharilynn Allison Aucoin, earlier this year made a gift to the LSU Alumni Association that earned for them a Patron plaque on the Wall of Honor in the Lod Cook Alumni Center.

“We were at an event held at the Lod Cook facility last year and noticed the Wall of Honor, which showed donations from several acquaintances from James’s James and Sharilynn Aucoin, seated, with, from left, daughter Jennifer Miller, daughter Belinda Reeder, son James Aucoin, Jr., and granddaughter Brittany Aucoin. career at ExxonMobil,” said Sharilynn Photos by Luke Davis Aucoin (1964 BACH H&SS, 1973 MLS).

“We decided that we would like to be included on the wall with a plaque and took the “We were very happy to help necessary steps to accomplish that. [LSU Alumni Association President] Cliff Vannoy LSU, which has meant so was very nice to work with, and we were very happy to help LSU, which has meant so much to us.” much to us.”

The donation, made through ExxonMobil Foundation’s Educational Matching Gift Program, not only pays tribute to James Aucoin’s career but also celebrates all Aucoin family graduates, the most recent being granddaughter Brittany Marie Aucoin (2015 BACH HS&E). The daughter of James E. “Jamey” Aucoin, Brittany is enrolled in the occupational therapy graduate program at the LSU Medical Center in Shreveport and hopes to pursue a career working with autistic children.

The Aucoin family’s LSU story began in 1959, when Sulphur High School graduate James Aucoin (1969 BACH H&SS) entered LSU to pursue a degree in general studies with a concentration in math. Bachelor’s degree in hand, he embarked upon a thirtyplus-year career as an operations supervisor with Exxon Chemical Company in Baton Rouge. He retired in 2001. His future bride arrived on campus in the fall of 1960. A graduate of Lake Charles High School, Sharilynn attended LSU on a Centennial Award scholarship, majored in German, and later earned a master’s degree in library science.

She retired in 2000 as executive director of the Louisiana Library Association and coordinator of special services at the State Library of Louisiana.

The couple married in 1963, during their senior year. James worked full time and attended classes part time for several years, and by the time he graduated two children had arrived and a third was on the way. “We celebrated our fiftieth wedding anniversary in 2013,” said Sharilynn. “Our permanent home is in Baton Rouge, but we travel much of the time and enjoy our seven grandchildren.”

Rounding out current LSU-degree holders in the family are Belinda Aucoin Reeder (1985 BACH BUS), of Dallas, a Certified Financial Planner, who also holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Southern Methodist University; Jennifer Aucoin Miller (1989 BACH MCOM), also of Dallas, a published author with more than twenty books under various pen names to her credit; and Jamey Aucoin (1992 BACH BUS), a rigging designer with Turner Industries.

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LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

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LSU Alumni Association News

International Student Scholarship LSU Alumni Association Funds New Awards

From left, LSU Alumni Association Vice President John Grubb; scholarship recipients Mudiaga Ovuede, Seleipiri Charles, Sandra Galeano, and Damir Torrico; Senior Vice Provost Jane Cassidy; Executive Director of International Programs Hector Zapata; and Interntional Student Association President Michael Mayen.

Photo by David Fisse

Four students received inaugural LSU Alumni Association International Student Scholarship awards during the International Fusion 2015 event on April 18.

invites you to attend the

2015 ANNUAL MEETING and

PAST PRESIDENT/CHAIRS LUNCHEON NOON FRIDAY NOVEMBER 13, 2015 NOLAND-LABORDE HALL Lod Cook Alumni Center RSVP to Amy Parrino at amy@lsualumni.org or 225.578.3835

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The newly created scholarships were presented to Mudiaga Ovuede, of Nigeria; Seleipiri Charles, Nigeria; Damir Torrico, of Bolivia; and Sandra Galeano, of Colombia.

“The LSU Alumni Association looks for opportunities to expand support for our academic units and is proud to partner with International Programs to provide much-needed financial resources to assist talented future alumni in pursuing their goals,” said Association President and CEO Cliff Vannoy. “With alumni and friends around the world, the Association is truly a global community. We value the cultural and scholarly contributions of our students from abroad and know that when they return to their homelands, they will carry with them the values of Tiger Nation.”

A scholarship committee vetted thirty-one applicants for the scholarships, which are valued at $2,500 for the fiscal year 2015.

“The applicants included many talented and highly motivated students,”

said Alumni Professor of Agricultural Economics Hector Zapata, executive director of the Office of International Programs. “The recipients demonstrated the highest levels not only of academic achievement but also excelled in the categories of leadership, engagement, and diversity. This scholarship is certainly of great significance, as it will help to foster internationalization at LSU.” Ovuede is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering. A member of Alpha Lambda Delta academic honor society, he is active in a number of campus organizations, including the African Student Organization and Society of Petroleum Engineers, and he is captain of his soccer team. In a thank-you note to the Association Ovuede wrote: “I am grateful to the exposure LSU gives me in understanding different people. This award is both a financial benefit and an indicator that I am heading in the right direction.”

Charles, a chemical engineering major, is also pursuing a minor in French. She is vice president of the International Cultural Center, a team leader with Encounter Engineering and TEDxLSU, and she received funding from the Supervised Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE). “I believe my

experiences at LSU are equipping me for a career in translational research and a life of service to my community,” wrote Charles. “I am so grateful for your confidence in my abilities and my passion.”

Torrico, who received a master’s degree in food science in 2010, expects to earn a doctorate in December 2015. He has published multiple works and presented at eighteen national and international poster fairs in his field. He was vice president of the LSU Food Science Club, president of the Zamorano Agricultural Society, and vice-president of the Latin American Student Association. Thanking the Association, Torrico wrote: “. . . thank you for . . . implementing this scholarship, and I promise I will do my best to

accomplish my goals and one day give back to society.”

Galeano, a doctoral candidate in biological sciences, is the first member of her low-income family to earn an undergraduate degree, leave the country, and speak a second language. In addition to extensive academic achievements in ecology, which include publications and presentations at national and international conferences, she has volunteered with Girls in Science at Tulane University and with the Ecological Society of America. “The financial assistance . . . arrived at the perfect time to help me afford my living and student expenses this last semester, allowing me to focus even more on my student duties,” she wrote.

“We are proud to play a role in fostering internationalization at LSU”

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LSU Alumni Association News

Kameron Hood, Danea Spillman, Mariean Bracey, Aubrey Ellis, and Samantha Baldassaro.

Snapshots

Mary Cunningham and Amy Galiano.

Mike the Tiger and 2014 Homecoming King Bradley Williams, a graduating senior.

Congrats, Grads – May graduates were honored at Senior Happy Hour on May 13 at the Lod Cook Alumni Center.

The event, sponsored by the LSU Alumni Association, is held the evening before commencement for graduating seniors and their parents and guests. The soonto-be alums were treated to cocktails and Ben Husband, Bryan Maxwell, McKenzie Caldwell, Kristian Black, Carrie Williams, and Trayvin Green. a dinner buffet and visited with Mike the Chelsea Meaux, and Lauren Zimmermann.

Tiger and Miss LSU. They also obtained information available from Campus Federal Credit Union, Liberty Mutual, and Alumni Bridge; explored opportunities offered to alumni by Tiger Athletic Foundation; and gathered information on alumni chapters in cities across the country. To view and download photos from the event, visit http://lsualumni.org/photo-gallery/2015-senior-celebration.

Photos by Johnny Gordon

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LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

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LSU Alumni Association News

Snapshots July 4th Festivities – Some 300 LSU retired faculty and staff retirees took part in Fourth of July festivities at the Lod Cook Alumni Center on June 30.

Following a lunch of fried chicken with all the fixin’s, guests played bingo and “Let’s Make a Deal,” and walked away with dozens of door prizes. The July 4th party and the Christmas Celebration are annual events sponsored by the LSU Alumni Association for retirees.

Rose Ann Martin, LSU Faculty-Staff Retirees Club President Freddie Martin, Pat McDermott, Pat Dale, and LSU Alumni Association President Cliff Vannoy.

Madeline Ringwald, a senior at Dutchtown High School, sang the “National Anthem” and entertained the crowd with other patriotic songs.

Violet Eversull, seated, with Jerry Juneau, Susan Eversull, John Capdevielle, and Kingston Eversull.

Ruth Cunningham and George Caldwell were dubbed “Most Festively Dressed.”

Photos by Larry Hubbard

Larry Mann, Lois LaPlante, and Marilyn Rosanson.

Mary Jones, Ruth Patrick, Maxine Reddoch, and Gail Kinney.

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Golden Girls – Kim Dodd hosted a tea for the Golden Girls Alumni Chapter at her home May 31 to introduce the 2015-16 Golden Girls to alumni members and update them on chapter activities.

For information on the 2015 LSU Band Reunion and the Golden Girl Luncheon Oct 2-3, or to join the chapter, contact Lana Cocreham at cocreham@aol.com.

Photo by Johnny Gordon

2015-16 Golden Girls, bottom row, from left, Courtney David, Brooke Downing, Isabella Perrilloux, Elizabeth Babin, Meagan Rodrigue, Kat Nastasi, and Karlee Jones; second row, Christina Russo, Hope Babin, Morgan Bourgeois, Shaina Grace, Tess Guidry, Lauren Daniel, Katelynn Walker, Sophie Davis, Katie Armshaw, and Colbi Landry. Not pictured, Ada Bankston. Alumni Golden Girls; third row, from left, Glenda Lofton, Debbie Kuehne, Pam Matassa, Tari Trosclair, Marlene Winn, Lana Cocreham, Dale Norred, Suzanne Mienville, Sharon Loeb, Connie Cambre, Charlene Favre, and Kim Dodd; fourth row, Leslie Day, Kaitlyn Junius, Allyson Stewart, Charlotte Baker, Natalie Knight, Emily Hammett, Andree Leddy, Lauren Kern, Clauderia Minor, and Debra Sledge.

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LSU Alumni Association News

Snapshots Ring Donations – The LSU Ring

1905 graduate Arthur Joseph Cormier.

Collection now boasts its oldest ring, one worn by A. J. Cormier (1905 BACH SCI). Cormier also studied at Columbia University and the University of Chicago.

He began his teaching career at St. Martinville High School in 1905 and did stints at several Louisiana schools as well as Culver Military Academy in Indiana, Wisconsin State Normal School, and Chicago County School. He returned to Louisiana to become principal of LSU Alumni Association President Cliff Vannoy, Cecilia High School and was then named right, accepts John Bateman’s 1956 ring for the LSU Ring Collection. principal of Breaux Bridge High School, Photo by Larry Hubbard from which he retired. The donation of the ring and a 1905 Gumbo was made by his grandson David Trosclair, of Lake Charles.

John Bateman (1956 BACH BUS), vice chairman of the Baton Rouge Market, Iberia Bank, donated his ring to the collection on July 16.

Max Thiel, Danielle Gueho, and Lynn Leblanc.

ABC Golf Tourney – Danielle Gueho, sales manager at The Cook Hotel, joined golfers Max Thiel and former football Tiger Lynn LeBlanc for a quick photo at the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Spring Golf Tournament held in April at The Island in Plaquemine, La. As a bronze-level supporter, the hotel sponsors two players in the tournament, which this year boasted more than fiftyfive teams. Gueho serves on the ABC events and membership committees.

School’s Out – University Lab School faculty and administrators were treated to an Front, from left, Johnny Shoptaugh, Jill White, and Myra Broussard; back, Burke Broussard, Franks Rusciano, Albert Camburn, Cliff Vannoy, and Justin Morgan.

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end-of-the-year lunch in May, courtesy of the LSU Alumni Association and The Cook Hotel. The school, recognized as a school of Academic Distinction is ranked by the state as a 5-Star School.

Photo by Luke Davis

Morning with Mike – Spouses and guests of members of the LSU Alumni Association Board of Directors were treated to a Continental breakfast and a “Morning with Mike” on May 29 at the Lod Cook Alumni Center. Dr. David Baker, director of the Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine and attending veterinarian for Mike VI, spoke about “all things Mike,” and the group then visited the mascot’s habitat.

Photo by Johnny Gordon

Greeting Future Alumni – In partnership with the Office of Orientation, LSU Alumni Association staffers were on hand this summer to hand out Future LSU Alumni koozies and sunglasses to incoming first-year students taking part in Freshman Orientation, Advising, and Preregistration.

Rosemary Ewing, Linda Vannoy, Heather Moret, Dr. David Baker, and Debbie Layzell at Mike the Tiger’s habitat.

Photo by Luke Davis Claire McVea, executive assistant to the president of the LSU Alumni Association, hands out koozies to incoming students.

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LSU: BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE ENERGY INDUSTRY

BY V. TODD MILLER & ALISON SATAKE

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A

s one of the South’s leading Research I institutions, and the only one uniquely situated adjacent to some of the most oil,

petroleum, and natural gas-rich areas in America, LSU has not only the faculty but also the systems and resources to partner with the energy industry to forge powerhouse teams.

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LSU Center for Energy Studies Director David Dismukes at the Port of Baton Rouge.

Photo by Eddy Perez

POWERFUL RESEARCH LSU faculty members are engaged in a wide range of energy research, from policy to engineering, to research and development and even to law. LSU energy researchers provide numerous applied, real-world partnership opportunities for industry in multiple disciplines, including geological exploration, hydraulic fracturing, solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, materials, efficiency, electrical conductivity, nuclear, and environmental and socioeconomic impacts. The energy industry is of the utmost importance to Louisiana’s economy and the nation’s future, and research conducted at LSU is paving the way in efficiency and discovery.

One of the University’s research champions is LSU Center for Energy Studies Director David Dismukes. Dismukes brings together a diverse group of professionals with broad expertise, including his own in economics, public policy, infrastructure development, and regulatory issues critical to the energy industry today. He has conducted policy research at LSU for nearly twenty years and is a contributor to the Wall Street Journal on industry matters. Dismukes sees the reasons for the energy industry to partner with LSU as twofold.

“One is we speak the same language, because many of our faculty, employees, and research associates work in industry here as consultants. We understand the needs and the interests of industry,” Dismukes said. “The second thing is, we are a university that is very good at solving applied problems. We help industry find solutions to real problems and leverage our strengths to help develop the next generation of technologies and ideas.”

26 LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

Dismukes takes pride in the fact that the University is engaged in cutting-edge technological research, especially in terms of alternative energy resources. But, he believes that Louisiana is fertile ground for a particular form of energy exploration.

“We’re working with solar, wind, and other traditional types of renewable and clean energy projects. But we’re also focusing our activities on things that are unique to Louisiana, such as geo-pressure and geothermal energy sources. In this case, we are looking at heating sources that are under the ground here in Louisiana,” Dismukes said. “LSU researchers are also looking at maximizing the efficiency associated with drilling and extracting resources, whether it’s by minimizing the environmental footprint we have on those particular facilities or using fewer natural resources in that extraction process.”

One such discovery is the gas-assisted gravity drainage (GAGD) enhanced oil recovery process developed by LSU Craft & Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering Professor Dandina Rao. Rao has dedicated his career to developing this type of enhanced oil recovery process, first in the energy industry for seventeen years and then at LSU for the past fifteen years. GAGD is a novel, cost-effective way to extract the crude oil that traditional methods leave behind.

