Winter 2023, Volume 99, Number 4
From the
PRESIDENT Dear LSU Alumni, A major part of our mission as a flagship, land-grant university is to conduct research that improves lives. I’m proud to share that the LSU family of institutions is doing incredibly well in this regard. In fact, this year marked the first time we’ve ever surpassed the $400 million mark, coming in at $428 million. Our faculty are among the most brilliant minds in the world, and they put that intellect to work for you. They secure grants from prestigious funding agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and key industry partners such as Shell, ExxonMobil, and more. They’re recognized as the best in their fields, including Abe Baggili, who was awarded the Order of Thor medal from the Military Cyber Professionals Association; Tammy Dugas and Michael Khonsari, who were named Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors; and Boyd Professor George Voyiadjis, who received the 2023 Blaise Pascal Medal for Engineering from the European Academy of Sciences. And, they leverage their research into experiential learning opportunities for our students, giving them an incredible education that they wouldn’t be able to receive anywhere but LSU. Their research doesn’t stay in the laboratory – it is deeply relevant work directed at solving some of the world’s most pressing challenges. For example, our scientists are working on a $9.3 million project in collaboration with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Environmental Laboratory to use coastal engineering to secure military terrain. We were also awarded $3.4 million from the National Science Foundation to continue our efforts toward growing the nation’s cybersecurity workforce. And, our faculty continue the fight to save our coast with a $22 million grant from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine supporting efforts to find new ways to protect the lower Mississippi River Delta. Not only do these research grants support studies that will save lives, improve infrastructure, and generally strengthen the economy, they also generate $1.2 billion in economic impact, with every research dollar generating a return of $2.8. And, they’re entrepreneurial with their discoveries, generating patents and products at the end of the research process. In fact, LSU is among the top 75 universities in the nation in the number of patents our faculty receive for inventions ranging from magnets that cut energy use up to 50% to potential treatments for heart injuries. I hope you’re as proud of these accomplishments as we are. They represent years of hard work and dedication from people who choose to lend their talents to our great institution. Thank you for supporting them, and for supporting LSU. Sincerely,
William F. Tate IV LSU President
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 1
Publisher LSU Alumni Association Joe Carvalhido President & CEO
Contents
Editor Jackie Bartkiewicz Marketing Coordinator Sarah Armstead Art Director/Graphic Designer STUN Design & Interactive Kimberly Mackey
8
Principal/Creative Director STUN Design & Interactive Chuck Sanchez
Feature 14 The Huey P. Long Field House – An Icon Restored On October 24, LSU cut the ribbon for a restored icon on the Baton Rouge campus – the Huey P. Long Field House. When the building first opened in 1932, students met to swim in the pool, grab a drink from the soda fountain, collect their mail, or sneak a kiss at one of the many dances in the ballroom. Today, students report to their activity classes like jogging or dance, cram for a quiz in one of the many study nooks, or attend a guest lecture in the ballroom.
In Each Issue 1
From the LSU President
4
LSUAA President’s Message
6
LSU Alumni Association News
Contributors Barry Cowan, Brian Hudgins, Marc Stevens, Mary P. Woods
12
48 Tiger Nation
Kathryn “Kathy” Fives, Chair Baton Rouge, La.
33 37 61 Winter 2023 , Volum
e 99, Num
Preserving the architecture and history of LSU’s first student center launches a bright future for students and faculty.
2 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Printing Baton Rouge Printing BOARD OF DIRECTORS
24 Around Campus 34 Locker Room
Photography Sarah Armstead, Aniyah Hall, LSU Athletics, Forbes Magazine, NOLA.com, Amy Parrino, Katherine Seghers, Sally Stiel
ber 4
Dr. Mario J. Garner, Chair-Elect Spring, Texas David Braddock, Immediate Past Chair Dallas, Texas Dr. Jack A. Andonie, Director Emeritus Metairie, La. Lauren Olinde Hughes, Houston, Texas J. Ofori Agboka, Carnation, Wash. R. Scott Jenkins, New Orleans, La. Mark Kent Anderson, Jr., Monroe, La. Brandon Landry, Baton Rouge, La. Michael B. Bethea, Madisonville, La. Dr. Louis R. Minsky, Baton Rouge, La. Karen Brack, San Diego, Calif. Jeffrey M. Mohr, Baton Rouge, La. Paul Buffone, Baton Rouge, La. Jady H. Regard, Lafayette, La. Dr. Corey Foster, Lake Charles, La. Bart B. Schmolke, Alexandria, La. G. Archer Frierson, III, Shreveport, La. Rori P. Smith, Baton Rouge, La. James G. “Jimmy” Gosslee, Shreveport, La. Leo C. Hamilton, Baton Rouge, La. LSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the LSU Alumni Association. Annual donations are $75, of which $6 is allocated for a subscription to LSU Alumni Magazine. 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 LSU Alumni Association 3838 West Lakeshore Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70808-4686 225-578-3838 • 888-RINGLSU www.lsualumni.org / jackie@lsualumni.org © 2023 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 | Winter 2023 3
President and CEO
MESSAGE
Football, Banquets, Meetings – and More We kicked off the 2023 football season with a Traveling Tigers trip to Orlando, and while the game against Florida State didn’t go our way, our Tigers are fighting hard heading into the second half of the season.
“Happy Holidays and all best in the coming year.”
Among the many events on our fall schedule were the Scholarship Banquet, Annual Meeting & Luncheon, Retired Faculty/Staff Holiday Celebration, Football Fridays at The Cook, and winter commencement. As busy as it is, even as we carry out plans for current events we are “thinking forward” to spring activities, among them, coast-to-coast crawfish boils, the Hall of Distinction induction banquet, and, of course, spring and summer athletic events. Indeed, we are always “on the Geaux” – for you and LSU! This issue of LSU Alumni Magazine is longtime editor Jackie Bartkiewicz’s last. She’s shared memories in a farewell message on the following page, and she certainly has a lot to be proud of. She has been a tremendous asset to the University and the Association, and she will be deeply missed by all of us. On behalf of the members of the Board of Directors, officers, and staff of the LSU Alumni Association and The Cook Hotel – Happy Holidays and all the best to you and yours in the coming year. We appreciate all you do, and we couldn’t accomplish all that we do without you.
Geaux Tigers!
Joe Carvalhido President/CEO LSU Alumni Association AlumniLSU lsualumniassociation
4 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
A Fond Farewell I got printer’s ink on my hands in 1962. Evidently, it’s addictive – I’ve been working in communications/news/ publications for 61 years. Thirty-three of those years were spent at LSU, from which I retired in 1997 as director of LSU Public Relations. From summer jobs at the State Times-Morning Advocate during college, I moved through the years to the Selma Times Journal, LSU Printing Office, LSU Public Relations/University Relations, The Southern Review, inRegister, South Baton Rouge Journal, Lunar Graphics, LSU Magazine, Office of the Chancellor and, finally, to the LSU Alumni Association. Among my many job titles were typistclerk, reporter, editorial assistant, editor, departmental information representative, assistant head, head, assistant director, associate director, acting director, director, and chief editor/writer. There are lots of memories. From my office at the Times-Journal, situated next the Edmund Pettus Bridge, I watched Martin Luther King lead thousands over the bridge for the Selma to Montogomery march. My first campus job, at the LSU Printing Office, was in the old Navy barracks (South Barracks for Men) that housed returning WWII vets. Subsequent jobs took me across campus – from the lakes to the levee – and most of my offices provided memorable views of the campus, especially Memorial Tower, whose massive glass doors opened toward the Parade Ground.
A climb to the top of the Campanile afforded sweeping views of the campus. My Southern Review desk was in a cubbyhole in the basement of Allen Hall – great job but only walls, no windows. After a brief time in the “real world” following my retirement, I returned to campus as a writer in the chancellor’s office and in 2008 assumed editorship of LSU Alumni Magazine. Now, 63 issues later, I’m moving on – to what I’m not really sure! Many students worked for me over the years, and five are with me to this day. Three of them are now LSU VPs – Jason Droddy, Strategy and Public Policy/LSU System; Kristine Sanders, Communications & University Relations; and John Grubb, The Cook Hotel & Conference Operations. Rori Smith, a successful entrepreneur and a member of the LSUAA Board of Directors, was a writer in LSU PR during my time there. Chuck Sanchez, owner/CEO of STUN Design, honed his skills in the LSU PR art department while pursuing his degree. So proud of them! A hearty thanks to you, our readers, who support the Association and faithfully follow LSU through the magazine; to my past mentors and bosses; to my friends and coworkers here at the Alumni Center, at STUN Design, and at Baton Rouge Printing and Baker Printing who helped me keep up with ever-emerging technology; and to folks at Unique Cuisine, who kept me well fed. Couldn’t have done it without you!
Jackie Bartkiewicz stands before the volumes of alumni magazines she edited from 1989-1995 and 2008-2023. Photo by: Aniyah Hall
“There are lots of memories.”
JACKIE B.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 5
LSU Alumni Association
NEWS
DD Breaux, Robert Dampf, Bryce Neal, and Beth Torina.
Chapter Events
Crystal Musgrove, Lori Summerford, Sindee Roppolo, Wayne Parker, Carmen Parker, Tom Breaux, and Mike Smith.
GBR Sports Kickoff – The 2023 Greater Baton Rouge Chapter Sports Kickoff Banquet took place at the South Stadium Club in Tiger Stadium on Aug. 17. The event featured appearances from past and present LSU coaches, opportunities to network with alumni and fans, the LSU Alumni Pop-Up Gift Shop, a silent auction, and more! Photos: Amy Parrino
Traci Soileau, Brenda Catalanotto, Mike the Tiger and Jill White, Suzanne Taylor, Teresa Masters, and Lurline Hamilton.
Luke Laborde, JP Chaze, Mike the Tiger, Tom Breaux, and Mike Smith.
Central Florida Golf Tourney LSU Alumni of Central Florida Chapter’s Eighth Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament took place at Celebration Golf Course in Orlando in July.
From left, Scott Keeler, Brian Dailer, Don Simmons, and Ryan Turner.
6 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
With the support of all sponsors, donors, golfers, and volunteers the event raised more than $10,000. Several vendors set-up at golf holes to provide food, beverages, and other items for the golfers. Fountain Auto Mall was the featured event sponsor.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 7
LSU Alumni Association News
Chapter Events Watch Parties – Alumni, friends, and fans across the country gathered to watch the Tigers on the gridiron this fall.
Sin City/Las Vegas Chapter
Sally Stiel, LSU Alumni association vice president; Larry May, chapter president; and Carolyn Streva, chapter vice president.
Christine Morrison Omar, Stew Omar, and Tim Morrison.
Nashville Chapter
East Texas (Tyler) Chapter
Matthew Bates; Richmond McGough; Robin Burrow, Joe Burrow's mother; Aaron Chaffel; Chris Sonnier, and Blaine Taylor, chapter president
Helen Moock, Christy Dazzio Miller, Heather Black, & Donna Parma.
John Clyde works his famous squared before the game.
Amy Holland, chapter president.
Carolinas (Charlotte) Chapter
Adam Lathan; Chris Sonnier; Joe Burrow’s father, Jimmy Burrow; and Jimmy Chase, Ja’Marr Chase’s father.
8 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Todd and Daphne Fontenot, Katherine Clements, and Amber Nichole.
Johnathan Reynolds, chapter vice president, and Jacob Nunez.
Josh Howard, Dr. Treva Brown, Collis Temple, Jr.
Adrian King, Jeremiah Sams, Sheara Jennings, Josh Howard, Dr. Treva Brown, Collis Temple, Jr., Katrina Dunn, Phadrea White Abbott
Dale Brown, Matt McMahon, Collis Temple, Jr.
Scholarship Recipients from left to right: Giana Mattis, Carlie Timmons, Sarai Barmore, Jada Scott and Dr. Keon Anderson
The A.P. Tureaud Sr. Black Alumni Chapter hosted its Legends Events in October at the Lod Cook Alumni Center. Honorees included distinguished alumnus and LSU Legend Collis Temple, Jr., and Distinguished Young Alumni recipients Dr. Treva Brown and Josh Howard. Multiple chapter scholarship recipients also were recognized at the event.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 9
LSU Alumni Association News
From left, Leighann Westfall, LSU Athletics executive director of external relations, and Mike the Tiger with LSU Faculty & Staff Retirees Club officers Kathy Bosworth, president, and Charlie Johnson, vice-president.
Snapshots
Anthony Skinner, Ivory Hillard, Derriel McCorvey, Eddie Kennison, Nick Brossette, Derrick Dillon, Kevin Faulk, and Colin Jeter.
LSU Retirees – The LSU
Faculty & Staff Retirees Club held its fall meeting at the Lod Cook Alumni Center. Guest speaker Leighann Westfall, LSU Athletics executive director of external relations and Mike the Tiger’s handler, gave the group the inside scoop on Mike, who posed for photos with club members. The club is open to all LSU retirees and their spouses. Members meet monthly for talks, tours, and social events. Contact lsu.faculty.staff.net.club@gmail.com.
Ted Martin, Mark Evans, Jim Crigler, and Porter Horgan.
Laura Kleinpeter, Maria Garcia, Leigh Ann Howard, Jeannie Darling.
Jordy Culotta, Eddie Kennison, and Joe Carvalhido.
Football Fridays – Tiger fans enjoyed lunch, libations, and storytelling at
Football Fridays at The Cook before the Arkansas and Auburn games. Former LSU and NFL legend Eddie Kennison and Jordy Culotta, host of the Jordy Culotta show, emceed the events, which featured an array of LSU football legends. Photos: Amy Parrino and Aniya Hall
10 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Debbie Boudreaux, Joe Carvalhido, and George Boudreaux.
Deborah and Steve Woodward.
Joe Carvalhido, Kevin Faulk, and Dan McNamara.
Beth and Steve Tope.
Robbie Curry and Mike Wascom.
Jordy Culotta, Derriel McCorvey, Colin Jeter, Anthony Skinner, and Eddie Kennison.
Laura Kleinpeter and Jeannie Darling.
Matt Street, Thomas Landaiche, and Baylie Higgins.
Joe Berry, Tracy Jones, Wayne Mitchell, Rick Watts, Forest Dugas, and Kevin Fabian.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 11
LSU Alumni Association News
Senior Send-offs
Emilie Chesnutt, Charly Waltermire, Heather Chesnutt, and Caroline Sellers.
Jordan Harold and Sa’Niyah Utley.
Chapter volunteers, from left, James Stokes, Stacie and Rusty Follis, LSU recruiter Savannah Bowman, Bobbi Hebermehl, Linda Young, Bryan Fox, Kaye Jeffery, Nancy Reed, Darcey Fulton, Shea Mercer, Carla and Rich Hickman, Ron Young, and Jeremy Jones. Not pictured, Bruce Emery and Brittany Chavers.
12 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Martin Barnes, Nektar Barnes, and Jordan Barnes.
Greater Houston Sendoff – Some 175 LSU representatives, volunteers, and Greater Houston Chapter board members welcomed 57 new Tigers to the LSU family at the chapter’s Eleventh Annual Houston Area Sendoff. On hand were Joe Carvalhido, president, LSU Alumni Association; Mike Pasquier, associate dean, College of Humanities & Social Sciences; Madison Douglas, major gifts officer, LSU Alumni Association; Lindsay McCrory, manager, LSU Parent & Family Programs; Nissa and Tray Picard, members, LSU Family Program Advisory Board; and Brooke Graham, chapter president. Chapter board members and volunteers present were Callie Barrilleaux, Jacob Dorsett, Cheryl Fasullo, Jennifer Lofton, Kathleen Ponter, and Laurie Scott. “The event was held at the Liederkranz Community Center, and the food was donated by H.E.B. We would like to give special thanks to H.E.B. for their continued support,” Fasullo said. The event was a great opportunity for LSU administrators, staff, and alumni to help students and their parents build new peer networks, provide tips for success, and show our future Texas Tigers what the LSU spirit is all about!”
New Texas Tigers.
DFW Sendoff – The Dallas and Tarrant chapters hosted their annual sendoff party for the newest group of Texas Tigers at St. Rita’s Catholic Community Commons Hall. More than 200 students, parents, and alumni attended to celebrate with the Class of 2027, which boasts the largest number ever from the DFW area – 242 students. The students had a chance to meet other future Tigers and left with goody bags, LSU Bound signs, t-shirts, and special LSU cookies.
Paul West, chapter president with Corpay sponsors Rebecca Schwan, Kortni Businda, and Harold Harr.
Class of 2027 Tigers.
Paul West with TENNA sponsor Alicia Tracy.
Incoming freshmen, center, join chapter officers Kris Cowart, Paul West, Debi West, and Carolyn and Ed Kochan for a photo.
Central Florida Sendoff – LSU Alumni of Central Florida hosted its
Freshmen Sendoff Meet & Greet at Fish on Fire restaurant in Orlando. Local alumni and chapter board members shared their memories and experiences about LSU with the students, refreshments were served, and students received LSU goody bags to start their new journey.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 13
The
By Mary P. Woods Photos by Katherine Seghers, LSU Communications & University Relations
HUEY P. LONG
FIELD HOUSE
14 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Preserving the architecture and history of LSU’s first student center launches a bright future for students and faculty in human sciences and education.
AN ICON RESTORED LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 15
O
On October 24, LSU cut the ribbon for a restored icon on the Baton Rouge campus – the Huey P. Long Field House. When the building first opened in 1932, students met to swim in the pool, grab a drink from the soda fountain, collect their mail, or sneak a kiss at one of the many dances in the ballroom. Today, students report to their activity classes like jogging or dance, cram for a quiz in one of the many study nooks, or attend a guest lecture in the ballroom. For nine decades, the Field House served as the epicenter of student life. Beginning Fall 2023, students nestled into tables and window seats in the ballroom to socialize and study, professors took the helm at brand new podiums in state of-the-art classrooms, kinesiology courses met in the new half-court and dance studio in the Ochsner Wellness Center, and tailgaters reveled in space at the heart of campus. Life is happening again in every corner of the Huey P. Long Field House.
