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Winter 2012, Volume 88, Number 4
Boyd Professor The Pinnacle of Recognition
A Message From the
chancellor Historic Change for a Brighter Future Historic change is in the air at LSU. We are at a critical juncture for our institution, and we can be optimistic that this environment of change is a positive one for LSU and especially for our students. September brought with it historic good news that LSU welcomed the largest incoming freshman class in the history of the institution as our overall enrollment continues to rise. The new class is a high-achieving group that helped produce the most diverse population of students we have ever enrolled. October brought with it historic facility changes to LSU in the form of three major developments. The Governor announced the state would partner with LSU to renovate Patrick Taylor Hall to create a state-of-the-art engineering complex; we cut the ribbon on a new chemistry and materials building adjacent to Choppin Hall, and we opened a beautiful new Barnes & Noble at LSU Bookstore for our students in the heart of campus. October also brought with it historic good news of the highest graduation rate in LSU history. The new mark of 66.7 percent represents a remarkable increase of five percent over last year’s rate and will likely give LSU a graduation rate higher than its peers for the first time in school history. And we are now experiencing historic change in the structure of LSU that is designed to make it more efficient, more productive in its service to the state of Louisiana, and – most importantly – a better university for the students of LSU. You will see continued change at LSU, and rest assured that every decision is based on the foundation of creating a better place for students to get their educations, to create robust research that impacts the nation and the world, and to provide service to our state and its people. What is happening at LSU is the first step toward firmly establishing your University to its rightful position as one of the nation’s top flagship research institutions. We need the support of everyone in the LSU community during these historic times to continue this forward momentum. It will take alumni, donors, and lawmakers, as well as faculty, staff and students all working toward the same goal for LSU to reach its true potential. Looking backward is not an option. I hope you will join me as the changes we make now pave the way for a brighter future for LSU.
William Jenkins Interim Chancellor
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Publisher Charlie W. Roberts
Contents
Editor Jackie Bartkiewicz Advertising James Fisher Art Director Chuck Sanchez STUN Design & Interactive
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Features
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24 Boyd Professor: The Pinnacle of Recognition Among LSU’s many accomplished and highly respected faculty, the pinnacle of recognition is the Boyd Professorship. Established in 1953 and named for two brothers, David and Thomas Boyd, who were instrumental in setting Louisiana State University on a path toward acclaim, this professorship is unique in that it is conferred on the recipients for life. As of Spring 2012, nearly sixty years since it was created, only sixty-nine individuals have been named Boyd Professors. Brenda Macon profiles five of these highly accomplished faculty members, and University photographer Jim Zietz shares photographs of those in the Boyd Professors gallery in Thomas Boyd Hall.
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34 Human Sciences & Education: Creating Change Change is a part of any college campus, and this summer a major one took place at LSU. On July 1, six University units realigned to create the new College of Human Sciences & Education. Through this reorganization of resources, LSU has created a high-profile college that will have a major impact on the quality of life of the citizens of Louisiana in the areas of social and human sciences. Billy Gomila explains the realignment and what it means for LSU and Louisiana.
In Each Issue 1 A Message from the Chancellor 4 President’s Message 6 LSU Alumni Association News 38 Around Campus 50 Focus on Faculty 52 Focus on Research 54 Locker Room 62 Tiger Nation On the Cover: LSU Boyd Professors Dinos Constantanides, William Pryor, Isiah Warner, Thomas Klei, George Voyiadjis, William Cooper, Robert O’Connell, Meredith Blackwell, Jesse Walker, Mark Batzer, Gerald Kennedy, and Jimmie Lawson. Photo by Jim Zietz. Cover design by Chuck Sanchez, STUN Design.
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Editorial Assistants Patti Garner; Brenda Macon, Copy Editor; Katie McCrocklin, Student Intern Contributors Ashley Berthelot, Ronette King Boshea, Sarah Clayton, Billy Gomila, Emily Herrington, Bud Johnson, David Krueger, Kent Lowe, Brenda Macon, Norm Marcocci, Katherine McCrocklin, Susie Breaux McShea, Judson Moore, Ben Wallace Photography Phillip Cancilleri, Mark Claesgens, Ray Dry, Steve Franz, Johnny Gordon, Kelly Hotard, Larry Hubbard, Jim Nelson, Eddy Perez, Collin Richie, Brandli Roberts, Morgan Searles, Jim Zietz Printing Baton Rouge Printing Editorial and Advertising Office LSU Alumni Association 3838 West Lakeshore Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70808-4686 225-578-3838 • 888-RINGLSU www.lsualumni.org / e-mail: jackie@lsualumni.org LSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE is published quarterly in March, June, September and December by the LSU Alumni Association. A contribution of $50 or more for an annual subscription includes membership in the Alumni Association. Letters to the editor are encouraged. Please write to the address listed above. LSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE reserves the right to edit all material accepted for publication. Publication of material does not indicate endorsement of the author’s viewpoint by the magazine, the LSUAA or LSU. © 2012 by LSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to LSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE, 3838 West Lakeshore Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808-4686 The mission of the LSU Alumni Association is to protect, promote, and foster the welfare of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College and to create and nurture mutually beneficial relationships between the University and its alumni and friends. The Association, using the talents and resources of alumni and friends of Louisiana State University, supports the University in pursuit of excellence in teaching, research and public service to future and current alumni. NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS Michael H. Woods Chair, Shreveport, La. Jack Andonie Chair-Elect, Metairie, La. Guy Campbell III Past Chair, Monroe, La. Scott L. Anderson, Monroe, La. Ted A Martin, Baton Rouge, La. Mary Lou Applewhite, New Orleans, La. Louis R. Minksy, Baton Rouge, La. Jon D. “Jay” Babb, Baton Rouge, La. Richard C. “Ricky” Oustalet, Jennings, La. Gil Rew, Mansfield, La. J. Hals Benhard, Palmetto, La. Beverly Shea, New Iberia, La. C. A. “Buddy” Brice III, Biloxi, Miss. John T. Shelton, Jr., Houston, Texas Gregg Cordaro, Baton Rouge, La. Carl J. Streva, Morgan City, La. Theresa M. Gallion, Tampa, Fla. Susan K. Whitelaw, Shreveport, La. Ronald M. Johnson, Baton Rouge, La. Lodwrick M. Cook, Director Emeritus Jan K. Liuzza, Kenner, La. Sherman Oaks, Calif.
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President/CEO’s
MESSAGE
Private Support – the Secret of Success This issue of the magazine includes information related to the three private organizations that support LSU. Each group – LSU Alumni Association, LSU Foundation, and Tiger Athletic Foundation – plays a vital and unique role as a self-supporting, private entity in enhancing and sustaining University programs.
“I think you’ll agree, the Association is in good company as a member of the independent Self-Governing Alumni Forum. The members are: University of California-Berkeley, University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill), University of Michigan, University of Texas, Texas A&M University, Georgia Tech University, University of Virginia, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Military Academy, University of Illinois, University of Kansas, Iowa State University, Texas Tech University, Kansas State University, William and Mary, Oklahoma State University, Baylor University, University of Houston, and University of Maine.”
Through private support, the Association was able to construct the Lod Cook Alumni Center, The Cook Hotel, the Andonie Sports Museum, the Sugar Woods Building and the LSU War Memorial. I dare say none of this would have been possible with state funding. The LSU Foundation last year completed a highly successful capital campaign, raising more than $798 million (including $34 million in state matching funds), through private solicitation. These monies were prudently invested for the future. State policy does not provide for such investments. The Tiger Athletic Foundation, a dedicated supporter of LSU Athletics, provides funds and resources that would not be possible via state funding. A major focus of the University is to keep alumni involved and informed – and that is the mission of the Association. Through private support, the Association has developed numerous programs to foster alumni loyalty, all offering opportunities for alumni to become involved and stay abreast of LSU news. From initial involvement through these programs, alums become major supporters. It is only as private entities that the Association, the Foundation, and TAF are able to develop and grow. Under the state-funding model, many of our programs would suffer from lack of funding. Hence, we lose contact with alumni and friends, which further diminishes private donations. Furthermore, at most schools, the alumni officer is the only senior officer who is an alumnus or alumna of the institution, so it falls to the alumni organization to preserve University traditions. Alumni commitment to their alma mater is lifelong. Administrators, faculty, and staff (and coaches) come and go, but alumni realize the value of their degree is measured not in the reputation of the university when the degree was granted but in the institution’s present standing. These facts represent the manner in which the Association, the Foundation, and TAF develop and expand outreach and provide growth and support for the University. These organizations have performed extremely well for LSU as private, selfsupporting entities, and as LSU moves forward we must and will continue to operate in such a manner for the betterment of the University. Finally, I point out that these independent organizations operate for the benefit of the University at no cost to the institution. The LSU Alumni Association, the LSU Foundation, and TAF could not conduct business if they were not private corporations. And like the Association, the Foundation and TAF are very much involved in building and upkeep of University facilities. The Foundation, through its property foundation, has facilitated numerous construction projects, including the LSU Laboratory School Gymnasium, Physical Education and Performing Arts Center, the Rural Life Museum Visitors Center, and the PERTT Lab. The Tiger Athletic Foundation was instrumental in the expansion and renovation of Tiger Stadium and the construction of the indoor practice facility and the Cox Communication Center for Student-Athletes, among other projects. Again, I don’t think any of this would have been possible with state funding. Continued on next page
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At the time the articles and bylaws of these organizations were being written, the State Ethics Commission repeatedly raised questions about public employees raising private contributions. By a vote of three to two, the commission voted that these entities would be private - without any state support - and would conduct business as a private corporation. Forever LSU!
Charlie W. Roberts President/CEO
From Our Readers Dear Editor, I enjoyed the Summer 2012 LSU Alumni Magazine reading about the Hall of Distinction. I thought you might be interested in the following. I was one of six children, and we graduated from LSU. Then I married and my wife, and we had six children, and they all graduated from LSU. Do you know of any family that can say this? If so, I would like to know? These are the children of Archie and Elise Chappuis: Col. Richard D. Chappuis, Brig. Gen. Steve A. Chappuis, Capt. Jack E. Chappuis, Lt. Donald J. Chappuis, Maj. Charles W. Chappuis, and Dorothy Chappuis Kemper. These are the children are of Charles W. and Lita Chappuis: Col. Charles W. Chappuis, Anne Chappuis Leonards, Joan Chappuis Jurisich, Lynn Chappuis Rogers, Mary Gayle Chappuis O’Connell, and Tracy Chappuis Moody. Richard, Steve, Jack, Donald, Charles, and Dorothy’s husband, Walter Kemper, all served during World War II. Steve was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by Gen. George Patton, Jr.
Charles W. Chappuis (1949 BACH AGR) Rayne, La.
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LSU Alumni Association
news
Photos by Johnny Gordon and Steve Miley
John Boudreaux, Thom Fronek, Sheily Bell, Tim Toler, and Bubba Gagliano.
The Beat Goes On! 2012 Alumni Band Reunion The rain rolled in just about the time Tiger Band alumni began to arrive for the 2012 LSU Tiger Band Reunion weekend on Sept. 28. But the stormy, wet weekend didn’t dampen spirits as more than 255 former band members reunited for a full slate of activities culminating in yet one more appearance at a home football game. The event kicked off with a Friday night social at the Lod Cook Alumni Center, with many alums gathering afterward at the O’Neal Lodge in The Cook Hotel to keep the party going. After an early breakfast in the new Tiger Band Hall, the Alumni Band ran through its routine then joined the Tiger Band for rehearsal. The group gathered again for a tailgate party at the Maravich Assembly Center before entering the stadium. The weather cooperated, and by halftime the Alumni Band – sporting bright new gold shirts and caps – proudly took the field once again for that spine-tingling experience of “Saturday Night in Tiger Stadium.”
Several generations of Tiger Band alumni. Larry Hebert, Becky Swindell, Ed Swindell, and Brian Swindell.
The Alumni Band joins the Tiger Band for a rousing halftime performance.
Former Golden Girls Glenda Lofton, Shirley Lichtenstein, Rae Phillips, and Carol Thomas.
Drummer Mike Aertker.
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Drum major Larry Hubbard in front a horn section.
Gathering for a Golden Girls reunion luncheon at Jubans were, left to right, 1970s Golden Girls Linda Markey, Leslie Day, Faith Wakefield, Marlene Bajon, Marlene Winn, Lana Cocreham, Jaye Brice, Linda Kidd, Juanita Jacob, Debbie Kuehne, Bonnie Richardson, Jeannette Rolfson, Charlene Favre, and Debra Sledge.
Dad Hardy Bozant with daughter and granddaughters Staci Bozant O’Neal, Meghan O’Neal, and Sherri Bozant Bunch.
It’s All in the Family By Ronette King Boshea Photo by Johnny Gordon
After years spent working his way to the top of the conductor’s ladder to lead the Tiger Marching Band, Roy King stepped down onto the field and took his place on the drum line, smiling all the way down the ladder. For the moment, King removed his conductor’s blazer and strapped on a snare drum, standing beside a current and former member of the Colorguard. What daddies won’t do for their daughters. King decided to join the band on the field during the Alumni Band Reunion, taking his place beside his wife, Monya, a Colorguard member at the same time he was in the Tiger Band (1981-84), and their daughter, Olivia, a newly minted member of the line. In some ways, this moment has been thirty years in the making, since Monya Gordon came to LSU from Alexandria to study graphic design, and Roy King arrived from Slidell to study music. The pair met their freshman year and married in 1984 when King graduated. They moved where the marching band jobs took them, Atlanta, Louisville, Ky., and finally Pensacola. They returned to LSU in 1996 for King to work on his master’s degree, eventually taking a job as a band director’s assistant. Olivia was nearly three years old at the time, and she couldn’t help but soak it all in. “She went everywhere with us,” Monya says. “We never left her at home. We don’t have any family here in Baton Rouge, so she went with us to concerts, to games. That was her norm.” Olivia went to dance classes like little girls do, learning ballet, tap, and jazz, starting in nursery school. Whether nature or nurture, by middle school Olivia tried to convince her middle school that they should have a colorguard squad. This despite the fact that the school not having a marching band. She learned music along the way as well, playing trumpet in the jazz band at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic School. Long before she decided to attend LSU and major in elementary education, Olivia was certain she wanted to try for a spot in the Colorguard. Like the other auditioning students, she had to learn a routine on the spot and perform, and she had to show up with a routine of her own. She’s talked about being part of the Colorguard since she was young, and now it has happened. And mom and dad couldn’t be more proud.
Monya, Olivia, and Roy King.
Ronette King Boshea is marketing and communications director for the LSU School of Music.
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LSU Alumni Association News
Annual Meeting Past Presidents, Chairs Honored Seventy-three LSU alums, including current chair Mike Woods, have served in the National LSU Alumni Association’s top leadership role since 1899. Thirteen of these men and women were honored on Aug. 10 at the Past Presidents & Chairs Luncheon, which followed the Association’s 2012 Annual Meeting. The event took place in the Noland-Laborde Hall of the Lod Cook Alumni Center.
Among the guests at the Past Presidents & Chairs Luncheon were Peggy and Lucien Laborde, and Violet and John Capdevielle.
Also recognized at the luncheon were Dr. Jimmy Peltier and his wife, Ann, who were celebrating their sixtieth wedding anniversary, and Peggy Laborde, who was celebrating her eighty-sixth birthday. Woods presided over the business meeting. Dr. Jack Andonie, chair of the finance committee presented the financial report, and J. Hals Benhard presented the report of the nominating committee. Unanimously approved for spots on the board were officers Dr. Jack Andonie, of Metairie, chair, and Dr. Gil Rew, of Mansfield, chair-elect and National Fund Chairman. Directors approved for three-year terms were Dr. Mary Lou Applewhite, of New Orleans, District 2; Rick Oustalet, of Jennings, District 4; and Scott Anderson, of Monroe, District 6. At-large members approved for three-year terms were Hals Benhard, of Palmetto; Guy Campbell III, of Monroe; Ronald Johnson, of Baton Rouge; Dr. Louis Minsky, of Baton Rouge; John Shelton, of Houston; and Susan Whitelaw, of Bossier City. All appointments are effective Jan. 1, 2013.
Frances and Harry McInnis, Anne DeVillier-Fisher, Sonny DeVillier, Ricky Oustalet, Jay Babb, and President Charlie Roberts.
Vice President Amy Parrino presents a gift to Ann and Jimmy Peltier, who celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary.
Past LSU Alumni Association presidents and chairs, from left, Harry McInnis, of Minden, 1988; Scott Anderson, 2003; Dr. Mary Lou Applewhite, 1992; Jay Babb, 2005; Hals Benhard, 1994; Lucien Laborde, 1964; Dr. Jimmy Peltier, 1991; Pat Odom, representing her husband, J. Huntington Odom, 1973; Sonny DeVillier, 1989; John Laborde, 1978; and Kent Anderson, 1975.
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Tiger Trivia 1. When were the first Boyd Professorships awarded? 1926 1953 1958 1962 2. Who was the first woman to become a Boyd Professor? Mary L. Good Caroline Durieux Mercedes Garig Harriett Spiller Daggett 3. How many women have become Boyd Professors (as of October 2012)? 1 2 3 4 4. What was the Rod and Chain Club? An informal fishing club An informal club for students working in the machine shop 5. Who were The Bricks? The football team’s offensive line Loaves of bread from the cafeteria
An informal club for students in Civil Engineering None of the above
A jazz band An informal club for red-haired coeds
6. What were the campus radio station’s call letters before they became KLSU? WPRG WLSU KFGC All of the above 7. What pledge were male students required to sign at registration in 1925? To promise not to engage in To air their mattresses once a week hair-cutting or other forms of hazing Not to visit ”objectionable places Not to keep “unauthorized arms of resort” or deadly weapons” 8. According to the 1934 Regulations for Residents of Smith Hall (women’s dormitory), under what condition could women students visit “a house where men reside exclusively?” Never Only if a chaperon approved by the Dean of Women is present Only if a student’s mother is present Only on Sunday afternoons 9. Where was Free Speech Alley first held? In front of the Union Near the Memorial Tower In the Memorial Oak Grove At The Bayou 10. How much were end zone tickets in Tiger Stadium in 1957? $2.50 $4.00 $5.00 $10.00 11. Which former lieutenant governor of Louisiana was an LSU boxing champion? Jay Dardenne Jimmy Fitzmorris Earl Long Bobby Freeman 12. What was Broussard Hall’s original purpose? It served as home to the It was the dormitory for Information Technology male athletes Residential College It was the dormitory for It was home to James F. Broussard female athletes
Tiger Trivia is compiled by Barry Cowan, assistant archivist, Hill Memorial Library. Answers: 1.b, 2.a, 3.c, 4.b, 5.d, 6.d, 7.a, 8.b, 9.c, 10.a, 11.d, 12.b LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2012
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National LSU Alumni Association The LSU Alumni Association, a nonprofit organization whose supporters are graduates, former students, and friends of the University, is an integral component of LSU. The Association’s programs of excellence have improved all areas of University life to enhance the overall academic experience.