About 450 billion barrels of oil remain in drilled oil fields throughout the U.S. Rao’s GAGD process, which he developed at LSU with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, aims to retrieve that resource. He and the LSU Office of Innovation & Technology Commercialization are in discussions with a handful of companies that would like to license and use this patented process across the country.

LSU research associate and biologist Ying Xiao shows guests the instrumentation at the Shared Instrumentation Facility (SIF).

Photo by Eddy Perez

Rao explained that traditional oil extraction methods involve flooding an oil reservoir horizontally, using alternating slugs of water and CO2. Gas, being lighter, naturally travels to the top of the reservoir and water, being heavier, goes to the bottom, leaving much of the oil “unswept.”

“That’s why the current technologies recover only 5 to 10 percent of the trapped oil,” Rao said. “I wanted to improve this recovery factor. So I thought of changing the direction of the flood from horizontal to vertical by injecting gas at the top of the reservoir where it wants to be.”

The gas then sweeps the oil vertically downwards toward the horizontal well drilled at the bottom of the reservoir.

“It works with nature, essentially,” Rao explained, “because the injected gas displaces the oil downwards due to gravity.”

Rao believes GAGD could provide efficient and cost-saving benefits to potential industry partners. Laboratory experiments and computer reservoir simulations conducted at LSU show that 65 to 85 percent recovery factors for GAGD are possible.

“We can help reservoir engineers in the industry apply this process by showing them what we have done in terms of computer simulations of GAGD so they can apply it to their specific reservoirs,” Rao said. A company that wants to benefit from the GAGD process can talk to the LSU Office of Innovation & Technology Commercialization and get a license to use it, because GAGD is patented in the U.S.

LSU FACILITIES LSU HAS POWERFUL FACILITIES READY TO SERVE THE ENERGY SECTOR IN VARIOUS WAYS. BELOW ARE A FEW UNIQUE TO THE UNIVERSITY:

LSU SHARED INSTRUMENTATION FACILITY The Shared Instrumentation Facility (SIF) at LSU is a multi-user facility for comprehensive materials characterization. Housed in the Chemistry and Materials Building and in satellite locations with associated departments, the SIF hosts capital-intensive microscopy and spectroscopy instruments for imaging and compositional analysis of materials.

Instruments housed within the SIF are available for use by all LSU faculty, staff, and students, as well as researchers from other academic institutions and industry.

PERTT LAB There is only one university in North America at which future petroleum engineers can get hands-on training in well control by working at a fullscale well control research and training facility – that university is LSU. The Petroleum Engineering Research & Technology Transfer (PERTT) Laboratory - also commonly referred to as the Well Facility - features fullscale equipment and instrumentation for conducting training and research related to borehole technology.

LSU Craft & Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering Professor Dandina Rao at the Petroleum Engineering Research & Technology Transfer (PERTT) Laboratory.

Photo by Jim Zietz

ENERGIZING BUSINESS In addition to applied research solutions, LSU is also on the cusp of further enhancing its workforce development prowess in the energy sector with the E.J. Ourso College of Business’s “Energize Business” initiative. The initiative builds upon the traditional core curriculum offered by the college and provides classes to prepare students for careers in the energy industry, which currently employs approximately 65,000 people statewide. Beginning this fall, both an undergraduate minor (pending LSU approval) and a Flores M.B.A. specialization will be offered in energy studies.

This program is designed to provide the broad skillset and knowledge base needed by the next generation of energy professionals. Students will take classes specific to the energy sector and be provided a wide range of learning opportunities outside of the traditional classroom setting, including site visits,

“

access to speakers in the industry, case competitions, energy conferences, and expos and industry-related internships.

Ourso College of Business Dean Richard White, who is spearheading the Energize Business initiative, believes that understanding the intricacies in the energy industry can help students become better employees and employers upon graduation. “The sooner you can get students prepared for [the executive track], the better,” White said. “This will give them a leg up in that transition.”

As the Energize Business initiative builds steam, White knows questions may arise about the volatility of the energy industry in Louisiana, as well as nationally and internationally. He considers that volatility a challenge for which a world-class business college like LSU is up for the task.

“We’re in this for the long haul,” White said. “It’s where LSU should be as an institution.”

IN THE END, BUILDING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS IS PRECISELY WHAT LSU POWER

PLAYERS SEEK TO ACCOMPLISH IN PARTNERING WITH ENERGY-RELATED BUSINESSES.

”

TOGETHER, LSU AND THE ENERGY INDUSTRY CAN SOLVE TODAY’S CHALLENGES AND FIND TOMORROW’S BREAKTHROUGHS ONE GREAT SUCCESS AT A TIME.

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LSU OFFERS

research/collaboration opportunities in the following fields:

FOSSIL FUELS NUCLEAR ENERGY POLICY/LAW Fieldwood Energy President and CEO Matt McCarroll.

Photo by Aaron Hogan

ENERGIZED ALUM Matt McCarroll, a 1981 graduate in business administration and finance, is president and chief executive officer of Fieldwood Energy, a Houstonbased portfolio company of Riverstone Holdings LLC. Fieldwood is focused on the acquisition and development of conventional oil and gas assets in North America, including the Gulf of Mexico. McCarroll believes without the education that he and his peers received at LSU, the energy sector might look quite different than it does today.

“Friends I made at LSU are still working beside me in the oil and gas business. That’s especially true in Houston, where there is a big group of LSU alumni in the energy industry,” McCarroll said. “It’s a great group.

I can name at least fifteen contemporaries from my LSU days who are in prominent positions here and have all been very successful.” (See Bayou Bengal Bar, page following) McCarroll, who was inducted this year into the Ourso College of Business Hall of Distinction, is commonly asked, “What is it about all you LSU guys? How did you all do it?” His response is one thousands of LSU alumni will likely find familiar.

“Well, we worked and played hard at school together and built strong relationships,” McCarroll said. “We still work together – and sometimes compete – and we’ve gone on to build great companies and enjoy great success.”

And, in the end, building strong relationships is precisely what LSU Power Players seek to accomplish in partnering with energy-related businesses. Together, LSU and the energy industry can solve today’s challenges and find tomorrow’s breakthroughs one great success at a time.

POWER RENEWABLE/ ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOCIOECONOMICS SOLAR/CLEAN ENERGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

For partnership opportunities, contact the LSU Office of Research Advancement at powerplayers@lsu. edu or 225-578-6910.

V. Todd Miller is director of communications and Alison Satake is a research writer in the Office of Communications and University Relations.

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BAYOU BENGAL BAR LSU Tigers, from left, Jeff Lester, Matt McCarroll, John Havens, Jud Grady, Billy Harrison, Ron Neal, Keith Jordan, Marty Phillips, Clarence Cazalot, and Phil Martin.

By Shelby Hodge | Photo by David Postma, Genesis Photographers Reprinted with permission of www.culturemap.com

E

at your hearts out, Longhorns and Aggies! The LSU Tigers have made their mark at the Petroleum Club of Houston and dubbed the sleek watering hole in the new digs the Bayou Bengal Bar.

Thanks to the efforts of twelve LSU grads – all leaders in the energy industry – the brass plaque forever stakes their claim atop the thirty-five-story Total Plaza.

While it doesn’t shout LSU, the moniker makes its point, a friendly reminder of the impact grads of the Louisiana university have on Houston’s energy picture.

As a director on the Petroleum Club board, LSU alumnus Ron Neal, co-founder and co-owner of Houston Energy, spearheaded the initiative of raising the necessary funds to win the naming rights. The fellows, each passionate about his alma mater, reached deep into their ample pockets, their contributions earmarked for the Petroleum Club capital campaign.

In addition, New Orleans transplant John Havens, president of Seismic Exchange Inc. (SEI), garnered naming rights in his father’s honor for the club’s chef ’s table. Following last week’s ribbon cutting at the Bayou Bengal Bar, the powerful dozen dined at the “P.C. Havens SEI Chef ’s Table.”

As the Tigers like to say, “Love purple, live gold!”

The additional gents contributing to the naming fund were Clarence Cazalot (1972 BACH SCI, 2007 HON), retired chairman, president, and CEO of Marathon Oil Corp.; Billy

30 LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

Harrison (1976 BACH SCI, 1979 MAST SCI) and Ron Neal (1974 BACH H&SS, 1977 MAST SCI), co-founders and coowners of Houston Energy; Marty Phillips (1975 BACH BUS, 1977 MBA), managing partner of Encap Investments; Matt McCarroll (1981 BACH BUS), president and CEO of Fieldwood Energy; Brad Juneau (1982 BACH ENGR), CEO of Juneau Energy and Juneau Exploration; Keith Jordan (1979 BACH SCI), president of Indigo Minerals; Phil Martin (1972 BACH SCI), CEO of New Century Exploration; Jud Grady (1980 BACH BUS), CFO of SEI; and Jeff Lester (attended 1971-74), vice president of SEI. Joining the festivities was Rhonda Rogers Armor, regional director of development for LSU. Now here’s the disappointing news for area Bengal Tigers: According to the LSU Foundation, only 10.8 percent of LSU alumni give back to the University, compared to Alabama, at 36 percent and Texas A&M, at 22.4 percent.

Shelby Hodge is an LSU journalism graduate. Here’s a link to the original article: houston.culturemap.com/news/society/06-1615-houston-energy-titans-put-lsu-mark-on-new-petroleum-clubdigs-with-bayou-bengal-bar-1.

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A COMPETITIVE

EDGE BMLI Celebrates 5 Years of Success and Growth

BY DANIELLE KELLEY PHOTO BY JIM ZIETZ

This fall the Black Male Leadership Initiative (LSU BMLI) celebrates five years of helping male students of color at LSU achieve success in higher education.

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LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

33

We need different perspectives in the classroom to enhance the educational value of everyone’s degree.”

T

HE PROGRAM SEEKS TO IMPROVE GRADUATION

and retention rates for males of color by encouraging student involvement, brotherhood, and academic engagement. Each year, about a dozen first-year or transfer students are selected to participate. When they become Fellows during their sophomore and junior years, they are required to participate in a number of enriching service, social, and scholarship activities. In return, the students receive support from one another, from the senior-year LSU BMLI alumni, and from staff members Vincent Harris and Chaunda Allen.

Allen, director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs and LSU BMLI, said her door is always open to the students if they need advice about academics, relationships, or future careers. “I think the Fellows program makes LSU seem a lot smaller. LSU can seem large, and it’s easy for students to get lost,” she explained. “The program gives them structured support, and they know they have people to go to if they need anything – and we mean anything.”

Harris, graduate coordinator of the program since 2012, said that Fellows have higher retention and graduation rates than the overall black male LSU population because of the brotherhood BMLI offers. “A number of students could have left for a number of reasons, including family or financial support. We find that the ones that stay at LSU are here because of BMLI,” said Harris, who received a doctorate degree from LSU in August and has accepted a position at Harvard University. “That happens because of the brotherhood they create and the help we give them. It’s because of the bond that they feel accountable to each other.”

Alumni Fellow Ramon Hardy credits LSU BMLI with his success as an undergraduate. “This organization helped me enhance my leadership skills and improve my social awareness, and it served as a support system to keep me motivated to obtain my undergraduate degree and pursue my M.B.A,” said Hardy, who is enrolled in the Flores M.B.A. Program.

May 2014 Alumni Fellows are, bottom from left, Nickholas J. Grant (2013 BACH H&SS), pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign as a National Science Foundation Fellow with $132,000 awarded to support his studies; Ramon Hardy (2014 BACH MCOM), pursuing an M.B.A. at LSU; and Charles Lewis (2014 BACH SCI), pursuing a D.M.D at Boston University Dental School; top from left, Derrick D. Lathan, (2014 BACH A&D), pursuing a doctoral degree in sociology at LSU; Karderro Dixon (2014 BACH HS&E), pursuing a D.D.S. degree at Meharry Medical College; and, De-Andre T. Beadle (2014 H&SS), pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Arkansas.

34 LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

Current Fellow Ty Martin echoes those sentiments. “The biggest impact LSU BMLI has had relates to my professional and personal growth.

The programs challenge my opinions and give me permission to be great by teaching me proper dress codes, dinner etiquette, and the importance of first impressions,” Martin said.

BMLI Fellows also have higher GPAs. In 2013, their average GPA was 2.908, as compared to the overall male GPA average of 2.794. Additionally, 70 percent of BMLI alumni have enrolled in graduate or professional school, and 40 percent of current Fellows have received internships and research fellowships.

“Every male of color has his own path.

Unfortunately today, sometimes in society that could be very limited for a number of reasons,” Harris said. “Here with the BMLI program, through the work we are doing with the Office of Multicultural Affairs, we can defy the odds for males of color at LSU.” According to Allen, the Fellows enjoy success in the classroom and are involved in extracurricular activities, such as LSU Ambassadors and LSU Greek Life. “Their transformation is amazing, and knowing that BMLI has played a part of it is very rewarding,” Allen said. “We’ve had Fellows who literally would not talk, who were painfully introverted, and they come out of the program with leadership development. They’re doing better in their courses, and they have applied for internships that they were once too afraid to apply for.”

“LSU BMLI gave me networking avenues, both concrete and abstract, that allowed me to expand my reach far beyond my initial grasps,” said Alumni Fellow Kristian Black (2015 BACH SCI), who is pursuing an M.D. at the University of Michigan Medical School.

Both Harris and Allen agree that the most challenging aspect of their job is choosing only a handful of students out of a large pool of applicants. In 2015, Harris said he received about forty applications. “But because we partnered with the Cory Webster Foundation, this year we were able to select 15 Fellows instead of just twelve,” Harris said. “This is our most diverse cohort. A significant portion of our students has been only black males, and this year we were excited to have about three Hispanic males. All of our males of color need support.”

Still, Allen said, it is difficult to turn away applicants.

“We would love for BMLI to grow and serve more Fellows, but our staff has limited capacity. Students have a lot of needs, and attending to twenty-five students’ needs at once is a lot,” Allen said. “We can only imagine what the needs are for the rest of the men of color. Their needs are so pronounced, and we can only do so much.”

Allen hopes that with funding and donations, the program can expand. “We know that there are many alumni who are not familiar with the program but who are looking for a way to pay it forward. BMLI is one proven way to invest in the development of someone’s future,” she said.

And, Allen said, funding BMLI helps not only individuals in the program but also the University.

“Programs like BMLI that showcase underrepresented students enrich the entire student population. We need different perspectives in the classroom to enhance the educational value of everyone’s degree. It’s not just about the Fellows,” Allen explained. “We want to have well-educated students who aren’t just homogenous.

They have diverse perspectives, and they can appreciate diverse perspectives.”

Current Fellow Alex James agrees: “LSU BMLI is providing me with support and access to different perspectives, which is shaping my collegiate experience.”

Danielle Kelley (2014 BACH MCOM) is pursuing an advanced degree in strategic communications through the LSU Graduate School.

Top: Fellows and BMLI staff receive the inaugural Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference Group Spotlight Award for LSU Preview Day at the 27th Annual Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference, hosted by Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.