16 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
THE GRAND DAME OF LSU
The painstaking process to restore the historic building while adding critically needed square footage yielded stunning results. Upon entering the main entrance, you are greeted by a uniquely striking mosaic of a roaring tiger. The mosaic includes the phrase “mens sana in corpore sano” which means “a sound mind in a sound body.” The renovation removed walls to
reveal intricate corbels and an arched entryway into the ballroom. A four-story addition to the original building includes a monumental staircase enclosed in glass and two conference rooms with sweeping views of the college lawn, athletic facilities, and even the Mississippi River bridge. Through the capital outlay process, Governor John Bel Edwards and the Louisiana Legislature invested $26 million dollars for this project, signifying a reinvestment in our people and our economy. In addition, the LSU Foundation helped secure more than $6.35 million in private and
corporate funds. A true team effort, the renovated Field House became the new home of the LSU College of Human Sciences & Education. “Working to restore the Huey P. Long Field House has been an incredible honor and a real once-in-a-career opportunity,” said College of Human Sciences & Education Assistant Dean Chad Gothreaux. “Working with our faculty and college leadership to accommodate not only our current programming needs, but our future ones; being onsite daily with the contractor as they solved the jigsaw
puzzle that is bringing a nearly century-old, historic building up to modern standards while preserving original details that make this building so iconic; working alongside visionary facility planners with LSU Planning, Design & Construction and Louisiana Office of Facility Planning & Control; strategizing with our foundation partners to connect donors with their passion to help our students and researchers thrive in this new space; and ultimately witnessing the doors reopen and watching our faculty, staff, and students cross the threshold to move in and embrace
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 17
every square inch of this beautiful building just as we imagined they would has truly been the journey of a lifetime.” Gothreaux recently celebrated 25 years with LSU. For this project, he led countless building tours from construction to completion. Alumni recounting stories, hearing a quick intake of breath when visitors see the tiger mosaic, observing their wonder and pride when they learn about the new laboratories and research taking place, and witnessing the welling of emotions and nostalgia when they recognize the vision to pay homage to the former pool was a perk of his job. Once renovated in Phase II, the college lawn (former swimming pool) will include hardscape and landscape that mimics the lane lines of the pool. One end of the lawn will include terraced seating for an outdoor classroom while the portion closest to the building will have tables and chairs for students to once again gather in this space. “I’ve heard several people refer to this building as the ‘grand dame’ of LSU. The building is special not only for its beauty and intricacy of design, but for the relationships that were formed here. Our students are now forming relationships, learning, and truly living their LSU experience in this building. It’s very special,” said Gothreaux. Midway through the construction, the college bestowed its inaugural Changemaker Award to a team who championed this renovation through every phase. Icons and LSU legends in their own rights, Carolyn Collins, Jackie Ducote, Carolyn Hargrave, and Laura Lindsay recognized how special this building was to the fabric of LSU and how integral its renovation would be for one of the fastest growing colleges at LSU. The team was rounded out by Russell Mosely, LSU alumnus and descendent of Huey P. Long. Having this team join Governor Edwards and the college for the ribbon cutting was a full-circle moment.
18 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
THE BATON ROUGE CAMPUS’ LARGEST HISTORIC BUILDING AND GROUNDS RENOVATION TO DATE
106,451 TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE
TIPTON-ASSOCIATES & RHH ARCHITECTS ARCHITECTS
11,356 NET SQUARE FEET OF LABORATORIES
ARKEL CONTRACTOR LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 19
BONES IN THE BALLROOM
“In 1932, our university recognized that ‘a sound mind in a sound body’ was essential to the college experience. It’s poetic how this legacy is integral to our college mission to improve quality of life across the lifespan,” said LSU College of Human Sciences & Education Dean Roland Mitchell. “When our students cross the stage, they go on to careers and allied health programs to dedicate their lives and careers to making communities better. We are bold. We are passionate about our flagship purpose. This building is a catalyst for our research and people to positively impact the lives of every Louisianan.” The college includes programs in education, information studies, kinesiology, leadership and human resource development, and social work. One Friday, Human
20 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Movement Science’s Associate Professor Melissa Thompson hosted "Bones in the Ballroom," a different approach to office hours. Students in KIN 2500: Human Anatomy swung by the Field House ballroom for an upclose and personal encounter with the skeletal system. Instead of handball courts, these days you might see a graduate assistant researching metabolism and the role exercise plays on metabolic disease in one of the college’s laboratories or social work field supervisors attending a training. The college is on a mission to geaux change lives … and thanks to the restored Huey P. Long Field House, we get to experience future generations of Tigers as they discover, innovate, and live this charge.
By Mary P. Woods, director of communications at the College of Human Sciences & Education.
OPENED IN 1932 AS LSU’S
FIRST STUDENT UNION
HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS
INCLUDED THE
LARGEST SWIMMING POOL IN THE NATION, A BARBER SHOP, A SODA FOUNTAIN, AND A BALLROOM DESIGNED BY ARCHITECTS
LEON C. WEISS, FELIX J. DREYFOUS, & SOLIS SEIFERTH
THE SAME ARCHITECTS WHO DESIGNED THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION AND THE NEW STATE CAPITOL BUILDING
The eight racquetball/handball courts located in the future “classroom wing” of the complex (phase 2 of renovation), along with the gymnasium (now the renovated Ochsner Wellness Center) located in a parallel wing on the north side of the complex, were significant features of the Huey P. Long Field House and hosted a variety of athletic and recreational activities.
Visitors marveled at the decorative terrazzo floors with mosaic tile accents, columns, corbels, ceiling reliefs, ornamental chandeliers, and arched windows that were incorporated into the grand ballroom.
SHARE YOUR FIELD HOUSE STORY Visit fierceforhplfh.com and let us know your favorite memory from the Huey P. Long Field House. We may feature your story on social media and our virtual tour at www.lsu.edu/chse/ fieldhouse/index.php
My parents met at the Huey P. Long Field House. It was late October 1956 and my dad, Buddy Rogers, was in his fifth year earning a combined degree in Petroleum and Chemical Engineering. My mother, Glenda Stringfield, was a freshman. My dad said he saw a pretty redhead in a green suit drinking a Coke at the Field House "canteen" and walked over to introduce himself to her and her suitemate. He called her later to ask her to the upcoming LSU v. Ole Miss game on November 3, 1956. They were married exactly a year later on November 3, 1957.
Kathryn Rogers Mayeux LSU 1982
Have memorabilia from the Huey P. Long Field House that you may wish to donate for our display cases? Contact Chad Gothreaux at cigoth@lsu.edu Interested in tailgating in the historic Huey P. Long Field House? Contact Jeremy Brokaw at jbrokaw@lsufoundation.org
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 21
22 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 23
Around
CAMPUS
Michael Antoine was named the inaugural associate vice president for Campus Safety, Emergency Preparedness & Emergency Response. The position, an expansion of his previous role as director of Emergency Preparedness, includes LSU Police, Parking & Transportation Service, and Environmental Health & Safety. Gerald Baumgartner, associate professor of computer science, is leading LSU’s portion of a project known as TEC – transferring exascale computational chemistry to cloud computing environment and emerging hardware technologies – to make computational chemistry broadly available to applied researchers and industrial users. The participating schools are partnering with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Microsoft Corp., and Micron Technology. Michael Brochu, was named ombuds in the University Ombuds Office. He was previously associate ombuds, primarily serving the LSU Health Science Centers in New Orleans and Shreveport. His new position will serve all individuals at all LSU institutions, including the Health Science Centers and Pennington. A.J. Burns, associate professor, Stephenson Department of Entrepreneurship & Information Systems, and co-authors addressed the ongoing issue of insider computer abuse (ICA) in a study titled “Going Beyond Deterrence: A Middle-Range Theory of Motives and Controls for Insider Computer Abuse” published by Information Systems Research.
24 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Noteworthy Brandon Common was named the permanent vice president for Student Affairs. He had served as interim vice president since January 2023. He began his career at LSU as associate vice president for Student Affairs and Dean of Students in December 2020. James C. Garand, the Emogene Pliner Distinguished Professor of Political Science, received the 2023 Excellence in Mentoring Award from the Public Policy Section of the American Political Science Association. The award recognizes sustained efforts by a senior scholar to encourage and facilitate the careers of emerging political scientists in the field of public policy. Garand is an LSU Distinguished Research Master, an LSU Rainmaker, former president of the Southern Political Science Association, former president of the State Politics Section of the American Political Science Association, and the recipient of several LSU teaching awards. Manas Gartia, associate professor mechanical engineering, is the first LSU engineering faculty member to receive the NIH MIRA R35 (National Institutes of Health Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award for Early Stage Investigators). The $1.875 million grant will help him develop spatial lipidomic techniques and investigate lipid-driven cell death in drug-resistant cancer. Anzilla Gilmore was named associate vice president for Facility & Property Oversight, which includes executive-level planning, policy development, and administrative oversight for the management of
capital assets and properties. She was previously interim associate vice president of Facilities, Engineering & Planning (FEP) and FEP Diversity & Inclusion Program Director at Rice University. Ipsita Gupta, the Mr. and Mrs. Boyd H. McMullan Professor of Petroleum Engineering, received a $3 million grant from the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, to find out which of 4,500 orphan oil wells in Louisiana wells are leaking and measure their emissions. Nearly 450 of these wells were tagged “orphan” in 1994, which means they have been dormant and possibly leaking methane gas for nearly 30 years. Jared Llorens, dean of the E. J. Ourso College of Business, received the 2023 Outstanding Dean award from the University Sales Center Alliance. The award recognizes deans who have made a significant impact on their institution’s sales program, fostering innovation, and excellence in sales education. Bradley “Brad” Ives was named director of the LSU Institute for Energy Innovation, established to advance reliable, affordable, and environmentally responsible energy. He previously served as executive director of the Center for the Environment at Catawba College in North Carolina.
TIGER TRIVIA
Nina Lam, professor of environmental sciences and the Abraham Distinguished Professor of Louisiana Environmental Studies, is principal investigator on the project called Rural Confluence: Communities and Academic Partners Uniting to Drive Discovery and Build Capacity for Climate Change,” which received a $1.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation. It is part of a larger $6 million multi-institutional effort intended to help rural areas adapt to climate change. Jimmy Lawrence, assistant professor of chemical engineering, received a nearly $2 million NIH MIRA R35 (National Institutes of Health Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award for Early Stage Investigators) grant for his project that may enable patients to benefit from metal-free MRI contrast agents that are safer, more reliable, and chemically versatile. It is the first-ever grant of its kind for the Cain Department of Chemical Engineering. Michael J. Malinowski, professor of law, published Personal Genome Medicine: The Legal and Regulatory Transformation of US Medicine examining the ethical, legal, and social implications of directto-consumer, genetic health risk testing services such as 23andMe’s Personal Genome Health Service.
1. What major LSU milestone was celebrated in 1910? President Thomas Boyd’s LSU’s 50th anniversary fourteenth year in office LSU’s first national The publication of the first Gumbo championship in boxing 2. How old was Mike I when he arrived on campus in 1936? 1 year old 2 years old 3 years old 4 years old 3. How many LSU coaches have won the American Football Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year award? 2 4
3 5
4. Who was the first Tigers coach to win the award question 3? Edgar Wingard Bernie Moore Gaynell Tinsley Paul Dietzel 5. Which country and gospel singer, actor, and governor received his master’s degree from LSU? Jimmie Davis Edwin Edwards
Huey Long Henry L. Fuqua
6. What literary journal was published jointly between LSU and Southern Methodist University? The Daily Reveille The Southern Review
The New Delta The Southwest Review
7. What was the Parker Coliseum used as in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina? A clearinghouse for displaced A shelter for displaced animals UNO students A Red Cross care center A call center for campus information 8. When did the West Campus Apartments open? 1958 2003
1967 2011
9. What was Associated Women Students? A programming and legislative A unit of the Student Government body concerned with matters Association concerned with affecting women students women’s intramural sports An organization focusing on An organization for women recruiting women students students expelled from LSU 10. Which LSU graduate has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? Billy Cannon Joanne Woodward Elizabeth Ashley Bill Conti 11. When was the last Darling of LSU selected? 1936 1972 2003 2015 12. Which former governor was Thomas Boyd’s brother-in-law? Henry L. Fuqua John M. Parker Ruffin G. Pleasant Luther E. Hall Tiger Trivia is compiled by Barry Cowan, assistant archivist, Hill Memorial Library.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 25
Answers: 1:b; 2:a; 3:c; 4:d; 5:a; 6:d; 7:b; 8:c; 9:a; 10:d; 11:b; 12:a
Amin Kargarian, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, Ramachandran Vaidyanathan, professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Omar Magana-Loaiza, associate professor of physics, were awarded nearly $500,000 from the National Science Foundation for a project to develop quantum computing-inspired algorithms that will address optimization problems in infrastructure systems, including power systems.
Around Campus
Noteworthy
Lisa O’Neil, retired commandant of the LSU Corps of Cadets, joined the Olinde Career Center as associate director of Employee Development and Relations, and will assist in expanding the defense initiative of the Scholarship First Agenda.
recognizes “an outstanding and demonstrated personal contribution to science and technology and the promotion of excellence in research and education.”
Rod Parker, director of the School of Art, was named interim dean of the College of Art & Design. Parker joined LSU in 1981 and has been the director of the School of Art since 2008. Golden G. Richard, III, professor of computer science and engineering, director of the Cyber Center and Applied Cybersecurity Lab, and associate director for cybersecurity, Center for Computation and Technology (CCT), was named interim director of the LSU Cyber Center. Kenneth J. Schafer, the Ball Family Distinguished Professor in Physics & Astronomy, was designated a Boyd Professor, the highest and most prestigious academic rank at LSU. He is the 79th Boyd Professor named at LSU since the honorific was established in 1953. Schafer joined the Department of Physics in 1995 and has long served as a leading researcher and pioneer in ultrafast laser and X-ray physics. George Voyiadjis, Boyd Professor and chair of the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, was awarded the 2023 Blaise Pascal Medal for Engineering by the European Academy of Sciences which
26 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Hao Wang, assistant professor of computer science, and colleagues at Stony Brook University and the University of Delaware, received a $500,000 National Science Foundation grant to deliver a prototype federated learning system with algorithms that improve privacy, security, and efficiency in various sectors. Todd Woodward was named vice president LSU marketing and communications. He was previously vice president of strategy, marketing, and communications at Colorado College, spent 15 years in the consumer agency world, and was associate vice president for marketing and communications at the University of Notre Dame. Kevin Xu, director of the Coastal Studies Institute and James P. Morgan Distinguished Professor of oceanography and coastal sciences, and Sam Bentley, the Billy and Ann Harrison Chair and professor of geology and geophysics, received a $5 million award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to install up to eight high-frequency radar systems along the Louisiana coastline to obtain reliable data about oceanic conditions critical to safety for those who work and play in coastal waters.
Le Yan, assistant director of high-performance computing at Information Technology Services, is principal investigator on a $500K National Science Foundation grant to establish Tiger Den, a shared data storage system to elevate the research experience at LSU as well as universities across Louisiana. Xiangwei Zhou, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, and a colleague at Southern Illinois University received a $300,000 National Science Foundation grant for their study to ensure that spectrum management mechanisms are efficient, are fair, and maintain user privacy. • The U.S. Department of Energy awarded an LSU-led consortium a $4.9 million project to support the first phase of the Pelican Gulf Coast Carbon Removal project. The consortium, which includes Shell and the University of Houston, will evaluate the feasibility of building a direct air capture (DAC) hub in Louisiana. Shell’s industry-leading partnerships with LSU epitomize the University’s commitment to working with global energy leaders to find new ways to fuel the nation – a core focus of LSU’s Scholarship First Agenda. • The E. J. Ourso College of Business opened the Office of Graduate Business Programs (OGBP), a centralized hub that provides a comprehensive collection of services to graduate students. • The Textile & Costume Museum was awarded a $199,079 grant from the Louisiana Board of Regents’ Departmental Enhancement Program to support the replacement
of the museum’s HVAC system and expand storage capacity through the acquisition of additional museum-grade cabinetry. The highly competitive grant is a resounding endorsement of the museum's contributions to preserving and safeguarding cultural heritage through its collection of textiles and fashion. • For the first time in its history, LSU has surpassed the $400-million mark in research activity. This leap, up sixteen percent in one year, is a direct outcome of the University’s commitment to solve pressing problems for Louisiana and the world, from food insecurity to obesity and cancer, and challenges to our coastal communities, security, and energy supply. Powered by the Scholarship First Agenda, LSU reported a record $428 million in total research activity in just one year, with an estimated $1.2 billion in economic impact on Louisiana. • The Department of Homeland Security granted $22 million to the LSU National Center for Biomedical Research and Academy for Counter-Terrorist Education (LSU NCBRT/ACE) to deliver emergency preparedness trainings to emergency responders at the state, local, tribal, and territorial level at no cost to participants. Through this training, LSU NCBRT/ ACE will continue to support LSU’s Scholarship First agenda by providing high-quality, timely security and defense training for the nation’s responder community.