Michael H. Woods Chair Shreveport, La.
Jack A. Andonie Chair-Elect Metairie, La.
For more than 100 years, the Association has worked hand-in-hand with the University administration to promote the mutually beneficial relationship shared between alumni and their alma mater. Cooperation in this regard has led to the development of numerous programs and projects that LSU alumni can proudly call their own. With the generous donations of major donors, the Association supports numerous scholarships, professorships, and faculty awards and has privately funded the construction of the Lod Cook Alumni Center, the Cook Hotel & Conference Center at LSU, the Jack & Priscilla Andonie Museum, the Sugar Woods Building, and the LSU War Memorial. The National LSU Alumni Association Board of Directors provides leadership and vision in determining the policies and various programs of the independently financed organization serving more than 225,000 living Charlie W. Roberts alumni around the world. President/CEO
National Board of Directors
The Cook Hotel Board of Managers
Scott L. Anderson Monroe, La.
Mary Lou Applewhite New Orleans, La.
Jon D. “Jay” Babb Baton Rouge, La.
J. Hals Benhard Palmetto, La.
C.A. “Buddy” Brice III Biloxi, Miss.
Jon D. “Jay” Babb Baton Rouge, La.
Calvin Braxton Natchitoches, La.
Guy Campbell III Monroe, La.
Gregg Cordaro Baton Rouge, La.
Robert W. Dugas Baton Rouge, La.
Theresa Gallion Tampa, Fla.
Ronald M. Johnson Baton Rouge, La.
Guy Campbell III Monroe, La.
Sam J. Friedman Natchitoches, La.
Jan K. Liuzza Kenner, La.
Ted A. Martin Baton Rouge, La.
Louis R. Minsky Baton Rouge, La.
Ricky Oustalet Jennings, La.
Gil Rew Mansfield, La.
James Moore III Monroe, La.
John T. Shelton, Jr. Houston, Texas
Beverly G. Shea New Iberia, La.
John T. Shelton, Jr. Houston, Texas
Carl J. Streva Morgan City, La.
Susan K. Whitelaw Shreveport, La.
Lodwrick M. Cook Director Emeritus Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Michael Valentino New Orleans, La.
Stan Williams Fort Worth, Texas
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LSU Alumni Association News
By Sarah Clayton
Chapter Events Sweet Send Off LSU Atlanta hosted more than two dozen students from the metro Atlanta area at its fifth annual Sweet Send Off reception, held this year at North Atlanta High School. The new Tigers, along with parents and friends, were welcomed into the LSU family by chapter board members and volunteers.
Also on hand were Darrell Ray, of the Division of Student Life & Enrollment; Gaines Foster, dean of the College of Humanities & Social Sciences (H&SS); Jill Roshto, H&SS; and Sara Courtney, Manship School of Mass Communication. Thanks to chapter fundraising efforts, LSU Atlanta has endowed three annual scholarship awards for Georgia students to attend LSU. Receiving awards this year are Colin Dailey, Dunwoody High School; Isabelle Gizinski, Blessed Trinity; and Andrew Pate, Mill Creek High School. Sarah Clayton chaired the event assisted by chapter president Chris Tilley and board member Del Moon. Don Broussard served as emcee. Champion Sponsor Copeland’s of Atlanta provided treats served at the event through partner and New Orleans native Glen Helmstetter. Entering freshman from the Atlanta area at the Atlanta Chapter’s Sweet Send Off.
Jambalaya Cookoff – The DeSoto Parish Alumni Chapter’s inaugural Jambalaya Cookoff took place Oct. 6 at the David Means Center in Mansfield, La., with twelve cooks preparing their culinary offerings for those in attendance. The overall contest winner was the team of Justin Brownfield, of Denham Springs, La., and Justin Templet, of Gonzales, La. The People’s Choice Award was presented to Billie Jo Bedsole of Dallas and Billy Bennett, of Mansfield, who teamed up to prepare their family’s recipe. The family friendly afternoon event featured inflatable slides, space walks, and a view-in of the LSU vs. Florida game. Meat for the jambalaya was provided by sponsor Down Home Meats, of Stonewall, La. The cookoff raised nearly $1,000 for the chapter scholarship fund, and plans are being made for next year’s event. For details, contact event coordinators Jeff and Amy Garsee at 318-872-5653.
DeSoto’s Mike the Tiger Taylor Garsee.
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Peoples Choice Award winners Billy Bennett and Billy Jo Bedsole.
Winners Justin Templet and Justin Brownfield.
you r A lu m n i Dol l a r s at Wor k
Reagan Kathryn May Freshman, International Relations
Las Vegas, Nev. Las Vegas Alumni Chapter Scholarship
I’m a Tiger, born and bred. My youth was filled with LSU football games, purple and gold streamers twined through my hair, and “Geaux Tigers on my cheeks until I spewed team spirit. I grew up hearing the memories my relatives made at LSU and waiting eagerly until I could make my own. LSU is more than just a school – it’s my family’s heritage. I am a third generation Bayou Bengal, following in my father’s and grandfather’s footsteps. My grandfather, Joe May, spent his days dominating his opponents on the football team and later became an LSU coach to teach other players to do the same. My father grew up at LSU, riding his bike around campus as a child and eventually attending the University himself. I’m proud that my family was so excited to send their daughter to the school they care about so much. The Las Vegas Chapter Alumni Scholarship made my dream of coming here possible and choosing to come to LSU is the best decision I’ve ever made. I’ve made amazing friends through my sorority and am already involved in many activities on campus, such as the Student Alumni Association and the school karate classes. I am sure all of the opportunities LSU and the alumni scholarship are giving me will allow me to do anything and everything I want to do in life. www.lsualumni.org 1-888-RINGLSU
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LSU Alumni Association News
Chapter Events Stylish Tailgating – Members of the Greater Baton Rouge LSU Alumni Chapter and friends gathered at The Cook Hotel on Sept. 4 for cocktails and complimentary appetizers. The tailgate featured an LSU-themed style show with models sporting new fall looks in purple and gold available at the hotel’s Shelton Gift Shop. Highlighting the evening was head track coach Dennis Shaver who spoke with pride about the Lady Tigers’ success in capturing the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Championship, as well as the men’s outstanding performance. Beth Tope, representing the alumni chapter, presented the coach with a plaque commemorating the NCAA win. Capping off the event, Derek Ponamsky of BayouBengalsInsider.com and Shea Dixon of 247Sports discussed the LSU football season, noting LSU players and opposing teams to watch. Photos by Phillip Cancilleri and Larry Hubbard
Paula Dupuy
Seated, from left, Chrystal Musgrove, Laura and Jim Parr; standing, Derek Ponamsky, Kathleen Garrison, and Shea Dixon.
Emma Neyland
Steve Tope
Grand Ole Tigers – The Grand Ole
Atlanta’s Grand Ole Tigers
Tigers of Greater Atlanta gathered for lunch at Brio restaurant for their second annual gathering, welcoming new members Ellen Drost Benelli, Louise Angelle McCann, Lisa Burton, Melanie Fletcher, Chris Tilley, and Mike and Barbara Stewart. Also attending were LSU guests Dean Gaines Foster and Jill Roshto of the College of Humanities & Social Sciences, Sara Courtney of the Manship School of Mass Communication, and Darrell Ray, of Student Life & Enrollment.
LSU Plates in Maryland – Norm Marcocci, secretary of the Washington, D.C., alumni chapter is spearheading efforts to get LSU license plates in Maryland. A minimum of twenty-five people must sign up for the plates to be made available. To see samples of plate designs, visit www.lsulicenseplates.com. Contact Marcocci at NormLSU88@yahoo.com or 703-263-9771 for details.
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D.C. Chapter Fall Update Fall was a busy, exciting time for LSU alumni and faithful in the nation’s capital. The National Capital Chapter kicked off the football season with a party at Molly Malone’s on Aug. 2, followed by the SEC Kickoff Party at the Crystal City Sports Pub on Aug. 23. Each D.C. alumni chapter provided door prizes that were raffled off, with the proceeds benefitting Habitat for Humanity. During the season, everyone cheered on the Tigers at the chapter’s two view-in locations. Between games, the chapter sponsored “happy hours” with Texas A&M and Alabama alums prior to each of the games. The chapter’s annual service project with the Youth Leadership Foundation involved members assisting and mentoring at-risk, inner-city youth. Also slated are the chapter’s Krewe of LSU participation in Clarendon’s annual Mardi Gras celebration and a night out to see the Washington Wizards host the New Orleans Hornets at the Verizon Center. For information on the chapter, contact DCLSUAlumni@ yahoo.com or visit www.lsudcalumni.com and http://www. facebook.com/#!/groups/2214852177/
By Norm Marcocci
Washington, D.C., LSU alumni celebrate the Tigers’ win over Auburn on Oct. 22 at the Arlington rooftop Bar and Grill.
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LSU Alumni Association News
Snapshots
Tracy Jones, Joey Graziano, Jason Ramezan, Amy Parrino, Cliff Vannoy, Brandli Roberts, James Fisher, Jackie Bartkiewicz, and Charlie Roberts.
Jason Ramezan, Jena Cartaginese, Jeffery Fredrick, Elaine Martin, and Ashley Beadle.
Networking at APSEC – Members of the LSU Alumni Association team spent three days in August sharing information and ideas with their peers at the annual meeting of Alumni Professionals of the Southeastern Conference (APSEC). Mississippi State University hosted the conference, which was attended by nearly 100 alumni professionals, including those from new SEC family members Texas A&M and the University of Missouri.
Tailgating with TAF – Members of the LSU Alumni Association enjoyed an added benefit this football season – free admission to the TAF Tailgate Party held in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center before home games. Guests are treated to free beverages, entertainment, and a special pregame performance by the Tiger Band and Golden Girls. Best of all, many say, is the air-conditioned venue! Photo by Bryan Fisher
Visiting Huskies – LSU alumnus Christopher Juneau and his wife, Suzanne Fletcher, of Seattle, Wash., dropped by The Cook Hotel on Sept. 8 to introduce friends and Huskies fans to football pregame LSU style. Photo by Johnny Gordon
Christopher Juneau (1984 BACH ENGR) and his wife, Suzanne Fletcher, front, with Dave Crossgrove, Dana Crossgrove, and Sharon Carter.
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Kent Anderson, seated center, with, from left, Christian Creed, Billy Haddad, Elton Kennedy, James Moore, Jr., Jerry Jones, Harry Liner, Scott Anderson, James Moore, III, J.B. Landry, George Campbell, Mark Anderson, Charlie Roberts, Ben Price, and Tex Kilpatrick.
Happy Birthday, Kent – Kent Anderson celebrated his eighty-sixth birthday with twelve of his closest friends at a luncheon hosted by James and Lynn Moore, II, at their home in Monroe, La. Anderson, a 1949 business graduate and avid LSU supporter, has served as president, president-elect, and treasurer of the LSU Alumni Association, is a founding member of the Ouachita Parish Alumni Chapter, and has served on the Board of Directors of the LSU Foundation. A generous donor to the Alumni Fund, the Yvonne and Kent Anderson Room in the Lod Cook Alumni Center is named for him and his wife, and the couple has a room in The Cook Hotel.
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LSU Alumni Association News
Snapshots TIGER SEMI – The Fighting Tigers take to the air for away games, but team equipment travels by Interstate in this high-profile mobile transport. Team driver Bobby Duke stopped by The Cook Hotel – the Tigers’ home-games home Nov. 1 to give alumni staffers a closer look at the big rig. Photo by Johnny Gordon
LSU Alumni Association Assistant Vice President Tracy Jones explains the benefits of the Enhanced Membership Rewards Program to a graduating senior.
Retired professional basketball player Stanley Roberts and LSU Alumni Association Executive Vice President Cliff Vannoy. The former Tiger player will graduate in December 2012.
A soon-to-be LSU alum poses for his graduation photo.
Graduation Fair – The first day of the two-day Graduation Fair in September was interrupted by a bomb threat and evacuation of the campus, but students arrived in great numbers the following day to take care of all their graduation needs – photographs, rings, diploma frames, and more – and to become the newest members of the LSU Alumni Association. Treating the graduating seniors to lunch were sponsors Coca-Cola, Jimmy John’s, Domino’s, and Chick-Fil-A. Photos by Larry Hubbard and Brandli Roberts
On the Road Again – Following
Javier Fernandez, Jerry Streva, and Carl Streva head to Jordan-Hare Stadium for the LSU vs. Auburn game.
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Three generations of Bourgeois family joined the Traveling Tigers for the Texas A& M game. From left, Lance and Ellen Reinhard Bourgeois and their children, Anna Katherine and Taylor Bourgeois; Mason and Cole Bourgeois with dad Brent; and mom Candy Bourgeois. Dad Ronnie stayed at the hotel in Houston to watch the game.
three weeks of games on the home turf, hundreds of LSU fans joined the Traveling Tigers as they boarded buses bound for Alabama to watch LSU take on Auburn on Sept. 22 and flew to Florida two weeks later to cheer on the Tigers as they faced the Florida Gators on Oct. 6. Before watching the gridiron action in Gainesville, the travelers took in the sights and sounds of Disney World in Orlando. On Oct. 20, nearly 300 Traveling Tigers trekked to College Station, Texas, for the contest with the Texas Aggies, the first at Kyle Field since 1995.
A Glimpse of Heaven – LSU Alumni Association and Cook Hotel staffers were treated to a special presentation by LSU alumnus Don Piper, whose book 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life details his death, his visit to heaven, and return to life. Piper told the audience about the car crash with a semi that left him dead for ninety minutes during which time he visited heaven while at the crash scene a passing minister prayed for him though he knew Piper was dead. Piper came back to life to face a long, painful recovery. Today, he shares his story, which he describes as “turning a test into testimony and a mess into a message” with audiences around the world. Piper was a guest at the hotel during his September speaking tour. In addition to the international best-seller 90 Minutes, Piper has written Daily Devotions and Heaven is Real; Lessons on Earthly Joy.
Cliff Vannoy, Roy King, Don Piper, Mary Clare Horgan, and Charlie Roberts.
Photo by Johnny Gordon
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LSU Alumni Association News
Snapshots Entertainment at the Lodge – Members of the LSU Men’s Chorus of the School of Music, led by John Petzet, performed a medley of tunes to delight guests during Saturday morning breakfast in the O’Neal Lodge of The Cook Hotel before the Towson game. Guests proudly stood and sang along as the group performed the National Anthem, followed by Hey, Fighting Tigers, the LSU Alma Mater, and Brothers, Sing On! Photo by Johnny Gordon
The LSU Men’s Chorus
Bengal Belles ‘2uneIn’ – The Bengal Belles were up bright and early on Oct. 5, joining 2uneIn host Whitney Vann at The Cook Hotel to promote the Belles’ membership drive push to put the organization over the 1,000 member mark for the second year and to promote the fall luncheon whose theme, “Think Pink,” supported breast and ovarian cancer awareness month as well as Know Your Pharmacists Month. Photo by Johnny Gordon
Annie Alleva, Sharon Pol, Aimeé Simon, and Whitney Vann.
Back by Popular Demand Now in Hardback
The LSU Alumni Association is proud to announce the sixth printing of the
Louisiana Tiger Bait
Selected Recipes from L.S.U. Alums... Available at the LSU Alumni Gift Shop located in the lobby of The Cook Hotel 225.383.0241 shop.lsualumni.org
20 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2012
Reserve books toyour Just in t day... for Chri ime stmas!
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LSU Alumni Association News
Linda Hardin Caston with a photo of her famous father, Slats Hardin.
At the Andonie Hardin Hurdlers – Former Olympian and NCAA champion Billy Hardin and his sister, Linda Hardin Caston, visited the Andonie Sports Museum on Sept. 1 before the North Texas football game. Hardin displayed the medals he won as a 400-meter hurdler during his presentation to alumni and friends at the museum, and Caston shared stories about their famous father, Slats Hardin. Hardin won the Olympic Gold medal Former Olympian and NCAA champion Billy Hardin. in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1936 Olympics at Berlin. It was not the only thing Slats won on the trip. On the voyage across the Atlantic, he was voted the Most Handsome Man on the U.S. Olympic team. Caston displays a picture of her dad with that trophy. Photos by Ray Dry
Bob Pettit Visits Andonie Museum – LSU basketball legend Bob Pettit entertained alumni and friends at the Andonie Sports Museum on the morning of the Washington football game on Sept. 8. Pettit and Ned Clark were key members of the 1953 Tigers, LSU’s first basketball team ever to make it to the Final Four. Pettit talked about his Ned Clark and Bob Pettit. basketball career at LSU and in the NBA, where he was voted one of the top fifty players in NBA history. LSU had two others to make that select group – Shaquille O’Neal and Pete Maravich. Only two NCAA schools had three representatives in the NBA’s Fifty Greatest Players – LSU and Houston. Kent Anderson and Box Pettit.
Photo by Johnny Gordon
Engster Entertains – Tiger Rag publisher Jim Engster treated LSU fans to his rendition of Tiger football history at the Andonie Sports Museum on the morning of the LSU-Idaho football game. Photo by Johnny Gordon
Jim Engster
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Baseball Coach Paul Mainieri and Gary Wooley.
Dale Brown and Johnny Butler.