From left are BMLI Program Coordinator Vincent Harris; BMLI Director Chaunda Allen Mitchell; Fellows Kristian Black, Jordan Hicks, Sidney Brinson, Anthony Jenkins, Tyriq Kellam, Nolan Knight, and Zackari Murphy; and BMLI Graduate Intern Evante Topp. Center: Fellows Kendrell Anderson, Terrell Anderson, Kyle Lewis, Kendall Lewis and Willie Jones with Alumni Fellows Jared Williams and Nolan Knight at the Suited 4 Success Social get first-hand tips on creating and maintaining a professional image from master tailor Eugene “Geno” Brown, co-owner of Brown & Brown Clothiers, a BMLI contributor. Vincent Harris, graduate coordinator of the LSU-BMLI program from 2012 to 2015. Chaunda Allen, director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

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LSU ALUMNI

ASSOCIATION ANNUAL

R E PORT

Y

OUR LSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION’S GROWTH AND SUCCESS is made possible by the steadfast, generous support and involvement of alumni, friends, and former students and a committed, energetic staff. We are pleased to share with our readers data

from the fiscal year 2014, as well as some of the accomplishments realized thus far this year.

During the last year, the Board of Directors embraced a new agenda to ensure the Association better serves its constituents, the University, and the state of Louisiana. Each item in the six-point plan undertaken last fall has been successfully addressed, and highlights appear in this report. For details, visit lsualumni.org/initiatives.

REVIEW the policy manual and update it to ensure legal and moral leadership principles are followed and expected.

INTRODUCE new opportunities for volunteer engagement and leadership.

REINVIGORATE alumni chapter participation.

CALL FOR A REVIEW of the Association to examine ways to enhance services to LSU, our alumni, and future alumni.

PLAN AND BUDGET for remodeling and service upgrades to the very popular and successful Cook Hotel and Conference Center.

PARTNER with the University to enhance participation of future alumni.

WHAT WE’RE WORTH A Financial Snapshot In 2014, the LSU Alumni Association had total assets in excess of $36.9 million. The major portion of these assets is restricted, including an endowment of $16.7 million. The Association has $13.7 million in physical assets such as the Lod Cook Alumni Center, The Cook Hotel, the Jack and Priscilla Andonie Museum, the Warren & Lorraine Pol Building, and the Sugar Woods building. Current cash, accounts receivable, and merchandise inventory total $2.7 million.

INVESTMENTS..................................................... $16.7 M PROPERTY, PLANT, EQUIPMENT.................... $13.7 M CURRENT ASSETS .............................................. $ 2.7 M OTHER .................................................................... $ 3.8 M

36 LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

SCHOLARSHIPS, PROFESSORSHIPS, AWARDS Enhancing the Lives of the Best and the Brightest In 2014, the Flagship Scholars Award (formerly the Top 100 Scholarship) endowment grew by 3 percent, nearing $7.1 million, and the Global Leaders Scholarship (formerly the Chancellor’s Leadership Scholarship) endowment increased by 2.5 percent. We recognized the Chancellor’s Alumni Scholars, LSU’s top ten entering freshmen, along with 165 Flagship Scholars at the annual Scholars Banquet in October 2014.

Four newly established LSU Alumni Association International Student Scholarship awards, valued at $2,500 each, were presented earlier this year.

Twenty-four prestigious awards sponsored by the LSU Alumni Association were presented to distinguished faculty and doctoral graduates: LSU Alumni Professorship, four stipends at $6,200 each; LSU Alumni Association Rising Faculty Research Award, ten at $5,000 each;

Annual Report LSU Alumni Association Faculty Excellence Award, four at $2,000 each; LSU Alumni Association Teaching Assistant Award, two at $1,000 each; Josephine A. Roberts Alumni Association Distinguished Dissertation Award, one at $2,000; LSU Alumni Association Distinguished Dissertation Award, one at $2,000; Phi Kappa Phi Non-Tenured Faculty Award, four at $500 each.

NEW INITIATIVES Partnerships and Collaboration With an emphasis on engagement, collaboration, and increased participation, we stepped up partnerships with University departments and organizations to create a culture of future alumni involvement. Such ventures include LSU On the Geaux recruiting events with Undergraduate Admissions; Spring Invitational with the Office of Orientation; first-year programs STRIPES and Bengal Bound; LSU Ring Ceremony with Finance & Administrative Services and Student Life & Enrollment; Grad Fair with the LSU Bookstore and other campus units, and Senior Stride – a reminiscent final walk through campus – with Student Government. The new Senior Happy Hour, held the evening before commencement, welcomes future alumni to Tiger Nation.

Finally, a partnership with the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and Louisiana Economic Development is helping alumni who are eager to “come home” find job openings in the state.

We kicked off another new event in Fall 2014 – the Chapter Leadership Summit, formerly the Chapter Leadership Workshop, which was held in the spring. More than fifty chapter leaders gathered for a weekend of work – and Tiger football! – laying ground for exciting new opportunities for volunteer engagement and leadership. The second Summit, scheduled for November, is expected to attract even more chapter volunteers.

Putting a new twist on the Hall of Distinction gala – and creating yet another new tradition – we paid a surprise visit to 2015 Alumnus of the Year Newton Thomas to announce his selection, and we raised the bar for future celebrations with entertainment by future School of Music alumni – virtuosos all – who paid musical tributes to each of the honorees. Also inducted were Young Alumna of the Year Lolo Jones, J. Patrick Mulhearn, J. Tinsley Oden, David Moore Suarez, and Herb Vincent. (Visit http://www.lsualumni.org/hall-of-distinction to meet current and past inductees.)

The recently launched Partners in Progress, created in collaboration with the University’s Executive Council, features themed discussions and topical guest speakers to address current and future collaborative academic initiatives. The Association provides space and refreshments, furnishing a

collegial and engaging venue for open dialogue in a more social and less structured environment than a typical office setting, thus fostering collaboration among faculty and administrators in academic units and across campus.

In response to threats of severe budget cuts to higher education the Association assumed a proactive role to protect higher education and promote the value of Louisiana’s flagship university. The response to our new grassroots network, Tiger Advocates, was excellent. Thousands loudly roared, “No More Cuts,” and LSU escaped the unprecedented budget cuts that threatened its national competitiveness. Thanks to loyal Tigers, the University maintained the current fiscal year’s funding level, with some additional funds provided to offset significant costs. Our advocacy efforts on behalf of higher education will continue throughout the year. To stay informed, visit www.lsualumni.org/tigeradvocates.

CHAPTERS, MEMBERSHIP A Global Community More than 130 chapters across the country and around the world make the LSU Alumni Association a truly global community with deep Tiger roots. And, through chapter-sponsored events, Tiger faithful support scholarships for future alumni and professorships and awards for outstanding faculty.

Alumni chapter participation was reinvigorated at the Summit, particularly through the Joint Membership Program. The program offers local plus national/global chapter membership – a win-win opportunity for alums, friends, fans, chapters, and the Association, as members enjoy all activities sponsored by local chapters as well as the many discounts and specials offered by the national association. Nearly 1,300 of these alumni, former students, and friends joined the ranks of Tiger Nation through the Joint Membership Program.

This year saw, too, the revitalization of half a dozen chapters (Louiville, Ky., Baldwin County, Ala.; Portland, Ore.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Chicago; and Panama) and the creation of nine new chapters (Central Louisiana/CENLA; Central Ohio; Acadiana/ Lafayette, La.; Lake Charles, La.; Tucson, Ariz.; Fayetteville, Ark.; Savannah, Ga.; Lubbock, Texas; and Citrus County, Fla.) The Association’s membership is growing steadily, with 15,000 current members.

PROGRAMS, EVENTS Serving Alumni, Friends, Former Students, and Future Alumni Our “seasons” are many here at the LSU Alumni Association.

“Football season” found staff greeting alumni and friends on

LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

37

Annual Report ALUMNI & FRIENDS by Country home-game weekends and working Traveling Tigers trips to Houston, Auburn, Gainesville, Fayetteville, and College Station.

The Tiger Band Alumni Reunion, Scholars Banquet, Annual Meeting/Past Presidents - Chairs Luncheon, and Retired Faculty/Staff events also kept us engaged with thousands of alumni and friends.

During “chapter season,” we criss-crossed the nation promoting joint membership, Tiger Advocates, and the value of an LSU education with Tiger faithful gathered for chapter-sponsored “gumbeaux” dinners, King Cake parties, and, of course, that rite of spring – crawfish boils. Our travels continued into the summer with Tiger Athletic Foundation and LSU Foundation on the annual Tiger Tour.

A LOOK AHEAD Building for the Future The Lod Cook Alumni Center and The Cook Hotel continue to be points of light for LSU alumni and friends, and corporations overwhelmingly select the venues for conferences, business meetings, weddings, and reunions, boasting a total 715 events in 2014. The Cook Hotel attracted a record-breaking number of stays – 50,000 – and we expect to exceed that number this year.

In January, we met with consultants to assess ways in which to improve the Association and explore best practices and fresh ideas to better serve our constituents.

A five-year strategic plan, with emphasis on engagement and collaboration, is being finalized.

We also engaged hospitality entrepreneurs to review the operations of The Cook Hotel with the goal of creating the ultimate customer experience. A major focus of the assessment will be on renovations. A multi-year plan of action is being established to create accommodations and amenities that are second to none in the Baton Rouge area.

As you are proud of your LSU degree, so too can you be proud of the organization that serves you. Our peer alumni associations continue to count us as among the best in the country and in 2015 – our 110th anniversary – we recommit ourselves to expanding existing programs and creating new initiatives that support the University, thus enhancing the value of an LSU education, as well as the lives of alumni and friends, faculty and staff, and future alumni.

GEAUX TIGERS!

Cliff Vannoy President and CEO

38 LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

Algeria American Samoa Angola Argentina Aruba Australia Austria Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belgium Belize Bolivia, Plurinational State Of Bosnia-Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Bulgaria Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Chile China Colombia Costa Rica Cote DIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Ethiopia Fiji Finland France Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan

12 3 3 7 1 41 6 5 2 5 1 17 5 13 1 1 38 1 1 1 1 199 6 14 37 92 74 1 5 1 34 1 4 23 18 14 75 3 2 1 4 48 1 57 2 11 64 9 1 104 48 1 4 142 22 41 3 8 11 16 67 6 1

Kenya 6 Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of 5 Korea, Republic of 36 Kuwait 14 Lebanon 38 Liberia 3 Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 12 Luxembourg 1 Malaysia 495 Mali 1 Mauritania 1 Mauritius 26 Mexico 79 Micronesia, Federated States 1 Mongolia 1 Mozambique 1 Nepal 1 Netherlands 14 Netherlands Antilles 1 New Zealand 7 Nicaragua 50 Niger 1 Nigeria 29 Norway 11 Pakistan 20 Panama 65 Papua New Guinea 1 Paraguay 1 Peru 40 Philippines 19 Poland 5 Portugal 1 Qatar 2 Romania 5 Russian Federation 3 Saint Lucia 1 Saudi Arabia 29 Senegal 3 Sierra Leone 1 Singapore 37 Slovenia 1 South Africa 21 Spain 11 Sri Lanka 11 Suriname 10 Swaziland 2 Sweden 14 Switzerland 13 Taiwan, Province of China 47 Tanzania, United Republic of 2 Thailand 75 Trinidad and Tobago 19 Tunisia 12 Turkey 36 Uganda 2 Ukraine 1 United Arab Emirates 7 United Kingdom 119 United States Minor Outlying Islands 1 United States of America 254784 Uruguay 2 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 173 Zambia 2

We know there are more Tigers around the world!

Update your contact information here: lsualumni.org/Forms/Forms.asp?p1=159

Annual Report

TIGER NATION LSU ALUMNI & FRIENDS in the United States & Territories

NORTH DAKOTA 47

MONTANA 144

WASHINGTON 1,041

NEW HAMPSHIRE 159

VERMONT 94

MINNESOTA 439 OREGON 624

IDAHO 168

WYOMING 89

NEVADA 416

UTAH 288

MICHIGAN 928

IOWA 275

NEBRASKA 200

ILLINOIS 1,675

COLORADO 1,780

KANSAS 459

MISSOURI 1,048

OKLAHOMA 805

NEW MEXICO 501

PENNSYLVANIA 1,403

OHIO 1,123

INDIANA 612

WEST VIRGINIA 200

TENNESSEE 3,003

ARKANSAS 2,018 MISSISSIPPI 4,747 LOUISIANA 165,406

TEXAS 27,722

NEW YORK 2,191

KENTUCKY 765

CALIFORNIA 5,316 ARIZONA 948

MAINE 139

WISCONSIN 476

SOUTH DAKOTA 70

VIRGINIA 3,033

NORTH CAROLINA 2,857

MASSACHUSETTS 1,001 RHODE ISLAND 107 CONNECTICUT NEW JERSEY 569 1,173 DELAWARE MARYLAND 189 1,557 D.C. 505

SOUTH CAROLINA 1,313

GEORGIA 4,839

ALABAMA 3,229

FLORIDA 6,378

HAWAII 164 ALASKA 172

ARMED FORCES ARMED FORCES AMERICAS ARMED FORCES PACIFIC GUAM PUERTO RICO VIRGIN ISLANDS

55 4 28 1 275 16

LSU ALUMNI & FRIENDS in Louisiana CLAIBORNE 144

LIVING ALUMNI

by Catagory Lousiana Out of State (but in US) International Lost

127051 69916 2905 25473

CADDO 4,677

BOSSIER 1,241 WEBSTER 299

SABINE 172

1 1738 4009 8838 17421 33424 37870 39507 51995 30449 93

CALCASIEU 3,679 CAMERON 53

LA SALLE 184

GRANT 266

FRANKLIN 188

MADISON 124

TENSAS 140

CATAHOULA 129 CONCORDIA 318 TANGIPAHOA 2,307

RAPIDES 4,615

VERNON 360

RICHLAND 187

CALDWELL 84

WINN 104

NATCHITOCHES 582

BEAUREGARD 448

OUACHITA 2,029

JACKSON 89

RED RIVER 74

LIVING ALUMNI

by Age Range 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s UNKNOWN

LINCOLN 533 BIENVILLE 87

DE SOTO 265

MOREHOUSE W 215 CARROLL E 82 CARROLL 95

UNION 114

AVOYELLES 991

ALLEN 229

EVANGELINE 829

JEFFERSON DAVIS 450

ACADIA 975

E W FELICIANA ST FELICIANA 968 HELENA 966 72 POINTE EBR COUPEE 63,444 1,175 LIVINGSTON WBR 4,820 1,675

ST LANDRY 2,216

ST MARTIN 582

VERMILION 827

ST JAMES ASSUMPTION 568 396

IBERIA 1,344

301 LAFAYETTE 6,995

IBERIA 1,344

ST TAMMANY 10,790 ST JOHN THE BAPTIST 948

IBERVILLE ASCENSION 1,616 6,821

ST MARY 896 UNKNOWN

WASHINGTON 654

TERREBONNE 1,846

ORLEANS 9,076

ST CHARLES 1,612

ST BERNARD 458

LAFOURCHE 1,824

JEFFERSON 14,610

PLAQUEMINES 548

LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

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Annual Report

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Annual Report

LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

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Around

CAMPUS

In Focus Tiger Twelve – A dozen seniors joined

the ranks of Tiger Twelve in April. The honor is presented by the Office of the Dean of Students and recognizes students who exemplify the seven basic principles of the LSU Commitment to Community, a statement of position regarding the University’s basic principles as an academic community.