• LSU ranked No. 75 among universities granted U.S. utility patents in the National Academy of Inventors’2022 Top 100 Listing. The rankings mark the fifth time in seven years that LSU placed in the Top 100 list of universities granted patents and the highest ranking in University history. • The College of Humanities & Social Sciences is offering an array of courses engaging artificial intelligence (AI) this spring, highlighting the college’s role as a leader in framing understanding of AI and the ways it transforms our world. The initiative provides students with opportunities to familiarize themselves with research methods in the era of AI, to reflect on the challenges AI poses, and to explore new forms of discovery with AI. • With 92.2% of LSU Law graduates passing the Louisiana Bar Exam on their first attempt, the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center achieved the highest pass rate among all Louisiana law schools on the July 2023 exam, according to newly released results from the Committee on Bar Admission of the Louisiana Supreme Court. Among all takers of the exam in July, 87.8% of LSU Law graduates passed, which also ranks first among Louisiana law schools.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 27
Around Campus
In Focus
Faculty Fellows Announced The Office of Data and Strategic Analytics announced the 20232024 Faculty Fellows, each of whom specializes in data analytics and artificial intelligence, and will bolster the efforts of the newly established Office of Data and Strategic Analytics. They are:
• Michael Brylinski, College of Science
• Jennifer Qian, College of Human Sciences & Education
• Supratik Mukhopadhyay, College of Coast & Environment
• Athanasios Gentimis, College of Agriculture
• David Saccardi, College of Music & Dramatic Arts
• Yimin Zhu, College of Engineering • April (Yu) Chen, College of Human Sciences & Education
• Mostafa Elseifi, College of Engineering
• Roberto Fritsche-Neto, College of Agriculture
28 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
1,039 Degrees Awarded in August LSU awarded 1,039 degrees to graduates at the University’s 311th commencement exercises, the highest number of degrees ever awarded during summer commencement. The previous record was 969 graduates in summer 2021. “In addition to being our largest graduating class ever, we are graduating more women, African American and Hispanic students than any summer graduation class in LSU history,” said LSU President William F. Tate IV. “It is an honor for me to stand before you to celebrate your academic mastery.” The summer graduating class represented 48 Louisiana parishes, 48 states, and 39 countries. Women comprised 58.61 percent of the class and men 41.39 percent. The youngest graduate was 19; the oldest 63. Among the graduates were 32 LSU employees. Twenty-two students graduated with honors, and one student received the University Medal recognizing the highest grade-point average in the class.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 29
Around Campus
In Focus Presidential Laurels President William F. Tate IV and LSU’s Boyd Professors celebrated four faculty members during the Presidential Laurel recognition ceremony in October.
Tina Harris, the National Communication Association's Distinguished Scholar, President William F. Tate IV, and George Voyiadjis, recipient of the 2023 Blaise Pascal Medal in Engineering.
The event highlights the exceptional academic, creative, and research accomplishments of faculty from all eight LSU institutions during the last academic year. The award recognizes the exceptional stature of collective faculty in their respective fields while celebrating success and encouraging aspiration among peers.
Honored were Leanne Redman, TOPS Achievement Award, the Obesity Society; Tina Harris, National Communication Association’s Distinguished Scholar; Peter Clift, Lyell Medal, Geological Society of London; and George Voyiadjis, 2023 Blaise Pascal Medal in Engineering. Potential honorees are considered by nomination and final selection is made via vote by the Boyd Professors, with highest consideration placed on the merit of selectivity and exclusivity of the award.
Manship School of Mass Communication 2023 Hall of Fame Inductees, from left, Connie Ledoux Book, Bob Boccaccio, Louis Day, and Kurt Davis. Photo: Dylan Borel
Manship School Hall of Fame On Sept. 21, 2023, the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication inducted four distinguished mass communication professionals into its Hall of Fame in September. The school’s Hall of Fame gala honors alumni and supporters who have achieved exceptional success in their careers. This year’s honorees were Bob Boccaccio, videographer and director; Connie Ledoux Book, president, Elon University; Kurt Davis, executive vice president, CBS Affiliate Relations; and Louis Day, alumni professor emeritus.
30 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Breaking Records “We are breaking records where it really counts – student success, research expenditures, and state investment,” said President Tate. “We are grateful to our faculty and staff for their tireless dedication to the LSU mission, and for parents and students for trusting us with your education.”
• The Fall 2023 freshman class is the most academically accomplished
freshman class in history, with a record-high average ACT superscore of 26.5, up from 25.5 in Fall 2022. The class also has a record-high GPA of 3.82, compared to 3.78 in Fall 2022. • Ogden Honors College enrolled its largest-ever cohort of freshmen at 1,045 students with an average ACT superscore of 30.5 and an average GPA of 4.22. • This fall’s first- to second-year retention rate for the overall student body is at 84 percent, up from 83.5 percent last year. And the first- to third-year retention rate is at 74.5 percent, up from 74.2 percent last year. • The six-year baccalaureate graduation rate is at an all-time high at 67.4 percent, a number that will increase by several percentage points once prenursing and allied health program graduates are calculated. The previous record was 66.9 percent. • Graduate education reached new record numbers, with more than 6,700 graduate students enrolled in LSU, eclipsing the previous record of 6,528 in Fall 2021. • The Fall 2023 freshman class totals 7,494 students, up from the previous record of 7,367 in Fall 2022, breaking a record for first-generation college students at 2,500 students or 33.4 percent, up from the previous record of 2,446 or 33.2 percent in Fall 2022. • Overall enrollment totals 39,419 students this fall, including undergraduates, graduate students, and online students. The previous record for largest overall enrollment was Fall 2022, with a total of 37,354 students. • LSU Online enrollment reached new heights with 3,786 online students enrolled in the first module of Fall 2023, compared to the previous record of 3,429 enrolled in the second module of Spring 2023.
Business Hall of Distinction Kip Knight (1978 BACH BUS) and Joaneane Smith (1987 MBA) were inducted into the E. J. Ourso College of Business Hall of Distinction in November. Also honored was Jacques Bourque (2015 BACH BUS), who received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award. Knight is the operating partner at Thomvest Ventures, a $500 million
venture capitalist fund based in the San Francisco Bay area. Smith, president and CEO of Global Commerce and Services, has more than 25 years of experience in management and consulting with information technology deployment. Bourque, CFO of Catalyst Bancorp, is the youngest public bank CFO in the country.
Kip Knight.
Joaneane Smith.
Jacques Bourque.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 31
Around Campus
GLAM Dataset Published
$400 Million Milestone For the first time in its history, LSU surpassed the $400 million mark in research activity. The leap, up 16 percent in one year, is a direct outcome of its commitment to solve pressing problems for Louisiana and the world – from food insecurity to obesity and cancer – and challenges to coastal communities, security, and energy supply. “It’s no surprise that our research initiatives are gaining momentum,” remarked LSU President William F. Tate IV. “Our exceptional faculty, who are leaders in their fields, have enthusiastically embraced the challenge of pursuing larger grants with the potential for more significant scientific and societal impacts.” To put the new expenditure numbers into context, $428 million represents a remarkable jump not only from the prior year but also when compared to the past five years. From 2018 up until 2022, the university system’s expenditures fluctuated between $350 million and $368 million.
32 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
GLAMs – cultural heritage institutions, including galleries, libraries, archives and museums – are being impacted by climate change, with about 56 percent reporting increased damage to collections due to water or moisture between 2017-2019. Of that damage, about 10 percent was the result of natural disasters. LSU researchers reached a significant milestone in a research project aimed at assisting our nation’s historical/natural/scientific/cultural collections remain safe and intact. The Providing Risk of the Environment’s Changing Climate Threats for Galleries, Libraries, Archives & Museums (PROTECCT-GLAM) research team compiled and verified a unique dataset, including the georeferences for the majority of U.S. Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAMs). The original data sources included the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the National Center for Education Statistics, the Archives RepoData project, and the Department of Defense. After compiling the source data, the project team employed undergraduate and graduate students to manually verify and update physical location of the GLAMs. The resulting dataset includes nearly 74,000 entries and represents the first known directory of all U.S. GLAM locations. The dataset is freely available for use via the LSU Digital Commons and accessible on the project website: http://protecct-glam.lsu.edu. The PROTECCT-GLAM team also provided access to a form for GLAMs to submit feedback and revisions to the dataset which will be updated monthly through 2024 and quarterly thereafter. The project was led by School of Information Studies Associate Professor Edward Benoit, III, and Department of Geography & Anthropology Associate Professor Jill Trepanier with collaborator Jennifer Vanos, Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability Associate Professor.
Lemons Racing Club at LSU On a hot July morning, mechanical engineering sophomores Liam Songné and Carter Mims find shade under a hovering old oak tree while they work on a vintage car in the driveway. Most people collect old cars to restore them, but these students are doing quite the opposite. They are dismantling an already-sparse 1966 Dodge Coronet to race as part of the newly formed Lemons Racing Club at LSU.
The multi-colored Coronet has a 318 polyspheric engine, no seat belts in the front, no tires, a cracked windshield, mud dauber nests where the fuel tank should be, and soon, there will be no fabric seats or interior since any kind of cloth is a fire hazard. “The hardest part of the whole build is reliably meeting and working on the car,” Songné said. “There are already a lot of things working well on this car that just need to be cleaned, refinished, and repaired, so it’s the devotion and passion to check everything and make sure it’s good. You can’t be afraid of grease.” You may be familiar with the phrase, Songné found out about lemon “you bought a lemon,” which is what racing a couple of years ago when Songné and his team purposely did. his dad showed him a video of the Their goal is to race it in the 24 Hours racing thinking it was “cool.” Songné of Lemons race in 2024. “24 Hours of was working on his own car at the Lemons is a race where you have to time when he realized there was a build a car as cheaply as you possibly lemon race, and he was old enough can,” Songné said. “It lets regular to participate. He knew he couldn’t people build a car and go out and run a race solo, and funding was too race. Circuit racing costs a lot of much for one person, so he started to money and is incredibly hard to get think of a way to do it. “Initially, Carter into. You need to know the right and I were just going to find a couple people, and the cars are so advanced of friends to do it with us, but then that you can barely compete.” we talked to someone at Marathon The rules for the race are the car Oil who said it would be a cool idea can’t be worth more than $500 – for a club,” Songné said. “So, we safety equipment, such as a roll cage immediately started looking up how and brakes, is not included – and for to make a club on campus and get a every $10 over the $500 limit, one lap sponsor. Also, there’s uniformity and is added to that car’s race. It’s not a reliability with a club, and we get to race to see who wins first place, but teach other people. Overall, it was a rather, whose car is able to hold up great idea for us.” the entire 14 hours of the race. “It’s an Lemons Racing Club at LSU, which endurance race on a track where four drivers rotate, so no one is exhausted,” was formed this summer, is not just for engineering students. While most are Songné said. “We have a small crew mechanical engineering students, there devoted to keeping the car running, is also a political science major, James because the amount of abuse the car Douet. “We don’t want to turn down is going to take during those 14 hours anyone who is interested in working on is serious. The car will break down, cars, since we have the knowledge to and we must try to fix it quickly and teach them,” Songné said. get it back on the track.” Club members include Songné The LSU team bought its car from and Mims, of Baton Rouge; political a Denham Springs, La., man on science junior Douet, of Zachary, Facebook Marketplace. The car had La.; and mechanical engineering been sitting in a barn for 30 years and sophomores Haley Pittenger, Sarah still cost the team $1,200. “We’re going Stenhouse, and Macen Melancon, all to sell parts off of it to get it closer to of Baton Rouge. the $500 budget,” Songné said.
From left, Sarah Stenhouse, James Douet, Haley Pittenger, Liam Songne, Carter Mims, and Macen Melancon.
“. . . you have to build a car as cheaply as you possibly can.”
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 33
Locker
LSU Athletics Hall of Fame 2023 Inductees
ROOM Photos: LSU Athletics
Jim Hawthorne waves to the Tiger Stadium crowd while being honored during LSU’s 2015 matchup against Arkansas.
The LSU Athletics Hall of Fame welcomed seven new members who have left indelible marks on Tiger sports history. This year’s class of inductees is headlined by legendary women's golf coach Karen Bahnsen, radio broadcaster Jim Hawthorne, and football operations veteran Sam Nader.
Tiger Stadium play-by-play “The victories that announcer Dan Borné highlighted how we celebrate today the class’s contributions shaped the and those we will current and future landscape of LSU athletics during his welcome address celebrate tomorrow at the induction ceremony. are because of the “The victories that we celebrate today and those we will celebrate people who walked tomorrow are because of the people before us.” who walked before us,” he said
“Tonight, we will honor the best of the best.” No one in the class exemplifies that more than Bahnsen, who helped build the foundation of LSU women's golf by joining as the program's first recruit. After graduating in 1984, she became the Tigers' head coach and held the title for 34 years to become the second-longest serving head coach in any sport in school history. Her coaching tenure saw the women's golf team consistently ranking in the Top 10 of the NCAA
34 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Championships, with notable thirdplace national finishes in 2011 and 2012. She produced 23 AllAmericans, 46 All-SEC players, 41 team tournament titles, 45 individual tournament titles, and an SEC Championship title. The Mobile, Ala., native’s contributions were further recognized with her induction into the Women's Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame earlier this year. Jim Hawthorne became fondly known as “The Voice of the Tigers” as he shared his passion and energy during radio broadcasts. His LSU career began in 1979 calling men’s basketball games, and by his retirement in 2016 he had shared his voice for nearly 400 football games, 1,500 men’s basketball games, and 2,000 baseball games. He broadcast the 2003 and 2007 football national championships, men’s basketball Final Fours in 1981, 1986 and 2006, and six of LSU’s baseball national championships. Of all the iconic moments throughout Hawthorne’s career, it’s difficult to match his call of Warren Morris’ walkoff home run in the 1996 CWS finale to capture LSU’s third national title.
“That’s probably the most incredible feeling that I’ve ever had,” Hawthorne said in an LSU press release. “I don’t know if there will ever be anything quite like it again.” Sam Nader began his LSU football career in 1975 as a graduate assistant before becoming a full-time assistant coach in 1977 under Coach Charles McClendon. After his coaching stint, he became the recruiting director in 1980 before being promoted to administrative assistant for football operations in 1994. Nader was promoted in 2000 to assistant athletics director football operations, a title he held until his retirement. He served for 46 years and inspired generations of student-athletes, coaches, and staff members, leaving a lasting legacy of service and devotion. He was part of three national championships, seven SEC titles, and 32 bowl games during his tenure. One moment that showcases his spirit was in 2014. Nader showed up to an outdoor practice in freezing weather shirtless wearing eye black with a purple “T” across his chest in order to motivate the football team. “LSU changed, just like the world, by becoming increasingly sophisticated,” Nader said. “LSU has always been competitive in sports, but now, LSU is more competitive than ever before.” The incredible group of Tiger greats were rounded out by four legendary student-athletes: three-time women's tennis All-American Megan Falcon, 18time track and field All-American and football wide receiver Al Coffee, NCAA discus and shot put champion Danyel Mitchell, and volleyball All-American Nyla Shepherd Moore. Falcon was the 2007 SEC Player of the Year. She posted a 38-3 singles record, including 26 ranked wins. She became the only women’s tennis player in LSU history to earn a semifinal berth. Coffee was a dual-sport athlete and won an SEC championship in both. He was a force on the gridiron
Coach Karen Bahnsen and LSU golfer Elise Bradley smile during the 2015 Tiger Classic. The Tigers won the tournament and Bradley placed 1st overall, winning a playoff after sinking a 12-foot putt on the 54th hole to force a sudden death.
but was even more dominant on the track. He was named the 1970 SEC Most Outstanding Track & Field Performer and won a total of eight SEC titles in both indoor and outdoor track and field. Mitchell won nine SEC Championships and three NCAA titles in the discus and indoor shot put during her LSU career. In 1995, she represented the United States at the Outdoor World Championships. Moore helped lay the groundwork for the Tigers’ volleyball program and established a culture of success. From 1989-1991, she helped lead LSU to a 99-17 overall record including three straight SEC Tournament titles and back-to-back NCAA Final Four appearances in 1990 and 1991. “There’s really no greater honor for a former LSU student-athlete, coach or administrator than to be elected to this hall,” Borné said. “Those in it represent the best of LSU athletics.”
Sam Nader goes shirtless in 2014 to help motivate the Tigers during a practice in freezing conditions. Photo: NOLA.com
Locker Room is curated and edited by sports writer and LSU Manship School of Mass Communication alumnus Marc Stevens. Marc is an avid sports fan, and Locker Room combines his passion for storytelling with LSU athletics.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 35
Gymnastics Sets Sights on Second-Straight NCAA Championship Berth
Locker Room
January STATE
5 OBaHtoIOn Rouge, La. VITATIONAL ENTS IN ESPN EV y City, Utah 13 West Valle T U C KY 19 KBEatoN n Rouge, La. RI MISSOU Mo. ia b 26 Colum ,
february
ARKANSAS 2 Ba ton Rouge, La. 9 AtGEheORns,GIGaA . AUBURN 16 Baton Rouge, La. FLORIDA 23 Ga inesville, Fla
During a fall intrasquad meet, LSU’s Gymnastics team unites in a huddle.
.
march MA
1 ABaLAtoBnARouge, La. ALLENGE PODIUM CH . 8 Baton Rouge, La AROLINA 15 NBaOtoRnTHRoCuge, La. IONSHIPS SEC CHAMP . 23 New Orleans, La
April
NCAA REGIONAL 3-7 Ca S mp
18-20
us Site TBD
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP S
Fort Worth, Texa
s
36 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
The LSU Gymnastics team finished its 2023 campaign as one of the country’s best teams, after an improbable postseason run to the NCAA Championship. Injuries plagued the Tigers throughout most of the year, but with most of the team’s core returning as the squad heads into 2024, Coach Jay Clark thinks his team is primed to make their way back to the finals.