Talking Baseball – Baseball Coach
Former Coach Visits – Former LSU
Paul Mainieri shared stories of his love of baseball, and LSU baseball in particular, with friends and fans for at the Andonie Sports Museum before the South Carolina game on Oct. 13.
basketball coach Dale Brown entertained Tiger fans at the Andonie Sports Museum on the Saturday morning of the Towson football game. Photo by Ray Dry
Photo by Ray Dry
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Boyd Professor The Pinnacle of Recognition By Brenda Macon | Photos by Jim Zietz
mong LSU’s many accomplished and highly respected faculty, the pinnacle of recognition is the Boyd Professorship. Established in 1953 and named for two brothers, David and Thomas Boyd, who were instrumental in setting Louisiana State University on a path toward acclaim, this professorship is unique in that it is conferred on the recipients for life. As of Spring 2012, nearly sixty years since it was created, only sixty-nine individuals have been named Boyd Professors. LSU faculty are some of the finest researchers, educators, and professionals in their fields. However, the Boyd Professors have set themselves apart, even among these elite academicians, through exceptional scholarship, service, and dedication to their fields, to the University, and to their students. Those selected to be Boyd Professors come from diverse backgrounds, fields, and academic settings. While many are natives of other states and other nations, several are native Louisianans – and some are LSU alumni. Boyd Professors have chosen to be at LSU, though they would be, and often have been, welcomed at even the most respected institutions in the world. As a tribute to these professors, veteran LSU Communications & University Relations photographer Jim Zietz approached R. F. “Bob” O’Connell, the informal leader of the Boyd Professors, and then-Chancellor Bud Davis in 1992 about creating and maintaining a gallery of portraits of the Baton Rouge campus Boyd Professors. Zietz’s idea was to photograph the current and future recipients of the professorship in their respective milieu, whether that was at a desk surrounded by books, like Lewis P. Simpson, who was a longtime editor of The Southern Review, or in front of the Mississippi River, as in the case of James Coleman, whose areas of expertise include deltaic sedimentation and riverine processes. For professors who were deceased, he proposed using the best possible portraits available. O’Connell and Davis agreed, and in April 1993 – the fortieth anniversary of the creation of the Boyd Professorship itself – the chancellor sent official letters to those faculty who would be photographed. The gallery opened in October 1994. Today, this touching and impressive collection of photographs fills a wall in one wing of Thomas Boyd Hall. From the very first Boyd Professors – Eric Voegelin, government; Philip West, chemistry; and T. Harry Williams, history, all appointed on June 1, 1953 – to the very latest to be appointed, all are represented. We have reproduced the entire gallery of photos of the Boyd professors on these pages. Also, to give our readers an idea of the breadth and depth of the scholarly pursuits, high energy, and productivity of the Boyd professors, five of these highly accomplished faculty members are profiled in this issue.
From left: Boyd Professors Dinos Constantanides, William Pryor, Isiah Warner, Thomas Klei, George Voyiadjis, William Cooper, Robert O’Connell, Meredith Blackwell, Jesse Walker, Mark Batzer, Gerald Kennedy, and Jimmie Lawson.
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Meredith
Blackwell Pathfinder for Life Having fun with your career can improve your odds for success, and it has the added advantage of drawing the interest of those around you. Generating that interest and excitement is especially beneficial if you are a teacher because your students learn better and are more likely to succeed themselves. Boyd Professor Meredith Blackwell’s career story is one of finding the right path for her interests and then delighting in the journey that path affords, a philosophy of life everyone can embrace, including her students. Blackwell, a faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences, is a mycologist – she studies fungi, which, at first blush, may not seem all that attractive. Still, she finds ways to entice students to look at her field, if for only a semester, through some provocative and often humorous means. For example, in a course description from 2006 that was taught by several Boyd Professors, Blackwell’s lecture was entitled “How to Eat Wood,” which was one of the most intriguing titles on the syllabus. Chances are, once those students are introduced to her field, they become hooked as well, especially if they love field work and research. Her own fascination with biology came about gradually, beginning inauspiciously as a way to extend her time at a favorite vacation spot. “I am an accidental mycologist,” she explained. “Just before my junior year in college, I went deep sea fishing. That sparked my decision to spend all my time on the beach. To do that, encouraged by my father, I had to drop my succession of previous majors (architecture, political science, history, English), and take twelve hours of biology to apply to the Ocean Springs lab where I eventually spent three summers to try to be a marine biologist so I could live on barrier islands and beaches studying fish.” She succeeded in that goal and received a master’s degree in ichthyology. After a few false starts, she got a job in a mycology lab and worked with an expert in that field who encouraged her to return to school for a Ph.D. in botany and, specifically, mycology. The field satisfies her love of mysteries and gives her opportunities to solve some of those questions, such as “How do slime molds survive in the desert?” and “Why do yeasts live
in the guts of beetles?” The latter of those, by the way, is the subject of her lecture on how to eat wood. The research Blackwell does includes culturing fungi, observing their microscopic features, and sequencing their DNA, but, she added, “We get our best ideas for research by observing fungi in their natural habitats, among all the organisms with which they interact.” She frequently includes her students in this field research. They go on month-long trips to such places as Panama, Guatemala, Thailand, and Australia, where they collect enough specimens to keep them busy for a year. Blackwell feels fortunate to be able to give students who get hooked on the research opportunities in her lab and to present their work at professional meetings, and several of those students have continued into graduate studies for their Ph.D.s or have gone on to medical school. Her success in research and teaching has also kept her work funded and allowed her to feel complete academic freedom during her more than 30 years on the faculty at LSU. Prior to being on the faculty, however, Blackwell already had a long history at the University. Her father was on the boxing team at LSU in the mid-1930s and remained a fan of all LSU athletics, so the family often attended football games on campus. Some of Blackwell’s earliest LSU memories are of being a student at LSU Lab School when she was in third and fourth grades. At the time, their classes were in Peabody Hall, and the children ate lunch in a dining room on the second floor of Foster Hall, above what is now the Natural Science Museum. “When we were finished eating,” she recalled, “we would get a running start and slide across the long room. After school we could roller skate in the arcade, which had the smoothest concrete imaginable.” The family moved to Lafayette, La., but her parents returned to Baton Rouge after she had left home when her father accepted a position to teach education at LSU. Blackwell herself returned to Baton Rouge and LSU in 1981. “After a bit of a late start in an academic career, I was happy to leave my first job to come to LSU where I could do more research,” she recollected. “After the official interview, I spent the night with my parents, who lived in Baton Rouge. The department had actually made the decision to hire me before I left town. But I left Baton Rouge early the next morning and, with delayed flights, arrived home about midnight to
Louisiana State University and A&M College Boyd Professors
Eric H. W. Voegelin Government 1953
Philip W. West Chemistry 1953
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T. Harry Williams History 1953
Walter C. Richardson History 1955
Rudolf Heberle Sociology 1955
George H. Lowery Jr. Zoology 1955
Meredith Blackwell
answer the phone. It was my father who gave me the good The threenews because the department part harmony could not find me to make of exceptional the offer – $18,000 a year without tenure. I had just service to received tenure at my other their fields, school a few days before the LSU interview and was already to the making the $18,000, but even University, with the salary cut and having and to their to start over for tenure I never considered not taking the students LSU job. It is a decision that epitomizes paid off many times.” Then, in September 1997, the spirit Blackwell was selected of the Boyd as a Boyd Professor. She was working in a year-long Professor. appointment as a program director with the National Science Foundation in Arlington, Va., and recalls being awakened by a phone call from Peter Rabideau, the dean of her college at the time, early on a Saturday morning. In keeping with her unique style, she celebrated by walking to a nearby pancake house and having a waffle. She also remembers how grateful she was for the honor – and for the salary bump it provided. As a single parent, she often struggled to make ends meet, and the appointment allowed her to feel financially secure for the first time in her life. That gratitude, along with her positive view of life and her delightful sense of humor, have certainly helped Meredith Blackwell along the path she has chosen. Beyond following her own path, however, she has shown others– her daughter, her students, and her colleagues – how to find their own way in the world with joy and brio.
J. Gerald Kennedy
Richard D. Anderson Mathematics 1959
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Richard J. Russell Geography & Anthropology 1962
Joseph M. Reynolds Physics 1962
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Henry Van Wagenen Howe Pasquale Porcelli Geology 1965 Mathematics 1965
Leo Dale Newsom Entomology 1966
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J. Gerald
Kennedy Putting his “Towering intellect” to words Whether he is researching his next book, appearing as an expert commentator in a documentary film, presenting a collaborative effort to the LSU Board of Supervisors, or preparing to lead students on a summer trip to Paris, Jerry Kennedy always comes off as calm, cool, and collected. While he juggles at least half a dozen projects at a time, he manages to keep his composure and wry sense of humor. The depth and variety of these projects would drive a lesser person to distraction, but in the hands of this highly productive and capable professor, everyone involved can rest assured that the end product will be one worthy of acclaim. Kennedy was named a Boyd Professor in March 2011. Prior to becoming one of the most recently appointed Boyds, he was the William A. Read Professor of English, a title that is among the highest designated positions at LSU. Beyond professorial titles, Kennedy has also been recognized with other honors. He has won two of the University’s highest awards for faculty: the LSU Foundation Distinguished Faculty Award (1993) and the LSU Distinguished Research Master Award (1999). Moreover, he was selected in April 2012 to receive the first-ever Southeastern Conference Faculty Achievement Award. Beyond the University, like all of the Boyd Professors, Kennedy has garnered national and international recognition in his field. As one of the world’s leading scholars of nineteenth and twentieth century literature, he has edited a number of works, such as The Life of Black Hawk (Penguin, 2008), The Portable Edgar Allan Poe (Penguin, 2006), and A Historical Guide to Edgar Allan Poe (Oxford UP, 2001). He has received several prestigious grants in support of work, most notably a Guggenheim Fellowship (of that honor, Kennedy remarked, “It was an out-of-body experience. It was better than winning the lottery!”). His latest book, Poe and the Remapping of Antebellum Print Culture, is just out from LSU Press. Others are currently in the works, including one that he has envisioned for years, Strange Nation: Cultural Conflict and U.S. Literary Nationalism, 1820-1850, through Oxford University Press. Upcoming edited works are the first three volumes of the multi-volume The Letters of Ernest
Hemingway, and volume five of The American Novel to 1870, with co-editor Leland S. Person, which is part of the twelve-volume Oxford History of the Novel in English. Kennedy has also appeared as an expert commentator in several films, including Paris: The Luminous Years, award-winning director Perry Miller Adato’s 2010 film that explores the city’s influential impact on art and culture from about 1890 to 1930. Yet another film project, The Murder of Edgar Allan Poe, is in pre-production for PBS. Just recently, yet another project has staked a claim on his time and expertise. Working with others at LSU and across the nation on an ambitious effort to digitize classic texts, Kennedy pitched the group’s ideas to the LSU Board of Supervisors in early September 2012. The end product of this effort will allow anyone with access to the Internet to read materials from a variety of formats, ranging from newspapers preserved from past centuries to classic American novels. In addition to his many professional projects, Kennedy is firmly committed to the University community, his department, and, above all, his students. He led the Department of English as its chair from 1995 to 1998 and is one of the most popular teachers in the college. The threepart harmony of exceptional service to his field, to the University, and to his students epitomizes the spirit of the Boyd Professorship.
R. F.
O’Connell
The Quiet Voice that Gets Attention Soft-spoken with a beguiling Irish lilt in his voice, R. F. “Bob” O’Connell would much prefer to concentrate on his research than to attend to the administrative side of academics, but he has a knack for getting people to follow him. Whether leading the Faculty Senate, as he has in the past, or organizing activities for the Boyd Professors, he manages to bring order to these faculty groups that are known for their independence. To play on a rather clichéd expression, he has a talent for herding cats. This talent may derive in part from the complexity of his chosen field: O’Connell’s research is in theoretical physics, and he works with both general relativity and quantum
Louisiana State University and A&M College Boyd Professors
Fred B. Kniffen Geography & Anthropology 1967
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Sean P. McGlynn Chemistry 1967
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Robert C. West Geography & Anthropology 1970
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William A. Pryor Chemistry 1972
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Waldo W. Braden Speech 1973
Mary L. Good (UNO) jz Chemistry 1974
R. F. O’Connell
Jesse Walker
Alvin L. Bertrand Rural Sociology 1974
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Joseph Callaway Physics 1976
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Harley Jesse Walker Geography & Anthropology 1977
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mechanics. His past As of spring work in general relativity has recently garnered 2012, nearly renewed attention, and sixty years he is currently busy both presenting elements of that since it was research and producing new created, only work that embraces frontier sixty-nine problems in quantum statistical mechanics and individuals electrodynamics. In turn, hold the his theoretical work in analyzing nano-systems title Boyd using quantum equations Professor. feeds into the larger scientific community, with applications in a number of fields and solutions to a variety of problems in physics as a whole. “My goal is to keep my research at a high level,” he explained. “And so far, that’s going well.” For several years, he has won funding from the National Science Foundation to continue his research, an extraordinary feat in and of itself, considering the tough competition for such awards. In addition to his NSF funding, the stipend he receives from his Boyd Professorship enables him to have flexibility in areas that are not budgeted in his larger federal grants. His success in winning research grants comes naturally after a lifetime of high academic achievement and professional experiences. O’Connell received his undergraduate degree from the National University of Ireland in 1953, when he also received the J. J. Larmor Prize in physics. He received a Ph.D. from Notre Dame in 1962 and a D.Sc. in 1975 from the National University of Ireland. Between receiving his degrees, he also worked four years as a telecommunications engineer, and
Arthur J. Riopelle Psychology 1977
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William H. Patrick Jr. Marine Sciences 1978
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jz James M. Coleman Marine Sciences/Coastal Studies Institute 1980
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afterward, he worked at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies and IBM (Ireland) before joining the faculty at LSU in 1964. Besides the recognition O’Connell has received nationally and internationally for his work, he has also received the Distinguished Research Master award from LSU (1975), and he has been a Boyd Professor since 1986. Throughout his career, O’Connell has maintained a high profile among his peers, serving as a visiting scientist at such prestigious institutions as Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Cambridge University, Oxford University, University of London, and University of Paris, Orsay. He also was invited to be a visiting scientist many times at the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies and the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics in Munich, Germany, and the University of Ulm, Germany. In addition to his work at these institutions, he has also served as a board member for the journal Physical Review A and is currently on the advisory panel for Journal of Physics A, having served in that capacity since 2006. He has also been a Fellow of the American Physical Society since 1969. While he relishes his many activities in theoretical physics, he recognizes that talent does not necessarily equal inclination in other areas. He served as the president of the LSU Faculty Senate in 1986, a role that convinced him that administration is not his calling. After nearly fifty years at LSU, however, he willingly uses his talent for organization to keep the Boyd Professors on track, serving as their de facto coordinator. His calm, quiet demeanor suits him well for the challenge of bringing together this group of exceptionally gifted, brilliant, and busy people.
Jesse
Walker Yankee Doodle Renaissance Man Born on the Fourth of July, Harley Jesse Walker, Boyd Professor Emeritus in the Department of Geography and Anthropology, has all the spark and verve that his birth date implies. A member of the LSU Alumni Association’s “21 Club,” an affectionate reference to the year he was born, Walker is still active in his field at age 91, though not quite as active as this Renaissance man has been in the past.
A native of Michigan, Walker grew up in Colorado and California. In 1942, while he was attending the University of California, Berkeley, he joined the Naval Flight Program in response to the beginning of World War I and became part of that university’s team of Flying Golden Bears I. He served with the U.S. Marine Corps as a transport pilot in the South Pacific between 1943 and 1945. He then returned to the university to complete his undergraduate and master’s studies and later came to LSU for his Ph.D. because he wanted to work with Richard Russell and Fred Kniffen. A quick tour of Walker’s office and lab in the Howe-RussellKniffen Geoscience Complex reveals a lifetime of academic pursuit. Binders filled with nearly 100,000 slides from research sites around the world and technical papers gleaned from that research line the walls of his office, and his lab contains shelves full of film cylinders, field notes, and reprints from his Arctic expeditions. A photo mosaic of the deltaic region in the Arctic where he conducted research for many years occupies prime real estate on the wall above his workstation. Long before climate change and melting ice at the top of the world were big news, Walker was documenting changes in the coastal geomorphology of the region. A founding editor of the journal Polar Geography and Geology, he continues to keep abreast of the latest research in the field. While the Arctic has staked its claim on much of his time in the profession, he has traveled extensively around the world, working in North and South America, Asia, and Europe to study, document, and promote coastal areas. Amidst all of his travel and research, he still found time during the 1960s to chair his department at LSU. While chair, the department tripled its faculty and quadrupled its budget. Only an enticing sabbatical as liaison scientist with the Office of Naval Research in London could lure him away temporarily, and in the late 1960s, he left for Europe with his family for fifteen months. When he returned to campus in late 1969, he encountered a bit of culture shock. “Before we left, women on campus all wore dresses, and alcohol was forbidden. After I got back, I walked across the street to the Union to get my haircut and was surprised to see young women wearing shorts and a sign on the outside wall of the Student Union that read ‘beer license applied for.’ What a difference just a few months can make!” His department at LSU was also home to some very special colleagues, particularly Fred Kniffen and Walker’s mentor Richard Russell. Another of Walker’s early influences at LSU
Louisiana State University and A&M College Boyd Professors
jz Lewis P. Simpson English Literature 1980
Shirley C. Tucker Botany 1982
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C. Dinos Constantinides jz Music 1986
Robert F. O’Connell Physics 1986
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Vance Bourjaily Creative Writing 1989
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William J. Cooper Jr. History 1989
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Isiah Warner
was Cecil “Pete” Taylor, who was dean of the College of Arts & Sciences in 1960 when Walker first arrived and who became chancellor in 1965. Some of Walker’s fondest memories of his early days at LSU are centered on his friendship with these men who helped shape his career. Despite having officially retired in 1983, Walker continues his research and is still producing both volunteered and invited papers based on his work and presenting lectures at conferences and universities worldwide. He also continues to receive professional honors. The International Geographical Union presented him with the Laureat d’honneur in 2004, and in 2008, he was the recipient of the Royal Geographical Society’s Patron’s Medal, one of the two most prestigious awards given by the society. This gold medal approved by the Queen of England has been awarded to such notables as Sir Edmund Hillary and Robert Peary, among others. Throughout his long life, Walker has maintained his curiosity about the world around him and continues to explore, record, and document whatever and wherever that curiosity takes him. Writer, photographer, researcher, teacher – he truly defines the modern Renaissance man and brings as much honor to the Boyd Professorship as it was intended to bring to him.
Isiah
Warner Mentorship for Life
Veteran University photographer Jim Zietz with Boyd Professor Robert “Bob” O’Connell (above) and then-Provost William Jenkins at the October 1994 opening reception for the Boyd Professor gallery in Thomas Boyd Hall.