Members of the Tiger Twelve Class of 2015 are, Caroline Broussard, of From left, Associate Vice President and Dean of Students K. C. White, Andree Comeaux, Katelyn Gross, Caroline Abbeville, La., communication disorders; Broussard, Connor Rougelot, Clay Tufts, Lauren Landry, Hannah Suffern, Allie Williams, Ricky Richard, Arenn Andree Comeaux, of Crowley, La., Martin, Erin Percevault, Philip Dempsey, and LSU Vice President Kurt Keppler. economics; Philip Dempsey, of Mobile, Ala., interdisciplinary studies; Katelyn Gross, of New Orleans, public relations; Lauren Landry, of Houma, La., marketing; Arenn Martin, of Fairfax, Va., business management; Erin Percevault, of Verona, N.J., landscape architecture; Ricky Richard, of Grand Lake, La., kinesiology; Connor Rougelot, of Covington, La., biological sciences; Hannah Suffern, of Metairie, La., finance; Clay Tufts, of Metairie, La., political science; and Allie Williams, of Baton Rouge, biological engineering.

Photo by Eddy Perez/University Relations

Harold Dupre, center, with Pat and Rodney Adams, Marion Territo, and Emily Hubbard.

LSU Retirees – Harold Dupre, president of the Orphan Train Society and a descendant of an Orphan Train rider, was guest speaker at the April meeting of the LSU Faculty-Staff Retirees Club. The “train” was an adoption system to place some 150,000 orphans in homes across the nation between 1854 and 1929. The children traveled by rail, and more than 2,000 came to Louisiana. The Orphan Train Museum in Opelousas, La., is one of two in the country.

Photo by Mark Claesgens

42 LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

YOU R A LU M N I DOL L A R S AT WO R K

Thanks to the generous support of alumni, friends, and former students twenty-four prestigious awards sponsored by the LSU Alumni Association were presented to distinguished faculty and doctoral graduates in Spring 2015.

LSU ALUMNI PROFESSORSHIP $6,200 of the stipend

Ram Devireddy, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering – DeSoto Parish Chapter Alumni Professorship; Heather McKillop, Geography & Anthropology, College of Humanities & Social Sciences – Thomas & Lillian Landrum Alumni Professorship

LSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION RISING FACULTY RESEARCH AWARD $5,000 Inessa Bazayev, Music, College of Music & Dramatic Arts; James C. Bunch, Agricultural & Extension Education & Evaluation, College of Agriculture; Kenneth J. Fasching-Varner, Education, College of Human Sciences & Education; Benjamin Kahan, English, College of Humanities & Social Sciences; Charles C. Lee, Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine; Kanchan Maiti, Oceanography & Coastal Sciences, School of the Coast & Environment; Cherie Pucheu-Haston, Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine; Samuel Stroope, Sociology, College of Humanities & Social Sciences; Sabrina Taylor, Renewable Natural Resources, College of Agriculture; Mark M. Wilde, Physics & Astronomy, College of Science

LSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION FACULTY EXCELLENCE AWARD $2,000

LSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION TEACHING ASSISTANT AWARD $1,000 JOSEPHINE A. ROBERTS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION DISTINGUISHED DISSERTATION AWARD $2,000 PHI KAPPA PHI NONTENURED FACULTY AWARD $500

Mette B. Gaarde, Physics & Astronomy, College of Science; Heather McKillop, Geography & Anthropology, College of Humanities & Social Sciences; Stephen Shipman, Mathematics, College of Science; Tim Slack, Sociology, College of Humanities & Social Sciences Simon D. Pfeil, Mathematics, College of Science; Jordan L. Von Cannon, English, College of Humanities & Social Sciences

Monica Miller, LSU ALUMNI 2014 Ph.D., ASSOCIATION English, College of DISTINGUISHED Humanities & DISSERTATION Social Sciences AWARD

Devendra Pakhare, 2014 Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering

$2,000 Bryan McCann, Communication Studies, College of Humanities & Social Sciences; Isiah Lavendar, English, College of Humanities & Social Sciences; Dottie Vaughn, Mathematics, College of Science; Kehui “Kevin” Xu, Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, School of the Coast & Environment

Join the LSU Alumni Association to put your Alumni Dollar$ to work for professorships, faculty awards, and scholarships for the best and brightest.

www.lsualumni.org | 1-888-RING-LSU

LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

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Around Campus

In Focus

Front, from left, Professor Emeritus of Sociology Tom Durant, Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean Emeritus Carolyn C. Collins, Ricky Richard, Bradley Williams, Dominque Smith, Jalea Jackson, Black Faculty & Staff Caucus President Roland Mitchell, and Riad Elkhanoufi; back, Charity Bryan, Brenton Sumler, keynote speaker Mario J. Garner, Vice Provost for Diversity Dereck J. Rovaris, Sr., Vincent Harris, and Chaunda Allen.

Black Scholars Program – More than 1,000 African-American students with 3.0 grade point averages or higher were recognized at the 30th Annual Black Scholars Award Program and Reception in March. Mario Garner (2002 BACH SCI), chief executive officer of New Orleans Hospital East, was keynote speaker at the event.

Students receiving special awards were mass communication senior Bradley Williams, the A.P. Tureaud Milestone Award; kinesiology senior Ricky Richard, the Huel Perkins Leadership Award; doctoral student Vincent Harris, the Charles E. Harrington Graduate Student Award; kinesiology senior Dominque Smith, the W.E.B. DuBois Award; junior theatre major Jalea Jackson, the Jesse Owens Athletic Award; and freshman chemical engineering major Riad Elkhanoufi, the Dean Carolyn Collins Distinguished Scholar and Citizenship Scholar Award.

Photo by Aaron Phipps

ExxonMobil Matching Gifts – ExxonMobil presented a check for $1,038,866 to the LSU Foundation as part of the ExxonMobil Foundation’s 2014 Educational Matching Gift Program. The gift, made in April, represents the ExxonMobil Foundation 3:1 match of $377,013 in donations made by 157 employees, retirees, and surviving spouses to LSU. Among the colleges and units supported by the gifts are the colleges of Agriculture, Engineering, Human Sciences & Education (including the LSU Laboratory School), Humanities & Social Sciences, Music & Dramatic Arts, and Science; the Roger Hadfield Former LSU Foundation President and CEO Lee Griffin, ExxonMobil Foundation Executive Director Patrick McCarthy, and LSU Alumni Association Vice President Jason Ramezan.

Ogden Honors College; LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center; Manship School of Mass Communication; LSU Museum of Art; Osher Lifelong Learning Institute; and Women’s Center. Gifts were also made directly to the LSU Foundation and the LSU Alumni Association. Gifts provided support for, among other projects, scholarships, professorships, capital projects, and working capital for colleges and units.

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The Southern Review Prose Editor Emily Nemens, left, with readers and contributors Jayne Anne Phillips, Karl Taro Greenfeld, David Wojahn, Stephen Dunn, Poetry Editor Jessica Faust, Philip Levine, and Chloe Honum.

Southern Review at the Strand – A standing-room-only crowd of more than seventy fans gathered at Strand Bookstore in New York City on May 1 for The Southern Review’s 80th Anniversary Reading. A stellar line-up of The Southern Review’s poets and novelists joined the journal’s editors to mark the milestone. From the LSU campus, the journal publishes distinct literary voices from around the world that both evoke the innovation of its founders, Robert Penn Warren and Cleanth Brooks, and respond to the diversity of its contemporary readership.

Photo courtesy The Southern Review

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Around Campus

Legislative Update 2015 In the months leading up to the 2015 Legislative Session, LSU and the rest of Louisiana’s universities faced a grim situation: potential budget cuts of up to 82 percent, which, if realized, would have changed the face of the state’s higher education system for generations to come. In fact, it would have been the largest cut to higher education in modern American history. As soon as the potential for these devastating cuts was made public, both House Speaker Chuck Kleckley and Senate President John Alario quickly responded that they would stop any large reductions to higher education. But they couldn’t have done it alone.

“The legislature had a choice to protect higher education or not. They did so with enthusiasm and dedication, showing tremendous political courage.”

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Prior to the start of session, the LSU Alumni Association took up the role of building a grassroots network called Tiger Advocates. Alumni and friends signed up by the thousands to share the importance of LSU with state legislators and leaders.

The goal was deceptively straightforward: as a group, it sought Photos by Jim Zietz budget stability for LSU, which would allow the University to engage in the kind of strategic, forward-thinking planning a toptier research university needs in order to maintain its national competitiveness.

Thanks to loyal alumni like you, as well as legislators who rose from among the ranks as vocal advocates for a strong LSU, the session closed on a much different note: one of optimism and gratitude. “The legislature had a choice to protect higher education or not. It was that simple,” said President and Chancellor F. King Alexander. “We’re proud to report that they did so with enthusiasm and dedication, showing tremendous political courage.”

The session ended with LSU’s state appropriation being maintained at the existing level, with additional investments made for the LSU Health Sciences Center, LSU AgCenter, and the Pennington Biomedical Research Center. While this is something to be excited about, especially after facing record-breaking cuts, it still leaves room for growth. For example, LSU’s current per-student funding remains smaller than both its regional and national competitors. These are challenges that need to be addressed soon in order to ensure LSU’s viability in a national marketplace.

In addition to maintaining the current budget, the legislature also approved key capital projects. Perhaps the best news was the approval of a renovation of the Engineering Shops building – a structure on the National Register of Historic Places – for art programs. Continued funding was made available for Patrick F. Taylor Hall for Engineering, the French House for the Honors College, and the Nicholson Gateway project. “People talk about the importance of education and how we need politicians with guts. The legislature stepped up to the plate,” said LSU Alumni Association President Cliff Vannoy. “Their perseverance in not only creating solutions to the budget crisis but also to ensuring that those solutions survived the legislative process and became reality, is commendable.”

The legislature also approved limited authority for University management boards to raise fees, an autonomy advocated by students and administrators alike. Louisiana is the only state that requires a two-thirds vote to raise fees. Due to stable funding and a planned tuition increase, LSU did not exercise the fee authority for Fall 2015.

Without the support of Tiger Advocates and the LSU Alumni Association, LSU students might have started the semester under much difference circumstances. If you didn’t participate, sign up now at www.lsualumni.org/tigeradvocates. Opportunities abound, said Vannoy. “As for 2016 and beyond, our goal is to increase the roar of the Tiger Nation to inspire the next governor and legislators to begin a multi-decade plan of action to increase investment in LSU,” he said.

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Around Campus

Legislative Update 2015

Faculty, staff, alumni, and future alumni protest higher ed budget cuts.

Photo by Johnny Gordon

Roaring at the Capitol – More than a thousand LSU faculty, staff, alumni, and future alumni gathered in AZ Young Park next to the Pentagon Barracks in downtown Baton Rouge on April 30 to protest proposed $600 million budget cuts to higher education. The air was charged with anticipation as LSU Alumni Association staff served jambalaya and white beans and red beans provided by the Jambalaya Shoppe to those gathered, and some thirty media cameras were on hand to record the LSU devoted march to the Louisiana Capitol.

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LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

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Noteworthy

Around Campus

Matt Lee

Kathleen Bogaski

Ken Lopata

Celalettin Emre Ozdemir

Kathleen Bogaski was named the 2015-16 Marie M. Bickham Chair in Landscape Architecture at the Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture. Bogaski comes to LSU from Cal Poly Pomona, where she recently taught the site engineering course, Introduction to Earthwork. She holds a bachelor’s degree in horticulture and landscape architecture and a master’s degree in education from Michigan State University, as well as a master’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Michigan. Bogaski has more than twenty-five years of professional experience working at exceptional design firms, including Design Workshop Inc., EDAW/ AECOM, and Land Design Research.

Matt Lee was named vice provost for academic programs and support services with responsibility for oversight and coordination for degree, certificate, and auxiliary academic programs and support services. He was previously senior associate vice president in the Office of Research & Economic Development and is a professor of sociology and member of the graduate faculty. A criminologist and public health scholar, Lee earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and philosophy from the State University of New York, a master’s degree in sociology from LSU, and a Ph.D. in sociology from LSU. He attended the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education at Harvard University.

Ken Lopata, assistant professor of chemistry, and Celalettin Emre Ozdemir, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, were among faculty members at Oak Ridge Associated Universities to receive the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award from the organization. The award provides seed money to enrich the research and professional growth of young faculty and results in new funding opportunities. Both Lopata and Ozdemir hold joint appointments with the Center for Computation and Technology.

Michelle Massé

Lisa Pond and Robert Paul, cartographers with the Louisiana Geological Survey (LGS) at LSU, won “Best of Category in the Recreational/Travel Map Category” in the 2015 Cartography and Geographic Information Society (CaGIS) Map Competition. Their entry, “Bayou Teche Paddle Trail and Historical and Cultural Map” received the award at the 42nd CaGIS Map Design Competition at Montgomery College, Rockville, Md. The map was produced in conjunction with the TECHE Project, a non-profit organization that manages the Bayou Teche Paddle Trail, a U.S. Department of the Interior Water Trail.

Michelle Massé was named dean of the Graduate School, replacing Gary Byerly, who served as dean since 2012 and is retiring after nearly forty years in higher education.

Massé received her bachelor’s degree from Anna Maria College and her doctoral degree from Brown University. She began her career at Brown University and was an assistant professor at George Mason University before coming to LSU in 1985. At LSU, she served as assistant professor of English, associate professor of English, and professor of English; directed graduate studies in the Department of English; and was founding director of Women’s and Gender Studies at LSU. LSU Dining’s The 5 Dining Hall was ranked among Spoon University’s list, “36 of the Best College Dining Halls in the U.S.” Originally constructed in 1966 and formerly known as the Pentagon Dining Hall, the renovated facility seats more than 450.

Spoon University is an online food publication with articles written by people under twenty-five years old. Laura Smith, editor-in-chief of Spoon LSU, is credited in the story that appeared in the April 28 USA Today story.

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TIGER TRIVIA Students recognized with national and international awards this year include Zachary Fitzpatrick, Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College and the College of Science, Gates Cambridge Scholarship; Michael Beyer, Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College and College of Humanities & Social Sciences, Truman Scholarship; Mollie Smoak, Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College and the College of Engineering, Goldwater Scholarship; Maria a Muñoz, Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture, Olmsted Scholarship; and Belinda Nsuami and Ryan Sartor, College of Humanities & Social Sciences, U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship. Seven current students or recent graduates were recognized by the National Science Foundation 2015 Graduate Fellows: Ansonia Badgett, a native of Chicago, Ill.; Bruno Beltran, a native of Sulphur, La.; Kimberly Johnson, a Central Texas native; Rachael Keller, a native of West Monroe, La.; Jacob McAlpin, a native of Natchitoches, La.; Melissa McDowell, a native of Baton Rouge; and Zachary Rodriguez, a native of Newburgh, N.Y. The College of Art & Design announced that the Louisiana Board of Regents approved the name change of the Department of Interior Design to the School of Interior Design. The school’s Bachelor of Interior Design program is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation and meets the education requirements for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification exam for licensure as an interior designer. The school’s leadership plans to establish a Master of Interior Design program in the near future.

LSU’s interior design program has been ranked as one of the top twenty programs of its kind in the nation.

1. When was the land that eventually became the Rural Life Museum donated to LSU? 1926 1958 1966 1970 2. Who donated the land in question 1?