Finnegan’s performance continued beyond the purple and gold as she became the first active gymnast in school history to become an Olympian, and first ever female gymnast from the Philippines to do so, after her performance at the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championship. “It was such an honor to compete for the Philippines on the world stage. To be able to represent my family and just knowing that I did everything I could out there was really special,” “It is going to be a great year with a said Finnegan. “I’m grateful for Tiger lot of potential for a very special team,” Nation and the LSU community for Clark said. cheering me on from home.” NCAA.com has the Tigers at No. 5 in The Tigers’ depth is further its Way-Too-Early College Gymnastics bolstered by four returning seniors Power Rankings. The team is led – Kiya Johnson, Kai Rivers, Alyona by the dual threat of senior Haleigh Shchennikova and Cammy Hall – as Bryant and junior Aleah Finnegan, one well as a top-ranked recruiting class. of the country’s strongest duos in the “Having these seniors back is all-around. another chance for them and for this Both Bryant and Finnegan were team to achieve their ultimate goals. dynamic throughout the 2023 season. We have all learned a great deal Bryant set multiple LSU records for her this year about what it takes to be a performance during the postseason, championship program,” said Clark. while Finnegan placed first on the floor “I’m glad they want to be here at LSU to tie the school record. As a result, for another year to exhibit that same both gymnasts earned All-SEC and All- climbing mindset.” American honors.
Graduate Greg Brooks Battles Rare Cancer Diagnosis
LSU and Arkansas both wore No. 3 decals on their helmets during their matchup this season.
With 2:25 left in the game, LSU led Auburn 21-17 in their 2022 matchup. The Tigers in blue and orange were marching down the field looking likely to take the lead. LSU graduate safety Greg Brooks, Jr., had other plans. Auburn quarterback Robby Ashford fired a pass, but Brooks stepped in, ripped the ball out of the hands of the receiver, and returned it 30 yards for a game-clinching interception. Brooks looked to build on that success in his second season with the Tigers after transferring from Arkansas and earning a leadership role. After his play, he made an impression on his teammates and was elected a team captain ahead of the 2023 campaign. The Harvey, La., native played well in LSU’s first two contests, tallying eight total tackles and two passes defended. Amidst his promising start, everything took a drastic turn after a health crisis prior to the Tigers' game against Mississippi State. Brooks experienced vertigo in practice and was given an MRI which revealed a brain tumor. He underwent emergency surgery and was later diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer, medulloblastoma. “The surgery was successful in removing the tumor, and there is no evidence that the cancer has spread,” said Catherine O’Neal, chief medical officer at Our Lady of the Lake Health. “He has a long journey ahead and will need the full support of our community behind him as he faces this battle.” To show support, the Tigers unveiled a No. 3 decal – Brooks’ number – that would be worn on the back of their helmets in their game against Arkansas. The Razorbacks also donned the number to stand in solidarity with their former player. A week later Missouri also wore the emblem. "One thing that’s great about this game is how everybody has come together,” Coach Brian Kelly said while a guest on the Paul Finebaum Show. “We're just so grateful for the support [from] everybody throughout this entire country and the football community." Kelly noted that Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman visited Brooks in the hospital and Memphis Coach Ryan Silverfield reached out after the LSU safety was transferred to St. Jude's Children Hospital in Memphis. To help cover medical expenses, The Tiger Athletic Foundation launched The Greg Brooks Victory Fund. After an outpouring of support from the LSU and college football communities, the fund has already raised more than $100,000 for Brooks’ care. “Greg is a fighter and a winner, and we believe wholeheartedly that he will conquer this battle with cancer,” said LSU President William F. Tate IV.
Graduate safety Greg Brooks, Jr. in Tiger Stadium.
“Greg is a fighter and a winner . . . he will conquer this battle with cancer.”
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 37
Locker Room
Sam Burns Joins Team USA at 2023 Ryder Cup
Sam Burns stands alongside his clubs during a break in play at the 2017 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships.
Sam Burns and Collin Morikawa embrace during their fourballs round during the 2023 Ryder Cup. They won the round to earn the United States’ first point of the session.
Burns chips his shot toward the green on the final day of the championship tournament.
Former LSU standout Sam Burns donned the red, white, and blue in October, representing the United States at the Ryder Cup for the first time in his professional career.
Burns was selected for his first appearance at the tournament by Team USA Captain Zach Johnson and is the third Tiger to play in the prestigious event behind LSU greats David Toms and Fred Haas. Toms played on three Ryder Cup teams (2002, 2004, 2006) and Haas played the 10th Ryder cup in 1953. “There’s no in“To say he mixes well with the rest higher honor of the team would be a massive understatement,” said the American than to represent captain when asked about Burns. your country.” “He’s a versatile teammate. Guys want to be around him; guys want to play with him.” His debut was spoiled after he and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler fell in their partners matchup to European duo Tyrell Hatton and John Rahm. However, Burns quickly bounced back on the following day to claim a victory alongside teammate Collin Morikawa. The Shreveport native’s top-notch putting was on full display. He sunk a three-foot putt on No. 6 to go 3 UP to silence the crowd, and by the twelfth
38 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
hole, Burns and Morikawa doubled their lead to 6 UP for a comfortable finish. On the final day, Burns’ singles matchup was against the secondhighest ranked golfer in the world, Rory McIlroy, representing Europe in the tournament. The former Tiger fell behind early, dropping two of the first three holes and McIlroy was 4 UP after No. 12. The American tried to rally and pulled within two, but ultimately fell after his European counterpart claimed the penultimate hole to win the match. “There’s no higher honor than to represent your country. To be a part of this Ryder Cup and tee up alongside these world class players is extremely exciting,” said Burns. Burns spent two years at LSU before heading to the professional ranks the summer after his sophomore campaign in 2017. While competing for the Tigers, he set the single-season scoring record with a career-low 70.05 stroke average in 2016-17 and was named the top player in college golf as the 2017 NCAA Division I Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year. He was the first Tiger in program history to be named the National Player of the Year.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 39
LSU SUMMER 2023 GRADUATES CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATES! On behalf of the LSU Alumni Association and proud LSU alumni across the country and around the globe, welcome to Tiger Nation. You have earned it. You have met many challenges, and we are proud of you and all that you have accomplished. No matter where you live, the LSU spirit is there, and you’ll find fellow alumni to support you in your new endeavors and show the world just how awesome LSU graduates are. Our worldwide chapters provide connection and camaraderie, and we hope you’ll join your fellow alums to keep the Tiger spirit alive. To take advantage of all we have to offer you visit lsualumni.org/membership Again, congratulations and Geaux Tigers!
Joe Carvalhido President & CEO
JOIN NOW!
40 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE Bachelor of Science Lillian Grace Bourgeois
Anthony Coll
Derrick Lam Phan Ngo
Alexandra Elizabeth Person
Noah Saacks
Evan Jase Rogers Margaret Jane Terral Claire Constance Wilson
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Interior Design
COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN Bachelor of Architecture Jeffrey R. Alvarez
Bachelor of Arts Anna Noelle Holley Nicholas Johnson Julia C. Kinchen
Mia Katherine Berube
Brianna Miyono Melancon Payton Leigh Reulet
E. J. OURSO COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Bachelor of Science Preston Paul Acosta Bailey Phoebe Ardoin Manyo Ononse Asam-Obi Jacob Baker Stephen Clay Burkett Hunter Cagle Lindsay Rose Chamberlain Nicholas Francis Corchiani
Shealyn Renee’ Cupit William Logan Delaune Lea Marie Disimone David Jordan Dominguez Joshua G. Fulmer Raeleen Elizabeth Gutierrez Madeline Grace Hamilton Hunter Hawkins John C. King
Caliea Koehler Christy Valeria Madrid Dubon Gabriel Adam Clayton Massey Harper Gerard Massey Emma Shirley McDowell Skylier Rayann Miller Victoria Ann Montgomery Victoria Ann Montgomery Thomas Michael Mouton
David Nguyen Jake Warner O’Brien Truc Thanh Phan Ryan Philippe Brooklyn Lynnette Primus James Lee Randels Cy Richeson Brandon Mykal Rushing Arwen Shackelford
Madelyne Taylor Sumrall Bria Logan Sylvester Joseph Chris Tadros Sydney Rene’ Taylor Kel M. Villarrubia Benjamin Stephen Wessel Stanley Wu
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering
Undergraduate Certificate in Construction Management
Mark L. Jones Clifford M. Lamb Jr. Anna Katherine Lennep Duane Lonzo Timothy Ira Mackintosh Jonathan Perez Marnon Nancy D. Mickle Cody Mitchell Paul Kendall Moore Jr. Brandon Tyler Neel Jason Robert Pietsch Zachary Tyler Russell Travis Schauer Shane J. Seery Chase William Samuel Tyson
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING Bachelor of Science Sean R. Chappell Andres William Oberhelman Ziqing Zhou Cong Zong
Bachelor of Science in Biological Engineering Sarah E. Delhaye Kaitlyn Danielle Fontenot Larsen Henry Jennings Gannon Trey Matlock Stephen T. Mauer Gabriel T. Medina
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Blayde Robert Bott Aldon P. Mury
André Pierré Benjamin Jr.
Bachelor of Science in Construction Management
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Brady Aguillard Julie Ann Caruso Landen Paul Gremillion Bryce F. Landry Matthew Patrick Martin Christina S. McCartney Robert J. Wall Jr.
John Gautreaux
Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering Ricardo Ulysses Gutierrez Omar Kadry
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
Noah Benjamin Ainsworth Thomas W. Hamilton Stash Hoffart Jacob Hunkins Amber N. Marriner Richard Kelley O'Donnell Francisco Anibal Rodriguez
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Construction Management Chance Wayne Agnew Sarah Marcell John Braddock Erickson Jesus Giglioli
Zhihan Guo Sarah Ngulefac Sanjoh
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Facilities Management Luisangel Mejia Byron Scarbrough
COLLEGE OF HUMAN SCIENCES & EDUCATION Bachelor of Science Jazmin Anima Addo Sage Alexis Angeletti Michael Louis Apoldo Gabrielle Marie Austin Aleah Nicole Azar Anoki Seth Bercy-Willard Jada Unique Bickham Testini Lawren Bódy H’yanna Charnell Bowens Imani Yarnee Brown
Amanda Lea Bueche Tuong Mong Bui John Patrick Byrnes IV Katie Anne Cannon Mason Thomas Celestin Mya Chantelle Cheatum Damien Nathaniel Clark Waller English Cogburn Morgan Alexis Cooper William Bailey Crowe Sydnee A. Cutrer
Mckenzie Grace Daigle Lindsey Marie Daniels Jilian Catherine Dee An'Tajha J. DeGray Grant J. Delpit Lisa Brianna Etheridge Anna Grace Falgout Zhihui “Frank” Fang Mia Ciera Farris Kyle J. Flint Joseph Tyson Floyd
Mary Elizabeth Foret Hannah Caroline Frost Cristina D. Garcia Gabrielle Elise Gary Destini Yvonne Gibson Jessica Ann Glass William Graham IV Camille Elizabeth Grizzaffi Brandt Charles Guidry Jada’ Rachelle Guillory Robert Thorne Guzman
Marcus Quinshake Hathorn Jr. Caroline Margaret Hebert Stephanie Nicole Hoffman Ronald Peter Hohmann III Myia La'Shell Hutcherson Alejandro Ibarra-Fernandez Tyler Jacob Inselmann Demetric Dontae Jackson Dillon Gage Jewett Brayden Arnaud Jobert Jailynn Fache' Johnson
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
41
Taylor Michelle Kinchen Thurman Fitzgerald King Jr. Kate Marie Laborde Danielle Elizabeth Landry Emma Therese Lassalle Miguel A. Leal III Brady Dominick Lee Carolynn A. Leman Rency Leighann Long Ke'shara T. Magee Wyatt Anthony Mallett Spencer Jerod Mays Martin F. McGreal
Caleb Justin Mickelson Jr. John Edward Mire III Whitney Anne Sparks Joe Trong Nguyen Kim Hoang Nguyen Chloe' Anderson Nolan Alyssa Kaitlin Ochoa Aaron Nelson Parrott Miranda Michelle Peck Thomas Perry Camille C. Peters AnnaScott Elizabeth Polhill Ty’Mariyah Ja’Shaun Polk
Lauryn Armani-Le'Che Porter Macie Lee Prudhomme Brayden Cole Rabalais Mary Alissandra Regalado-Feliz Xavier M. Reyes Jessica Louise Richardson Aysja Jenae Rochon Alexander Isaac Rodriguez Madison Margaret Schaefer Douglas Michael Schmidt Joshua Quincy Scurria Grace Caroline Seits
Mason Cole Simmons Jada C. Smith Madison Lynn Smith Spencer James Smith John Griffin Stanford Jordan D. Stapleton Sarah Steinitz Vanessa Naa Laingoi Tetteh Jordan Alexandria Thompson Andre' Carson Toups Jason J. Toups Matthew J. Wallace Dakayla Chantel Washington
Jakob I. Werts Colby D. West Sydney Nicole Wisniewski Zoii Anisa Yearwood
Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies
Alexandra Lee Parker Ryann Samara Payne Taylor D. Powell Courtney Lynn Prudhomme Glenn Simmons Rainey Tyler Darnell Rouege Jesse Delane Stallings JaCoby Stevens Halle Taylor Sughrue Kardell Jamar Thomas Tia Trenise Thomas Brooke Todd AnnaLee Grace Trosclair Je'Dacus Kevon Ward
Bachelor of Social Work Sydney Elaine Anderson Alyssa Marie Bergeron Margaret Amber Mullenix Emma Elizabeth Smith
COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES Bachelor of Arts Peighton Tayler Abshier Dana Emad Alebrahim Blake Elizabeth Alley Aidin Arasteh Madelyn Georgeanna Baggett Bryce Alyxander Bailey David Anthony Bertrand Ashwin Bethala Brandon Hayes Bivin Rory A. Blackmore Shanyla Au'Chelle Brailey Jessica Christine Brown Haley Marie Bruce Niya Janea Lillian Butler Stephen Denis Cagle James Patrick Canter Frida Angel Cervantes Azariah Shanta Chocklin Francisco Javier Córdova-Segura Quinlan Marie Creech William Arthur Cronvich Amelia Claire Dean Angelie Jeanne Hebert-Diaz
Francis Huu Tho Doan Summer Elgourani Cortisha Fisher Sanai Katelyn Frierson Rebecca Nicole Frugé Maya Grace Gordon Allie Faye Guidry Jake Louis Gutierrez Charitey Emanuele Hall Simon J. Hartmann Ryan T. Hau Husein Rashid Husein Hannah G. Johnson Keeley Megan Jones Tatianna Kailani Kilgore Madelyn Jane Lapeyronnie Dillon Vincent La Stella Madison McKenzie Latiolais Reagan Sierra Lee Kaylyn Brenee’ Liddell Jacob A. Lofton Trevor Bryce Martin Elizabeth Grace Masters Laisha Poleth Mendez Nicolas A. Montalbano
Julia Grace Montgomery Philip Thomas O'Neill Dalia Maria Ortiz Philip Joseph Pearce Cayli Hao-Y Pham Aysia Marie Shirley Phillips Abigail Anne Reid Logan K. Robertson Devan P. Sanders Kevan P. Sanders Jacob Dover Sclare Sarah M. Seibold Sarah M. Seibold Alaiyah Fatima Singleton Kyleigh Fay Spring John H. Stoker Bailey Ann Sunseri Jenari Ezias Taylor Daniel Colt Thibodeaux Claire Elizabeth Thomas Alexandria Wachenschwanz Brennen Thomas Walker Chelsea Washer Ariel Chantell Williams-Greavis
Brett A. Bailey Hagan Blair Bell Grant Miller Bonnette Paityn Ivy Brumley Corey Cotten Denise Marie Duffy Reagan Nicole Fogarty Kyle W. Fulton Kim M. Gautreau Logan Joseph Harris Matthew James Hedrick IV Christopher Ashton Hicks Trindon J. Holliday Miles Scott Jantzi Antoinette N. Jimoh Cade Alan Manint Makaylah Lauren McDuffie Madelyn Emma Menapace Alexis Moyé Morris ChampLuthor Jake S. Nelson Mallori Antoinette Palmisano
Bachelor of Science Seth A. Alfonso Emma Elizabeth Broussard Kaley Dang Madison Marie Hair Jordan Nicole Harris Reagan Ashley Markham Uzoamaka Judith Obioma Njoku Alyssa Brooke Stevison
MANSHIP SCHOOL OF MASS COMMUNICATION Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication Brianna Marie Andras Bethany S. Bissell Landry Elizabeth Carroll
Metia Monet Carroll Marie Claire Cheramie Noah Cooley
Anna Caroline Haynes Tyler A. Johnson Carlie Elizabeth Kulivan
Taylor Madison Landry Audra Grace Naylor Lillian Alexander O'Connell
Niamh May Robinson Hannah Grace Williams
Anna Catherine Montgomery Brian Cole Naff Dylan Thanh Ngo Rachel Nguyen Kaiden Dwain O’Dell Callie Pescay Luke Taylor Pruett Dildora Rasulova
Riley E. Riordan Maria Fernanda Santiago Terrance Tyson Thomas
COLLEGE OF MUSIC & DRAMATIC ARTS Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Jack H. Steele
Kylle N. B. Poiencot
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE Bachelor of Arts Danielle Lyn LeBlanc
Bachelor of Science Samuel Joseph Accardo III Skylar K. Boyd Lucy Mae Detweiler Monique Gabrielle Gallien
Tanner Jake Hartley Riley K. Hartsell Marcelle Elizabeth Holmes Caroline Grace Janecek Rachel Theresa Johnson Caleb S. Kleinpeter Joseph Robert Lach Danielle Lyn LeBlanc
42 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Danielle Lyn LeBlanc Angelina Nicole Llorens Kyle Joseph Lorio Madeleine Sophia Majeau Sydney LaRae Martin Gary Wayne McElroy Jr. Colin Michael-Joseph McGlynn
Bachelor of Science in Geology Thomas John Bornholdt Seija Liisa Meaux
COLLEGE OF THE COAST & ENVIRONMENT Bachelor of Science in Coastal Environmental Science Ka'ili Cruz
Brookelynn T. Duke
Sion Caziah Farley-Thompson
Siarah Shalom Hall
Brodie R. Horn
PINKIE GORDON LANE GRADUATE SCHOOL GRADUATE CERTIFICATES Analytics Ethan Aguillon Stephanie Sophia Akin Mary C. Bonin Michael Brock Jr. Cody Lee Bullard Wynter Cortina Georgia Anne Freeman Kyle Grover Amanda Hardt Mohammad Iqbal Desvin Deyayveyell Jones Tyler Hasen McCullough Harris Phu Nghiem Gabriel Tricarico Orosco James Clark Pounders Victoria Rossi George Madison Stokes Shannon Kathleen Whitson
Applied Depositional Geosystems Daniel Eduardo Locci Lopez
Archival Studies Christopher Paul Bienvenu Cole James Branham Destiny Hope Cobar Jessica Marie Cutty Zachary Brewer Dowd Elizabeth C. Drolet Leah Anne Dwyer Shannon Groelle Matthew S. Kelly Christopher A. Kennedy Christopher E. Manthey Ronnie Lee Mizell Jr. Haley Elizabeth Moore Alison Terbell Nikitopoulos Matthew David Rose Gale Kristin Sanchez
Shelby Lee Stuebner Amanda Kae Sullivan Amanda Schofield Vance
Crime Mapping and Geospatial Intelligence Analytics Jennifer Lynn LaRose
Educational Technology Lindsey Carmenia Cierra Angelle' Hypolite Elizabeth Kelly Wrzesinski
Corey Lamond Williams Sr.