Thomas R. Klei Parasitology 1992
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Charles W. Royster History 1992
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Robert A. Godke Animal Science 1995
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When Isiah Warner was growing up in rural Bunkie, La., he had some help from his teachers, friends, and family who served as mentors. Coming from a family in which no one around him had graduated from high school, let
George Z. Voyiadjis Civil & Environmental Engineering 1996
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Arthur G. Bedeian Management 1996
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Meredith Blackwell Biological Sciences/ Plant Pathology 1997
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alone college, he needed this mentoring. However, he primarily credits his mother, grandmother, father, and parish priest for their influence during his formative years. When he received his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Washington in 1977, he was determined to pay his own mentoring forward to others who needed encouragement and direction. During his time as a professor, that is exactly what he has done, and his altruistic vision has led to one of the most successful mentoring programs in the U.S. Warner always had an interest in science, even when he was very young. He relates that his first chemistry experiment – at age two years – taught him that tasting a chemical is not the best idea. Electricity in Bunkie was often unreliable, and Warner’s mother and grandmother kept kerosene lanterns in a cabinet for those times when the lights went out. Always observant, the young Isiah was fascinated by the lanterns, and one day pulled one out and tasted its contents. The experience nearly killed him but taught him respect for the materials with which he later came to work. It took ten years before his mother felt safe giving him the chemistry set that he often begged to have – and even then, she trusted him and his brother only if they used the set outside the house. That love for science continued in high school and made a distinct impression on his teachers. His school did not offer physics, a course Warner felt he needed to get into a good university. Therefore, his chemistry teacher, who also had a physics background, offered to teach the class if he could find four other people who wanted to take the course. Unfortunately, Warner’s classmates thought he was nuts to want more science, so he didn’t take physics until he was an undergraduate at Southern University. Also during his high school years, Warner met a family that would have a lasting impact on his life. He often visited the high school in Dequincy, La., where his future father-in-law was the principal and his future mother-in-law taught chemistry. They saw the potential in the teenager and took time to encourage him. Their daughter, Della Blount, became his greatest supporter, and Warner credits her for being his greatest mentor for life. The two have been married for forty-five years and have three grown sons who are professionals in their own right. Before Warner even arrived at Southern University as a freshman, his high school English teacher took an interest in him and recommended him for a summer institute in chemistry
at Southern, an experience that both set him on his career path and provided him with a template for helping students like himself. Today, Warner leads the LA-STEM (Louisiana Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Research Scholars Program that introduces twenty-five students each year to intensive study in their chosen fields. This program, which includes a summer bridge opportunity for incoming students, has been in place at LSU for nearly ten years and is funded by the National Science Foundation, the Louisiana Board of Regents, and LSU. With a 92 percent, six-year graduation rate – 93 percent among minority students – the program is one of the most successful of its kind in the nation. This program is in addition to Warner’s work as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) professor, a prestigious designation that allows him to collaborate with HHMI faculty across the U.S. to improve science education. As a member, he has the opportunity to recommend students for summer institutes at other universities, including MIT and Harvard. In both of these programs, students are conducting real research with their professors. “They aren’t just washing the glassware,” Warner quipped. Former students still keep in touch with Warner. “They’re like my children,” he explained. “Some of my students tell me I care as much about them as I do about the science. I guess that’s true.” His love for his students does propel and inform his work as vice chancellor for strategic initiatives, but Warner is also the consummate scientific researcher. His most recent work in nano-materials has several applications in medicine, and for his lifetime body of research in analytical chemistry, Warner was recently selected as the 2013 recipient of the American Chemical Society’s Award in Analytical Chemistry, a prestigious honor awarded by the world’s largest scientific society and one of the world’s leading sources of authoritative scientific information. Warner arrived at LSU in 1992 (“along with Hurricane Andrew,” he joked) and was appointed to his Boyd Professorship in 2000. His love for his students is palpable, and his commitment to education, science, and service is obvious. The honors, awards, and titles he has achieved pale, however, in comparison to the heart of this amazing mentor.
Louisiana State University and A&M College Boyd Professors
Jimmie D. Lawson Mathematics 1999
jz
Isiah Warner Chemistry 2000
32 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2012
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Harry H. Roberts Oceanography & Coastal Sciences/Coastal Studies Institute 2001
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Mark A. Batzer Biological Sciences 2008
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J.jzGerald Kennedy English 2011
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LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2012
33
Creating
Change
Realignment Creates
College of Human Sciences & Education
w r i t t e n By
Billy Gomila
Photos by
Eddy Perez & Jim Zietz
Change is a part of any college campus, and this summer a major one took place at LSU. On July 1, six University units realigned to create the new College of Human Sciences & Education. Through this reorganization of resources, LSU has created a highprofile college that will have a major impact on the quality of life of the citizens of Louisiana in the areas of social and human sciences.
“I’m very, very excited about bringing these schools into one college,” said John C. Painter (1976 MAST EDUC), a former school district superintendent in Alabama. “I feel bringing this mix of knowledge and expertise will help us deal with the complex problems facing our youth. It’s a great marriage.” The Department of Kinesiology; Department of Educational Theory, Policy and Practice; and LSU Laboratory School, which were housed in the former College of Education, along with the School of Social Work, School of Human Resource Education & Workforce Development, and the School of Library & Information Science, make up the new college. “These units have developed outstanding records in their own right in the areas of human development, physical and mental health, sports, social work, workplace learning and development, library and information science, and education,” said Laura Lindsay, dean of the college. “In this new configuration, they will be able to share resources and expertise to meet the demands of today’s rapidly changing environment. The opportunities to have an impact on improving the quality of life for Louisiana citizens are endless.”
Left photo: The new college offers eight undergraduate and eighteen graduate degree programs, enrolling more than 1,800 undergraduate and 1,000 graduate students. The University Laboratory School enrolls more than 1,300 K-12 students. Right photo: Faculty and staff in the School of Kinesiology value physical activity across the lifespan; social, cultural, and intellectual diversity; research to optimize quality of life; responsible and sustainable management of resources; and community engagement and collaboration.
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The opportunities to have an impact on improving the quality of life for Louisiana citizens are endless.
The shifting of resources among some of these units, such as the School of Social Work and Library & Information Science, has been discussed for more than a decade, and this realignment creates opportunities for collaboration and growth in many areas. “I think that drawing these related information systems together is a good thing,” said Mary Colmer Cothen (1951 BACH LIS, 1958 MAST EDUC), who worked at LSU Libraries for 35 years. “I was just delighted to hear that LSU is putting the School of Library & Information Science exactly where it needs to be.” The realignment will increase chances for the units to work together in areas such as interdisciplinary research, collaborative degree programs, and distance learning, as well as improve organization and increase productivity in areas such as grant and contract pursuit and donor support. “This college will provide more opportunities for students and better outcomes for the state of Louisiana,” said Eric Monday, vice chancellor for finance and administration and a Ph.D. student in the School of Human Resource Education & Workforce Development. “I’m very proud to be a graduate student in the new college, and the School of Human Resource Education & Workforce Development will be an integral part of the improved vision and clear focus of the College of Human Science & Education.” The decision to reconfigure these units came as the result of more than seventy meetings with deans, directors, department chairs, faculty, staff, and advisory board members. “I am thrilled that the schools have united and joined forces
36 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2012
with each other so they can combine resources – administrative or programs or by whatever means – so they can be even more effective,” said Margaret Womack Hart (1967 BACH H&SS, 1988 MSW), former director of the Baton Rouge Rape Crisis Center. “I think it’s all a great thing. Why not bring people to the table and create dialogue and exchange information? You strengthen education for everybody with that.” The College of Human Sciences & Education encompasses 287 staff and faculty, 93 graduate assistants, 1,808 undergraduate students, and 1,024 graduate students. It offers eight undergraduate and 18 graduate degree programs. In the past academic year, faculty in the six schools produced 249 refereed publications, nine books, and 42 book chapters. Twenty-three are journal editors, and 67 serve on editorial or review boards. Graduate students are closely involved in their research with 39 graduate student-refereed publications. The combined faculty gave 231 national and international presentations, plus 65 graduate student-refereed-presentations. Eight were recognized with national or international awards. “Clearly, it makes a difference when you put all these scholars together under one dean,” said Kathy Hill, who recently retired after 38 years as a faculty member in the School of Kinesiology. “There’s not only a cost-saving factor there. I think now as a unit we will be an even stronger, more viable part of the University. I’ve felt for many years that we were like a diamond in the rough.”
Billy Gomila is an editor in the LSU Office of Media Relations. ON THE WEB www.lsu.edu/chse
HS&E Up Close One of the top 100 schools in the nation as ranked by the U.S. News & World Report, the School of Education offers 13 degrees in a range of areas from PK-12 to higher education, special education, and counseling. According to the Board of Regents Value-Added 2011 Assessment Report, LSU teacher education graduates performed better than the average experienced teacher in mathematics, science, and social studies. The school features the Division of Curriculum & Instruction and the Division of Leadership, Counseling & Research. www.lsu.edu/education The School of Kinesiology offers programs that advance the understanding of physical activity, sport, and health to optimize the quality of life. Its degrees include bachelor’s degrees in athletic training, kinesiology, and sports administration, along with a master’s and a Ph.D. program. The school offers students training in cadaver-based anatomy courses and stellar internships with nationally renowned sports and business organizations. www.lsu.edu/kinesiology The School of Human Resource Education & Workforce Development, a former unit of the College of Agriculture, prepares professionals who train, educate, and lead people in developing human capital for the workplace at the local, state, national, and international levels. LSU is the only institution in the state and one of only 22 in the country offering comprehensive graduate work in workforce education. www.lsu.edu/shrewd
The School of Library & Information Science offers the only accredited Master of Library & Information Science degree program in Louisiana. Having introduced the first LSU degree to be offered entirely through distance courses, the school serves not only Louisiana but also the surrounding region by producing qualified individuals for positions of responsibility in public and private libraries, archives, and other information organizations that provide a variety of services to their communities and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in these fields. www.slis.lsu.edu The School of Social Work features a bachelor’s degree in child and family studies and a master’s degree and Ph.D. program in social work. It also includes the Office of Social Service Research & Development, a research unit that fosters healthy social systems by facilitating the development, implementation, and evaluation of social programs; conducting intervention research; and providing consultation and expertise to the University community and policy makers. www.socialwork.lsu.edu The LSU Laboratory School provides clinical teaching experiences for preand in-service teachers and represents the highest standards of effective instructional delivery and assessment. One of America’s top-performing public high schools as ranked by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, the school is the first International Baccalaureate Diploma Program in Louisiana. The Lab School has a 5-star Louisiana school accountability ranking and was recently given the highest rankings possible in all categories by AdvanceEd (formerly known as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools). www.uhigh.lsu.edu
Upcoming Events HS&E is accepting nominations for the following awards: Alumni Distinction, Philanthropist of the Year, and Distinguished Service on Behalf of the College. Deadline is Jan. 18, 2013. Visit www.lsu.edu/ chse or call Melissa Argrave at 225-578-6796. The School of Social Work is celebrating its 75th anniversary and is collecting photographs from its alumni, faculty, and friends. Digital photographs with a brief description (estimated date, names) may be e-mailed to MSW75@lsu.edu.
Left photo: The School of Education offers undergraduate and graduate programs in Curriculum and Instruction and in Educational Leadership, Research, and Counseling. The school’s mission is to prepare professional educational leaders and scholars knowledgeable in contemporary issues in education. Center photo: The fundamental goal of the School of Social Work is for each graduate to use the knowledge and skills they learn to contribute to their communities through the competent and compassionate practice of social work. Above: Peabody Hall, home to the new College of Human Sciences & Education.
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Noteworthy
Around
campus
Bradley E. Cantrell, associate professor and graduate coordinator in the Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture, has been named the school’s new director, replacing Van Cox, who has served as interim director for the past two years. Cantrell, who holds the Emerson Womack Design Professorship, joined the faculty in 2005. He received his bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Kentucky and his master’s degree from Harvard University.
Bradley E. Cantrell
Peter Haynes
W. David Constant
Nancy Rabalais
R. Eugene Turner
W. David Constant, the Humphreys T. Turner Professorship in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has been named head of the Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering, a joint position shared between the LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Engineering. Constant, who was most recently dean of the LSU Graduate School, has been on the LSU faculty since 1984 and also has served as associate dean and interim dean in the College of Engineering. Peter Haynes, dean of the of the School of Veterinary Medicine, received the Colorado State University (CSU) Alumni Association’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Distinguished Alumnus Award at the Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner in October. Haynes, who holds three degrees from CSU, has gained national recognition and prominence through service to four national veterinary medical organizations and is recognized as a leading educator and veterinary medical advocate in Louisiana. Nancy Rabalais, adjunct professor in the School of the Coast & Environment and director of LUMCON, or the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, has been awarded the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship, also known as the “Genius Grant.” MacArthur Fellowship recipients receive $500,000 in no-strings-attached support for five years. As a marine ecologist, Rabalais was selected for “documenting the environmental and economic consequences of hypoxic zones in the Gulf of Mexico and informing strategies for restoring the degraded waters of the Gulf and the Mississippi River basin.” R. Eugene Turner, Distinguished Research Master and Shell Endowed Chair in Oceanography and Wetlands Studies, received the Wetland Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ninth International Wetland Conference. He is a recipient of the National Wetland Award and, with Nancy Rabalais, of the 1999 Blasker Award for Science and Engineering for their work on the hypoxic area in the northern Gulf of Mexico. His most recent book project is Sustainability Science: The Emerging Paradigm and the Urban Environment.
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Annette Yancy, University’s Center for Advising and Counseling academic counselor and Summer Scholars coordinator, has been selected as the Outstanding Advising Award Winner from the National Academic Advising Association, as part of the 2012 Annual Awards Program for Academic Advising. This award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated qualities associated with outstanding academic advising of students or outstanding academic advising administration. For the fifth straight year, LSU has been recognized as one of the top universities in the country by U.S. News & World Report. The 2013 edition of “Best Colleges 2013” once again ranked LSU in the first tier for “Best National Universities” – 68th among public universities and tied at 134th with four other schools, two public – Colorado State University and University of Arkansas – and two private – DePaul University and Hofstra University (N.Y.).
Annette Yancy
The 2012 edition of Profiles of Engineering & Engineering Technology Colleges published by the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) placed the College of Engineering in the top 8 percent out of 348 schools in the country for number of degrees awarded. The college progressed to the top 8 percent nationally in both enrollment and degrees conferred. The E.J. Ourso College of Business undergraduate program jumped nine spots overall and seven spots among public institutions in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges 2013” rankings. U.S News & World Report ranked the college’s undergraduate program 42nd among public institutions and 72nd overall.
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Around Campus
In Focus Celebrating Forty Years – The Master of Public Administration Program celebrated forty years of excellence on Sept. 7 with a special luncheon that featured NCAA President and former Chancellor Mark Emmert. Additionally, Public Administration Institute Director Jim Richardson was recognized for his forty years of service to LSU. The luncheon was held in The Commons of the Business Education Complex with a near capacity crowd on hand. Photo provided by the Ourso College of Business
LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business Dean Dick White; Louisiana Lottery President/CEP and M.P.A. and alumna Rose Hudson, NCAA President Mark Emmert, LSU PAI Director Jim Richardson, former LSU Health Sciences Center Vice Chancellor and M.P.A. alumnus Ronnie Smith, Pennington Medical Foundation CFO and M.P.A. alumnus Bill Silvia, and Louisiana Board of Regents Chief of Staff and M.P.A. alumna Kim Hunter Reed.
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Around Campus
In Focus Fall Fest – Food, fun, freebies, and the sounds of music filled the Quadrangle and Exxon Quad on Sept. 14 as the annual LSU Fall Fest celebration welcomed more than 30,000 new and returning students, faculty, and staff to campus. The Tiger Band, along with the Golden Girls and cheerleaders, kicked off the festivities. This year, several members of the LSU athletics department, including head football coach Les Miles, graced the Fall Fest stage to fire up the crowd and encourage them to support their Tigers throughout the year. Photo by Jim Zietz
Crime Expert Speaks – East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore III spoke on operations Cease Fire and BRAVE at the LSU Faculty and Staff Retirees Club meeting Oct. 8 at the Lod Cook Alumni Center. Moore explained how the crime prevention programs have been successful nationwide and look promising in Baton Rouge. Photo by Mark Claesgens
Ken Tipton, Donna Day, Hillar Moore, Marion Territo, and Jerald Juneau.
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AT&T LSYOU Donation – On Sept. 19, LSU received a $300,000 donation from AT&T supporting the LSYOU program in the College of Human Sciences & Education. This money will be used to support a dropout prevention program for at-risk students utilizing strategies designed to cultivate academic achievement and workforce readiness. Photo by Jim Zietz
Kim Allen, public affairs director, AT&T; Rick Demint, regional director, AT&T Louisiana; College of Human Sciences & Education Dean Laura Lindsay; Sonia Perez, president, AT&T Louisiana; Interim Chancellor and LSU System President William Jenkins; Suzan Gaston, director of LSYOU and GEAR UP. and LSU Foundation Vice President Jeff McLain.
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Around Campus
In Focus
Jordan Favret, mechanical engineering undergraduate; Carlos Chavez, NSF Graduate Research Fellow in chemistry; College of Science Dean Kevin Carman; Gov. Bobby Jindal; Interim Chancellor and LSU System President William Jenkins; Provost Stuart Bell; Interim Vice Chancellor for Research & Economic Development Thomas Klei; College of Engineering Dean Richard Koubek; Chemistry Department Chair Luigi Marzilli.
Ribbon Cutting Celebration – The LSU Colleges of Science and Engineering celebrated the completion of the Chemistry and Materials Building during a ribboncutting celebration on Oct. 11. This facility expands the University’s research capacity in synthetic chemistry and provides critical infrastructure for interdisciplinary research in materials science and engineering. Photo by Eddy Perez
44 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2012
Hidden Treasure
Around Campus
Concealed Murals Uncovered in Allen Hall By Ben Wallace Photos by Morgan Searles
Hidden by layers of plain white paint for decades, Allen Hall’s best-kept secret is finally coming to light. Former University art student and Louisiana native Cheryl Elise Grenier, who has decades of experience restoring true fresco paintings in the heart of Italy’s Renaissance culture, uncovered a small portion of the shrouded treasure about ten years ago while running some tests as she worked to restore other Allen Hall murals. Finally, everyone is getting a peek at the previously veiled jewels.