The Burden family The Middleton family

The Boyd family The Alexander family

3. When were the offices of the Dean of Men and Dean of Women merged to form the Office of the Dean of Students?

1906 1931 1951 1977 4. Besides marking the end of World War I, in what other ways was the year 1918 significant, at least as far as LSU was concerned?

Food rationing ended No football games were played nor Gumbos produced President Thomas Boyd retired The land for the present campus was purchased A&C B&D 5. What was significant about the 1952 football season?

LSU went to the Sugar Bowl The Tigers used a letter-number system on their uniforms Gaynell Tinsley became an Tiger Stadium’s west All-American upper deck was constructed 6. When was LSU’s track and field team established?

1897 1935 1958 1976 7. How did LSU’s men’s and women’s track teams make history in 2004?

They merged to become the first All members of both teams coed track team competed in the Olympics It was the first time in NCAA It was the first time the two history that the men’s and women’s teams competed against track teams from the same university each other won the national indoor championships 8. Which Spanish explorer’s statue was located behind the Greek Theatre?

Francisco Vazquez de Coronado Christopher Columbus Ponce de Leon Hernando de Soto 9. What was the last building constructed on the “old campus” on what is now the state Capitol grounds?

Garig Hall Peabody Hall Hill Memorial Library The Pentagon Barracks 10. Why did First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visit campus in 1937?

To host a war bond rally Because she had never visited Baton Rouge To give a talk about a typical To campaign for her husband’s day in the White House reelection 11. According to the 1950-51 L Book, what must women students do before off-campus visits were approved?

Get approval from their parents Get approval from the university or guardians president Maintain at least a 3.0 grade Arrange to be accompanied by a point average male member of their family 12. According to the 1881 Cadet Regulations of the Louisiana State University, cadets were allowed to settle disputes by dueling.

True False Tiger Trivia is compiled by Barry Cowan, assistant archivist, Hill Memorial Library.

Answers: 1:c 2:a 3:d 4:f 5:b 6:a 7:c 8:d 9:b 10:c 11:a 12:b

The LSU Online Flores MBA Program is ranked No. 50 among public schools in the U.S. News & World Report’s rankings of the 2015 Best Online Programs for Veterans.

Ranked programs were required to be among the top 75 percent of schools in the overall 2015 Best Online Programs rankings released earlier in the year by the magazine.

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Hector Zapata

Focus on

FACULTY

A Champion for International Tigers

By Rebecca Docter Photo by Johnny Gordon

Past Presidents of the LSU Alumni Association Alumni Professor Hector Zapata.

“The goal of LSU Global is to increase the number of international students here at LSU, which will, in turn, strengthen the school’s diversity.”

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Today, Hector Zapata works from a cozy office in Hatcher Hall, a workplace lined with econometrics and agricultural economics books and stacked with project plans.

But thirty-seven years ago, Zapata started his LSU career just next door, as an international student living in Hodges Hall.

“I can see my window from here,” Zapata said, pointing toward the former men’s dormitory.

Zapata, who holds the title Past Presidents of the LSU Alumni Association Alumni Professor, is associate vice provost for international programs and professor of agricultural economics and agribusiness in the College of Agriculture. He came to LSU from Honduras in the summer of 1978 to participate in the English Language & Orientation Program and eventually earned bachelor’s (1981) and master’s (1983) degrees in agricultural economics from LSU. He received a doctoral degree at University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana in 1987. One of the reasons he first chose LSU, he said, was convenience.

“For me, it was geographic proximity,” Zapata said. “I wanted to come to a university that, if I needed to head back to Honduras, my native country, I could do it in a few hours. At the time, there were direct flights from New Orleans to Honduras.”

The Spanish influence in Louisiana also captured Zapata’s interest, and having that reminder of the comforts of home drew him to the state and the University. When he arrived in 1978, however, he found it harder to assimilate than he expected.

“I was literally thrown into this dormitory with no knowledge of who was there or who was going to be my roommate, and I knew just elementary English,” Zapata recalled.

He soon met another student, Paul Nelson, who knew little Spanish but wanted to learn the language, and the two became friends. Nelson helped Zapata with English while Zapata taught Nelson Spanish.

To make international students’ transitions to Louisiana life easier, Zapata has been working ten- to fourteen-hour days for the past year preparing LSU Global, a program for first-year international students; the program will be offered for the first time this fall. According to Zapata, the University enrolls more than 1,500 international students per year from some 110 countries. The goal of LSU Global is to increase the number of international students here at LSU, which will, in turn, strengthen the school’s diversity, he explained.

Depending on their credentials, most students in the program will participate in a one-year experience designed to provide them with English training, academic training, and cultural immersion to enhance cross-cultural communication skills. The program also aims to pair domestic students with international students.

Nelson, now an assistant professor of modern languages at Louisiana Tech, invited Zapata to his hometown, a place Zapata was able to learn more about Louisiana culture, a few times while they were students at LSU. Through LSU Global, he’s hoping to facilitate more relationships such as this.

“I truly believe that with the right ideas, we could make internationalization one of the strong foundations of the University for the future,” Zapata said.

Rebecca Docter, a senior in the Manship School of Mass Communication, is comanaging editor of The Daily Reveille.

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Locker

ROOM

By Will Stafford Photo by Tim Cowie/LSU Sports Information

NCAA Golf Champions, from left, Assistant Coach Garrett Runion, Zach Wright, Eric Ricard, Ben Taylor, Brandon Pierce, Stewart Jolly and Coach Chuck Winstead. The Tigers defeated Southern Cal to win the men’s NCAA title in Bradenton, Fla., on June 3. It was LSU’s first NCAA championship in golf since 1955.

Tiger Golfers Sweep SEC, NCAA Titles The LSU men’s golf team enjoyed one of its most historic seasons as the Tigers swept SEC and NCAA team championships to cement their status as the nation’s premier program for the season. In their tenth season under the direction of Coach Chuck Winstead, the Tigers were crowned SEC Champions for the first time in twenty-eight years and NCAA Champions for the first time in sixty years while completing their return to the top as kings of the college game.

The Tigers kicked off their championship season with a three-shot victory over South Carolina and Vanderbilt at the SEC Men’s Golf Championships, posting a winning score of 13-under par 827 for three rounds to win their 16th SEC Championship in program history and their first since the spring of 1987. Leading the way for a title-winning performance were senior Stewart Jolly tying for fourth place, junior Zach Wright tying for sixth place, and sophomore Brandon Pierce tying for ninth place on the individual leaderboard.

Each was awarded a Second-Team All-SEC selection along with sophomore Eric Ricard for their performance in clinching LSU’s first conference title since David Toms’ sophomore season in Baton Rouge in 1987. It was also a performance that earned Winstead a selection as the SEC Coach of the Year for 2015.

Fueled by their victory, the Tigers stormed to the national championship with a decisive 4-1 victory over the USC Trojans in the NCAA Championship Match. It marked LSU’s fifth appearance at the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships in six years after grabbing the fifth and final qualifying spot from the NCAA New Haven Regional held at The Course at Yale. The team advanced to the matchplay tournament for the national championship for the second straight season after finishing in seventh place among thirty teams for four rounds of stroke play qualifying at 17-over 1,169 for 72 holes.

After advancing to match play as the No. 7 seed, the Tigers defeated No. 2 seed Vanderbilt in the quarterfinals and No. 3 seed Georgia in the semifinals with a pair of 3.5-1.5 victories for a shot at the national championship for the first time since 1955.

They took home the title in style with Wright and Pierce putting the first two points on the board for the Tigers in the Championship Match and senior Ben Taylor sealing the victory with an eight-foot par putt on the eighteenth green.

Wright put the Tigers on the scoreboard with a 3-and-2 win over Sean Crocker before Pierce followed with a 2-and-1 victory over Rico Hoey to give LSU a 2-0 edge in the deciding match. Taylor then closed out his match 1-up over Bobby Gojuangco by rolling in a left-to-right par putt from eight feet on the eighteenth green. They officially won the match by a 4-1 margin as Ricard defeated Jonah Texeira, 1-up, and Jolly fell to Eric Sugimoto, 1-down.

While leading the Tigers to the title, Winstead was once again honored as the Golfweek National Coach of the Year, and Pierce was named a Third-Team AllAmerican by the publication. Pierce was then named a PING Honorable Mention All-American along with Ricard and Wright as each was recognized by the Golf Coaches Association of America.

Will Stafford is associate sports information director for LSU Athletics.

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LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

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Locker Room

By Will Stafford Photos by Bryan Wayne/LSU Sports Information

Vernon Norwood, NCAA Indoor and NCAA Outdoor 400-meter champion.

LSU men’s outdoor 4x400-meter relay team.

Norwood Leads Tiger Stars in 2015 Season Led by the performance of NCAA 400-meter double gold medalist Vernon Norwood, the LSU Tigers cracked the Top 5 of the final men’s team standings at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships for the fourteenth time in sixteen seasons as one of the nation’s top teams. The Tigers tallied forty-five points at Oregon’s Hayward Field in June to pip the USC Trojans for the fourth-place team trophy and equal the team’s fourthplace finish from the 2014 season.

The Lady Tigers scored 26 points of their own to finish on the cusp of the Top 10 in eleventh place in the final women’s team standings at the national meet.

Norwood was certainly the star of the NCAA Indoor silver medalist and NCAA Outdoor show for the LSU Track & Field teams bronze medalist Tori Bliss. as he completed his NCAA title sweep with a winning run of 45.10 seconds in the men’s 400-meter final at the NCAA Outdoor meet. He later returned to the track to anchor the Tigers to their fourth NCAA Outdoor title in program history in the 4x400-meter relay as he teamed with senior Quincy Downing, junior Fitzroy Dunkley, and junior Cyril Grayson to edge the Florida Gators at the finish line with a winning time of 3 minutes, 1.93 seconds.

A native of Morgan City, La., Norwood became just the fourteenth sprinter in collegiate history to sweep NCAA Indoor and NCAA Outdoor championships in the 400-meter dash in the same season. He emerged as the No. 8-ranked 400-meter sprinter outdoors in collegiate history with his personal best time of 44.44 set at the LSU Alumni Gold on April 18 during the regular season.

It was that performance that earned Norwood a selection as a semifinalist for the Bowerman Award, track and field’s equivalent to college football’s Heisman Trophy.

He stepped onto the international stage as a member of Team USA for the first time in his career after qualifying in the 400 meters with a third-place finish at the USA Track & Field Championships in June. Norwood also ran for the United States in the 4x400-meter relay at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Athletics held in Beijing, China, in August.

Senior shot putter Tori Bliss proved to be the star for the Lady Tigers in the 2015 season as she ended her collegiate career as both an NCAA Indoor silver medalist and NCAA Outdoor bronze medalist in the women’s shot put as one of the nation’s top performers. Her throw of 60 feet, 7 ¼ inches to score the NCAA Indoor silver medal broke her own indoor school record and made her the No. 8-ranked shot putter indoors in NCAA history. Her seasonal best throw of 60-8 during the outdoor season also broke her own outdoor school record in the event.

Bliss also made history by smashing the meet record at this year’s SEC Indoor Championships when she opened her series with a throw of 60-1 to outclass the field and win her first career SEC title in her event. She ended her career as one of the most decorated throwers to wear the Lady Tiger uniform as a three-time AllAmerican and two-time All-SEC performer.

Will Stafford is associate sports information director for LSU Athletics.

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LSU Softball Team A Season to Remember

By Clyde Verdin Photos by Steve Franz

Freshman pitcher Carley Hoover.

Season Highlights: LSU began the 2015 season on a twenty-five-game winning streak, the best start to a season ever in program history, and the second best start among any sport at LSU. The Tigers rose to the No. 1 ranking in both of the national polls for the first time in team history, making it all the way to the Women’s College World Series for the fourth time in program history.

Key Individual Performances: Junior infielder Bianka Bell set the single-season home run record at LSU with eighteen home runs this season, while also becoming the career leader in home runs with more than forty now in her career in an All-American season.

Freshman Allie Walljasper won her first nine starts on the way to an All-American season, while fellow freshman pitcher Carley Hoover led the pitching staff in wins and was a finalist for the NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award.

Coach’s Comment: Starting back in the fall this team was on a mission. I truly have enjoyed every minute with these girls this year. It has flown by because of how much I’ve enjoyed it, and I’m just so proud to be their coach.

Junior infielder Bianka Bell.

The Future: We had a ton of underclassmen that were contributors all season long. This was a special group.

They had great chemistry. They had great leadership. There are no guarantees for the next season. But they definitely have all of the tools, talent, and ability to achieve even more than this.

Freshman pitcher Allie Walljasper.

Coach Beth Torina.

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Athletic Director Joe Alleva and Coach Paul Mainieri presented Voice of the Tigers Jim Hawthorne with a jersey at an LSU vs. Missouri game in May, marking Hawthorne’s final season of LSU baseball.

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Voice of the Tigers – Jim Hawthorne, the legendary Voice of the Tigers who has been on the radio call of thousands of LSU events for the past thirty-five years, will retire following the 2015-16 basketball season.

Hawthorne, who first joined LSU as the play-by-play commentator for the men’s basketball team in 1979-80, called his final season of LSU baseball last spring. He is calling football games this fall and will wrap up his career with men’s basketball. Hawthorne joined the LSU football broadcast team in 1983, handling the color analyst job alongside John Ferguson. After the 1983 season, Ferguson transitioned to TigerVision and Hawthorne took over as the playby-play commentator for the Tigers.

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Mainieri Named Skip Bertman Coach of the Year

Locker Room

Paul Mainieri was named winner of the 2015 Skip Bertman National Coach of the Year Award by the National College Baseball Hall of Fame.

Paul Mainieri

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The award is named for Bertman, who coached at LSU from 1984 to 2001. Bertman won five national championships and was named National Coach of the Year six times.

He coached thirty-one players who went on to play Major League Baseball. Bertman was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class in 2006. Three of his players – Ben McDonald, Todd Walker, and Eddie Furniss have joined him in the Hall of Fame.

Mainieri was previously named National Coach of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. He received National Coach of the Year honors at LSU in 2008 and 2009, and one season at Notre Dame (2000).

In 2015, Mainieri led the Tigers to the College World Series for the second time in three years and for the fourth time in his nine seasons at LSU. The Tigers posted a nation’s best fifty-four wins and were ranked No. 1 in the country for ten consecutive weeks during the season.

Over the last four seasons, Mainieri’s Tigers have won a nation’s best 204 games.

LSU is the only team in the country to win a national seed in each of the last four NCAA tournaments.

Unsubsidized by State Funds LSU Athletics Nationally Ranked; Generates $133.7 Million in 2013-14

By Bud Johnson Photo courtesy LSU Sports Information

One of few major universities supported by self-generated funds, LSU Athletics ranks sixth nationally and second in the SEC in income generation.

The Fighting Tigers are nationally ranked where it counts – annual income.

LSU is one of a few major universities in the nation with a department of athletics that is totally sustained by selfgenerated funds.

Figures released by USA Today show that LSU produced $133.7 million during the 2013-14 school year, ranking sixth nationally and second in the SEC in income generation.

The LSU athletics program is just one of seven in the nation that is not subsidized with state dollars. The others are Purdue, Nebraska, Penn State, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and Texas. All of the 223 other athletics programs included in the USA Today data required some level of subsidies to boost revenue. LSU is the only school in the SEC and the only school in the state that doesn’t need subsidies to generate revenue in athletics.