Kayla Sharmaine Carmenia Price
Kyriel A'layja Felton Michele Colbert Graham Allison Diane Olivarez Paige Alona Sass Teshawna ReNae Threat Amanda Kaye Tonguis
Environmental Health Sciences
Urban and Community Education
Environmental and Energy Policy
Joseph Steven Kasulaitis
Instructional Coaching Laura Garcia Sweet
Materials Science and Emerging Technologies Engineering Andrew Nduka Okafor for Business
Michael James Gennaro Victoria A. Louis Sarah Scott MacDonald Jason D. Roach
Records and Information Management
Ma'Kayla D. Washington Toi-Whitney Williams
Kyle Grover Jeremy John Hardeman Anna Harris Liane Fu'e Holdowsky Jeffrey Richard James Desvin Deyayveyell Jones Alexis Breanna Jones-Sawyer Noelle R. Kaufmann John Paul Langlois Lorene Marie LeDoux Amanda R. Leonard Nicole Danielle Lewis Dalton Jeffery Lock Bradley Loomis Victoria A. Louis Bello Louissaint Jr. Sarah Scott MacDonald Julia Morris Anna M. Mannino Tyler Hasen McCullough Harris Phu Nghiem Jared Matthew O'Haire Joshua B. Pisani James Clark Pounders Marcus Alec Pruitt Krista Allen Raney Kevin Reed Chiara Elisa Ritchie-Williams Jason D. Roach
Leslie York Jackson
Workforce Development Raphael Joseph Deterville III Michelle Frances Gonzalez Belle Liana LaPierre Salvadore J. Miletello IV Ella L. Sweazy
Lisa M. Dahlke
MASTER'S DEGREES Master of Accountancy Anfernee M. Murray Douglas J. Vincent Jr.
Master of Applied Statistics Arun Banjara Christopher Kuetsinya Lovepreet S. Khandal Injila Tiwari Jing Zhan
Master of Arts Abby E. Adams Danielle Blair Sheron Hines Bruno Leila Nina Matamua Crawford Kelsey Lynn Cyr Chinenye Miriam Emelogu Megan Elizabeth Federoff Christopher Ryan Flaker Sidney Claire Gahagan Jamil Ghazal Abigail Harris Amanda Lee Inman Tyra A. Key Abigail Christine Kibler Megan Renee Loup Savannah M. Mattox Kariel Michelle Mayer
Melanie Naples Prat Parhi Meagan Zeitvogel Plant Jazmin K’yana Robinson-Smith Scott Rogers Jr. Marissa A. Ross Vanessa P. Sanders Taboada Kayla Anne Spearman Joshua Wade Whittington
Master of Arts in Liberal Arts Jessica Alice Bailey Sonya C. Byrd Daniel Patrick Etling Jonathan Frederick Peterson
Master of Arts in Teaching Caroline Elizabeth Boswell Mason J. Bourgeois Jada Burton Sarah Katherine McCallum Cox Michael James deGraauw Laura Louise DeHart Joshua Craig Mayo Alyska Marie Shief Priscilla D'anta Thanni
Master of Business Administration Brandon Thomas Adam Monica Berenice Aguilera Perez Ethan Aguillon Stephanie Sophia Akin Fasasi Olatunde Animashaun DeSirer Lish'a Bailey Gates B.W. Benson Christopher James Blair Grace Kathryn Brierre Michael Brock Jr. Alexis S. Carmichael Sameera Farasat Chaudhry Brice A. Cooper Andrew Tyler Cox Chad Michael Cristina Sarah E. Edwards Kyle Reed Ettinger Enid Fahrenholt Matthew Wayne Fortin Georgia Anne Freeman Jordan William Fuller Michael James Gennaro Ambrose Witherspoon Givens III Bryan Joseph Gomes
Victoria Rossi Reese Rebecca Rutherford Abbey Erin Saxby Victor Hugo Soto Christopher Spalatin Chad Douglas Stewart George Madison Stokes Meghan Lynn Szafran Ritchie En-jet Tan Kára McCullough Temple Alexis Toney Peter Toth Joseph Lance Vinning Campanella Barnard White Jr. Shannon Kathleen Whitson Corey Lamond Williams Sr.
Master of Education Eman Awadallah Sayed Abdelgelil Matthew J. Atkinson Natalie O. Baltz Blaine Michael Bertrand Darion Lamar Campbell Jr. Robertine B. Collier Devon Eyre Amy Catherine Koch Toni Nicole Romero Breanna L. Stout Caroline J. Turner
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
43
Master of Fine Arts
Master of Music
Norma L. Colby Alana Monique Johnson Autumn Johnson Kathleen Scott Mcvea Justin E. Newell LaDonna Shanise Watts Ouedraogo Carolina Queiroz Couto Adam M. Seeholzer Douglas Scott Streater Alice Clark Wilkinson Rachel Lynn Yori
Rosalinda Ramirez
Master of Library and Information Science Nicole Allred Tiffany Paige Amburgey Aimee Maria Ardonne Christopher Paul Bienvenu Cole James Branham Alyssa Jane Breda Rachel E. Brown Destiny Hope Cobar Felicia Rene' Burse Emily Suzanne Case Kimberley N. Coleman Jessica Marie Cutty Zachary Brewer Dowd Elizabeth C. Drolet Leah Anne Dwyer Kyriel A'layja Felton Michele Colbert Graham Shannon Groelle Bruceq W. Herman Lauren T. Hives Matthew S. Kelly Christopher A. Kennedy Nicole Leigh Chipp Ryan O. Lyons Christopher E. Manthey Ronnie Lee Mizell Jr. Therese Marie Mobley Ashley Moore Haley Elizabeth Moore Alison Terbell Nikitopoulos Alicia O'Dell Rebeca Parrott Olivia K. Peltier Victoria Ashley Ritchson Matthew David Rose Daniel Timothy Shedd Shelby Lee Stuebner Teshawna ReNae Threat Robert Dean Tobias III Amanda Kaye Tonguis Amanda Schofield Vance Molly S. Ward Chiquita S. Williams
Master of Mass Communication Nicholas Andrew Ashton Cobi Victoria Smith
Master of Public Administration Christopher Joseph Alvarez Michael Jesus Barcena Ana Claire Block Richard D. Brazzel Chantel Malise Brown Lauren Davina Brown Richard Garrett Chassee Camryn L. Conner Grace Anne Connolly Jonas Malik Etienne Mary Elizabeth Felton Laura Young Foster Maria R. Garabics Yashika G. Hamilton Thomas Jacob Maddox Michael S. Mason Caitlin Briana Neal-Jones Olivia Elizabeth Oalmann Lori Pilley Laurielle F. Roberson Karina Francesca Sandoval
Master of Science Amanda Addo Murtadha Abdulla A.Hasan Abdulla Aljanabi Jordan Allyce Anderson Joshua Allen Atkins Alejandro S. Avelar Liana Isabelle Baconguis Kent Andre Johnson Uy Battiste Bianca Desirée Williams Nicholas A. Blake Elizabeth Chadwick Bogan Beth Lauren Boos James P. Bradley Ann Marie Brewer Jamarcia Quantez Broadway Corina Ann Campos Dillon P. Cao Sydney Briann Carr Jade M. Carver Philip Anthony Casali Eric Coston Ryan Crisp James Tanner Crist Hamilton Trey Crockett Cecelia G. Dean Alex Delgadillo Raphael Joseph Deterville III Lauren Endsley Jacob Peter Englin Albert Lee Faulk Jr. Julia Fecke Robert Caplan Feder David Alan Ferrett Emily Elizabeth Fertitta Nathan Samuel Figueredo Carly Rose Fontenot Jasmine Marie Forozan
44 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Caleb Lynn Funderburk Tara Ashley Gallope Leslie Ann Garbarino Mary Anna Gauthe MaKayla Demi Goeyns Michelle Frances Gonzalez Diana Green Bridgett Delois Handley Joy Elise Heathington Joya Dean Hegamin Brittany Monet Henry Luke Nathaniel Hightower Charlotte Adrianna Horne Mohammad Iqbal Shannon Taylor Isenhower Shelly L. Jason Charles Philip Johnson Sabrina Juanita Johnson Chelsea Crenshaw Juneau Joseph Steven Kasulaitis Kaleb Kelly Jhae'Mad M. Kelson Christina Michelle Klumpp Colby P. Knight Autumn Moffat Korth Belle Liana LaPierre Nicholas Andre Larks Brandon Isaiah Latimore Quinneka Beth McDonald Schyler M. Lee Juliea Maria Legarth Katherine Boole Loesser Kelsi Jade Mahfouz Brandy L. Malbrough Randall Patrick Mallette Alvin Isiah McQuirter Matthew Thomas Melvin Richey D. Menard Salvadore J. Miletello IV Haley E. Millen Lauren Rebecca Mullican Larissa Renteria-Murphy Robert A. Nasiff Kayla Louise Nowak Marissa Oglesby Gabrielle Mickele O'Reilly Gabriel Tricarico Orosco Butler Parker Morgan Shae Perry Korey D. Pham Mercedes Marián Pinzón Delgado Peggy C. Pounds Massimo Pozzolo Jamie Ellen Raehal Gabrielle M. Randle Robby Clark Riddle II Mimi Grace Rivette Romona R. Robinson Kristina Marie Saia Letícia Bernabé Santos Nathaniel T. Saujon Jene Brejon Session Simmons Moeid Shariatfar Faith Angeleik Shore Rivani A. Sihotang
Tiago Henrique da Silva Anna Danielle Sivils Bryce James Smith Quinton Lavon Smith Joseph Matthew Smith Danielle Marie Soileau Allison Spillman Decell Sandeep Kaur Sran Stephen Sura Ella L. Sweazy Anna Laircey Thompson Tatianna L. Townsend Zhi-Ruei Tu Michelle Renee’ Turner Unnati Umarvadia Jazmine Nykia Valentine Miriam Alieda Carmen van Vliet Carol Fernanda Villeda Ortiz Joy Jakara Wade M'Rhya Rukel Waldrop Brice M. Westover Delaney Nell Wismans Brooklynn Anita Wright Kim Wyble Mumtahinah Zia
Master of Science in Civil Engineering Arnob Barua Julia Charlotte Mudd Mohammad Moontakim Shoaib Ian Mathew Smith
Master of Science in Construction Management Renee Agbana Hassan Ahmed Kevin M. Albrecht Gena M. Bradford Mary LaWanda Bradley Jase Paul Breaux Steven D. Chancey Leah Marie Clendaniel Xavier Lamar Davis Kenneth Harland Doyle Ato Forster-Forson Ryan Cole Hornback Benjamin C. Howell Raco Jelic Max Herman Klingler Elise Mansour Roman Mendez Lissa Marie Metoyer Brianne Milioto Edgardo Nunez Cherril J. Orange Edward Jeffrey Prowse Brenna Madalene Volentine Joe L. Ward Jr. Kyle A. Welsh
Master of Science in Digital Media Arts and Engineering Christopher L. Matherne
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering Christopher Paul Vasquez
Master of Science in Engineering Science Omar K. Omar
Master of Science in Industrial Engineering Justin P. Abshire Mwembezi Aaron Nyelele
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering Debaroty Roy
Master of Social Work Caitlyn Sharp-Blakely Anders Kristan Dionne Ballard Daniel Bennett Barnes Alicia D. Barnett Ashley Nicole Bain Bethel-Roman Mackenzie Bleazard Elizabeth Tora Eliza Bourgeois Twyla Buttignol Samantha Elizabeth Christie Del'Rio Antoine Cole Jodi Harris Cox Gabrielle Katharine Dancik Natalie Claire Dear Megan E. Devine Katherine DiRe Lauren Tamara Dueñas Nina L. Francisco L. Renee Franklin Brekahn Gasvoda Ethan Brent Gates Maya Nicole Gisclair Miriam Guadalupe Gomez Caleigh Mae Greene Ricketta D. Griffin Sally Hawkins Patsy Renee Head Katrina Nicole Hill Chardonnay Chantel Houlette Kandis Renee Hunt Sydney Diane Hutchins Taylor E. Huval Chaning S. James Amie Lynn Johnson Elizabeth Jones Angel C. Kenney Jia Trinity Kirk-Walker Alysha A. Klein Malorie Catherine Kraemer Alex LaCroix Russelle Marie Landry Jarolyn Rene Campbell Latino
Amy Levier Luke Bryant Lowery Savannah Jo Ludford Ashton Renelle Maggio Victoria Anne Marcotte Bridget Dione Martin Kelsey Lee Mayes Madelynne RitaAnne McDaniel Rachael McKenzie Leah A. Mendoza Jennifer Nelson Montana Lee Nolan
Kyla Isabelle Gonzales Obillos Susannah L. Ortiz Ngozika Seon Osiagwu Carla Elise Overton Mikke E. Papes Riley Renee Pitre Rachel Jeanette Power Dianna Marie Ray Ricky Ray Jr. Celena R. Reece Rachael Rae Ribera Donna Michelle Robinson Tameka J. Robinson Brown
Alissa Rodriguez Nathalie Claire Rowell Chardae Martinez Russ Alexandria Liggett Austin Brett Arthur Siddell Sarah Elizabeth Sims Ronny Smith Jr. Brittni Rene Soltau Charity Yvette Spears Bailey David Stevenson Jordan Kartelle Stewart - Howard Breanna Winton
Jaci Leigh Templet Mira Louise Tesla Laura Thompson Philicia Renee Travis Emily Marie Villemarette Zadiee Suzana Waller Jason Todd Waterman Darin W. Weakley Shelby Catherine Wickersham Qualontra A. Williams Alexis Williams Arielle Danay' Williams Chantell Christy Wilson
Dorian Lee Lynette Winters-Conkle Sara D. Yaeger
Certificate of Education Specialist Elizabeth Peoples Castro Chiquita R. Ollie Cathy Rattray Samuel Veronica Winchester
DOCTORAL DEGREES Danielle Greenspan
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Reem Abdelkarim Abo Znemah
Civil Engineering, PhD Professor George Z. Voyiadjis "Size Effects in Additively Manufactured Inconel-718 Thin Elements and Cellular Structures"
Paige Fadeke Adenuga
Psychology, PhD Professors Mary Lou Kelley and Thompson Davis III "Racial Differences in Parenting Factors and Their Effects on Youth Anxiety and Depression"
Ayat Salah Al Assi
Construction Management, PhD Professors Carol Friedland and Robert Rohli "Residential Building Flood Risk Assessment and the Benefits of Home Elevation"
Abdullah Ali Alshaya
Computer Science, PhD Professor Golden G. Richard III "Software-Defined Networking Security Techniques and the Digital Forensics of the SDN Control Plane"
James M. Armstrong II
Chemistry, PhD Professor Justin Ragains "Synthesis of an Acinetobacter Baumannii Lipooligosaccharide Subunit"
Rei Asaba
English, PhD Professors Benjamin Kahan and Richard C. Moreland "Cross-Racial Transference: Race, Affect, and the Flesh in the American Modernist Novel"
Nathan Robert Baer
Kinesiology, PhD Professor Claire Zvosec "'Why We Play the Game': An Exploration of Sport Employees' Conceptualizations of Meaningful Work"
Negar Basiri
Comparative Literature, PhD Professor Francois Raffoul "Cosmopolitanism as Anonymous Vulnerability: A Re-examination of Contemporary Persian, French, American Novels"
Elvis Josue Bendana Rivas
Sarah M. Carpenter
Communication Studies, PhD Professor Serap Erincin "Harmonies of Dissent: The Role of Speech Acts and Necropolitics in the Music of the 1979 Nicaraguan Revolution"
Mass Communication and Public Affairs, PhD Professor Tina M. Harris "What Happens Online Doesn't Stay Online: Female Elected Officials' Experiences with Online Harassment"
Madeline Spearman Blocker
Paula Andrea Castillo Bravo
Psychology, PhD Professor Kelly Clark "Managing Student Behavior: Occupational and DiscriminationRelated Stress As Moderated By Coping Resources"
Entomology, PhD Professor Qian "Karen" Sun "Morphological and Molecular Characterization of the Olfactory System in the Formosan Subterranean Termite"
Allie Jenkins Boquet
Sabrina Rae Cervantez
Curriculum and Instruction, PhD Professors Paul Mooney and Eugene Kennedy "Effects of Research Dissemination Vehicle Use on Preservice Teacher Candidate Knowledge Acquisition"
History, PhD Professor Meredith Veldman "Two Island Nations: Commerce, Culture, and Anglo-Japanese Relations in the Nineteenth Century"
Mariajosi Bosanko Garcma
Communication Disorders, PhD Professor Janna B. Oetting "A Descriptive Study of Screening Practices and Outcomes of Bilingual Spanish/English Children"
Chemistry, PhD Professors Kenneth Lopata and Louis Haber "First-principles Simulations of Attosecond Transient X-ray Absorption"
Derek R. Bratcher
Chia-Lung Chien
Min Chen
Biochemistry, PhD Professor Yong-Hwan Lee "Determination of the Internal Return Mechanism Catalyzed by Enzyme VldE: Molecular Dynamics Analysis"
Physics, PhD Professor Rui Zhang "Reconstruction of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy-Computed Tomography"
Kelley Ann Burger
Emelia Clement
Kinesiology, PhD Professors Marc Dalecki and Nikita Kuznetsov "The Effectiveness of Eye-Hand Coordination Training in Virtual Reality"
Simeon David Burns
Political Science, PhD Professor James Stoner "Plato's Republics: A Dramatic Interpretation of the Multiple Cities in Plato's 'Republic'"
Trevor Alexander Butts
Music, DMA Professor Damon Talley "'Jeff Scott's "Startin' Sumthin'," Composed for the Monmouth Winds,' Transcribed for Full Wind Ensemble"
Kirsten L. Campbell
Cultural Preservation, DDes Professor Allison Young "Assessing the Preservation of Black Cultural Heritage in Baton Rouge"
Nutrition and Food Sciences, PhD Professor Chiquita Briley "Measuring Food Literacy Among Limited-resourced Adults"
Therese Marie Avena Collantes
Biomedical and Veterinary Medical Science, PhD (PBS) Professor Konstantin G. Kousoulas "Predicted Structure and Functional Roles of Alphaherpesvirus Tegument Proetein UL37 in Virion Morphogenesis and Innate Immunity"
Susan Beth Colley
Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, PhD Professors Nancy Walker and Paul Sammarco "Coral Reproduction in the Equatorial Eastern Pacific: Reproductive Trends and Seasonal Parameters"
Miriam Carolina Contin Ortega
Animal Sciences, PhD Professor Philip H. Elzer "Evaluation of Commercial Prebiotics for Finfish Aquaculture"