The product of graduate art student Roy Henderson’s thesis in 1939, a pair of two-story fresco paintings drape the walls of the western stairwell in Allen Hall, with each painting’s subject matter mirroring that of the building’s former label. Colorful images of students distilling sugar, mixing chemicals, and staring out of the University’s astronomical observatory flank one wall, representing the sciences. The arts-heavy side shows student painting a nearly nude male, a rendering of an abstract sculpture, and figures of Henderson and his teacher, the University’s first art professor and renowned fresco painter Conrad Albrizio, painting a fresco within the fresco. “It’s a pun,” Grenier said matter-offactly. “That’s him literally producing graduates of the art school.” Albrizio has his back turned to the viewer, with his brush painting the faces of what looks to be multi-ethnic art students – an oddity in itself since the University did Conservation artist Cheryl Elise Grenier is restoring murals in Allen Hall. not admit its first black student until A.P. Tureaud in 1953, about fifteen years later. A thin waterfall flows from his brush down to a depiction of Henderson himself, which fades into silhouettes of people and a seemingly unfinished black and white painting near the bottom. But it’s all part of an elaborate tribute to Albrizio, Grenier said. Grenier earned two degrees from LSU – a bachelor’s in fine arts and a master’s in art history – but she didn’t want to grow up to teach art history. “She was always artistic, always drawing,” said her mother, Virginia Grenier, who speaks nine languages “Finally, everyone is getting and works at the University’s International Hospitality Foundation. “We always a peek at the previously encouraged anything she was interested in.” A specialist in fresco mural conservation, Grenier originally worked to uncover and veiled jewels in Allen Hall.” restore some of Allen Hall’s other murals in 2001. But in her research, she uncovered
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clues to other paintings around LSU. Some had vanished. But others, like Henderson’s stairwell thesis, had only been buried. It took ten years to gather funding for the project, which involved first tearing apart the wall-to-wall staircase before carefully exposing the seventy-year-old murals. “Fresco” means “fresh” in Italian, and the millennia-old technique involves painting directly onto wet plaster, so that the painting literally dries into the wall. Grenier uncovers, touches-up, and restores mostly century-old murals using uniquely blended chemicals to beautify the works without damaging them. Grenier lives in the rural town of Vinci, where Leonardo da Vinci was born. After moving to Italy, Grenier earned several additional degrees in the field of conservation and began working as a conservation specialist. Today, she owns her own company, which allows her to travel back and forth from Italy to Louisiana about once a year to restore homegrown art. But her passion lies in Italy, where she also teaches conservation and does some fresco painting of her own. “I really like that the young people bring enthusiasm with them,” Grenier said. “They even teach me.” She speaks fluent Italian and has permanent residency in the fresco capital of the world. “The art, the architecture, the food, and the wine of course, are superior to anything else,” she said. And although her family’s purple-and-gold connections run deep, her heart has melted into the rolling Tuscany hills, like a fresco into a wall.
Another view of the murals being restored.
Ben Wallace is a senior contributing writer for The Daily Reveille. His story originally was printed in The Daily Reveille on Wed., Sept. 5, 2012.
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LSU FOUNDATION Since 1960, the LSU Foundation has devoted its efforts
to adding a margin of excellence over and above state funding. The LSU Foundation fosters private financial support for LSU, the LSU AgCenter, the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center, and the LSU System Office. In January, the LSU Foundation began working on a strategic plan that will allow the organization to be even more intentional and effective in its efforts. This ambitious plan provides a formalized way of thinking both long- and short-term about ways to improve, and of helping to further unite the development team, support personnel, and campus partners who join the LSU Foundation in its daily efforts to bring private financial support to LSU. Also this year, the LSU Foundation welcomed four new members to its board of directors. Clarence Cazalot, Henson Moore, Sean Reilly, and Jeffrey Springmeyer are LSU Foundation Board of Directors longtime donors, successful business leaders and active community servants who bring valuable expertise and unique perspectives to the board. Every day, the LSU Foundation works with people who are passionate about LSU. Whether they are male or female, alumni or friends, just starting out or enjoying retirement, they are equally committed to making LSU better today and more prepared for tomorrow. They, more than any other aspect of the LSU Foundation’s work, motivate the organization to also be Laura L. Dauzat Gary L. Laborde G. Lee Griffin better today and more prepared for tomorrow.
Chairperson Marksville, La.
Chair-Elect New Orleans, La.
Mark K. Anderson Monroe, La.
J. Herbert Boydstun Baton Rouge, La.
J. Terrell Brown Baton Rouge, La.
Clarence P. Cazalot, Jr. Robert H. Crosby, III Houston, Texas New Orleans, La.
William T. Firesheets, II Baton Rouge, La.
T. Cass Gaiennie Shreveport, La.
Frank W. “Billy” Harrison, III Houston, Texas
Gene W. Lafitte Mandeville, La.
Charles A. Landry Baton Rouge, La.
Laura A. Leach Lake Charles, La.
David B. Means, III Mansfield, La.
W. Henson Moore, III Baton Rouge, La.
William B. Owens Alexandria, La.
James R. Peltier Thibodaux, La.
Sean E. Reilly Baton Rouge, La.
John F. Shackelford, III Jeffrey N. Springmeyer Bonita, La. Houston, Texas
Robert M. Stuart, Jr. Baton Rouge, La.
Sue Turner Baton Rouge, La.
Burton D. Weaver, Jr. Flora, La.
Felix R. Weill Baton Rouge, La.
J. Lanier Yeates Houston, Texas
48 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2012
President & CEO Baton Rouge, La.
Jane Cassidy
Focus on
Faculty
Roy and Margaret Gianelloni Alumni Professor of Music Education By Katherine McCrocklin
Jane Cassidy, Roy and Margaret Gianelloni Alumni Professor of Music Education has been teaching and doing research for twenty-five years. The Connecticut native earned her undergraduate degree in music education from the University of Hartford and a master’s degree in music education and a doctor of philosophy in music, both from Florida State University. Cassidy has been on the faculty since 1988, teaching, supervising graduate research, and maintaining an active research portfolio. Her research focuses on the musical development of infants and children, music education for children with special needs, music perception, and teaching and learning strategies, and she is recognized for her research with critically premature infants. In 2010 she added the administrative title and responsibilities of Vice Provost for Human Resources and Facilities Management to her résumé. Cassidy’s love of teaching and for research is evident as she talks about life, inspiration, and LSU with the LSU Alumni Magazine.
How do you balance your administrative duties with your teaching responsibilities? It is challenging, and I haven’t been teaching as many classes because I would rather do one job and do it really well than do a mediocre job at both. However, in the spring I will be teaching a night class.
What sparked interested in elementary education? How did you get into music? Jane Cassidy
I always wanted to be a teacher because I enjoy being with people, I enjoy learning myself, and helping guide that. I started out as a teacher in public schools in Connecticut and interestingly, there are four girls in my family, all of whom teach at different levels. I was a middle school band director and then moved up to high school where I worked with an elementary music teacher who had to leave, and I did her job as well as mine. After that, I wanted to switch. I loved it, kids learn the love of music, and it’s fundamental, like teaching reading.
What’s your favorite genre of music? Folk music, even though it’s unusual for a music faculty member to say that. Folk guitar music is very accessible for children, and I know a lot about it because I use it in the classroom. It is culturally rewarding, but I really enjoy all kinds.
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How did you get to LSU? When I was finishing my doctorate in 1988, I was hoping to get a job teaching at a university that emphasized research along with teaching. There was an opening at LSU for a faculty member with my area of expertise, and there was an internationally known scholar, Cornelia Yarbrough, chairing the music education area at the time. It was the best job open in the country that year, and I was very fortunate to have been hired!
What keeps you here? The top thing on my list, without question, would be the people I work with. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to work with so many people who are good at what they do. I felt that way when I was teaching in the College of Music & Dramatic Arts, and I still feel that way in the Office of Academic Affairs. I learn something new every day from someone I work with. A very close second is the students I have had the privilege of teaching. I have been a guest lecturer at many universities across the country, and there is a warmth, vitality, and community spirit among our students that I have not seen at any other place. I have to be honest and say I also love the weather here. I grew up in New England and although I miss my sisters who still live up there, I don’t miss the winters. The summers here are pretty brutal, but at least you don’t have to shovel heat and humidity!
What’s most rewarding about being a teacher? I had an interesting experience one semester, I was teaching a music class for prospective teachers and two weeks before class started, I received an e-mail from a disgruntled student about taking the class – she was deaf. I soon discovered ways to help the student learn, and she taught everyone sign language so we could all communicate. At graduation, an announcement was made in her honor – that she was deaf and got an A in a music class. I’m passionate about providing kids an opportunity to develop a love for music just like I did. I honestly learn more from my students than they do from me!
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? No one really knows about the baby study I worked on for ten years in NICU at Women’s Hospital. Another thing many people may not know is that I love college football and baseball. I actually spend a lot of time at baseball parks with my husband to watch our son, who is a senior pitcher for the Tulane baseball team. My husband also teaches at LSU. Katherine McCrocklin graduates in December 2012 with a degree in English.
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In the Family
Focus on
research
Blind Australian Fish Have Closest Relatives in Madagascar By Ashley Berthelot
Typically, blind cave fish are white in pigmentation. One of the newly discovered species is a novelty because it is fully and darkly pigmented.
“These eyeless fishes descended from a common ancestor before being separated by continental drift nearly 100 million years ago.”
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A team of researchers from the Museum of Natural Science (MNS) and the American Museum of Natural History has discovered that two groups of blind cave fishes on opposite sides of the Indian Ocean are each other’s closest relatives. Through comprehensive DNA analysis, the researchers determined that these eyeless fishes, one group from Madagascar and the other from similar subterranean habitats in Australia, descended from a common ancestor before being separated by continental drift nearly 100 million years ago. Their study, which appears in the journal PLOS ONE, also identifies new species that add to existing biological evidence for the existence of Gondwana, a prehistoric supercontinent that was part of Pangaea and contained all of today’s southern continents. “This is the first time that a taxonomically robust study has shown that blind cave vertebrates on either side of an ocean are each other’s closest relatives,” said Prosanta Chakrabarty, an assistant professor and curator of fishes at LSU MNS. “This is a great example of biology informing geology. Often, that’s how things work. These animals have no eyes and live in isolated freshwater caves, so it is highly unlikely they could have crossed oceans to inhabit new environments.” The cave fishes, of the genus Typhleotris in Madagascar and Milyeringa in Australia, are small – less than 100 millimeters long – and usually lack pigment, a substance that gives an organism its color and also provides protection from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. These characteristics, coupled with a lack of eyes and enhanced sensory capabilities, allow cave fishes to survive in complete darkness. For this reason, the fishes have very restricted distributions within isolated limestone caves. It’s also why the newfound genetic relationship between the trans-oceanic groups is an exciting geological find.
“The sister-group relationship between cave fishes from Madagascar and Australia is a remarkable example of Gondwanan vicariance – a geographical split dating back to the Late Cretaceous some 100 million years ago,” said John Sparks, a curator in the Division of Vertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History. “The interesting thing about Madagascar’s extant freshwater fish groups, with the exception of a single species, is that all exhibit relationship patterns that are in time with the Mesozoic breakup of Gondwana – some are related to groups in India/Sri Lanka, and others to groups in Australia. Only a single freshwater species has its closest relative in nearby Africa.” One of the new species discovered by the researchers, which will be named in a future publication, is a novelty among cave fishes because it is fully and darkly pigmented. The analysis the researchers conducted for this fish’s tree of life shows that it evolved from a pigment-free ancestor, indicating that some subterranean forms can “reverse” themselves for this characteristic. “It is generally thought that cave organisms are unable to evolve to live in other environments,” Sparks said. “Our results, and the fact that we have recently discovered new cave fish species in both Madagascar and Australia belonging to these genera, are intriguing from another perspective: they show that caves are not so-called ‘evolutionary dead ends.’” Funding for the research expedition was provided by the Constantine S. Niarchos Expedition Fund, established by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation to support the research of museum curators around the globe. This particular expedition turned into more of an adventure than the group was planning – in fact, one of the new species has been given a moniker that means “big sickness” in Malagasy because of the dangers the team incurred while searching for specimens in this dry, inhospitable region of Madagascar.
“Only two specimens of the new pigmented form were recovered from the first cave we searched in Madagascar, despite the fact that we spent hours in this sinkhole,” said Chakrabarty. “Even the locals hadn’t been inside of it before.” Because remote locales with caving opportunities exist all over the world, the researchers are eager to pursue other opportunities for discovery. “Conducting this research really developed my love for caving,” said Chakrabarty. “You don’t always find something exciting. But, when you consider how isolated many of these caves are, especially in places like Madagascar, and how unaffected they have been by the passage of time, you know that the fish in there are going to tell a really good story.” Ashley Berthelot is a research editor in the Office of Communications & University Relations and editor of LSU Research.
A team of researchers from LSU’s Museum of Natural Science the American Museum of Natural Science has discovered that two groups of blind cave fishes on opposite sides of the Indian Ocean are each other’s closest relatives.
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Men’s Basketball
Locker
ROOM
‘New’ Coach, New Plays, New Players
By Kent Lowe Photo by Steve Franz/LSU Sports Information
Head Coach Johnny Jones.
“The“new” head coach who is as familiar with the LSU men’s program as any new coach can be.”
The word “new” is being used a lot at LSU this year in reference to the LSU men’s basketball program. There is a “new” head coach who is as familiar with the LSU men’s program as any new coach can be. There is an expected “new” style of play that Coach Johnny Jones plans to put into play at LSU. And, while there are returning players who will adapt to a new system, the coaches have also brought in “new” players to help mold the foundation of a “new” time in men’s basketball at LSU. Johnny Jones, despite having been away from LSU for fifteen seasons, does not have to be reintroduced to the Purple and Gold. He knows the LSU program as both a player and coach, playing for very successful LSU teams in the early 1980s and then spending more than a decade on the bench as an assistant for Coach Dale Brown. Interviewed four years ago for the job, Vice-Chancellor and Director of Athletics Joe Alleva kept his eye on the personable native of DeRidder, La., and with the past three coaches making the same recommendation, made the decision that the LSU faithful also believed. The time was right to return Johnny Jones to Baton Rouge. Now he begins to lay his foundation on the program that starts this year and has already taken steps for the future with plenty of days spent with his staff on the road recruiting. Jones has says the up-tempo style of play is what he enjoys and it is a style he knows the LSU fans will enjoy as well. “…We’re going to make sure that we take good shots, and be under control, but we will play fast and we will do that with a passion. “On the other end, we will defend the rim. We will make sure that we are guarding people, making them play over the top of us and forcing them to shoot low percentage shots. We will rebound the ball and go off to the races. When it happens to go in, we’re off to the races as well. We will get after it, and it will be a style that my players enjoy playing, the fans will embrace because they enjoy watching it, and I can assure you that is the style of play and the way I enjoy coaching. That is what I embrace.” LSU returns three players who started a majority of the games last season – junior Andre Stringer and sophomores Anthony Hickey and Johnny O’Bryant III. All three can improve and have success in the style of play Coach Jones wants to go to at LSU. Also returning are seniors Eddie Ludwig and Andrew Del Piero and junior Jalen Courtney. Five newcomers join the Tigers – senior/graduate student Charles Carmouche, junior Shavon Coleman and freshman Corban Collins, Shane Hammink and Malik Morgan. “I understand what it means to be a part of that LSU family,” Jones says. “I am home. I can tell you there is no place like home. I can’t tell you how excited I am to be here.” Kent Lowe is senior associate sports information director for LSU Athletics.
54 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2012
One Mississippi By Bud Johnson
It was the most dramatic scoring drive in LSU football history. The scoreboard read: Ole Miss 16, LSU 10 Time remaining – :01 second. LSU had the ball at the Ole Miss 10, seventy yards from where the drive started. Bert Jones took the snap and threw the ball. The final horn sounded as Brad Davis ran to the flag, juggled the ball, and pulled it in with one hand for the tying touchdown. Rusty Jackson’s extra point made it 17-16, LSU. Never had so much action been crammed into one second. No scoring drive in the history of Tiger Stadium could match this heart-pounding journey. Jones had taken the Tigers eighty yards in thirteen plays in three minutes, two seconds. He needed only one time out for assistance. He converted two third downs and two fourth downs along the way. He had only one incompletion. Bert Jones had beaten Notre Dame on this turf the previous November. He would be selected to the All-America team at the completion of the 1972 season. He would become an All-Pro. But he would always be associated, in these parts, with the most dramatic scoring drive in LSU football history. And Brad Davis, an outstanding running back, would be remembered for a one-handed catch. The Andonie Sports Museum paid tribute to Bert Jones, Brad Davis, and the 1972 Tigers the week of the Ole Miss game Nov. 17.
Bert Jones’ pass and Brad Davis’ catch in the final second was the magic moment of LSU’s 17-16 win over Ole Miss in 1972, one of the great games in Tiger Stadium history. Jones led the Tigers on an 80-yard scoring drive with 3 minutes and two seconds remaining. Rusty Jackson’s extra point was the margin of victory.
Bud Johnson, director of the Andonie Sports Museum, is a former LSU Sports Information Director and author of The Perfect Season: LSU’s Magic Year – 1958.
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Tiger Athletic Foundation The Tiger Athletic Foundation moved forward with
several major projects in 2012, thanks to the support of its dedicated donors. The “Preservation of Tiger Stadium” project, which first started in 2010, consisted of the replacement of the exterior windows, new fencing, and restroom enhancements. The latest phase includes a refurbished plaza area on the west side, walkways, and an area for fans to learn about the history and traditions of LSU Athletics year round. The north side façade has been resurfaced, the North Stadium fencing replaced and decorative lighting installed. These enhancements will create an impressive entrance to historic Tiger Stadium. TAF is constructing premium (club seats and suites) and general public seating above the current south end zone bowl. The South End Zone Addition will debut two brand new HD corner scoreboards that will be among the best in the SEC. This project will be entirely privately funded through the Tiger Athletic Foundation. The revenue generated by this project will allow LSU Athletics to address some critical facility needs for the Olympic Sports. These tremendous improvements are proof positive of the impact that the Tiger Athletic Foundation, made up of our many loyal members, has on the well-being and future of LSU Athletics. These new construction projects will stand as a tribute to the vision for success shared by our donors. You can be proud that you are playing a vital role in shaping the future of our athletics program. GEAUX TIGERS!