The Oregon Ducks were No. 1 with revenue of $196 million in the figures released by USA Today. Texas was No. 2 with revenue of $161 million, and

Michigan, at $157.9 million, was third.

Alabama ranked fourth with 153.2 million.

Ohio State was No. 5 with 145.2 million.

The athletics program at LSU, unlike most schools, annually contributes to academics. In 2012 the LSU Board of Supervisors started a five-year plan to transfer $7.2 million annually from athletics to academics. The athletic department has contributed $43.5 million to the campus over the past five fiscal years, transferring more than $10 million this year to support the University’s teaching, research, and public service missions.

Athletics revenue grew by 13.8 percent from revenue in the 2012-13 school year, the data shows, while athletics expenses – roughly $123 million – climbed 16 percent over the same period.

Historically, LSU athletics revenue has grown over the past decade. The University’s sports programs generated just $60.9 million in 2004-05. That was 54 percent less than it did during the 2013-14 school year. Expenses in 2004-05 were $55.9 million.

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A Long, Long Run

Locker Room

By Ernie Ballard Photo courtesy LSU Press

Billy Cannon, LSU’s only Heisman Trophy winner.

“I came to see him as a remarkable individual with a remarkable story to tell and, I’m proud to say, a friend.”

Billy Cannon’s name, image, and remarkable athletic career serve as emblems for LSU, the Southeastern Conference, and college football.

LSU’s only Heisman Trophy winner, Cannon led the Tigers to a national championship in 1958, igniting a love of the game in Louisiana and establishing a tradition of greatness at LSU. But like many stories of lionized athletes who rise to the status of legend, there was a fall – and in the case of Cannon, also redemption. For the first time, Charles N. deGravelles reveals in full the thrilling highs and unexpected lows of Cannon’s life in Billy Cannon: A Long, Long Run, published by LSU Press.

“For years, people have asked me to write a book, and I didn’t really care to do it until I met a guy named Charles deGravelles, who I thought would present it in a fair way,” Cannon said. “Over a period of about a year, I went over the many stories that make up my nearly eighty years. I truly enjoyed remembering and retelling these stories, and my hope is that the people who read the book will enjoy them too.”

Through conversations with Cannon, deGravelles follows the athlete-turned-reformer from his boyhood in a working-class Baton Rouge neighborhood to his sudden rush of fame as the leading high school running back in the country. Included in the book are personal and previously unpublished stories about Cannon’s glory days at LSU and his stellar but controversial career in the pros, as well as details of his indictment for counterfeiting and his post-release work as staff dentist at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. These tales unfold in a riveting biography characterized by uncanny success, deep internal struggles, and a champion’s spirit that pushed through it all.

“In the process, we accumulated dozens and dozens of photographs – some of which I’d never seen – and it was great fun seeing myself change and develop over the years,” Cannon said. “I think these stories and pictures, which rekindled those times of my life, will rekindle those times for the people who read about them and see the pictures. I’m sorry there wasn’t space in the book for all of the stories and pictures, we put together, but Charles tells me he’ll be able to share those too on the book’s website – or maybe we’ll write another book!”

DeGravelles spent more than twenty-five years ministering to the inmates of Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, including the men on death row. A deacon and teacher living in Baton Rouge, deGravelles has published in literary journals and anthologies nationwide. “In the process of writing this book, I was particularly struck by something one of the Cannon daughters said, speaking of her father’s many fans: ‘They always thought they knew him, when they idolized him and when they condemned him, but they never really knew him at all,’” deGravelles said. “I was able to spend a year interviewing and truly getting to know Billy Cannon, warts and all, and I came to see him as a remarkable individual with a remarkable story to tell and, I’m proud to say, a friend.”

Ernie Ballard is director of LSU Media Relations.

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NATION

1940s

Holly Reynolds (1941 BACH HS&E), a longtime animal rights supporter, was recognized in March by the Humane Society of the United States for her decades of service on behalf of animals.

Reynolds, of Baton Rouge, founded the Capital Area Animal Welfare Society in 1979 and later started the Coalition of Louisiana Animal Advocates.

1960s

Beau Colle (1966 BACH H&SS) was one of twenty inductees named to the inaugural Pascagoula Sports Hall of Fame in Pascagoula, Miss., in June. A quarterback and defensive back from 1958 to 1960 for the Pascagoula Panthers, he was All State and Degrees BACH MAST PHD SPEC DVM JD MD DDS

Bachelor’s Degree Master’s Degree Doctorate Specialist Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Juris Doctorate (LSU Law School) Medical Doctor (LSU School of Medicine) Doctor of Dental Science (LSU School of Dentistry)

Colleges/Schools AGR Agriculture A&D Art & Design H&SS Humanities & Social Sciences SCI Science BUS Business HS&E Human Sciences & Education ENGR Engineering M&DA Music & Dramatic Arts MCOM Mass Communication SCE School of the Coast & Environment SVM School of Veterinary Medicine SW Social Work

All American, and played in the 1961 Mississippi High School All Star Game.

He was defensive back for the LSU Tigers from 1963 to 1965. Colle retired after thirty-nine years with the Louisiana Baptist Convention. He and his wife, Jo (1966 MAST H&SS), have three children and ten grandchildren.

Roger Ogden (1968 BACH BUS) of New Orleans, was named a Louisiana Legend at the 24th Annual Louisiana Legends Awards Gala sponsored by Louisiana Public Broadcasting. The Louisiana Legends series highlights outstanding Louisianans who have distinguished themselves in a variety of disciplines.

Ogden, a real estate developer, civic leader, and philanthropist, is a leader in development and acquisition of real estate, active in numerous civic organizations, and committed to the arts, as evidenced by his founding of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. A past chair of the LSU Board of Supervisors, Ogden served on the E.J. Ourso College of Business’s Dean’s Advisory Council and LSU Business Building Oversight Committee and recently donated $12 million to the LSU Honors College in honor of his father and son, who share the name of the new LSU Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College.

1970s

Ralph Brookner Bender (1976 BACH BUS), was elected Chairman of the board of the Media Financial Management Association, a not-forprofit association representing senior financial management from all five major

television networks, as well as a majority of network affiliates, radio stations, and a number of cable programming networks and MSOs throughout the United States and Canada.

D-D Breaux (1976 BACH HS&E), head coach of LSU’s gymnastics team and 2015 SEC Coach of the Year and Central Region Coach of the Year, was named one of Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2015 Influential Women in Business.

David R. Cassidy (1972 BACH H&SS, 1975 JD), a partner in Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson’s Baton Rouge office, was listed in the 2015 Chambers USA “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for Louisiana” in the area of Corporate/M&A: Tax. Clark H. Cole (1977 BACH MCOM ), a partner in the St. Louis office of Armstrong Teasdale, was listed in the 2015 Chambers USA in the area of Litigation: General Commercial.

Gregory D. Frost (1977 BACH H&SS, 1981 JD), a partner in Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson’s Baton Rouge office, was listed in the 2015 Chambers USA “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for Louisiana” in the area of Healthcare.

SHARE YOUR NEWS Share news of your new job or promotion, your wedding, honors, awards, new babies, and other

celebrations with fellow alumni. To submit an item and photos for publication, e-mail jackie@lsualumni.org or call 225-578-3370.

64 LSU Alumni Magazine | Fall 2015

Jack Lambert, Jr. (1973 BACH AGR), of Crowley, La., has been named president and CEO of Bank of Commerce & Trust Co., a community bank organized in 1926 with five banking offices, seventy-five employees, and $362 million in total assets.

Louis K. “Kent” Lancaster (1974 BACH A&D), vice president of Valhalla Engineering Group and chief operating officer of Clean Energy Engineering, was awarded the 2014 Gerald C. Brown Mentoring Award by the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME), a worldwide professional engineering society of more

than 30,000 members. A member of the SAME Academy of Fellows, Lancaster provided mentoring to young SAME members and others in the engineering business throughout his military career and for more than ten years after left active duty. He was instrumental in the creation and continuation of a Leadership Lab in San Antonio, which is entering its fifth year as a model mentoring program for SAME. Lancaster, a retired Air Force colonel, holds a master’s degree in management and supervision from Central Michigan University.

Eve B. Masinter (1979 BACH H&SS, 1982 JD), a partner in Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson’s New Orleans office, was listed in the 2015 Chambers USA “America’s Leading

Lawyers for Business for Louisiana” in the area of Labor & Employment.

E. Fredrick Preis, Jr. (1971 BACH BUS, 1974 JD), a partner in Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson’s New Orleans office, was listed in the 2015 Chambers USA “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for Louisiana” in the area of Labor & Employment.

Claude F. Reynaud, Jr. (1974 BACH BUS), a partner in Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson’s Baton Rouge office, was listed in the 2015 Chambers USA “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for Louisiana” in the area of Litigation: General Commercial. He was also named a Fellow to the Litigation

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Counsel of America, an invitation-only trial lawyer honorary society.

Mark S. Worthen (1977 BACH H&SS, 1979 MAST BUS), with FrostHouston, was elected to market president/ corporate banking, Rice Village Financial Center.

Worthen, who joined the bank in 2014, is a Certified Healthcare Financial Professional and president of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, Texas Gulf Coast Chapter.

1980s

Robert L. Atkinson (1980 BACH H&SS, 1983 JD), a partner in Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson’s Baton Rouge office, was listed in the 2015 Chambers USA “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for Louisiana” in the area of Healthcare.

Renee Chatelain (1988 BACH H&SS, 1992 JD), executive director of the Manship Theatre, was named one of Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2015 Influential Women in Business.

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Karen DeBlieux (1982 BACH BUS) was named

by Capital One Bank as market president in Southeast Louisiana in New Orleans. DeBlieux leads the U.S. Corporate Banking and Financial Institutions divisions of Capital One Bank. In her almost thirty years with the bank she has held leadership positions, is a mentor in the Capital One Commercial Banking Development program, and is a former head of the Capital One New Orleans Women’s Network. She serves on the boards of the New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation, Stuart Hall School, YMCA, Friends of City Park, and Boys Hope/Girls Hope. She is a past recipient of the Humanitarian of the Year honor awarded by the YMCA of Greater New Orleans and was selected one of the Women of the Year by New Orleans City Business.

Missy Epperson (1988 MBA), senior vice president of Regions Bank, was named one of Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2015 Influential Women in Business.

George C. Hanks, Jr. (1986 BACH BUS), of Houston, was appointed

by President Barack Obama as the U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas, Galveston Division. Hanks had served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge in this district since 2010. His appointment was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Hanks earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1989 and his LL.M. in judicial studies from Duke University Law School in 2014. Prior to his service as a magistrate judge, Hanks served as a Texas state judge on the 157th District Court and as a justice on the First Court of Appeals.

Rick Larsen (1982 BACH BUS) was named by Capital One Bank as market president in North Louisiana in Shreveport, La. A commercial banking relationship manager, Larsen has thirty-two years of banking experience, including past years in North Louisiana. He joined Capital One Bank in 1998.

William David “Dave” Miller (1984 BACH HS&E), deputy commandant for leader development for the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets and director of

the Maj. Gen. W. Thomas Rice Center for Leader Development in the Pamplin College of Business, received the university’s 2015 Sporn Award for Teaching Introductory Subjects.

Sponsored by the Center for Instructional Development and Educational Research and the Virginia Tech Academy for Teaching Excellence, the award recognizes a faculty member who teaches introductory-level courses.

Award winners receive $2,000 and are inducted into the university’s Academy of Teaching Excellence. Miller (Col., U.S. Army Ret.) served for more than twentysix years in the U.S. Army, commanding at all levels through brigade, including a four-year tour as commander of the Data Systems Unit of the White House Communications Agency. He earned a master’s degree from Webster University and a doctorate from Virginia Tech, and he is a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Business Advanced Management Program.

R. David Wheat (1985 BACH BUS, 1988 JD), a partner at Thompson & Knight in Dallas, was named one of D Magazine’s 2015 “Best Lawyers in Dallas,” listed in 2015 Chambers USA “Leaders in their Field” in the area of taxation, and named in 2015 The Legal 500 US in Industry Focus: Energy: Transactions.

1990s

John T. Andrishok (1993 BACH BUS, 1997 JD), a partner in Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson’s Baton Rouge office, was listed in the 2015 Chambers USA “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for Louisiana” in the area of Construction.

Ben Broussard (1999 BACH HS&E, 2001 MAST HS&E), vice president for development at the Tiger Athletic Foundation (TAF), was elected to the executive committee of the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD) for 2015-16.

Broussard joined TAF as a development officer in 2003 after serving as development manager at the Zwartynski Group in Dallas. He was promoted in 2007 to director of development and named vice president in 2010. He has been involved in numerous significant projects for LSU athletics and played an integral role in raising more than one hundred million dollars in recent years, bringing TAF to the top of the southeastern conference in fundraising.

Active in civic and professional organizations, Broussard is chairman of the board of the Mentorship Academy

Charter School and a board member of the Texas/Louisiana Chapter of the Make A Wish Foundation. He is recognized as a Certified Fund Raising Executive by CFRE America for his work in fundraising, and he was named to the Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2012 40 under 40. Ben and his wife, Dana, have three children, Jude, Evan, and Evangeline.

Chris Haskew (1992 BACH BUS) was named

by Capital One Bank as Louisiana market president and will relocate from Shreveport, La., to Baton Rouge. He leads Capital One’s Middle Market Commercial Banking business in Louisiana. Haskew has twenty-three years of banking experience, all with Capital One and its predecessor banks in Louisiana. He has been active in the communities in which he has lived and worked, most recently serving as a board member of the David Toms Foundation, Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, Salvation Army, Shreveport Symphony, and Volunteers of America. He also chaired the Paint Your Heart Out Shreveport event in 2014 and 2015.

2015 GOLDEN TIGERS REUNION Honoring the Class of 1965 Reconnect with friends and classmates during a fun-filled day of activities.

October 22-23, 2015 • Lod Cook Alumni Center For information, contact Brandli Roberts at 225.578.3852 or brandli@lsualumni.org

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Debra Lockwood (1997 BACH BUS, 1999 MBA), president and CFO of Provident Resources Group, was named one of Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2015 Influential Women in Business.

Melissa M. Shirley (1993 BACH H&SS, 1997 JD), a partner in Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson’s Baton Rouge office, was listed in the 2015 Chambers USA “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for Louisiana” in the area of Labor & Employment.

Tiffany M. Stewart (1999 MAST H&SS, 2002 PHD H&SS), associate professor and director of the Behavior Technology Laboratory at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, received a 2015 Women of Excellence Award & Scholarship from the Louisiana Legislative Women’s Caucus in the area of Health & Medicine.

The award, which includes a $1,000 scholarship, recognizes the exemplary achievements and contributions of extraordinary Louisiana women who personify excellence in leadership, profession, academics, community service, character, and integrity.