Kelsey Gnade Coulthard
Psychology, PhD Professor Mary Lou Kelly "The Psychological Impact of Adolescent Violence Exposure: The Roles of Coping and Social Support"
Tovah Marie Di Meglio Cowan
Psychology, PhD Professor Alex Cohen "Pathways to Blunted Facial Affect in Negative Schizotypy: Social Motivation and Online Cognitive Resources"
Jonathan James Cuccia
Biological Engineering, PhD Professors W. Todd Monroe and Elizabeth Martin "Physiologically Relevant Fluid Shear Stress Induced Receptor Conversion in Hormone Receptor-Positive (HR+) Breast Cancer"
Arshag Danageozian
Physics, PhD Professor Hwang Lee "Adaptive Quantum Information Processing in Non-equilibrium Environments"
Brett Hayden Davis
Kinesiology, PhD Professor Brian Irving "Muscle Activation with Acute Bouts of Low Load Blood Flow Restricted Resistance Exercise Compared to High Load Resistance Exercise in Trained Versus Untrained Adults"
Jacob Landon DeBoer
Psychology, PhD Professor Anna Long "A Comparison of Self-Reported Measures to Screen for Mental Health Concerns in Youth"
Mojgan Dehghani
Physics, PhD Professors Jiandi Zhang and Louis Haber "Nonlinear Optical Studies at Surfaces and Interfaces"
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
45
Tiffany E. Demiris
Andre Reis Guimaraes
Foroogh Khezeli
Tianqi Ma
Wu Ji Khoo
Michael Conrad McGee
Kinesiology, PhD Professor Chad Seifried "A History of the Construction and Financing of Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and Ivy League Stadia: An Ideal-Type on Financial Modernization"
Physics, PhD Professor Gabriela Gonzalez "Bridging the Gap Between Detector Characterization and Gravitational Wave Searches in LIGO"
Aparajita Dutta
Mass Communication and Public Affairs, PhD Professor Tina M. Harris "Institutional Rhetoric and Campus Reactions: A Multi-Method Case Study Exploring University Communication and Social Responsibility in a Racial Crisis"
Music, DMA Professors Robert Grayson and Paul Groves "A Performer's Guide to Two Song Collections "Mementos of Innocence" and "Three Yeats Songs" by Malaysian Composer Chee Yean Wong"
Biomedical and Veterinary Medical Science, PhD Professor Weishan Huang "Tissue Resident Regulatory T Cells and Immunopathology During Influenza Infections"
Fouad Hasan
Cana Kim
Physics, PhD Professors Garrett Pitcher and Kenneth Hogstrom "Intensity Modulated Bolus Electron Conformal Therapy (IM-BECT): Methods of Quality Assurance of PRIME Intensity Modulators and Evaluation of Planned IM-BECT Dose Distributions"
Comparative Literature, PhD Professor Deborah Goldgaber "Decolonial Queer Poetic"
Ashley Renei Edwards
Animal Dairy Sciences, PhD Professor Richard K. Cooper "Design, Construction, and Testing of Recombinant DNA-Based Vaccines for Protection Against Salmonella Enterica Subspecies Enterica Serovar Javiana"
Kimberly Sara Ellison
Psychology, PhD Professors Thompson Davis III and Johnny Matson "Further Refinement of an ASD-Subscale for the Childhood Behavior Checklist"
Babasinmisola Emmanuel Fadirepo
Rockia Kiara Harris
Electrical Engineering, PhD Professor Amin Kargarian "Learning-Assisted Constraint Filtering to Enhance Power System Optimization Performance"
Political Science, PhD Professor Christopher M. Sullivan "Foreign State Images and Popular Foreign Policy Constraints"
Kristen Hollas
Psychology, PhD Professor Mary Lou Kelley "Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Adult Coping Inventory"
Physics, PhD Professor Ivan Agullo "Entanglement in the Hawking Effect: From Astrophysical to Optical Black Holes"
Sarah Christian Holmes
Mahendra Kumar R. Kunju
Theatre, PhD Professor John Fletcher "Expressing Outrage, Re-inventing Hope: Performing Nationhood in Nigerian Standup Comedy"
Psychology, PhD Professor Jeanne Donaldson "An Evaluation of Procedures to Increase Medical Device Compliance"
Mara Lewis Ferrie
Physics, PhD Professor Robert Hynes "Connecting the Optical Regime to the X-ray in Neutron Star Low Mass X-ray Binaries"
Psychology, PhD Professor Julia Buckner "A Novel Online Personalized Feedback Intervention to Reduce Alcohol Use and Negative Affect"
Jacob T. Gautreaux
History, PhD Professor Michael Pasquier "Sportsman's Paradox: Conservationism and Social Progress in Modern Louisiana"
Katelyn M. Gerlach
Educational Leadership and Research, PhD Professor Joy Blanchard "Crisis Leadership in Higher Education: A Case Study of Administrative Responses During a National Pandemic"
Jessie Anne Gomez Munson
Psychology, PhD Professor Anna Long "Implicit Bias in School Based Suicide Risk Assessment"
Wenzhi Gong
Biomedical and Veterinary Medical Science, PhD (CBS) Professor Shisheng Li "Regulation of Nucleotide Excision Repair"
Raul Alejandro Guerra Lacayo
Plant, Environment Management, and Soil Sciences, PhD Professor Adam Famoso "Phenotypic and Genotypic Characterization of Grain Quality in Rice and Implications for Breeding"
46 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Chemical Engineering PhD Professor Craig Plaisance "Computational Design of Electroorganocatalysts and Transition Metal Sulfides for the Electrochemical Reduction of CO2"
Alexander B. Igl
Stacy Amenaghawon Imagbe
Kinesiology, PhD Professor Senlin Chen "Culturally Relevant Physical Education for Optimizing Physical Activity Opportunities"
Eunbae Jeon
Music, DMA Professor Alissa Rowe "A Performer's Guide to Jean-Joseph Cassanea de Mondonville's Dominus Regnavit"
Sophie Katharine Jurgensen
Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, PhD Professors Jennifer Brum and Nancy Rabalais "Ecology of Viruses in Marine and Coastal Oxygen-Depleted Waters"
Eunchong Kang
Music, DMA Professor Lori Bade "Femme Fatale in Lieder: Songs of Lorelei by Clara Schumann, Franz Liszt, and Alexander Zemlinsky"
Kevin Kellinsky-Gonzalez
Mathematics, PhD Professor Ricardo Estrada "Some New Techniques and Their Applications in the Theory of Distributions"
Lovepreet S. Khandal
Plant, Environment Management, and Soil Sciences, PhD Professor Prasanta K. Subudhi "Genetic Dissection of Alkalinity Tolerance in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)"
Dimitrios Kranas
Petroleum Engineering, PhD Professors Mauricio Almeida and Paulo Waltrich "Behavior of Gas Influx in Riser and Considerations for Riser Gas Handling"
Jennifer Lynn LaRose
Sociology, PhD Professors Jose Torres and Michael Barton "Media Coverage of Non-Ideologically Motivated Mass Shootings versus Ideologically Motivated Mass Shootings and How the Media Affects College Students' Perceptions of Mass Shootings"
Danbee Lee
Renewable Natural Resources, PhD Professor Qinglin Wu "Bio-based Coatings Incorporating Cellulose Nanomaterials for Preserving Postharvest Fruit Quality"
Jifeng Li
Biological Sciences, PhD Professor Aaron Smith "Differences in Plant Hormone Responses Between Arabidopsis thaliana and Schrenkiella parvula Facing Lithium Toxicities"
Benjamin D. Limer
Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, PhD Professor Daniel Holstein "Biophysical Mechanisms of Larval Retention in Reef-building Corals"
Guannan Liu
Electrical Engineering, PhD Professor Hsiao-Chun Wu "Learning Dynamic Information of High-Dimensional Signal Time-series Using Advanced Machine Learning/ Artificial Intelligence"
Qianglin Liu
Animal Dairy Science, PhD (ANSC) Professor Xing Fu "Tcf21 and Visceral Adipogenic Progenitors"
Civil Engineering, PhD Professor Chao Sun "Characterizing Wind-wave Flow Physics and Loading Effects on Power Transmission Systems and Offshore Wind Turbines"
Andrew Scott McGuffey
Vincent A. Medina
Psychology, PhD Professor Emily Elliott "Rethinking Attention Control: An Individual Differences Approach"
Tammy Renee' Millican
Agricultural and Extension Education, PhD Professor Michael Burnett "The Influence of Selected Personal and Academic Demographic Characteristics on Retention from Fourth to Fifth Semester of Enrollment Among Traditional-Age Undergraduate Students at a Research Extensive University in the Southern Portion of the United States"
Joshua John Montrenes
Psychology, PhD Professor Paul Frick "Autism, Comorbidities, and Adaptive Functioning: A Potential Moderator"
Nae Rim Moon
Music, DMA Professor Alissa Rowe "Stolen Land: A Marriage of Text and Music in My Country by Hyo-won Woo"
Emma Hazard Moscardini
Psychology, PhD Professor Raymond P. Tucker "Defeat, Entrapment, and Suicide Desire: Analyzing the Role of Mindfulness Using Ecological Momentary Assessment"
Benjamin J. Munise
Theatre, PhD Professor Alan Sikes "Roleplaying Games and Performance"
Ayla Anica Oden
Mass Communication and Public Affairs, PhD Professor Nichole Bauer "Navigating Political Discussions Online: The Role Safe Spaces Play in Women's Political Participation on Twitter"
Olajumoke Helen Olubowale
Gabriela Elisa Rodrmguez Suazo
Chemistry, PhD Professor Jayne C. Garno "Synthesis and Characterization of Porphyrin-Encapsulated Nanoparticles: Investigations with Scanning Probe Microscopy"
Nutrition and Food Sciences, PhD Professor Zhimin Xu "Identification, Extraction and Application of Glycosidically Bound Terpenes in Sweet Potatoes Cultivers"
Ripinka S. Patil
Thomas Joseph Ruland
Business Administration, PhD Professor Dan Rice "We All Make Mistakes... But We Are Not Human: The Influence of Voice Assistants' Mistakes on Consumer Behavioral Intentions"
Kwadwo Poku-Agyemang
Political Science, PhD Professor James Garand "Voting in the Mall - Understanding Political Consumerism in the United States and Europe"
Tej Bahadur Poudel Chhetri
Physics, PhD Professor Shane Stadler "Phase Transitions and Magnetocaloric Effects in Metastable Phases of Intermetallic Compounds"
Tagimamao Melanie Puka Bean Geography, PhD Professor Craig Colten "Home Beyond the Reef: Mapping Tokelau Imaginaries Through Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Oahu, Hawai'i"
Md Adilur Rahim
Engineering Science, PhD Professor Carol J. Friedland "Analytical Advances in Homeowner Flood Risk Quantification Considering Insurance and Hazard Mitigation"
Ankita Rathour
English, PhD Professor Pallavi Rastogi "Subaltern Corpses: Gender and Death in Bollywood"
Girish Srivatsa Rentala
Construction Management, PhD Professor Yimin Zhu "Ecological Validity of Immersive Virtual Environment Experiments on Human Thermal State and Behavioral Intentions: Experimental Protocol Factors"
Rebecca Maria Riccardi
Communication Studies, PhD Professors Kellie Brisini and Loretta Pecchioni "Family Communication Patterns During Emerging Adulthood: An Investigation of Parent-Child Communication About Vaccine Decisions"
Jackson Ryan Roberts
Biological Sciences, PhD Professor Christopher Austin "Integrative Taxonomy, Systematics, and Natural History of Two Understudied New Guinea Snake Lineages (Elapidae, Toxicocalamus Boulenger, 1896; Natricidae, Tropidonophis Jan, 1863)"
Physics, PhD Professor Jeffrey Blackmon "Measurement of ?-Decay Properties of A=105 Isotopes Using the Modular Total Absorption Spectrometer and the Development of the Beta Spectrum Module"
Stephanie Michelle Saltzmann
Psychology, PhD Professor Melissa Beck "The Processing of Task-Relevant and Task-Irrelevant Information in Working Memory"
Carlos Enrique Santelli
Music, DMA Professor Robert Grayson "Reasoning the Voice: Toward a Diagnostic and Prescriptive Technique in the Teaching of Singing"
Ricardo Jose Santos Aleman
Nutrition and Food Sciences, PhD Professor Kayanush Aryana "Characteristics of Yogurt and Culture Bacteria as Affected by Ingredients that Help Treat Leaky Gut"
Leila E. Shaik Villien
Agricultural and Extension Education, PhD Professor Michael F. Burnett "The Case for Succession Planning in Higher Education: A Study of Knowledge Transfer Within Louisiana State University"
Ruchika Sharma
Chemistry, PhD Professor Andrew Maverick "Redox and Host-Guest Reactions of Transition Metal Complexes"
Takashi Taguchi
Biomedical and Veterinary Medical Science, PhD (VCS) Professor Mandi J. Lopez "Regenerative Medicine for Tendon/ Ligament Injuries: De Novo Equine Tendon/Ligament Neotissue Generation and Application"
Jared Joseph Taylor
Physics, PhD Professor Jeffery Chancellor "An Artificial Intelligence Framework to Design Radiation Shielding for Spacecraft and Satellites Using Machine Learning and Topology Optimization"
Roseline Telfort
Educational Leadership and Research, PhD Professor Eugene Kennedy "A Supervised-machine Learning Approach to Predict Graduation of First-time in College STEM Majors at a Southeastern Public University"
Vijay Tiwari
Biochemistry, PhD Professor William Doerrler "A Klebsiella Pneumoniae Membrane Protein Family Required for Antibiotic Resistance, Capsule Formation, and Virulence"
Vanessa Nicole van Heerden
Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, PhD Professors Cassandra Glaspie and Brian Snyder "Communicating Nature-Society Relationships in Coastal Louisiana: An Evaluation of the Ecosystem Services Framework"
Scott James St. Romain
Yulene Velasquez
Weiliang Sun
Civil Engineering, PhD Professor Samuel Snow "Exploration of Efficient Dewatering Methods in Stimulus-responsive Hydrogels and Their Potential for Desalination"
Biological Sciences, PhD Professor Gleason "Neural Mechanisms of Resiliency and Susceptibility After Repeated Social Defect"
Akie Fukushige Wenk
Communication Studies, PhD Professors Ashley Mack and Tina M. Harris "Women's Interracial Friendships: Cultivating Coalitional Possibilities Across Difference Through Dialogue"
Cara Williams
Music, DMA Professor Robert Gray "Rehabilitation for Singers Following Pregnancy and Childbirth"
Maorui Yang
Economics, PhD Professors Qiankun Zhou and Barton Willage "The Determinants of Human Capital"
Mengqi Yang
Chemistry, PhD Professor Kenneth Lopata "Simulations of Intruder-Free X-Ray Transient Absorption and TimeResolved X-Ray Scattering for Probing Attosecond Electron Dynamics"
Matthew P. Vandal
Biochemistry, PhD Professor Aaron Smith "The Role of Metallothioneins in Copper Mobility During Senescene in Arabidopsis"
Kinesiology, PhD Professor Alex Garn "Active Transportation, Context, and Community Participation: Engaged Citizens and Destination-Based Walking and Biking"
Christy Rose Wayne
Chemistry, PhD Professor Gerald Schneider "Influence of Mechanical Stress on Silica Particle Distributions in Polymers"
English, PhD Professor Benjamin Kahan "Half-Way Sexual: Exploring Demisexuality in American Literature"
Jessica Stroope
Animal Sciences, PhD Professors Zongliang Jiang and Kenneth R. Bondioli "Generation of Embryo-derived Stem Cells and Stem Cell-derived Embryos in Cattle"
Christopher John Van Leeuwen
Rebecca Ann Stobaugh
Environmental Sciences, PhD Professor Kevin Armbrust "Impacts of Salinity on the Environmental Fate of Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants in Water"
Yinjuan Wang
Music, PhD Professors Jason Bowers and Ann Marie Stanley "A 'Rock to Lean on': Young Singers' Experiences in a Community Choir in Louisiana"
David Bentley Walters
Music, DMA Professor Alissa Rowe "With Every Name But Yours: A New Orchestration of Clemence de Grandval's Stabat Mater"
Kefei Wang
Computer Science, PhD Professor Feng Chen "Optimizing Large-capacity Key-value Systems for Efficient Data Management"
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
47
Tiger
NATION
1960s
Samuel Bacot (1969 BACH H&SS, 1979 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.