R. G. Richard Major General, USMC (Ret.) President /CEO
Rick Perry Senior Vice President
Frank Miller Vice President/CFO
Ben Broussard Vice President of Development
Joe Carvalhido Vice President Operations & Services
Executive Committee Members
Board Members
James Maurin Covington, La. Chairman of the Board
Guy Campbell III Monroe, La.
Bruce A. Adams Morgan City, La.
Chris Miciotto, MD Shreveport, La.
Beth Tope Baton Rouge, La.
Markham R. McKnight
Roy O. Martin III Alexandria, La.
Woody D. Bilyeu Winnfield, La.
Scott Moran Mansfield, La.
Craig Webb Shreveport, La.
Richard F. Manship
Markham R. McKnight Baton Rouge, La. Immediate Past Chairman
Brian P. Cheramie Golden Meadow, La.
William W. “Billy” Rucks, IV Lafayette, La.
Charles S. Weems, III Alexandria, La.
Jake Netterville Baton Rouge, La.
Eric Edwards Monroe, La.
H. F. “Hank” Anderson Shreveport, La. Chairman of the Board-Elect E. Robert “Bobby” Theriot Houston, Texas Treasurer Tyron D. Picard Lafayette, La. Secretary Al Adams Morgan City, La.
Stacey Paretti Rase Covington, La. Robert M. Stuart, Jr. Baton Rouge, La.
Jerry D. Dumas, Sr. Baton Rouge, La.
G. Archer Frierson II Shreveport, La. Theresa M. Gallion Tampa, Fla. Dr. Eric T. Geist Monroe, La. Jamie Howard Lafayette, La. James Fleet Howell Shreveport, La. Patrick A. Juneau Lafayette, La.
56 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2012
Past Chairmen
Gordon L. “Gordy” Rush, III Baton Rouge, La. Todd Schexnayder Baton Rouge, La. Jerry Shea, Jr. New Iberia, La. Steven J. Sherman Baton Rouge, La. Eulis Simien, Jr. Baton Rouge, La. Aimee Simon Baton Rouge, La. Collis B. Temple III Baton Rouge, La.
E.R. “Bo” Campbell Donald B. Bohn, Jr. Richard M. Sturlese
Charles S. “Burney” Williams New Orleans, La.
Eddie N. Pullaro
Brian H. Woodard Ruston, La.
Richard F. Gill Deceased
Richard E. Zuschlag Lafayette, La.
Stanley Jacobs
Michael R. Mangham Deceased
David Landers William B. Hulsey Richard Lipsey
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Locker Room
By David Krueger, Herald Writer
Husky fan survives ‘Death Valley’ I thought the University of Washington Huskies legitimately had a shot to beat LSU. I really did. Well, I was wrong. I hate being wrong, but as anyone who knows me will tell you, it’s definitely not unfamiliar territory. I went to Baton Rouge with my friend Lance for the Huskies-Tigers game because, for some reason, we thought our presence there would guarantee a victory for our alma mater. Well, we were wrong. While the game didn’t go quite as well as we hoped, we still had an incredible time down south. We spent Friday night on Bourbon Street in New Orleans where we saw a slew of Husky fans, which got us pumped for the next day’s game. That’s really the only story from that evening that’s printable. The next day was game day. After a swim in the pool at the Baton Rouge Ramada Inn – which, by the way, we nicknamed “the Party Palace” because A) we had consumed a few alcoholic drinks, B) we earned naming rights because we were the only guests who used the pool – we suited up and headed to the stadium. We looked pretty intimidating with our Washington eye black stickers and our 2-year-old Dawg Pack shirts from back when we were in college. You know a surefire way to make yourself feel old? Use the phrase, “Back when we were in college.” Without giving too much away, we have a pregame ritual that, back when we were in college, almost always guaranteed football success. It involves singing a Disney song and dancing uncontrollably to a DJ Khaled song where he talks about his penchant for not losing. It started losing its magical powers at last year’s Alamo Bowl, but we just chalked that up to bad luck. We thought that was just a fluke. We knew we’d win this time. Wrong again. But we gave it a shot and headed to Tiger Stadium. We parked our car and walked through the beautiful LSU campus, where we were shocked by what we experienced. The LSU fans were nice. Like, ridiculously nice. So unbelievably
58 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2012
incredibly nice, it almost made us angry. We were walking by and a woman came up and asked us if we’d like some jambalaya. We had no idea what that was, but, well, I was hungry. My parents taught me not to talk to, or take candy from, strangers. For one brief moment I thought, “What if this is a diabolical plan to kidnap me?” Then, I took that first bite of jambalaya and immediately wished this woman would kidnap me and take me to a land where there’s nothing but jambalaya, Bud Light Platinum and Kate Upton. I have no idea what’s in jambalaya – besides heaven – but it was delicious. It was pretty much at that point I fell in love with Baton Rouge. And then I heard something that really blew my mind. Diana, my jambalaya angel, wasn’t even going to the football game. She and her friends had been tailgating for more than 24 hours, for a game they weren’t going to attend. And that was normal. I consider myself an incredibly loyal sports fan – I mean, I shelled out an ungodly sum of money for a game that, deep down, I probably knew was not going to well – but this is a whole different level. Death Valley, as Tiger Stadium is known, seats almost 93,000 people, and there were still fans sitting outside the stadium watching the game in high definition. I’ve spent the last week of my life trying to forget the actual football game, except for the first 10 seconds because those were 10 of the happiest seconds of my life. The next three hours got rough fast. My friend, who works for an oil company in the south because he was a genius and didn’t major in journalism at UW, learned from his boss that the $160 tickets we bought on Stubhub were “in the visiting team section. I think.” It’s good to know we’re not the only ones who were wrong. We walked up the stairs to row 35 of section 420 and looked down in horror as we realized we were right in the heart of the Tigers’ season-ticket holders. We were surrounded by purple and gold, but
not the good purple and gold. The evil purple and gold, with things like “Geaux Tigers” and “Honey Badger don’t care” written on them. Not surprisingly, the people in our section were friendly. Granted, if my team was winning by 38 points, we would’ve been pretty jovial, too. There was some good-natured teasing, but I got the feeling they respected us for coming down, and they just wanted to make sure we had a good time. Which we did. Even though my hunch about the game’s outcome – and the numerous bets I placed with friends based on that hunch – was wrong. After the game, in an attempt to forget the 41-3 drubbing, Lance and I went to Tigerland, LSU’s U-District. We went to a bar with a live band and lots of beverage options and proceeded to dance the night away. Louisianans saw our UW shirts and didn’t care. I was even taught how to
dance like they “do in the south” from an LSU fan who had me swinging her around in circles. The next morning we got up, checked out of the Party Palace and made one stop on the way out of town. That’s when it happened. I couldn’t help myself. I had to buy a “Geaux Tigers” shirt. I think I’m an LSU fan now, which is not the outcome I expected from this trip. I thought we’d win. I thought I’d hate Tigers fans. I figured they’d be like Oregon fans on steroids. Shock of all shocks, I was wrong. David Krueger covers high school sports for The Herald because, as this plainly shows, there’s no way he’s unbiased enough to cover UW football. If you have any thoughts on the column, or can teach him how to make jambalaya, he can be reached at dkrueger@heraldnet.com. Editor’s note: This article first appeared in The Daily Herald in Everett, Wash., on Sept. 15, 2012.
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Heaux! Heaux! Geaux Shop Online! For the best selection in LSU holiday ornaments and gifts, be sure to visit the Shelton Gift Shop online at shop.lsualumni.org. Here are a few of the many items we have for the Tiger Fan in your life. To make your purchases in person, stop by the gift shop located in the lobby of The Cook Hotel. 2.
Happy holidays & happy shopping!
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1. Tervis Tigerhead & Fleur de Lis Glass Tumblers, $53 2. Kids Nike LSU Jersey, $50 3. Maui Jims LSU Sunglasses, $179 4. First Christmas Ornament, $22 5. Purple LSU Fan Ornament, $22 6. Women’s Thomas Dean Plaid Shirt, $96 7. Purple LSU Tiger Ornament, $22 8. Team Effort Golf Bag Cooler, $250 9. Purple Eye of Tiger Ornament, $37 10. LSU Snowmen Wreath, $33 11. Men’s Nike Purple Coaches Pullover, $66 12. LSU Gameday Ornament, $22 13. Women’s Columbia Purple Plush
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Heaux! Heaux! shop.lsualumni.org 3848 West Lakeshore Drive 225.383.0241
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Fleece, $110 14. Wonderful Time of Year Ornament, $22 15. Purple LSU Robe, $50 16. Chestnut Microsuede Jacket, $107 17. LSU Graduation Ornament, $22 18. Men’s Purple LSU Vest, $68 19. Baton Rouge Bound Ornament, $22 20. LSU Purple Pattern Robe, $50 21. LSU Bear with Sweater, $26 22. Geaux Tigers Ornament, $22 23. Women’s Thomas Dean Gingham Shirt, $96 24. Just Married Tigers Ornament, $22 25. Women’s White Thomas Dean Shirt, $96 26. Tiger Bait Cookbook, $19.95
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Tiger
NATION
1940s
Robert H. Marshall (1943 BACH ENGR), of Houston, reports, “At 91, I am still in good health,” and briefly recaps for readers his noteworthy military and civilian careers. Commissioned in the Army Reserve in 1942, Marshall served on active duty in the European Theater in World War II and remained in the active reserve, retiring in 1981 at the rank of colonel. During this time, he graduated from six U.S. Army and U.S. Navy schools and taught at all of them. After the war, Marshall joined Ethyl Corp. and was active in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, serving over the years as regional and national president and on the national board of directors. He is member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, and the USO. Marshall and his late wife, the former Mary Edith “Edie” Hammond, who died in 2002, have four daughters and one son, as well as twenty-seven grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Degrees BACH Bachelor’s Degree MAST Master’s Degree PHD Doctorate DVM Doctor of Veterinary Medicine JD Juris Doctorate (LSU Law School) MD Medical Doctor (LSU School of Medicine) DDS Doctor of Dental Science (LSU School of Dentistry) Colleges/Schools AGR Agriculture A&D Art & Design H&SS Humanities & Social Sciences SCI Science BUS Business HS&E Human Sciences & Education ENGR Engineering M&DA Music & Dramatic Arts MCOM Mass Communication SCE School of the Coast & Environment SVM School of Veterinary Medicine SW Social Work
62 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2012
1950s
Jack A. Andonie (1958 BACH SCI, 1962 MD), of Metairie, La., received the Pope John Paul II Award at the Catholic Foundation’s annual dinner on Nov. 8 in New Orleans. The award is presented annually to a deserving layperson or permanent deacon who resides in the Archdiocese of New Orleans and who exhibits inspirational examples of Christian stewardship. Recipients must be Roman Catholic with outstanding records of volunteer service in the Catholic community, high moral character, and exemplary values. Andonie, a longtime member of the LSU Alumni Association National Board of Directors, will assume chairmanship of the board in January 2013. Herbert I. “Herb” Collier (1950 BACH ENGR, 1976 MBA), of Houston, retired director of LSU Operations & Maintenance (now Facility Services), left LSU thirty years ago to take a similar job at the University of Houston. He retired at age seventy then spent another five years in facilities position at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. Recently, at age eightyseven, he recorded some of his memories of LSU. He writes: “I was telling a friend about Mike getting out of his cage and roaming the campus. He encouraged me to put together some of the other experiences I had at LSU, so that is what I did in Tiger Tales.” To share memories, write Herb at herbcollier@att.net
1960s
Margaret “Meg” Causey, RSCJ (1969 BACH HS&E) has been named to the provincial council for the U.S. Province of the Society of the Sacred Heart for a second threeyear term. Previously, Causey worked in
administration and curriculum at the Academy of the Sacred Heart, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. She founded the Duchesne Center at Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y., and has taught ethics and theology. Causey has extensive experience with the Network of Sacred Heart Schools and was head of Oak Hill School in St. Louis for several years prior to entering the society. She holds a doctoral degree in theology from Marquette University; a master’s degree in theology from the Weston School of Theology; and a master’s degree in educational administration from Washington University, St. Louis.
1970s
Lee Butler (1978 BACH H&SS), a partner in the Houston office of Adams and Reese, has been named among the 2012 Texas Super Lawyers in the October issues of Texas Monthly magazine and Texas Super Lawyers magazine. Butler was recognized in the fields of business litigation and labor and employment law. Jan M. Hayden (1976 BACH H&SS, 1979 JD), a shareholder in the New Orleans office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, has been recognized as one of the New Orleans City Business “Women of the Year,” a list recognizing women who are standouts for their contributions to their career and community. Hayden is a member of the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation, serves on the Board of Directors for the Pro Bono Project of New Orleans and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana, and is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. She has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America® since 1993 and recognized as
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Tiger Nation
one of the top ten lawyers in Louisiana by Louisiana Super Lawyers since 2007. She is also listed in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Robert W. Nuzum (1974 BACH BUS, 1977 JD), an attorney in the New Orleans office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2013 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of litigation & controversy-tax and tax law. Kathleen Socolofsky (1979 BACH HS&E), director of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden was honored in October with an “Award of Distinction” from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Davis. The award is presented annually to those whose contributions and achievements enhance the college’s ability to provide cuttingedge research, top-notch education, and innovative outreach. Socolofsky was recognized as a “Friend of the College” for her role in transforming the campus landscape with innovative programs and broad-based support. Socolofsky joined UC Davis in 1998. Paul S. West (1977 BACH H&SS, 1980 JD, 2005 MBA), an attorney in the Baton Rouge office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2013 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of corporate law and gaming law.
1980s
Edward H. Arnold III (1983 BACH H&SS), an attorney in the New Orleans office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2013 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of bankruptcy and creditor/debtor rights/ insolvency and reorganization law, commercial transactions/law, equipment finance law, and litigation-bankruptcy. Adell Brown, Jr. (1984 PHD AGR) was appointed vice chancellor for research at the Southern University Agricultural Research & Extension Center in January 2012. He was previously vice chancellor for finance and administration at the Southern University Agricultural Center. Phyllis Cancienne (1985 BACH MCOM, 1989 JD), an attorney in the New Orleans office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, has been selected by her peers for inclusion in the 2013 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the area of employment law- management. Warner Delaune (1986 BACH ENGR, 1991 JD), an attorney in the New Orleans office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2013 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of technology law and trademark law.
Robert “Bobby” Fahey (1980 MBA) has joined B&K Bank as Baton Rouge market president. In banking for twentyfive years, Fahey has expertise in residential and commercial real estate lending and private banking and was most recently a vice president and private banking officer at Whitney Bank in Baton Rouge. Monica A. Frois (1987 BACH H&SS), an attorney in the New Orleans office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, has been selected by her peers for inclusion in the 2013 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of health care law, insurance law, and medical malpractice law-defendants. Susan Halsey (1980 BACH BUS, 1983 JD), an attorney in the Fort Worth, Texas, office of Jackson Walker was selected as one of the 2012 Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters. The list was published in the October issue of Texas Monthly magazine. John W. “Jay” Harbison, Jr. (1988 BACH BUS), of Houston, a veteran energy industry executive, has joined EDF Trading to lead a team that will build an oil logistics platform to operate alongside EDF’s existing gas, power, coal, and environmental products businesses. Harbison has more than twenty years experience in energy logistics. He was most recently senior vice president for lease acquisitions at TransMontaigne, a
Share Your News Share news of your new job or promotion, your wedding, honors, awards, new babies, and other
celebrations with fellow alumni. To submit an item and photos for publication, e-mail jackie@lsualumni.org or call 225-578-3370.
64 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2012
division of Morgan Stanley, and prior to that held a variety of senior assignments at Texon, TransCanada, and EOTT Energy. Patrick Hicks (1983 MAST AGR) joined FMC Environmental Solutions as technical sales manager for soil remediation. Located in Raleigh, N.C., Hicks is responsible for field sales management of FMC products and services in the southeastern market. He was previously senior consultant at Environmental Resources Management and also worked for Wavefront Technology Solutions, Inc., ZEBRA Environmental Corporation, and ATC Associations. He earned a bachelor’s degree in agronomy from McNeese State University and a doctoral
degree in soil microbiology and biochemistry from Iowa State University. He is an active member of the National Groundwater Association and has published more than a dozen papers on a variety of industry topics. Craig Juengling (1982 MBA), principal of Juengling & Associates, LLC, has been awarded his coaching certification by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), making him one of the 8,500 coaches worldwide to obtain this level of distinction. The ICF is the coaching profession’s accrediting authority, which sets the standards, ethics, and education requirements. Juengling brings more than two decades of executive-level leadership and experience to his profession, and is a
TO g n i l LSU Trave THE
recognized expert in mission-critical areas like employee engagement, change management, and building high performance teams. Juengling is on the faculty of the E.J. Ourso College of Business Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute. Visit www.theE2coach.com Thomas B. Plunkett III (1980 BACH H&SS, 1983 JD) was appointed as the chief deputy clerk of court for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans. A veteran of Operation Desert Shield/Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Plunkett recently retired at the rank of colonel from the U.S. Army after thirty years of service.
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For more information or to place your name on the list, please call 225-578-3838 and ask for Jason or Amanda
LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2012
65
Tiger Nation
Mike Strain (1983 DVM) began his second fouryear term as Louisiana’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry on Jan. 9, 2012. Strain served two terms as state representative and was twice named Legislator of the Year by the St. Tammany Parish Alliance for Good Government. In 2003, the School of Veterinary Medicine presented Strain its Distinguished Alumni Award, and he was inducted into the LSU Alumni Association Hall of Distinction in May 2010. Strain was named Conservationist of the Year in January 2012. He currently serves as president of the Southern United States Trade Association and the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture, and he is chair of the Animal and Plant Industries Committee of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.