2000s

Jasmeane Brock (2008 BACH H&SS, 2014 MPA) was named a finalist for the 2015 Presidential Management Fellow (PMF), a prestigious and highly competitive program administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Presidential Management Fellows are chosen based on their leadership skills, their future career goals, and their interest in working in federal public service. In order to become an official fellow, a finalist must obtain employment with the federal government

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within one year of being selected. Brock has had or is currently in conversations with the Department of Defense, Department of Veteran Affairs, National Institutes of Health, and U.S. Department of Agriculture about possible appointments. Currently, she serves as the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, coordinator for LSU International Services. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, Brock joined the U.S. Army in 2009. She participated in Operation Enduring Freedom as an air defense artillery officer. Ultimately she would like to return to what remains most important to her, aiding veterans and their families in some capacity.

Orien D. Butler (2003 BACH ENGR) has joined TLC Engineering for Architecture’s New Orleans office as a senior electrical engineer. Prior to joining TLC, Butler was a project manager at a mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering firm in Louisiana and has extensive experience designing electrical systems, such as fire alarm systems, electrical power transmission and distribution, lighting, security systems, telecommunications, and public address systems. He is currently working on projects for the Historic New Orleans Collection restoration of Seignouret-Brulatour House in the French Quarter and the new Inspired Living Assisted Living Facility in Kenner, La. Grant Guillotte (2001 BACH BUS, 2002 MAST BUS ) was named by Capital One Bank as market president in Southwest Louisiana in Lafayette, La. A commercial banking section manager, he has more than twelve years of commercial banking experience, all with Capital One Bank in Acadiana and Baton Rouge.

Active in the community, he serves as

treasurer of One Acadiana and is a member of the Southwest Louisiana Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.

Patrick L. McCune (2003 BACH MCOM, 2008 MBA, 2008 JD) joined the Baton Rouge office of Adams and Reese as an associate. He was previously an associate at Jones Walker, and he completed three judicial clerkships, serving one-year stints with Justice Jeffrey P. Victory, Louisiana Supreme Court; Judge Tom E. Stagg, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana; and Judge Katharine M. Samson, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. He is a member of the state bars of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida.

While pursuing his undergraduate degree, McCune served as an intern in the leadership offices of the United States Congress and was president of LSU Student Government and chair of the Louisiana Council of Student Body Presidents.

Kimberly Newberry (2000 BACH H&SS), an instructor of psychology at Hutchinson Community College (HCC), Hutchinson, Kan., was selected as the 2015 Dragon Educator of the Year. She was chosen from nominees in all academic areas by the Student Government Association for the honor.

Newberry, who holds a master’s degree in sociology from Kansas State University, has been on the HCC faculty for twelve years.

Kelly Stomps (2000 BACH M&DA, 2005 MAST M&DA), a music teacher at Woodlake Elementary School in Mandeville, La., was named the overall 2016 Louisiana Teacher of the Year by the

Louisiana Department of Education.

Stomps has taught for fourteen years, with twelve of those years at Woodlake Elementary. She has received the Veterans of Foreign War National Citizenship Education Teacher Award at the state level, was named a Louisiana Parent-Teacher Association Educator of Distinction, and was selected as St. Tammany Parish Public Schools Elementary Teacher of the Year in 2007-08.

Michael Tipton (2005 BACH H&SS-history, 2005 BACH H&SSpolitical science) was named president of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation (www. ourhomelouisiana.org).

Tipton served as executive director of

Teach For America in South Louisiana from 2007 until 2015 and then founded Tipton Consultants, an education, leadership, and management consulting firm, prior to being appointed to his current role. Tipton shares even bigger news – wedding bells! He and Sarah Mecholsky (2015 MAST HS&E) were married on May 23, at Agnes Scott College, the bride’s undergraduate alma mater, in Decatur, Ga. Sarah grew up in Gainesville, Fla., and was a Fulbright Scholar in Indonesia prior to moving to Baton Rouge with Teach For America.

The newlyweds live in Baton Rouge, where Sarah is pursuing career opportunities in counseling, with a focus on group counseling.

Jazz Traylor (2006 BACH HS&E, 2009 MAST HS&E) has joined Visit Baton Rouge as senior sales manager.

Traylor was previously with SMG: Baton Rouge River Center and was athletic director at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School.

2010s

Vincent Harris (2015 PHD HS&E), graduate coordinator of the LSU Black Male Leadership Initiative since 2012, has joined Harvard University’s Office of Institutional Diversity & Equity as an administrator in the Harvard College Women’s Center. Harris holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication

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Tiger Nation

and marketing from Auburn University and a master’s degree in education from Ohio University.

Skye Elizabeth Jackson (2012 BACH H&SS), of New Orleans, earned a juris doctorate degree from the Mississippi College School of Law in May 2015. Jackson worked for the Guillory, Johnson, Phillips and Thompson law firm in New Orleans while she was in law school.

Andrew Koehler (2011 BACH MCOM, 2013 MBA) and Alexandra Waters, a 2013 graduate of the LSU School of Nursing, were married on April 24 at St. Anthony of Padua Church in New Orleans, where they reside.

Abby Labat (2012 BACH H&SS), of Houma, La., earned a juris doctorate degree from the Mississippi College School of Law in May. She received several awards while in law school, including the Benton Public Interest Fellowship and Peter L. Doran ’88 Memorial Scholarship.

Samantha Stevens (2013 BACH H&SS) and Colin Baldridge will marry on Oct. 31 at the First Presbyterian Church in Baton Rouge. The couple met in the summer 2011, while both were attending LSU. Samantha is communications coordinator for Lafayette Habitat for Humanity, and Colin is a supervisor with his family’s company, Wilson Warehousing Company, Inc. The couple will reside in Baton Rouge.

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Gretchen E. Tressler (2014 MAST H&SS), of Culpeper, Va., was named a finalist for the 2015 Presidential Management Fellow (PMF), a prestigious and highly competitive program administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

Presidential Management Fellows are chosen based on their leadership skills, their future career goals, and their interest in working in federal public service. To become an official fellow, a finalist must obtain employment with the federal government within one year of being selected, and Tressler is exploring employment possibilities with various federal agencies. She is an editor in the University of Virginia Culpeper Hospital marketing department. She was recently admitted into the nation’s civilian multilingual corps, the National Language Service Corps, and since January has been a Teaching Fellow for the Global Language Network, a not-for-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., offering low-cost language learning services to the public.

Meredith Warner (2010 MBA), an orthopedic surgeon and founder of Warner Orthopedics & Wellness, was named one of Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2015 Influential Women in Business.

John S. Woodard (2014 BACH BUS), joined the staff of U.S. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise in Washington, D.C. Woodard, of Covington, La., served as president of Student Government and as the student member of the LSU Board of Supervisors. He was recruitment chairman of Kappa Sigma fraternity, campus leader for American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), and a member of the varsity tennis team, and LSU Athletics Council, and the Hall of Fame Committee.

BABY

BENGALS

Ernie Ballard (2001 BACH MCOM, 2003 MBA) and wife Ashley Allemand Ballard (2003 BACH BUS) proudly announce the birth of future Tiger Gloria “Glori” James, born on March 26, 2015, at 4:50 p.m. She weighed 8 lbs., 1 oz. and was 19 1/2 inches long. Glori was welcomed home by big brothers Trace and Fisher.

Josh DeCuir (2008 JD) and Ellen Burris DeCuir (2003 BACH H&SS, 2006 MAST HS&E, 2008 ED.S, HS&E) announce the birth of twin future Tigers Fletcher James and Lillie Grace on May 29, 2015. The family resides in Baton Rouge.

Seth Douglas Hatsfelt (2012 BACH AGR) and his wife, Chasity Pelt Hatsfelt (2012 BACH HS&E), of Oakdale, La., announce the birth of future Tiger Samuel Douglas on Feb. 17, 2015. Born at 6:02 a.m., Douglas weighed 7 lbs., 12 oz. and measured 19 1/2 inches.

Ben Meunier and wife Maia Youngbrandt Meunier (2002 BACH H&SS) announce the birth of their second child, Hudson Bennett, on April 8, 2015. Hudson was welcomed home by his big brother, Jackson. The family resides in San Clemente, Calif.

Future Tiger Turner Ryan Smith was born on Oct. 15, 2014. He is the son of Ashley Brown Smith (2005 BACH SCI), of Baton Rouge, and the late Ryan William Smith (2010 BACH ENGR). Turner is looking forward to cheering on the Tigers this fall!

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Tigers in Print Charles N. DeGravelles (1971 MCOM, 1975 MAST H&SS) Billy Cannon: A Long, Long Run (LSU Press) Billy Cannon’s name, image, and remarkable athletic career serve as emblems for LSU, the Southeastern Conference, and college football.

LSU’s only Heisman Trophy winner, Cannon led the Tigers to a national championship in 1958, igniting a love of the game in Louisiana and establishing a tradition of greatness at LSU. But like many stories of lionized athletes who rise to the status of legend, there was a fall – and in Cannon’s case, also redemption.

Charles N. deGravelles reveals the thrilling highs and unexpected lows of Cannon’s life, following him from his boyhood in a working-class Baton Rouge neighborhood to his sudden rush of fame as the leading high school running back in the country. Included in the book are personal and previously unpublished stories about Cannon’s glory days at LSU and his stellar but controversial career in the pros, as well as details of his indictment for counterfeiting and his post-release work as staff dentist at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. These tales unfold in a riveting biography characterized by uncanny success, deep internal struggles, and a champion’s spirit that pushed through it all.

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Rachel L. Emanuel (1977 BACH MCOM, 1990 MAST COM), Ruby Jean Simms (1976 PHD HS&E), and Charles Vincent (1968 MAST H&SS, 1973 PHD H&SS); foreword by Mayor-President Melvin Holden (1974 BACH MCOM) Images of America: Scotlandville (Arcadia Publishing) A rural village that was once the entry point for the slave trade and home to a cotton plantation, Scotlandville became the largest majority AfricanAmerican town in Louisiana. Located in the northern part of East Baton Rouge Parish, Scotlandville’s history is intricately tied to Southern University and A&M College System, the only historically black university system in the country. Southern University relocated from New Orleans to the bluff of the Mississippi River on the western edge of Scotlandville in 1914.

The story of the university and town is a tale of triumph and struggle in the midst of racism, inequality, and oppression. Presented through the theme of firsts in businesses, churches, schools, residential developments, environmental issues, politics, social organizations, and community service, Images of America: Scotlandville focuses on the people who shaped the community economically, politically, socially, and culturally.

Kasturi DasGupta (1979 PHD H&SS) Introducing Social Stratification: The Causes and Consequences of Inequality (Lynne Rienner Publishers) Does everyone in the United States have an equal chance to “make it”?

What explains the enduring power of racism and sexism? How does our sociopolitical system generate inequality? These are just a few of the questions explored in this accessible introduction to the complex problem of social stratification. Kasturi DasGupta clearly explains the social and economic mechanisms that serve to preserve and even deepen social stratification in the U.S. Enriched with case studies and examples throughout, her text is carefully designed both to engage students and to help them see past cultural myths to grasp the underpinnings and consequences of social inequality.

Kenny Morgan (1973 BACH HS&E) America, Wild Turkeys & Mongrel Dogs: Life Lessons from a Hunting Master This is a mixed breed of a book, what you get when you cross the roguish, homespun charm of a master story teller with the wisdom of a master hunter, turkey-caller maker, inventor, naturalist, and teacher-philosopher.

The book pairs lush images of wildlife and American landscapes with the author’s thoughtful musing on fifty

years of pursuing the wild turkey - and the practice he learned along the way to “live artfully.” The book brims with expert wild turkey calling and hunting techniques, but its real beauty comes through Kenny Morgan’s captivating observations of wildlife, told with vivid tales that ensnare hunters and nonhunters alike with fascinating insights, such as how animals communicate - even across species - to look out for one another. Anyone who appreciates a story well-told and compelling art photographs, or someone looking for first-rate tips to call up and bag a gobbler, will find this book a valuable addition to the library, nightstand, or coffee table.

Darlyne G. Nemeth (1971 MAST H&SS, 1973 PHD H&SS) with Robert B. Hamilton (Retired LSU Professor) and Judy Kuriansky Ecopsychology: Advances from the Intersection of Psychology and Environmental Protection (Praeger) This two-volume work focuses on our relationship with the Earth and our future, examining the crossover between psychology and environmental studies in the emerging fields of ecopsychology and environmental psychology. How can humankind shift from its current unsustainable use of finite resources and find ways to holistically protect

our environment and our future? The set offers the first comprehensive and holistic understanding of how human activities are very rapidly changing the earth’s environment and harming its inhabitants. Since our present path of population growth and use of finite global resources is unsustainable, we must find new ways to protect our environment and our future. Offering unique perspectives and guidance toward holistic new solutions, this reader-friendly anthology serves a vast audience in the fields of psychology and environmental studies as well as scientists, humanitarians, educators, and policy makers.

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In Memoriam Paul M. Haygood (1964 BACH H&SS) died on June 13, 2015, in New Orleans. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Haygood enjoyed a distinguished legal career of nearly fifty years. He was founding partner of the Fishman Haygood law firm and held numerous offices in the Louisiana State Bar Association, served on the planning committee of the Tulane Corporate Law Institute, and was a member of the Council of the Louisiana State Law Institute. He served as president of the Council for a Better Louisiana and president of the New Orleans Bureau of Governmental Research and was a member of the LSU Board of Supervisors and the Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation Board of Directors. He was active in numerous civic, social, and philanthropic organizations in New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

Haygood served as president of the LSU Alumni Association (then LSU Alumni Federation) Board of Directors in 1982-83, was a member of the LSU Foundation, and was a generous supporter of LSU Libraries, the College of Humanities & Social Sciences, and the LSU Museum of Art. Ronald M. Johnson (1972 BACH M&DA, 1974 MAST HS&E) passed away on June 28, 2015. A longtime educator in the Dallas and East Baton Rouge school systems, he was a parent liaison at Glen Oaks High School in Baton Rouge. Johnson was an active member of the A.P. Tureaud, Sr. Black Alumni Chapter at LSU and a member of the National Board of Directors of the LSU Alumni Association.

Dolores Margaret Richard Spikes (1970 PHD H&SS), retired president of the Southern University System, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, died on June 1, 2015, in Baton Rouge. Spikes earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Southern University and a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and she was the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics from LSU. She was the first female to lead a public college or university in Louisiana and the first woman in the United States to oversee a university system. An inspiring educator, a tireless advocate for equal access to education, and the recipient of numerous awards and honors for her accomplishments in academia, Spikes was inducted into the LSU Alumni Association Hall of Distinction in 1990 and the College of Science Hall of Distinction in 2012.

1940s Thomas Bernard, 1949 BACH BUS, April 20, 2015, Patterson, La. Leo Lieux Brassett, Sr., 1948 BACH BUS, March 31, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Vivian Blanche Cazayou, 1942 BACH HS&E, 1943 MAST HS&E, Dec. 2, 2014, Baton Rouge, La. Edward I. Daniel, II, 1940 BACH AGR, June 30, 2015, St. Francisville, La. Joseph “Joe” Kowalczuk, 1943 BACH AGR, 1962 MAST AGR, July 4, 2015, St. Francisville, La. Elizabeth Gordon Sample Trickett, 1945 BACH HS&E, 1975 MAST SCI, May 4, 2015, Fayetteville, Ark. August John “A.J.” Szabo, 1943 BACH ENGR, July 17, 2015, Brentwood, Tenn.