Rudy Aguilar (1979 BACH BUS, 1982 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.
C. Stokes McConnell, Jr. (1969 BACH H&SS, 1972 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
John W. Barton, Jr. (1971 BACH H&SS, 1976 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
DEGREES BACH
Bachelor’s Degree
MAST
Master’s Degree
PHD
Doctorate
SPEC
Specialist
DVM
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
MLIS
Master of Library & Information Science
JD
Juris Doctorate (LSU Law School)
LLM
Master of Laws
MD
Medical Doctor (LSU School of Medicine)
DDS
Doctor of Dental Science (LSU School of Dentistry)
COLLEGES/SCHOOLS AGR
Agriculture
A&D
Art & Design
C&E
Coast & Environment
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
48 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Leo C. Hamilton (1973 BACH H&SS, 1977 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
1970s
Richard Curry (1973 BACH H&SS, 1977 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. David Dugas (1978 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Murphy J. Foster, III (1979 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Gregory D. Frost (1977 BACH H&SS, 1981 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Jon Ann H. Giblin (1976 BACH HS&E, 1994 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.
Paul M. Hebert, Jr. (1970 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Michael R. Hubbell (1978 BACH BUS, 1980 BACH BUS, 1987 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Mary Joseph (1970 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Christine Lipsey (1974 BACH H&SS, 1982 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Mary Katherine Loos (2018 BACH H&SS, 2021 JD) joined Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson in Baton Rouge as an associate in the Commercial Litigation practice group. Kathleen Manning (1974 BACH H&SS, 1977 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.
Eve B. Masinter (1979 BACH H&SS, 1982 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Van R. Mayhall, Jr. (1971 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Claude F. Reynaud, Jr. (1974 BACH BUS), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Michael Rubin (1975 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Hal Watson (1971 BACH H&SS, 1974 JD) ranked highly in the 2023 edition of Chambers USA America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.
1980s
Richard Arsenault (1980 JD), in conjunction with Baylor University School of Law, organized the 2023 Baylor MDL Judicial Summit in Aspen. He was appointed to the LSBA CLE Committee. Arsenault also spoke in Las Vegas on topics including View from The Bench, Special Masters in Mass Torts, and Mass Tort Ethical Conundrums. Robert L. Atkinson (1980 BACH H&SS, 1983 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 49
Tiger Nation
Mark Bodin (1984 BACH ENGR, 1988 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Jude C. Bursavich (1983 BACH H&SS, 1988 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. David R. Cassidy (1982 BACH H&SS, 1972 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. David M. Charlton (1980 BACH BUS, 1983 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. V. Thomas Clark (1986 BACH H&SS, 1990 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Jeanne C. Comeaux (1980 BACH H&SS, 1984 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Katherine Conklin (1980 BACH MCOM), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Michael Ferachi (1986 BACH BUS, 1989 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.
50 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Jason P. Freyou (1987 BACH BUS) was elected to the Board of Directors and President of the Plaquemine Bank and Trust Company Board of Directors and named president of the bank. Freyou has more than 35 years of banking, finance, and executive leadership experience, most recently as senior executive vice president and CEO of Home Bank, N.A. and Home Bancorp Inc. Pamela B. Gautier (1989 BACH H&SS) joined McGlinchey Stafford in New Orleans as of counsel in labor and employment. She earned her law degree at the University of Mississippi School of Law. Marshall Grodner (1983 BACH H&SS, 1990 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Lance J. Kinchen (1989 BACH BUS, 1992 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Tracy Averett Morganti (1988 BACH H&SS, 1992 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Trenton J. Oubre (1987 BACH BUS, 1981 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Dee Stanley (1981 BACH MCOM) was named president and chief executive officer of SIDES & Associates, a Lafayette-based advertising, public relations, and
communications program management firm. Stanley was previously vice-president and chief operating officer, and prior to joining SIDES, was chief administrative officer of Lafayette Consolidated Government. Beverly Whitley (1986 BACH H&SS, 1990 JD), an attorney with Bell Nunnally, was included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, named to the “Stars” list in the 2024 edition of Benchmark Litigation, elected for inclusion in 2023 Texas Super Lawyers and named to the Women’s Edition list in the November Texas Monthly.
1990s
Leah Engelhardt (1994 JD) ranked highly in the 2023 edition of Chambers USA America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.
Melanie Fletcher Stevens (1993 BACH H&SS) is owner and chief executive officer of WayMaker Downsizing & Move Management in the North Atlanta area. The company, recognized as Senior Move Managers, provides services for older adults such as decluttering/sorting, packing/unpacking, and move management. Emily Black Grey (1998 BACH H&SS, 2000 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Marlon D. Henderson (1997 BACH SCI, 2001 DDS), current president of the National Dental Association, was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Dentists at the Annual ACD Convocation of Fellows in Orlando, Fla.
Scott N. Hensgens (1993 BACH H&SS), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Ronnie Johnson (1990 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Jada Lewis (1997 BACH ENGR) joined the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) as vice president of programs. She was previously senior vice president and executive director, City Year Baton Rouge; assistant dean for diversity, LSU College of Engineering; regional
Benton Toups (1997 BACH H&SS, 2000 JD), an attorney with Cranfill Sumner, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
technical, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality; and operations planning engineer, Shell's Convent Refinery. She served a four-year term as an elected member of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), representing represented District 8. Jean-Paul Perrault (1991 BACH BUS), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Charles F. Seemann, III (1995 JD), an attorney with Jackson Lewis, New Orleans, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
2000s
Brad Barback (2008 BACH BUS, 2014 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Wogan Bernard (2006 JD) ranked highly in the 2023 edition of Chambers USA America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 51
Tiger Nation
Joseph J. Cefalu, III (2009 BACH BUS, 2012 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Carroll Devillier, Jr., (2006 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. David C. Fleshman (2008 BACH H&SS, 2011 JD, an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
Claire R. Pitre (2009 BACH SCI) joined Jackson Lewis P.C. as of counsel focusing on employee health and safety, risk management, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigations and citations. She earned a master’s degree from the LSU School of Public Health. Kristi Richard (2004 BACH BUS, 2009 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Jacob E. Roussel (2008 BACH ENGR, 2012 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
in America. Thomas “Tommy” E. Freel (2020 BACH BUS) was promoted to shareholder with LaPorte CPAs & Business Advisors. He is a director of Tax Services, co-leader of the firm’s Financial Services Industry Group, and the Tax Services technical leader for accounting methods and S-Corporations. Alexandra Cobb Hains (2009 BACH AGR), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Rachael Jeanfreau (2007 BACH H&SS), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was name to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Armand Michaud (2007 BACH BUS, 2009 MAST BUS), cofounder of Attracct Accounting Advisors, which serves the construction and real estate industry, announced firm’s merger with D Dean CPA.
52 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Timothy Byrd (2014 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Farren Davis (2015 BACH H&SS), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Alex Hotard (2014 BACH H&SS, 2017 JD) joined Jackson Lewis P.C. as an associate focusing on defending employers, fiduciaries, plan sponsors, and other defendants in complex class action and individual plaintiff ERISA matters.
in America. Amanda Stout (2000 BACH H&SS, 2003 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.
2010s
Remington Angelle (2013 BACH BUS), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Allyson Byrd (2014 JD), an attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.
John Kazusky (2015 MBA) was named senior vice president of practice management at Cardiovascular Institute of the South. Alec Keane (2017 BACH HS&E), a student at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, served in McGlinchey Stafford’s Summer Associate Program. Keane is executive vicepresident of the Student Bar Association and executive board member of the Hispanic Law Students Association. He has participated in the Moran-Thrash ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition, Robert L. Tullis Moot Court Competition, Ira S. Flory Mock Trial Competition, and Louisiana Intrastate Mock Trial Competition. Sarah Kutas (2019 BACH C&E), the first recipient of the Kay and Shot Gueymard Memorial Scholarship, recently graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry and is practicing in Memphis, her hometown.
Taylor Lombardo (2017 BACH H&SS) joined McGlinchey Stafford in New Orleans as an associate in enterprise litigation and investigations. She earned her law degree at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Scott M. Lepley (2011 BACH H&SS) accepted the position of director of ABA services for Family Solutions, the largest provider of applied behavior analysis in Louisiana. As director, he manages and oversees five clinics across the state that provide life changing therapy to individuals on the autism spectrum. Lepley was guest speaker at the fall LABAA ABA Gulf Coast Conference as well as the North East Louisiana Counselor Education Conference.
Kristin Oglesby (2015 BACH BUS, 2019 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Robert M. Schmidt (2012 BACH H&SS, 2017 JD) joined Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson’s Baton Rouge office as an associate practicing casualty litigation. Ryan M. Tucker (2016 BACH SCI) joined Jackson Lewis P.C. as an associate focusing on defending employers, fiduciaries, plan sponsors, and other defendants in complex class action and individual plaintiff ERISA matters.
Adrienne Wood (2015 BACH H&SS, 2018 JD) joined Jackson Lewis P.C. as an associate focusing on labor and employment and civil litigation, including representing employers in Family and Medical Leave cases, discrimination claims relative to age, sex, disability, race, religion, and sexual harassment, and handling EEOC charges.
2020s
Erin Alpandinar (2021 BACH H&SS), a student at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, served in McGlinchey Stafford’s Summer Associate Program. Alpandinar is editor-in-chief of the Journal of Energy Law and Resources and a recipient of the Dean's Scholarship and the CALI Awards for
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 53
Tiger Nation
Excellence for Legal Traditions and Systems, Administration of Criminal Justice, and Evidence.
WEDDING
BELLS
Danielle L. Borel (2022 BACH BUS, 2014 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Madeline Earles (2021 BACH H&SS), a student at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, served in McGlinchey Stafford’s Summer Associate Program. Earles is development editor of the Louisiana Law Review, a recipient of the L'Ecrevisse Scholarship, and an academic tutor for Legal Research and Writing I and II. She studied abroad at Jean Moulin University Lyon III in France. Gillian McCarroll (2022 JD), a attorney with McGlinchey Stafford, was named to the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.
BABY
BENGALS Ally Richardson (2017 BACH MCOM) and Alex Richardson welcomed son Jett Richardson in August.
Madalyn Verzwyvelt (2021 BACH MCOM) and John Higginbotham (2021 BACH ENGR) – who met in an accounting class during their freshman year at LSU – exchanged vows on Aug. 5 at Bayou Haven in Alexandria, La., then traveled to Exuma for their honeymoon. Madalyn is the daughter of Angela and James Verzwyvelt; John’s parents are Suzie and Gary Higginbotham.
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.
54 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 55
Tiger Nation
In Memoriam John Tinsley Oden (1959 BACH ENGR) passed away on Aug. 27, 2023. An esteemed figure in engineering sciences and computational mechanics, Oden authored more than 600 scientific publications and 50 books, leaving an indelible impact on his field. His commitment to the University of Texas, where he taught mathematics, scientific computing, and engineering, spanned more than half a century, and his contributions led to the establishment of the Texas Institute for Computational Engineering and Science (TICAM), which is now the Oden Institute that bears his name. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at LSU, Oden earned doctorate in engineering mechanics from Oklahoma State University in 1962. He taught at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, where he was the head of the Department of Engineering Mechanics prior to going to Texas in 1973. He held visiting professor positions at other universities in the United States, England, and Brazil. Oden was inducted into the LSU Alumni Hall of Distinction in 2015 and was also inducted into the College of Engineering Hall of Distinction and the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering Hall of Distinction at LSU.
Thomas G. Rhame (1963 BACH BUS) passed away on June 27, 2023. Commissioned through LSU Army ROTC, his military education included the Infantry Basic and Advance Courses, Armed Forces Staff College, and Army War College. He also earned an MBA from Syracuse University. He retired from military service in 1997 then served as vice president and chief financial officer of the Association of the U.S. Army from 1998 until 2014. Rhames was inducted into the LSU Alumni Hall of Distinction in 1991, and he was named to the Outstanding Alumni of the Army War College. His military honors include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster), Distinguished Service Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), Silver Star (with oak leaf cluster), Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with V device (with two oak leaf clusters), Meritorious Service Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), Air Medal, and Army Commendation Medal with V device.
1940s
1960s
Jorge Bueso Arias, 1941 BACH BUS, Sept. 18, 2023, Tegucigalpa, Honduras Johnnie Joseph Broussard, 1942 BACH ENGR, July 25, 2023, Baton Rouge, La.
Mary Scott Barton, 1969 MAST HSE&, Aug. 2, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Frank Boggs, Jr., 1969 BACH ENGR, 1973 BACH H&SS, March 25, 2023, Sugartown, La. James Simeon Carroll, 1965 BACH BUS, Oct. 3, 2023, Baton Rouge La. Charles Joseph Evans, 1966 MAST HS&E, 1972 MAST HS&E, July 8, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Allison James “Jim” Farr, 1963 BACH AGR, 1965 MAST AGR, Professor of Food Science, Aug. 30, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Ronald Edward “Ron” Gauthier, 1966 BACH BUS, 1968 MAST BUS, Oct. 12, 2023, Lafayette, La. Gary Lynn Hayden, 1969 BACH H&SS, July 13, 2023, Waco, Texas Thomas Frère Kramer, (1963 MD-NO), Sept. 6, 2023, Franklin, La. Charles Neilson Malone, 1963 BACH H&SS, 1969 JD, July 30, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. John Franklin McKay, 1965 BACH BUS, 1970 JD, Sept. 24, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Rex Oliver Mooney, Jr., 1969 MAST H&SS, 1973 PHD H&SS, July 19, 2023, Tallahassee, Fla. Hugh D. “Jack” Morris, Jr., 1961 BACH ENGR, Sept. 20, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Annell Tinsley Oatley, 1969 BACH H&SS, 1976 MAST HS&E, Aug. 2, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Frederick Lewis “Fred” Parks, Sr., 1969 BACH BUS, July 13, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Lawrence Joseph Regira, 1960 BACH ENGR, Aug. 25, 2023, Donaldsonville, La. Sybil Templet Rhodes, 1966 BACH HS&E, 1981 MAST HS&E, Sept. 23, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Eura Scott “Scottie” Shepard, 1962 BACH SCI, July 27, 2023, Jonesborough, Tenn. Richard George Weimer, 1963 BACH A&D, Aug. 3, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Edmund Walter Winston, II, 1963 BACH M&DA, 1969 MAST M&DA, 1976 PHD M&DA, Sept. 7, 2023, Cookeville, Tenn.
1950s Clementine Perroux Bergeron, 1959 BACH H&SE, 1961 MAST HS&E, July 29, 2023, Livonia, La. Walter Ross Bogan, 1957 BACH BUS, Sept. 15, 2023, Greenwell Springs, La. Nelson Joseph Boudreaux, 1965 BACH ENGR, Aug. 19, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Charlotte “Nan” Helen Stevenson Carrier, 1956 BACH HS&E, Aug. 16, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Adolph Brooke Cronan, Jr., Aug. 9, 2023, 1956 BACH H&SS, 1960 MD-NO, Aug. 9, 2023, New Iberia, La. Hervey Wallace Eversberg, Sept. 15, 2023, 1956 MAST ENGR, Baton Rouge, La. Emanuel Henry “Fritz” Falcon, 1958 BACH BUS, Sept. 12, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Alan Cunningham “Al” Farries, Jr., 1959 BACH H&SS, 1963 MD-NO, Sept. 3, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Dexter Joseph Folse, 1955 BACH BUS, Sept. 7, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Fred Wayne “Ace” Gowdy, 1951 BACH ENGR, Sept. 15, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Sidney Richardson Garrett, 1958 BACH H&SS, 1960 MAST H&SS, Retired Professor of Art History, Director of the School of Art, Oct. 23, 2022, Easton, Pa. Betty J. Greer, 1953 BACH SCI, 1968 BACH HS&E, 1977 MAST HS&E, Aug. 23, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Paul M. Griffin, Jr., (1959 BACH SCI, 1977 MAST ENGR), Sept. 1, 2023 Baton Rouge, La. Duncan David MacDonald, 1954 BACH BUS, Sept. 15, 2023, League City, Texas Clyde Vandel Perkins, 1955 MAST HS&E, Oct. 10, 2023, Picayune, Miss. Patricia “Patty” Ann Noble Rounsaville, 1959 BACH BUS, Aug. 22, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Patricia LeBlanc Judice Ruckstuhl, 1951 BACH BUS, July 31, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Sharon Ann Dawson Southall, 1958 BACH H&SS, 1981 MLS, Sept. 7, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Sonya Leblanc Virgets, 1952 BACH H&SE, Sept. 30, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Joseph L. Wax, 1957 BACH ENGR, Sept. 8, 2023, Baton Rouge, La.
56 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
1970s Kathleen June Bartels, 1975 BACH H&SS, 1976 MAST LSU MED-NO, July 28, 2023, Hammond, La.