66 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2012
1990s
Salim Ali (1992 MAST SCI) and Jitu Telang (1991 MAST SIC) are co-founders of LoYakk, a social platform that combines location and conversation for public venues anywhere in the world. The new technology was the gold medal winner and the “Most Usable App” award winner in the Race for Apps competition for the 2012 Olympics. Lo(cation) Yakk(ing) goes beyond friends and followers to connect people who are sharing the exact experience at the exact moment. Ali, chief executive officer, served as global vice president-marketing for SAP software, heading up its community and social marketing, and creating Social
Expert Finder. He also held senior positions at Symantec (Veritas) and Tibco and with startups Openvision, FusionOne and DoDots. Telang, chief technology officer, was senior analyst for CMT Asia with responsibilities covering high frequency trading platforms and developing/managing multi-milliondollar trading strategies. His background includes senior software development roles at IBM and Trilogy. Join the conversation at www.loyakk.com Paul Hollis (1994 BACH H&SS), of Mandeville, La., state representative for the 104th District, has won the Best U.S. Coin Book Award from the Numismatic Literary Guild. The book, American Numismatist, interweaves American history with the history of coins and currency. Hollis has given away a thousand copies to young
collectors across Louisiana and the nation and is in discussions with literary agents for a second edition printing in 2013. (See Tigers in Print, page 70) Rebecca Ruffin Leffler (1991 MAST BUS) and her husband, Bill, chaired the 6th Annual MDAALS Division Night of Hope Gala in Atlanta, last fall. The black tie event raised more than $540,000 to fund research for ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The couple chaired the event in memory of her father, Thomas F. Ruffin (1947 BACH ENGR) who died of the disease in 2009. Ruffin was a past president of the LSU Alumni Association, a former member of both the LSU Athletic Council and the LSU Honors College Development Committee, and author of the book, Under Stately Oaks, a Pictorial History of LSU. Nevada McPherson (1992 BACH H&SS, 1994 MAST H&SS), of New Orleans, has published a graphic novel, Uptowners (see page 71), and was invited to teach a graphic novel workshop at the Social Change Film Festival in New Orleans Nov. 28Dec. 2. She co-taught a screenwriting workshop at last year’s festival in Ubud, Bali. McPherson is now working on a second graphic novel based on her screenplay Piano Lessons, which won the Feature Screenwriting Competition at the 2010 Honolulu Film Festival (now Honolulu Film Awards) and was a past winner of the One-in-Ten Screenwriting Competition, which is dedicated to the “positive portrayal of gays and lesbians in
film.” Piano Lessons was also a selected project for the 2009 Squaw Valley Community of Writers Screenwriting Program in Squaw Valley, Calif. McPherson worked there on a script with screenwriter Tom Rickman (Coal Miner’s Daughter, Everybody’s All-American) as her mentor. Christopher G. Morris (1998 BACH H&SS), an attorney in the New Orleans office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2013 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the area of litigation-ERIS. Valerie Myers (1995 BACH H&SS), a nationally recognized scientist specializing in the behavioral factors affecting obesity, weight loss, and maintenance, has joined Klein Buendel, Inc., a research firm focusing on the development of targeted public health interventions. Prior to joining Klein Buendel, Myers, a licensed psychologist, served as an instructor and behavioral consultant at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center and as a clinical faculty instructor of psychology at LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans. She currently is a principal investigator on two obesity/ weight loss–related studies and a coinvestigator or investigator on nine other obesity-related studies. Myers received a doctorate in clinical psychology from Drexel University in 2003. She completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in 2005. Since 2008 she has served as the
board president of the Louisiana/ Mississippi Chapter of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association. Jason P. Soileau (1997 BACH A&D, 2002 BACH HS&E, 2010 MPA), formerly assistant director of planning, design, and construction at LSU, was named assistant vice president for the Office of University Planning at Virginia Tech. Soileau will provide leadership in matters of campus aesthetics and the preservation of Virginia Tech’s architectural heritage. He is a member of the Society of University and Campus Planners, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, and the Mid-South Transportation and Parking Association. Soileau served as the chair of LSU’s Campus Committee for Sustainability. He and his wife, Delin, have three children.
2000s
Maggie Bowles (2009 BACH A&D) has joined Visit Baton Rouge as projects and design specialist. Bowles was previously a contract photographer and editor for Sports Illustrated magazine and Time, Inc. While at LSU, she was a photographer for LSU Sports, The Advocate, and The Daily Reveille. Bowles is a member of Sports Shooter Academy, the LSU Alumni Association, and the University of Texas Journalism Association and volunteers for Mission of Mercy and Children’s Cup. She earned a master’s degree in communications and journalism from the University of Texas at Austin in May.
Where Are You? Who are you? Where are you? What are you doing? Tell us and share news of your new job or promotion, your wedding, honors, awards, new babies, and other celebrations with fellow alumni. Send your information, news items, and photos for publication to jackie@lsualumni.org or call 225-578-3370.
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Mary Leah Caillier Coco (2002 BACH H&SS, 2005 MAST HS&E, 2011 PHD HS&E), training events program manager for the Louisiana Transportation Research Center, is a national spokesperson for the American Heart Association “Go Red for Women” campaign. Visit www.goredforwomen.org Heather Herman (2000 BACH MCOM) has been named director of strategic partnerships in the College of Engineering. Herman was previously a program coordinator in the Manship School of Mass Communication’s Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs. Her community involvement includes service on the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition Board of Directors, Boys Hope Girls Hope Baton Rouge, and the Junior League of Baton Rouge. She is also a Baton Rouge Area Chamber Leadership Baton Rouge alumna. Bryan Jeansonne (BACH H&SS 2002) served as an alternate delegate to the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., in August. Jeansonne is a partner in the Baton Rouge office of Christensen Dore Jeansonne & Shahla law firm. Meg Kaul (2006 BACH MCOM), a film and entertainment attorney, has joined the Adams and Reese New Orleans office as an associate in the transactions practice group. Kaul has experience in motion picture, digital media, historical, and infrastructure tax credit transactions. She has been production counsel for motion pictures filmed in Louisiana and has structured motion picture financing
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arrangements. She served as production counsel for Hijacked, On the Seventh Day, and Father-Like Son; and acted as local counsel for Studio Lambert’s television series Rat Bastards, as well as National Geographic’s Hidden Worlds 3D. She handled co-financing arrangements on behalf of Swift Street Finance, LLC, for Hijacked, The Tomb, Empire State, and 2 Guns. Kaul is a member of the American Bar Association, Louisiana State Bar Association, and New Orleans Bar Association. She volunteers for A Child’s Wish. She received her J.D. at Loyola University, New Orleans, College of Law in 2010.
Ryan D. McConnell (2000 BACH H&SS), a partner in Baker & McKenzie’s Houston office, was named to the 2012 “Attorneys Who Matter” list by Ethisphere magazine. The annual list “represents the best individuals in a wide range of legal disciplines, from compliance specialists and in-house counsel to federal agencies, to the most accomplished ethics and compliance officers of major companies.” McConnell earned his J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis in 2003.
Benjamin LaBranche (2001 BACH BUS), of Baton Rouge, was sworn in as a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) Board of Directors at the board’s meeting in July. A criminal defense attorney at the Rozas and Rozas Law Firm, LLC, LaBranche previously served as an assistant public defender in East Baton Rouge Parish. He sits on NACDL’s Indigent Defense and Membership Committees and serves on the board’s Louisiana affiliate, the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (LACDL). He has been the president of the Baton Rouge Bar of Criminal Justice since 2008. LaBranche received his law degree from the Southern University Law Center.
Delores Morton (2001 BACH H&SS), of Atlanta, Ga., an AmeriCorps alumna and president of Points of Light’s Programs Division, was honored at the White House on Aug. 17 as one of twelve AmeriCorps alums who are “Champions of Change.” The honor recognizes extraordinary leaders who have leveraged their national service experience to become influential in their careers and leaders in their communities. Prior to joining Points of Light, Morton served as director of the Center for Nonprofit Resources at Volunteer Baton Rouge, executive director of the Louisiana Association for Community Economic Development, and the chair of the MidSouth Collaborative for Nonprofit Development. She began her career in the voluntary sector in 1995 as an AmeriCorps member in her home community of St. Mary Parish.
Mark LeBlanc (2008 BACH ENGR), of New Orleans, a member of the U.S. Paralympic Sailing Team, finished sixth overall in the sixteen-boat fleet in the One Person Keelboat event (2.4mR) in the regatta held in September in Weymouth, England. LeBlanc’s scores across the ten-race series included five top-five results. (See a profile on LeBlanc in the Summer 2012 issue of LSU Alumni Magazine, page 82.)
2010s
Jonathan Bayhi (2011 MAST BUS), an alumnus of the LSU Center for Internal Auditing, was named by the Institute of Internal Auditors Research Foundation as the 2012 Esther R. Sawyer Research Award winner. Bayhi received the award for his manuscript, “Internal Auditing and Its Stakeholders: Aligning
Perceptions, Achieving Potential.” As the first-place-award recipient, Bayhi attended the IIA International Conference with all expenses paid and received a $5,000 cash award. LSU was also presented with a $3,000 grant to be used for either its IIA-endorsed program or the purchase of materials related to internal auditing. Bayhi is employed by Protiviti in Houston. Ashley Lemoine (2012 MAST MCOM) has joined Zehnder Communications as public relations coordinator. Lemoine interned with Zehnder while working toward her degree and also holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication from Southeastern Louisiana University.
BABY
BENGALS
T.J. Gautre III (2002 BACH BUS) and Christy Gautre announce the birth of future Tigers Charlotte Ann Gautre, right, and Elise Renee Gautre, left, at 6:06 and 6:07 a.m. on March 29, 2012. Charlotte weighed in at 4 lbs. 13 oz., and Elise weighed in at 5 lbs. 4 oz. The Gautres reside in Metairie.
Stephanie Case Henagan (1998 BACH HS&E, 2000 MAST BUS, 2006 PHD BUS) and her husband, Barry, of Burnside, La., announce the birth of future Tiger Reid David Henagan on March 5, 2012. Reid weighed in at 7 lbs. 9 oz. and was 20 1/2 inches long . He was welcomed home by big sister Charlotte. Charles Sasser (1993 BACH H&SS) and Leigh Bonfanti (1997 BACH HS&E) welcomed daughter Charley Reagan Sasser on June 1, 2012 at 6:42 pm. Charley weighed 5 lbs. 9 ozs. And was 18 inches long. Her maternal grandparents are Wanda Hargroder (1972 BACH SCI, 1988 MAST HS&E, 2007 PHD HS&E) and Steve Bonfanti, both of Baton Rouge. Charley’s dad expects to earn his M.D. from the LSU Heath Sciences Center in May 2013.
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Tigers in Print Ronald J. Greer (1969 BACH BUS) If You Know Who You Are You Will Know What to Do: Living with Integrity (Abingdon Press) Drawing on his experience as a Christian, a minister, and a pastoral counselor, Ronald J. Greer explores the two sides of integrity: personal integrity and moral integrity. Personal integrity involves an integrated life, where we are in harmony with ourselves, while moral integrity reflects the idea of morality and ethics merged with the concept of wholeness. This volume offers a timely look at the important topic of integrity. What does integrity mean? What does it involve? How do we “do” integrity? Integrity is about who we are and how we live that out – when someone is watching and when there is not a soul in sight.
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Ronald J. Greer (1969 BACH BUS) Now That They Are Grown: Successfully Parenting Your Adult Children (Abingdon Press) How do parents nurture their adult children while encouraging their independence and maturity? Ronald J. Greer’s book helps parents gain balance by establishing new, loving relationships with their grown children based on mutual respect, support without intrusion, caring without enabling dependency, and appropriate boundaries. Transition into young adulthood begins a new chapter in a family’s life and dynamics. It’s important to get it right. Paul Hollis (1994 BACH H&SS) American Numismatist (PBH Publishing) Paul Hollis’s American Numismatist, winner of the 2012 Best U.S. Coin Book
Award from the Numismatic Literary Guild, blends American history with the history of coins and currency. The fully illustrated, easy-to-read book is an amazing mirror of the central events of the nation and offers a fresh perspective on history and rare coins that will appeal to both coin collectors and students of history and is a valuable contribution to the hobby of coin collecting. Van Mayhall, Jr. (attended 1964-1971, combined program, 1971 JD) Judas the Apostle (iUniverse) Dr. Clotile Lejeune, a wounded but resourceful expert on ancient languages in Seattle, has her quiet world shaken when she learns that her father, from whom she has been estranged for twenty-five years, has been murdered in her Louisiana hometown, leaving her a 2000-year-old oil jar inscribed with the name Judas Iscariot. With her soldier son, JE, Cloe goes back in time and place, seeking to unlock the mysteries of the jar, find her father’s killer, and dispel her personal demons. With the help of a mysterious cleric, she recovers from the jar the
earliest version of the Gospel of Judas Iscariot. But this is only the beginning. What remains for them to find could set the world’s religions ablaze. Across the globe, a billionaire arms merchant knows this – and that is exactly his goal. He leaves a trail of bodies in his wake in pursuit of the jar and its contents with Cloe, JE, and their helpers squarely in his crosshairs. From Baton Rouge to Jerusalem, the race for answers is on. Who exactly was Judas Iscariot? Did he betray Christ? What is the past reaching out to tell Cloe? Nevada McPherson (1992 BACH H&SS, 1994 MAST H&SS) Uptowners (Noisy Muse) Based on one of Nevada McPherson’s screenplays, the graphic novel Uptowners is about sixteen- year-old Ashley Dupre, who leaves her haphazard past in the bayou country to live with her rich cousin Zack in the Uptown area of New Orleans. Ashley thought moving to a new city meant she could leave all the drama of her childhood behind. When she meets Zack’s deceitful Aunt Dee, who’s plotting her nephew’s downfall to settle an old family score, Ashley finds that in New Orleans drama is always only a streetcar stop away, and, after a couple of unexpected twists, none involved will ever look at freezers or flowerbeds the same way again! Jane Singleton Paul (1976 BACH EDUC) Jazz Band (Éditions Talents Hauts) Jane Singleton Paul’s second children’s book is written in alternating chapters of French and English. The book is part of a bilingual collection called DUAL – readers begin the novel in
French, but to find out what happens in the next chapter, they switch to English, and then again to French . . . and so it goes until the last chapter. Jazz Band tells the story of Margot, a young classical pianist who is far from enthusiastic when she learns that her family is leaving Paris for New York. But she joins the jazz band in her new American school, meets a lively girl drummer, a handsome but silent double bassist, a famous French-American jazz pianist who lives in Manhattan, and a legendary jazzman who has more than one surprise up his sleeve. Peggy Sweeney-McDonald (1980 BACH HS&E) Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde . . . Life Stories about Food (Pelican Publishing) “No matter where I live and no matter what happens in my life, I always end up at Café Du Monde . . . taking life one beignet at a time.” Peggy SweeneyMcDonald’s Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde . . . Life Stories about Food is a humorous, heartfelt collection of personal stories that reflect culture, relationships, life stories, restaurant experiences, past love affairs, and more. The foodie monologues invoke your own special comfort foods, recalling tasty memories of life, love, family, and friends to warm your heart, feed your soul, and make you pause to savor the sweetness of life. Accompanied by candid photographs of the many people involved, from speakers to audience members, the book is a treasure trove of delightful and delicious memories for all.
Beth Taylor (1977 BACH MCOM) Bless Them Father, for They Have Sinned (bethtaylorbooks.com) Imagine a child experiencing something so traumatic that her brain forces her to forget the events for forty years. Taylor’s story is an honest, heartbreaking, and hopeful look at her journey to explore and overcome the sexual abuse she endured at the hands of the Catholic clergy. She writes from a journalist’s point of view, in factual tones, about her excruciating discovery, as she copes with repressed memories of sexual abuse that began in 1958, when she was a five-year-old student at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School in New Orleans. The sexual abuse scandal that rocked the Catholic Church no longer garners daily news headlines, but survivors still battle church leaders in an effort to obtain justice for themselves, and prevention for others. According to Taylor, they all continue to fight their internal demons and recover from the scars inflicted upon their souls. Linda Colquitt Taylor (1974 BACH EDUC, 1978 MAST EDUC) New Orleans Saints Alphabet Book (Tate Publishing) Who dat, who dat, who dat say they gonna beat them Saints? Taylor’s New Orleans Saints Alphabet Book will delight Saints fans young and old. Little ones will learn everything there is to love about the Saints from A to Z! Fans will treasure this book full of memories, from the fleur de lis to the Saintsations.
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In Memoriam Paul Arst, of Baton Rouge, passed away on Sept. 1, 2012. A 1942 graduate of LSU, Arst was commissioned and served in World War II until being wounded during the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded several medals including the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Arst was a top-producing Prudential insurance agent and a life and qualifying member of the Million Dollar Round Table. He was inducted into the LSU Alumni Hall of Distinction in 1994, served as president of the president of the LSU National Alumni Association and president of the College of Business Administration Alumni, and was inducted into Cadets of the Ole War Skule Hall of Honor in 2003. He received the Brotherhood and Sisterhood Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews in 1989. Arst and his wife, Ellen, established endowed LSU scholarships in the College of Business, College of Education (now the College of Human Sciences & Education), and the School of Social Welfare. In addition, he served on numerous boards for community organizations and served as president of Baton Rouge Rotary Club, Capital Area United Way, and Congregation B’nai Israel. H. Rouse Caffey, chancellor emeritus of the LSU AgCenter, died on Sept. 29, 2012. Caffey earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mississippi State University and his Ph.D. from LSU. Prior to his retirement from the AgCenter, he was chancellor of LSU at Alexandria, vice chancellor of the AgCenter, associate director of the LSU Agricultural Experiment Station, superintendent of the LSU Rice Experiment Station, Crowley, La., and the first rice research project leader, Delta Branch Experiment Station, Stoneville, Miss. He was active in worldwide international agricultural research and development. He was named the 1992 College of Agriculture Outstanding Alumnus, the 1994 Mississippi State Outstanding Alumnus, and the 1993 LSU Alumni Association Alumnus of the Year. The recipient of numerous national and international awards and honors, Caffey was selected as the 2008 Cenlanian and for his lifelong service to agriculture, and rice research in particular. In 2011 the LSU AgCenter designated a variety of rice named in his honor. James Huntington Odom, Sr., died on Oct. 9, 2012. Odom earned a bachelor’s degree from LSU in 1951 and a J.D. from LSU Law School in 1956. While at LSU Odom was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, vice-president of the student body, and president of Delta Kappa Epsilon, which named him its alumnus of the year in 2004. He participated in LSU Army ROTC and selected for membership in Scabbard and Blade. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant upon graduation, he served in the Korean War. After his discharge, he enrolled in law school where he was an associate editor of the Louisiana Law Review and chief justice of the Honor Court. In addition to full-time law practice in the firm Kennon, Odom and Dardenne, he devoted countless hours to religious, social, professional, civic, and community work. He was a member and officer of the Louisiana State Bar Association, treasurer of the Louisiana State Law Institute, served on the Burden Foundation Board of Trustees, was president of the Estate and Business Planning Council, was active in the Cerebral Palsy Association, United Givers, and Red Cross, and was a member of the City Club, Rotary Club, and Baton Rouge Assembly. A past president of the LSU Alumni Federation, he was named to the LSU Alumni Association Hall of Distinction in 1989.