Rosemary Haas Williams, 1947 JD, May 14, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Naaman J. Woodland, Jr. , 1946 BACH H&SS, 1949 BACH HS&E, Feb. 23, 2015, Beaumont, Texas

1950s William B. Baggett, Sr., 1953 JD, May 21, 2015, Lake Charles, La. Gladys Schwab Baird, 1955 BACH HS&E, 1962 MAST HS&E, 1971 MLS, April 9, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Robert Spring Bateman, 1956 MAST AGR, June 3, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Doris Parker Campbell, 1955 BACH HS&E, July 14, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. John Robert Childers, 1957 BACH ENGR, July 2, 2015, Shreveport, La. Peter Dragna, 1957 BACH ENGR, April 20, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Hannah Post Schneider Gilpin, 1990 BACH HS&E, April 9, 2015, Baton Rouge, La.

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Charles Wallace “Wally” Gladney, 1951 BACH H&SS, June 26, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Leona May Bordelon Mayeux, 1952 BACH HS&E, 1971 MAST HS&E, 1984 MAST HS&E, May 8, 2015, Brusly, La. Barbara Swetman Meyer, 1955 BACH BUS, May 4, 2015, Houston, Texas Patricia Kerlin Peeples, 1951 BACH H&SS, June 7, 2015, Houston, Texas Margaret Scallan, 1958 BACH HS&E, 1969 MAST HS&E, June 13, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Charles W. Tapp, 1958 BACH H&SS, 1964 MAST H&SS, May 24, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Ralph P. Whitehead, 1950 BACH AGR, 1959 MAST HS&E, June 1, 2015, Baton Rouge, La.

1960s Rodney Dreux Adams, 1962 BACH SCI, 1964 MAST SCI, July 11, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Norman Leo Betz, 1961 BACH AGR, 1963 MAST AGR, 1966 PHD AGR, May 23 2015, Port Allen, La. Mary Eleanor Cole, 1966 MAST AGR, July 14, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Patrick Wilson “Pat” Cook, 1969 BACH H&SS, July 2, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Ben Louis Day, 1968 BACH H&SS, 1971 JD, July 4, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Fred B. Dowling, 1961 BACH SCI, June 27, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Walter Hosea Eisworth, 1966 BACH H&SS, 1970 MD, July 12, 2015, Zachary, La. Thomas John Graner, 1964 BACH ENGR, July 14, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Colette Lottinger, 1960 BACH AGR, April 26, 2015, Houma, La.

Mae Mackey, 1969 BACH HS&E, 1973 MAST HS&E, June 5, 2015, Monroe, La. Melvin Joseph Meyers, Jr., 1961 BACH H&SS, July 5, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Harley Jesse “Jess” Walker, 1960 PHD H&SS, Boyd Professor Emeritus of Geography, May 29, 2015, Baton Rouge, La.

1970s Gene “Justin” Bottger, 1976 BACH ENGR, May 2, 2014, Baton Rouge, La. Morris Lawrence East, 1978 BACH H&SS, April 30, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Susan Falcon, 1976 BACH HS&E, 1978 MAST HS&E, April 24, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Larry Grantham, 1978 BACH HS&E, April 20, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. John Keith Hill, 1979 BACH HS&E, June 25, 2015, Wimberly, Texas Lorena Ledoux, 1979 MAST HS&E, June 29, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Felix Holmes Lee, 1971 BACH BUS, April 10, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Ronald Steven Reagan, 1964 BACH ENGR, 1970 PHD ENGR, July 15, 2014, Long Beach, Miss.

Jack Warner Riffle, 1997 BACH H&SS, 2000 JD, June 4, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. James Hilary “Jim” Sanders, 1975 BACH ENGR, May 17, 2015, Houston, Texas LeRoy William “Roy” Stern, 1971 MAST HS&E, June 9, 2015, Prairieville, La.

1980s Robert L. “Robby” Cangelosi, Jr., 1985 BACH ENGR, 1987 MAST ENGR, May 1, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Rebecca Marie Ollar Caruso, 1984 BACH H&SS, July 9, 2015, Denham Springs, La. Emma Marie Martin Glenny, 1984 BACH A&D, July 6, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Gregory M. Glueck, 1984 BACH H&SS, June 28, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Patrick Denis “Pat” Guttery, 1998 BACH H&SS, June 20, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Deborah “Debbie” Plaisance Gwin, 1995 BACH HS&E, June 27, 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Ella Lee Kelley, 1983 PHD SCI, July 2015, Baton Rouge, La. Michael Wayne Mulkey, 1989 BACH H&SS, June 29, 2015, Metairie, La. Stephanie T. Rochon, 1987 BACH H&SS, June 3, 2015, Richmond, Va.

1990s Richard John Oubre, 1991 BACH BUS, 1993 MAST BUS, April 19, 2015, Charlotte, N.C. Jack Colin Ray, 1991 H&SS, April 1, 2015, Geismar, La.

2000s Sarah Corinne Laurendine, 2003 BACH BUS, May 31, 2015, Benicia, Calif.

William Stephen “Bill” Arnsparger Jr. Former Head Football Coach July 17, 2015 Athens, Ala.

James Robert “Bob”Dorroh Professor Emeritus of Mathematics June 26, 2015 Baton Rouge, La.

Elizabeth Oliver Greater Houston Chapter Alumni Professor of English June 7, 2015 Baton Rouge, La.

John Irwin Fischer Professor Emeritus of English May 15, 2015 Princeton, N.J.

Layne Blakeney Pollard Alumna-By-Choice July 1, 2015 Dallas, Texas

Terry G. Geske Retired Professor of Education June 26, 2015 Hot Springs Village, Ark.

Virginia Ruth Kilpatrick Shehee Former Member, LSU Board of Supervisors 2003 Inductee, LSU Alumni Association Hall of Distinction July 6, 2015 Shreveport, La.

If you would like to make a gift to the LSU Alumni Association in memory of a family member, friend or classmate, please contact our office for additional information at 225-578-3838 or 1-888-746-4578.

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Profile

Tiger Nation

Alum Has Kindergarteners ‘Thinking College’

By Ed Cullen Photo by Johnny Gordon

Baton Rouge University Preparatory Elementary Principal Meghan Turner shares a high five with kindergartener Martell Barrow.

“At heart, I want to work with underserved children.”

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This year, students at Baton Rouge University Preparatory Elementary, UP for short, took a field trip to one of Principal Meghan Turner’s favorite places – LSU. “My years at LSU were some of my best,” said Turner (2004 BACH H&SS). Turner is single, but when people ask her if she has children she says, “Yes, I have eighty-three.”

The distance from UP, as in “up,” on Monarch Avenue off Plank Road in North Baton Rouge to LSU is far greater than the bus ride of a few miles. Most of Turner’s students start kindergarten light years from college.

UP ended its first year of operation in late May. This year, first grade was added to kindergarten. The school will add a grade each year until it is K-5.

UP is an open enrollment charter school drawing students from around Baton Rouge, though most students come from the neighborhoods formerly served by Glen Oaks Middle School.

UP occupies part of the former middle school building. “Ninety-eight percent of our students qualify for free or reduced lunch, most of them free lunch,” Turner said.

“As an open enrollment charter school, we get the same (state) funding per child as a public school down the road would get,” Turner said. “As a charter school, we have more control over how the money is spent.”

A non-profit board holds the charter, which Turner wrote with the board.

UP has six teachers, an office manager, a director of achievement, a part-time operations manager, and Turner. “We have a fairly young staff,” Turner said. “It takes the right people to be on our team.

It probably helps that they’re young.”

Teachers at UP wear a lot of hats, Turner said. Before the school opened, teachers made home visits. When the school held orientation, 97 percent of the parents showed up, Turner said.

When the school year started, 85 percent of UP’s kindergartners couldn’t

identify ten letters of the alphabet or write their names. By the end of the year, 90 percent were reading on level. More than 30 percent were reading at first- or second-grade levels, Turner said.

Turner grew up in Bossier City, La., and, after earning an undergraduate degree in economics from LSU, received an M.B.A. from the University of Kentucky.

Before founding UP, Turner, who has never been a classroom teacher, worked in operations and finance in charter schools in Louisiana. “I completed a fellowship with Building Excellent Schools in Boston,” she said. “I traveled to see top performing schools. I saw more than forty-five schools all over the country.”

“Schools are the civil rights movement of our generation,” she said. “We don’t allow poor children to realize their potential at an early age.”

Turner believes in transforming schools but wonders, “What would happen if we started doing things right from the start.

At heart, I want to work with underserved children.”

At UP, homerooms are called not by their teachers’ names but the names of the teachers’ colleges. When Turner addresses children by homeroom, she calls them “Tulane, University of Arizona, Allegheny, University of North Carolina.”

More than half the staff have master’s degrees, Turner said.

Students learn the cheers of their teachers’ schools. “We want them thinking ‘college,’” Turner said.

Turner talks about ‘the culture’ she and her staff are trying to establish. “If we want a different result,” she said, “we have to have a different school – character development along with academics.”

Ed Cullen, an LSU journalism graduate, is author of Letter in a Woodpile, a collection of his essays for National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered.” He’s retired from the Baton Rouge Advocate where he wrote the Sunday column “Attic Salt.”

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Tiger Nation

Tigers Around the World Birthday Trip – Sarah Clayton (1967 BACH H&SS) and cousin Margaret Miley Handlery (1978 BACH H&SS) pose for a photo near the Golden Gate Bridge. Clayton spent several days in San Francisco in April to celebrate Handlery’s birthday.

Sarah Clayton and Margaret Handlery.

Tigers in Dubai – Jason (2002 BACH MCOM) and Loree (2002 BACH BUS, 2015 MAST BUS) Ramezan, along with his mom and other family members spent two weeks with Jason’s dad, Jeff Ramezan, in Dubai, where Jeff is currently working. “My dad was born in Iran, and this was my first trip to the Middle East to see his homeland,” says Jason. “It was a whirlwind two weeks.

We took hundreds of pictures and brought back lots of memories. Only one regret – we were unable to visit with my grandparents in Iran.”

Jason Ramezan and dad Jeff on the Persian Gulf.

Jason and Loree Ramezan at Ferrari World, the world’s largest theme park.

LSU4EVER – Paul Heroy (1988 BACH SCI), of Raleigh, N.C., shares his LSU license plate story: “I have a little story about that plate. I first got it several years ago. Two or three years later, at a Beausoleil concert here in Raleigh, while walking past parked cars, my wife started frantically grabbing me. There was another car with a North Carolina ‘LSU4EVER’ license plate! I wondered how someone else could have the same plate but was excited to see another LSU fan. I managed to find him after the show, walked up to him, gave him a Triangle Chapter business card, and asked about the plate. He couldn’t remember when he’d acquired it, so I checked with DMV the next week. OOPS – I’d missed a renewal notice and was driving around with an expired plate! The story continues . . . I was told the plate had not been renewed – the owner had moved out of state – and the plate was sixty days into a ninety-day hold period, so I was able to re-apply for the plate. Actually, I didn’t swap the old for the new (luckily, I was never pulled over for my expired plate). It’s meant to be – LSU4EVER for me!”

WHAT’S YOUR VOLUNTEER PASSION? Send a photo of yourself “in action” and tell Tigers Around the World how and why you share your time and talents with others.

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Touring Tigers Cruise the Mediterranean

By Suzanne Stinson

Touring Tigers on the Mediterranean Coastal Hideaways tour April 24 to May 3.

The LSU Alumni Association, through Go Next, offers many exciting travel adventures. Recently several LSU alums and friends traveled aboard Oceania Cruise’s Riviera through the Mediterranean Coastal Hideaways.

The cruise began in Barcelona, Spain, and visited ports that included excursions in Valencia and Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Monte Carlo, Monaco; Genoa, Italy; La Spezia, Cinque Terre, Florence, Pisa, and Tuscany, and Italy. The cruise ended in Rome.

My husband, retired Judge Ford Stinson (1974 BACH H&SS, 1977 JD), and I took advantage of this opportunity last spring. As seen in the attached pictures, we posed with our

LSU flag – just as many elementary school students do with the beloved “Flat Stanley” – in front of historical icons. We were asked to serve as the “unofficial” LSU ambassadors and to distribute lanyards, lapel pins, name badges, and luggage tags supplied by the Association.

Frank and Bobbie Calandro share a similar zeal for LSU. Frank (1964 BACH ENGR) retired after forty-two years, and when not cruising, he enjoys supporting Bobbie with her volunteer work with the Youth Service Bureau.

Among the others joining us were Harriet Miller (1960 BACH AGR, 1971 MAST AGR) and Judith Betts (1964 MAST HS&E), an internationally acclaimed artist.

Trips sponsored by the LSU Alumni Association are well worth the time and financial investment, as the cruise and all excursions are carefully planned and executed.

Suzanne and Ford Stinson showed their Tiger pride in Rome, Monaco, and Pisa.

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF FALL EVENTS, VISIT

www.lsualumni.org/events/eventscalendar2.asp

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Tiger Nation

Willis Scudder in his cadet uniform in 1942.

Tigers Around the World

Willis Scudder celebrated his 100th birthday in June with his children, grandchildren, and great grandchilderen.

LSU Centenarian – Retired U.S. Army Col. Willis Scudder (1942 BACH H&SS), of Fort Belvoir, Va., turned 100 on June 13, marking the event with a weekend-long celebration with his family. Granddaughter Vanessa Finnerty shares highlights: “We had a wonderful time this past weekend celebrating my grandpa’s 100th birthday.

Grandpa traveled the world with his wife, the late Phyllis Ryan Scudder, and their five children – Don, Sally, Charlie, Duff, and Diana. He has eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Family flew in from California, Alaska, the Midwest, and the Northeast to be by his side for the celebration. He loves to read, and to this day challenges his mind with history books and world music. He is a role model to us all!”

Scudder served his country in World War II, Vietnam, and at numerous other stations around the world.

Willis Scudder reminisces with his 1942 Gumbo.

Elise Kaufman, Carmen Parker, Beth Tope (1983 MAST HS&E), Dr. Charles Kaufman (1971 BACH H&SS, 1975 MD), Steve Tope, and Wayne Parker at the Great Wall of China.

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Tigers in China – “The Kaufmans, Parkers, and Topes toured Shanghai, Xi’an, and Beijing from May 1 to May 18, which meant three intra-China flights,” writes Beth Tope, who shares this photo of the group at the Great Wall of China. “We also cruised for five days on the Yangtze River, taking the same route as the ill-fated Eastern Star, which we passed during our excursion. The Kaufmans continued to Hong Kong for four additional days.”

LSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Core Values

TRADITION Respect the past by conducting ourselves in a way that shows appreciation for those who established traditions worthy of keeping.

TEAMWORK Be productive, reliable and

LOYALTY Be reliable, devoted and trustworthy,

customer experience with the highest level of service by always going beyond what is expected.

and encourage others through assistance, help and advice.

EXCELLENCE Endeavor to do every aspect

of our work to the best of our ability. Seek feedback and advice to continue to improve.

accountable for our actions and outcomes.

SELFLESS SERVICE Manage each

RESPECT Treat all individuals with courtesy

and look for the best attributes in everyone we meet and serve.

COMMUNICATION Seek to keep teammates

INTEGRITY Conduct ourselves in a manner

informed to build goodwill, better relationships

that is beyond reproach and incorporate truth, trust and fairness in all relationships.

especially when shared.

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