Alexander Ewell “Whipper” Baudin, Jr., 1971 BACH H&SS, Aug. 18, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Stephen M. Breaud, 1974 BACH H&SS, 1979 MD-LSUS, July 14, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Sidney A. Crow, Jr., 1971 MAST AGR, 1974 PHD C&E, April 18, 2023, Tyler, Texas Mary Lintot “Meepsie” Dougherty, 1971 BACH H&SE, 1993 JD, July 21, 2023, Houston, Texas Charles “Charlie” East, Jr., 1971 BACH MCOM, Sept. 30, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Byard “Peck” Edwards, Jr., 1976 JD, Aug. 11, 2023, Ponchatoula, La. Ethel Marie Haik, 1974 BACH HS&E, Sept. 12, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Johnnie Will “Warden Jones” Jones, Jr., 1975 MSW, 2018 PHD AGR, July 30, 2023, Prairieville, La. Hugh Edward McNeely, 1979 JD, Oct. 1, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Richard Edwin Pincomb, 1974 BACH H&SS, 1993 MLS, Sept. 1, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Donald Joseph Plaisance, 1977 BACH H&SS, Aug. 6, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. George Adam Remmetter, Jr., 1976 BACH H&SS, Aug. 15, 2023, Denham Springs, La. Eugene “Gene” Roy, 1973 BACH BUS, Sept. 30, 2023, Lafayette, La. Sheryl Ann Bourdier Sherlock, 1971 BACH HS&E, July 15, 2023, Amite, La. Ann Myatt Bowlus Storey, 1976 BACH H&SS, Sept. 16, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Kerry “Mark” Varisco, 1977 MAST ENGR, Aug. 9, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Henry Albert Weilbacher, 1975 BACH BUS, July 30, 2023, Baton Rouge, La.
Loyd Crain Director of Graphic Services, Retired Aug. 6, 2023 Baton Rouge, La.
Allen Francis Lee, Jr. Professor of Veterinary Medicine A founder of the Black Faculty & Staff Caucus and Annual Black Scholars Program Aug. 11, 2023 Baton Rouge, La.
Ellis Sandoz Hermann Moyse Distinguished Professor of Political Science, Retired Sept. 19, 2023 Baton Rouge, La.
1980s Ana Elizabeth Angelloz, 1982 BACH BUS, 1983 BACH BUS, July 22, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Thomas Morris “Tom” Clark, 1985 BACH AGR, July 19, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Debra Schwartz “Mimi” Hale, 1985 MAST HS&E, Sept. 25, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Relma Havens Hargus, 1987 MAST MCOM, July 28, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Marion Vaughn “Missy” Hopkins, 1985 BACH HS&E, Sept. 19, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Jana King Landry, 1989 BACH HS&E, July 8, 2023, Geismar, La. Lary Paul Loupe, 1983 BACH A&D, July 10, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Robert Butler Murrell, 1982 BACH ENGR, Sept. 5, 2023, Fayetteville Ark. Peter Wesley Newton, 1982 MAST A&D, Oct. 1. 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Susan Shawn Shaw Nickel, 1984 BACH A&D, July 30, 2023, Baton Rouge, La.
1990s Keith J. Piediscalzi, 1991 BACH ENGR, Sept. 11, 2023, Baton Rouge, La. Stephanie Anne Stevenson, 1996 BACH HS&E, Sept. 25, 2023, Baton Rouge, La.
2000s Susan Marie Batts, 2000 MAST A&D, September 2023, Baton Rouge, La.
Ralph Newell Director of Recording Services, Retired Aug. 8, 2023 Baton Rouge, La.
Bruce Gary Sharky Professor & Director, Retired Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture Sept. 16, 2023 Baton Rouge, La.
Donald Ario Patterson Research Associate, Retired LSU Center for Biomodular Multiscale Systems and Department of Chemistry Sept. 8, 2023 Baton Rouge, La. Steven F. Watkins Professor of Chemistry College of Science July 20, 2023 Baton Rouge, La.
A memorial gift to the LSU Alumni Association in the name of a family member, friend, or classmate is a caring way to pay tribute to a person’s life and accomplishments. To make a gift or for more information, call 225.578.3838 or 1.888.746.4578.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 57
Tiger Nation
Tigers in Print David G. Baker (2009 MPA) Mike LSU Press Mike the Tiger – the only live tiger mascot in the United States – is an iconic presence on LSU’s campus. From his sanctuary next to Tiger Stadium, he draws a steady stream of fans, adults and children alike. In this new book about LSU’s favorite tiger, Mike’s former veterinarian David G. Baker reflects on his decades of caring for three of the live mascots, beginning with Mike V in 1996. Baker gives fascinating behindthe-scenes glimpses of the tigers as he recounts episodes such as Mike VI’s cancer diagnosis, treatment, and death, and the search for Mike VII. He gives details about the tigers’ daily care and routine, provides answers to commonly asked questions about the mascot program, and discusses Mike’s popular social media presence. He also delves into new traditions, such as the creation of “meat art” for Mike to devour before home football games and the overnight holding of graduation rings in the night house with Mike. In addition to Baker’s own text, Mike: The Tigers of LSU includes remembrances from many veterinary student caretakers over the years, who reveal how caring for Mike the Tiger impacted their lives. Loaded with more than one hundred new and historical photos, Mike is sure to please the most avid fans of LSU’s mascot. Scotty Comegys (1973 BACH H&SS) Cassie’s Comet NFES Publishing, Dallas Scotty Comegys’ fast-paced dark comedy is set in the late ’70s, when 22-year-old Cassie Tate, an aimless Piggly Wiggly cashier in East Texas, jets off to visit her Army boyfriend, stationed in Germany, only to discover his invitation is a ruse. Mixed up in gun trafficking, he enticed her
58 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
abroad as part of a Green Card scheme. She becomes entangled in his plot to sneak a terrorist into the States. Desperate and on the run, she hatches a risky plan to escape. But with nowhere to go and a gun in her back, can she pull it off? Trenton Holliday (1988 BACH H&SS) Cro-Magnon: The Story of the Last Ice Age Columbia University Press During the Last Ice Age, Europe was a cold, dry place teeming with mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses, reindeer, bison, cave bears, cave hyenas, and cave lions. It was also the home of people physically indistinguishable from humans today, commonly known as the Cro-Magnons. Our knowledge of them comes from either their skeletons or the tools, art, and debris they left behind. This book tells the story of these dynamic and resilient people in light of recent scientific advances. Trenton Holliday – a paleoanthropologist who has studied the Cro-Magnons for decades – explores questions such as: Where and when did anatomically modern humans first emerge? When did they reach Europe, and via what routes? How extensive or frequent were their interactions with Neanderthals? What did Cro-Magnons look like? What did they eat, and how did they acquire their food? What can we learn about their lives from studying their skeletons? How did they deal with the glacial cold? What does their art tell us about them? Stephan Kinsella (1987 BACH ENGR, 1990 MAST ENGR, 1991 JD) Legal Foundations of a Free Society Papinian Press Legal Foundations of a Free Society is an edited selection of articles published over the last three
decades. The book treats a variety of issues in libertarian rights and legal theory, including the nature and foundations of libertarianism, rights and punishment theory, causation and responsibility, contract theory, and intellectual property. The chapters have been significantly revised and updated and integrated with each other with extensive cross-references, and with an extensive bibliography and index. Kelly Hill Krentel (1993 BACH H&SS) The Amazing Adventures of Chundo and Rouge: The Great Escape The Adventures of Chundo and Rouge - The Great Escape is a heartwarming children's tale that follows the extraordinary bond between Chundo, a lovable pup, and Rouge, a spirited kitten. Despite their differences, Chundo and Rouge become the best of friends, embarking on playful adventures and exploring the world together. When Chundo's family plans a vacation and sends him to a pet resort, Rouge refuses to be separated from her beloved companion. With her cleverness and determination, Rouge finds a way to join Chundo at the resort and brighten his days with joy and laughter. However, their happiness is threatened when the resort owners hatch a devious plan to keep Chundo for themselves. Undeterred, Rouge bravely takes it upon herself to expose
speech, the lives of culture keepers, and family tales. These poems detail cultural and historical memory of enslavement not taught and offer healing and hope for tomorrow. Mark Spitzer (2002 MFA) Cryptozarkia Cornerpost Press their scheme and rescue her friend. Through their resourcefulness and unwavering bond, Chundo and Rouge triumph over adversity and reunite with their family. As their remarkable journey unfolds, Chundo and Rouge discover the power of friendship, loyalty, and the importance of sticking together. Their story captivates readers with its blend of imagination and reality, reminding us that extraordinary connections can blossom between humans and animals. Filled with adventure, love, and unforgettable moments, this enchanting tale invites readers of all ages to embrace the magic of companionship and the wonders that await us when we open our hearts. Mona Lisa Saloy (1988 MFA, 2005 PHD H&SS) Black Creole Chronicles University of New Orleans Press Who are Black Creoles? Saloy's new poems address ancestral connections to contemporary life, traditions celebrated, New Orleans Black life today, Louisiana Black life today, enduring and surviving hurricanes, romance, #BlackLivesMatter, #wematter, as well as poems of the pandemic lockdown from New Orleans. Saloy's new collection of verse advances and updates narratives of Black life to now, including day-to-day Black
Cryptozarkia is a bestiary of freaky Ozark hybrids whose cast includes hoop snakes, wampus cats, maneating gator gars, bogus Ozark howlers, the mythical blue humans of Blowing Cave lore, the last rampaging American wild man, the notorious marauding Mexican crab tick, and much much more. Via the avant-garde approach of investigative poetics, monsterspelunker Mark Spitzer hunts these enigmas down, interviews authorities, cites folklore and history, and boils down fact and fiction for the amusement of both skeptics and true believers. The result is a vivid, scholarly mosaic of how and why imaginations create mash-ups of the natural world gone crypto. Mike Thorne (1964 BACH H&SS, 1967 MAST H&SS, 1969 PHD H&SS) Harper’s Bizarre Outskirts Press Harper’s Bizarre opens with a senseless murder – setting into motion events that lead to still more murders in the sleepy Southern college town of Harper. With murder a rarity in their small town, the Harper Police Department, led by Chief Grady Noland, is challenged in its response to the bizarre events and widely circulating, outrageous rumors. When Brad Childers – a schizophrenic plagued by hallucinations – misinterprets something he sees, his friend Jesse
persuades him to kill his whole family. Brad is committed to an asylum for the criminally insane. The Watkins brothers are jailed for Peter Dewberry’s murder, and their escape leads to a confrontation with Nancy and Danny Dewberry. Meanwhile, Bone Ludlow, fired from his job and divorced by his wife, Vicki, decides to get even with his ex-wife and her new husband, Hal Childers. Brad’s asylum escape sets the stage for a final showdown between Bone, Vicki, Hal, and Brad, which ends in disaster. And Chief Noland finds that the stress he’s undergone from the bizarre events in Harper may have dire effects on his health. John S. Zaffuto (1991 BACH MCOM) Producing Graphic Media for Sports: New Horizons and Possibilities Routledge Producing Graphic Media for Sports: New Horizons and Possibilities for the Motion Media Specialist explores the origins, applications, and future of the production of sports-oriented motion graphics. Beginning with the evolution and development of sports-oriented art and design, this book investigates the importance of motion graphics within a variety of environments in the sphere of organized, competitive activity. Venue-based presentation, broadcast and streaming environments, and the importance of graphic standards and brand guidelines are all discussed in detail, along with applications within social media and mobile platforms. A final chapter on emerging technologies covers the potential use of motion media for e-sports and other trending developments within the sports world. The author draws on case studies and interviews with sports media professionals to augment his own research and observation of trends and processes and to highlight the exciting career opportunities that exist within the sports presentation and marketing industries.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 59
PROFILE
Tiger Nation
Baton Rouge to Broadway Junior By Brian Hudgins
Nicole Podesta.
“The whole goal is to be excited about it and appreciate it.”
60 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
If you want to find out about Nicole Podesta’s first steps toward Broadway-level productions, go ask Alice. Podesta (1994 BACH M&DA) was doing her LSU senior-year student teaching at Zachary High School when she first experienced director duties. “I got to student direct their play at Zachary High in the fall of ’94,” Podesta said. “I loved it. It was ‘Go Ask Alice.’” Nearly three decades later, Podesta has directed dozens of plays at The Anthony School in Little Rock, Ark. She teaches Upper Middle School Language Arts and is the play director for kindergarten through 8th grade, which has enabled her to direct productions such as “Guys and Dolls,” “Aladdin,” and “Seussical” through Music Theatre International’s Broadway Junior musicals. “It is a godsend,” Podesta said. “They take Broadway shows and turn them into one-hour productions for kids. It is specifically for middle school – they change the key, pitch and change it to a one-hour show by cutting some dialogue.” Podesta’s students have honed their on-stage skills in Little Rock as well as at the annual Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, which provides an avenue for thousands of students to hear from Broadway professionals. Teachers also get to attend workshops and do their share of learning. “Kids in Arkansas get to go to Atlanta, meet Broadway professionals and get judged by Broadway professionals,” Podesta said. “They got to meet Zac Efron and the cast of ‘Mean Girls!’” Considering the students are K-8, the productions and Atlanta trip expose them to the mechanics of both on-stage and backstage responsibilities – even if performing does not become a piece
of the future. “The whole goal is to be excited about it and appreciate it,” Podesta said. “They might not perform again, but they are excited for their friends and support theatre.” Podesta enjoyed her own exciting trip in 2019 when she received the Freddie G. Fellowship Award for Excellence in Directing through Music Theater International. That meant a week in New York studying under Broadway directors, choreographers, and technical directors. The Anthony School program was kicking into high gear when COVID-19 necessitated a hiatus. The program has picked up momentum again in 2023. “We have about 80 kids involved in the plays,” Podesta said. The kids are also involved in various sports, which Podesta works to give the students ample time separation. “We try to let them play a sport and do the play,” Podesta said. “Then a lot of kids continue to perform through high school or community theatre.” The entire process is a continuation of the education journey Podesta experienced at LSU, when she was a student with an undecided major. “I took a lit class with oral interpretation and I liked that vibe,” Podesta said. “Theater class was amazing.” After Podesta completed her student teaching and earned her degree, she taught in Richardson, Texas, for a year before moving to Arkansas. She was substituting at the Anthony School and noticed the younger kids had a (play) program but the middle school kids did not. “I asked the head of the school, ‘do y’all do plays?’” Brian Hudgins is a Houston native who enjoys SEC sports and covering a variety of subjects as a freelance writer.
J. Ofori Agboka Recognized by Forbes
J. Ofori Agboka. Photo: Forbes Magazine
LSU Alumni Association Board of Directors member J. Ofori Agboka (1988 BACH H&SS), Amazon’s vice president for People Experience and Technology (PXT) for Global Operations, was featured in the July issue of Forbes Magazine. Agboka leads a team consisting of HR professionals, employee relations professionals, science and data technicians, and specialty roles. Asked how a company with more than 1.4M full- and part-time employees around the world delivers on employee experience, Agboka shared his thoughts about and approaches to the employee experience at Amazon. “Our mission as a team,” Agboka said, “is to grow the business through people. It takes the time, passion, and investment in people to serve our customers and communities.”
Queneisha and Joe Douglas.
Magic and Marriage Joseph P. Douglas, III (1972 BACH H&SS, 1974 MBA) was named to membership in the Order of Merlin Excelsior by the International Brotherhood of Magicians in recognition of 60 years of support of the organization and steadfast adherence to the highest standards of magic. Pictured with Douglas is his assistant and bride, Queneisha. The couple married on July 5. Douglas the Magician offers magic entertainment for parties, banquets, clubs, and stage and performs as children’s entertainer Mr. Blossom at birthday parties.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 61
Tiger Nation
Major Gift Creates Small Business & Community Development Clinic
Rusty Stutes, his sisters, and their parents at the senior Stutes’ 55th wedding anniversary celebration.
Jacque Bourque and Joe Zanco.
Outstanding CPA – Joe Zanco
(1992 BACH BUS), right, president and CEO of Catalyst Bank, Lafayette, was named Outstanding CPA in Business and Industry by the Society of Louisiana CPAs at the organization’s Financial Institutions Conference in September. Catalyst Bank CFO Jacques Bourque (2015 BACH BUS), left, presented the award.
62 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Russell “Rusty” Stutes, Jr. (1987 BACH BUS, 1991 JD) made a major gift to the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center to create the Russell J. Stutes Small Business and Community Development Clinic. Stutes and his mother, Cissy Stutes, made a gift in excess of $500,000 in memory of his late father Russell J. Stutes, Sr., a self-made contractor who built the Russell J. Stutes Construction company in Lake Charles, La. The transactional legal clinic will provide students with experiential learning opportunities. Under the supervision of a full-time clinician, students in the clinic work with local clients on proposals to promote community-wide economic growth. The Stutes Clinic joins six other law clinics currently operating as part of the LSU Law Experiential Learning Program.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023 63
Tiger Nation
Diehard Fans – Cheering on the
Tigers during the LSU-Florida State game were, from left, Sarah Clayton (1967 BACH H&SS) and Tracy and Kevin Ferguson, parents of Buffalo Bills long snapper Reid Ferguson (2015 BACH HS&E) and Miami Dolphins long snapper Blake Ferguson (2018 BACH BUS, 2019 MBA).
Tigers Around the World
Glenn Kidder, Luke Laborde, and Tracy Jones.
Three’s Company – Enjoying an informal get-together and celebrating
a 51- year friendship this fall were Glenn Kidder (1976 BACH SCI, 1980 DDS), Luke Laborde (1976 BACH AGR, 1978 MBA, 2014 PHD AGR), and Tracy Jones (1976 BACH H&SE, 1977 MAST HS&E), members of the 1972 freshman class. “Glenn and Luke were the first people I met at LSU,” Jones said. “They were roommates in old Graham Hall – west wing, second floor. My room was in the west wing, fourth floor. To this day, when I introduce either one, I refer to him as the first person I met at LSU.”
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.
64 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2023
Louisiana State University and A&M College 3838 West Lakeshore Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Periodicals POSTAGE PAID Postal Permit USPS 14120