Lawrence Berchman Fitzmorris Former Commandant of Cadets Sept. 17, 2012 Newnan, Ga.
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Allen M. Gomez Alumni-By-Choice Aug. 4, 2012 Baton Rouge, La.
Duncan W. Kinchen Associate Professor of Construction Management Aug. 26, 2012 Baton Rouge, La.
1930s Cyril Clayton “Bunk” Denny, 1938 BACH, Aug. 7, 2012, San Antonio, Texas Anita Elizabeth Dupuy, 1938 BACH, Aug. 2012, New Orleans, La. Lucille Perkins Leake, 1936 MAST, Sept. 10, 2012, St. Francisville, La. Marie Ellender Richard Miller, 1939 BACH, Sept. 15, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Jo Reeks Rogillio ‘Joie’ Porter, 1937 BACH, Aug. 12, 2012, Baton Rouge, La.
1940s George James “Jim” Bourg, 1949 BACH, Aug. 3, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Alice Elizabeth Lassiter Butler, 1941 BACH, Oct. 8, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. John Carson Copes III, 1947 BACH, Sept. 25, 3012, Baton Rouge, La. Anne Graves Norton Davidson, 1947 BACH, Aug. 15, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. James E. Eastwood, 1947 BACH, Sept. 8, 2012, Kingwood, Texas Garet McQueen “Jimmie” Guynn, 1947 BACH, Sept. 16, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Nelson Bateman Johnson, 1949 BACH, Aug. 15, 2012, Angie, La. Kenneth Lucian McCoy, 1948 BACH, Sept. 29, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Doris Elmez Holmes Miller, 1948 BACH, 1950 MAST, 1962 PHD, July 15, 2012, Lafayette, La. Clifford Lynn Mondart, Jr., 1948 BACH, 1953 MAST, Professor Emeritus of Agronomy, Sept. 20, 2012, Greenwell Springs, La. Carolyn Miller Mueller, 1947 BACH, July 22, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. William ‘Bill’ Oglesby, Jr., 1948 BACH, Sept. 5, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Jeanette Catherine Singleton, 1942 BACH, 1993 MAST, Aug. 31, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Anna Lee ‘Beb’ Champagne Switzer, 1940 BACH, Aug. 22, 2012, Baton Rouge, La.
1950s Evesta Brumfield Bell, 1956 MAST, Aug. 2, 2012, Shreveport, La. Sue Vignes Brown, 1953 BACH, Aug. 23, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Eloi “Sonny” Comeaux, Jr., 1955 MAST, Sept. 29, 2012, Scott, La. Frances Bolton Dumez, 1956 BACH, Aug. 14, 2012, Houma, La. Mary Lula Laslie Grodner, 1957 MAST, 1973 PHD, Sept. 5, 2012, Professor of Zoology and Specialist, LSU AgCenter, Baton Rouge, La. Carl Edward “Charlie” Kemmerly III, 1951 BACH, 1955 MD, Aug. 23, 2012, Metairie, La. Francis Patrick Hamilton ‘Pat’ LeBlanc, 1956 BACH, Aug. 4, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Clare Margaret D’Artois Leeper, 1953 BACH, July 21, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Pearl Gravois McIver, 1956 BACH, Sept. 28, 2010, Houston, Texas John C. Merrill, 1950 MAST, former director of the School of Journalism, Sept. 20, 2012, Birmingham, Ala. Billy H. Miller, 1954 BACH, Aug. 22, 2012, Brookhaven, Miss. Catherine Patricia “Pat” Millican, 1951 BACH, Oct. 3, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. W.O. “Pee Wee” Moss, 1950 BACH, 1961 MAST, Sept. 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Frances Bolton Dumez, 1956 BACH, Aug. 14, 2012, Houma, La. Lewis G. Nichols, 1954 MAST, July 21, 2012, Baton Rouge, La.
Boyce “Boo’”Nunnally, 1950 BACH, Aug. 11, 2012, Louisville, Ky. Patricia Ann Rosato Ritchey, 1956 BACH, Aug. 19, 2012, Point Clear, Ala. Francis Calmes Schaffer, 1951 BACH, Aug. 19, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Kenneth E. Uffman, 1950 BACH, Oct., 9, 2012, Baton Rouge, La.
1960s Ronald Joseph Allain, 1963 BACH, 1966 MAST, 1969 PHD, Oct. 4, 2012, Tuscaloosa, Ala. Jeanette Reiser Bilisoly, 1961 BACH, Oct. 13, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. A.N. Mike” Diodené, Jr., 1963 BACH, 1967 MD, July 18, 2012, Plaquemine, La. Kenneth G. Fink, Jr., 1960 JD, Sept. 19, 2012, Zwolle, La. Gary William Fortmayer, 1966 BACH, Sept. 26, 2012, Metairie, La. Francis G. Fournet, 1963 PHD, Sept. 23, 2012, Oxford, Miss. Glynn Edward Hadskey, Sr., 1962 BACH, 1964 MAST, Oct. 8, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Michael W. Kelly, 1965 BACH, July 20, 2012, Dagsboro, Del. Leon “Lonnie” Lastrapes III, 1965 BACH, 1968 MD, Aug. 9, 2012, Lafayette, La. Calvin Odell McKerley, 1962 MAST, July 24, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Billie Jean Mullins, 1967 BACH, 1969 MAST, Sept. 17, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Jimmie Lee Parker, 1963 BACH, Sept. 14, 2012, Shreveport, La. James W. Ryall, 1969 MAST, Sept. 9, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Charles Conrad Trascher III, 1969 BACH, 1973 JD, Sept. 20, 2012, Monroe, La. Robert Carter Wilkinson, Sr., 1966 BACH, Oct. 10, 2012, Port Allen, La.
1970s Kenneth L. Brown, 1971 BACH, 1979 MAST, Aug. 8, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Donald Charles DeVille, 1976 BACH, Aug. 25, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Derek Gordon, 1975 BACH, 1976 MAST, Sept. 10, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Raymond Leslie Houck, 1976 MAST, 1984 PHD, Aug. 24, 2012, Baton Rouge, La. Robert Bruce Law, 1974 BACH, Oct. 3, 2012, Sulphur, La. Scott Vincent Summers, 1972 BACH, Aug. 30, 2012, Houston, Texas. Kathleen T. Tangney, 1976 BACH, July 12, 2012, Houston, Texas.
1980s Jackie Lamar Benton, 1980 MAST, 1994 PHD, Sept. 16, 2012, Decatur, Ga. Michael McLane Nelson, 1989 BACH, Aug. 12, 2012, Indian Rocks Beach, Fla. John Huey Wilson, 1983 BACH, July 26, 2012, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Ginger Ruth Tillman, 1981 BACH, Sept. 1, 2012, Alexandria, La.
1990s Michael David Mouledoux, 1990 BACH, Sept. 21, 2012, Hammond, La. Christopher Pratt, 1994 BACH, 2000 MAST, Sept. 22, 2012, Argyle, Texas
2000s Christopher John Dimattia, 2001 BACH, July 22, 2012, Baton Rouge, La.
If you would like to make a gift to the LSU Alumni Association in memory of a family member, friend or classmate, please contact our office for additional information at 225-578-3838 or 1-888-746-4578.
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Profile
Tiger Nation
Building His Dreams
By Ben Wallace Photo by Collin Richie Photography
Jarvis Green
“The people here, the family, the alumni – I don’t think I would’ve been happy in any other state.”
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How does a nineteen-hour workday sound straight out of retirement? Or ever, for that matter? Despite bulging biceps, enormous legs, and a heart the size of a watermelon, figuratively, it’s his work ethic and mental fortitude that separate former LSU football standout Jarvis Green (2002 BACH ENGR) from most men. Playing nine NFL seasons, eight as a defensive lineman for the New England Patriots, Green worked six days a week, with Tuesday being his “off ” day. But he spent two years working up to seventeenhour days interning at a restaurant in Providence, R.I., and another two at the Rolls-Royce Naval Marine headquarters in Walpole, Md., instead of relaxing on the couch, resting a body punished daily by multiple workouts, wind sprints, and bone-crushing hits. The pain took a toll, with Green going as far as describing his brain as “mush” shortly after retirement. “My memory was all over the place,” he recalls. “I started picking up some books and started reading again and I’m like, ‘Man, if you don’t use it, you’re going to lose it.’” He promptly picked up the phone and called his buddy, former LSU cornerback Randall Gay, with whom he’d won two Super Bowls in New England. “I said Randall man, read something, pick up a book, it works.” With an improved memory, Green these days spends most of his time meeting clients as a business partner for ComNet Construction, which does commercial, residential, and industrial work throughout Louisiana. When he’s not doing that, he may be working on developing new business ideas or setting up fundraisers for his charity, the Jarvis Green Foundation, which helps out single, working mothers in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The man is a dreamer. “In January, I want to go back to LSU
and get my master’s in construction,” Green says, adding to his ever-growing list of life goals. Before ComNet, he worked as a managing partner of an investment company as well as a separate construction company while owning a restaurant and a liquor store (both since closed) during his NFL career. “I know a lot of players, and they play ball their whole career, and then [after retirement] they’re just lost,” Green says. “I’m just happy.” Jack Marucci’s job as LSU’s director of athletic training says part of his job is helping players grow and develop on and off the field as student-athletes – something he says Green didn’t need much guidance on. “We still use him as an example to our younger players for the path to go,” Marucci says. “He always kept his business sense about him, and obviously it’s paying off today.” Business aside, Green loves people, especially his wife, Kia, and their three children. Kia, a pastry chef at Ambrosia Bakery, says although he’s not home often, he spends as much time as possible with the kids. But with a tenth wedding anniversary around the corner, he may need to find some time for a honeymoon. “We got married, and it was during the season and then it was children and life and all that stuff, so maybe that’d be a good time to have a honeymoon,” Kia says. For a man who’s always on the run, whether it was chasing quarterbacks or, today, driving around Louisiana ironing out construction contracts, Green is just glad to be back in Louisiana – for good. “The people here, the family, the alumni – I don’t think I would’ve been happy in any other state,” Green says.
Ben Wallace is a senior in the Manship School of Mass Communication. ON THE WEB www.jarvisgreen.com
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Tiger Nation
Update Kyrgyzstan
Greetings Tiger Nation. As beautiful summer days become a distant memory from this dark and cold Kyrgyzstani winter, I wrap myself in the warm knowledge that though my time here is quickly coming to a close, I have indeed made a difference. My accomplishments here have been diverse: development of rural community radio stations throughout the country, summer camps developing students’ decision-making skills regarding healthy lifestyle choices, English clubs, and now the development of the first original news Internet radio broadcast from Central Asia. What else could I hope to accomplish in my last six months? Lots! Though I have been working on the business and sustainability model of the Internet radio broadcast at http://radio.kloop.kg, we still have to begin the actual broadcast. This should happen sometime in January. Once we begin our broadcast, we will have a lot of further development to do: writing new programs, scheduling in-studio programs, and developing the syndication pipeline of programs originating from the rural regions of Kyrgyzstan. In addition to the development work I am doing, I participate in many important cross-cultural activities. My favorite has been hosting dinner parties at my apartment so I can share Louisiana-style food with my Kyrgyz friends. Usually this means red beans and rice because the ingredients are available here and it is cheap and easy to cook for large groups. Spicy food is Judson and his Kyrgyz friends having fun at a cross-cultural dinner party not so common in Kyrgyzstan so I go easy on the spices, but I haven’t had anyone complain yet. As would be expected, the food has convinced a few people that Louisiana is a place they need to visit one day. Mission accomplished! I have six months of service remaining in the Peace Corps, and it seems that my options for continuing development work in the region are quite good. Which is exactly what I want to do. I am excited about these future opportunities but my focus now is to finish strong and not miss any steps in the homestretch. I also have some more travel to do in the area. I still need to visit some regions of Kyrgyzstan, and hopefully I can also make a visit to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. This is a beautiful part of the world and very far from home, so I hope to really experience as much of it as possible in my final months. The overwhelming support from Tiger Nation has been such a help to my making it through this wonderful but challenging time. The numerous messages and packages I have received from many of you have shown me how truly blessed I am to be a part of such a great group of people! A million thanks for all of that and special thanks to Erica Leigh Martin, Aeslya Fuqua, Alia Rezek and Jenny and Jason Marze (among others!) for the multitude of mail they have sent me! You may continue to follow my adventure at http://JudsonLMoore.com and @JudsonLMoore. Yours In Service & GEAUX TIGERS! Judson L Moore US Peace Corps 2011-13 Volunteer, Bishkek Kyrgyzstan
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Profile
Tiger Nation
It’s In the Brew
By Ben Wallace Photo by Larry Hubbard
Charles Caldwell, Tom Daigrepont, and William McGehee of Tin Roof Brewing Company.
“We want to make sure we take care of Louisiana first, before moving into neighboring states.”
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Take two childhood friends who grow up to be a lawyer and a banker. Throw in a Eurotrip and a pinch of Rocky Mountain inspiration. Add a heavy helping of creativity and faith, and out pops Tin Roof Brewing Company, Baton Rouge’s largest microbrewery. “A lot of my law friends think that we sit around and drink beer all day,” says cofounder William McGehee (2005 BACH BUS, 2009 JD). When asked if that was an accurate description of what they do, he responded somewhat jokingly with a chuckle, “Meh, sometimes.” He and co-founder Charles Caldwell, both originally from Natchez, Miss., had tossed around the idea of crafting their own beer for years before deciding the corporate world just wasn’t for them. They then dove head-first into the brewing industry, buying an old Sears warehouse about two miles north of campus off Nicholson Drive and fittingly – since Caldwell graduated from the University of Mississippi – rolling out their first kegs in November 2010 for the LSU-Ole Miss football game. “It was one of those chained-to-thedesk [feelings], needed some freedom, needed to do something else . . . we talked about it for so long that it was either we’re going to do it or we’re going to quit talking about it,” says Caldwell, who has slowly come around to wearing purple and gold, as long as there’s a Tin Roof logo involved. In fact, both he and McGehee hardly leave home wearing anything but Tin Roof apparel. “I wear a lot less red and blue,” Caldwell says reluctantly. “When your business lives and dies by LSU football, it does me a lot better when they’re kicking ass and taking names.” And luckily for them, as of late October, the fighting Tigers hadn’t lost a single home game since they began brewing. Tiger football games are even marked on their office calendar, along with business meetings and other important company events. Therefore, it only makes sense that game-day specials are in the
works, says marketing director and 2007 LSU alumnus John Peak. Holding what he describes as “a pretty cool job,” Peak spends the majority of his time meeting with clients across the state and spreading the Tin Roof buzz. So far, they have taps in at least 400 restaurants and cans in about as many gas stations and grocery stores, totaling somewhere between 800 and 1,000 locations from Shreveport to New Orleans. “We want to make sure we take care of Louisiana first,” says Peak, although he and his bosses hope to move into neighboring states like Texas and Mississippi sometime in the near future. But the word is spreading, and business has grown – from about 1,350 barrels in 2011 to probably about 4,000 this year, Peak says. The steady growth has allowed brewmaster Tom Daigrepont (1981 BACH H&SS) to experiment with seasonal beers like Watermelon Wheat this past summer, along with a coffee porter and a black double India pale ale called Rougarou, which should roll out in late 2012. But it’s the success of their flagship beers, Perfect Tin Amber Ale and the Voodoo Bengal Pale Ale, as well as the late-comer, Tin Roof Blonde Ale, that has allowed them to expand. For both McGehee and Caldwell, nothing feels as good as seeing a stranger walk up to a bar and order Tin Roof. One time, McGehee’s wife, Cammy, received a text message from a friend at a house party in South Carolina, telling her that someone had arrived with Tin Roof beer. Since it’s only available in Louisiana right now, the unknown fan must have packed it and brought it along the roughly thousand-mile road trip. “That was pretty awesome hearing that,” McGehee says.
Ben Wallace is a senior in the Manship School of Mass Communication. ON THE WEB www.tinroofbeer.com
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Supercomputer Named in Honor of LSU Graduate
By Susie Breaux McShea Photo by Jim Nelson
Harold J. Breaux (1960 BACH SCI) claims a rare distinction – a supercomputer named in his honor at the Department of Defense (DoD) Supercomputing Resource Center.
“Harold” was dedicated in June 2010 at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) at Aberdeen Proving Ground, where Breaux spent his 50-year career. The ceremony honored Breaux for his leadership as a mathematician and champion of technological advancements for research and high-level computations. The “Harold” is one of three new supercomputers facilitating peak processing capability for physics-based research at ARL and across the DoD. The “Harold” and its counterparts are used by research universities and U.S. government entities to solve problems and advance scientific knowledge across the country. A physics major and LSU ROTC graduate at LSU, Breaux, began his career as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army stationed in Aberdeen, Md., in 1962. He remained at the Army’s Ballistic Research Laboratory (BRL) as a civilian, where he distinguished himself as a research mathematician focused on analysis, computer modeling and simulation of ballistics. Key projects targeted laser propagation and helicopter firing capabilities. He later served as chief of the High Performance Computing Division, where he pioneered efforts to acquire and utilize supercomputers for the Army, ARL, and DoD. Through his efforts, ARL was designated as one of the first locations in the nation for a Defense Supercomputing Resource Center. The DoD honored Breaux in 2005 with a “HERO” award for his contributions to the High Performance Computing Modernization Program. Other career honors include the Army Research and Development Achievement Award, Superior Civilian Service Award, and Meritorious Civilian Service Award. He was named a BRL Fellow, LABCOM Fellow, and ARL Fellow. In 1987, he received the BRL Robert H. Kent Award for “a career of diverse Harold J. Breaux and “Harold.” and profound contributions to the science of ballistics.” Breaux retired from the U.S. government in 1996 but continued to serve ARL as a consultant until December of 2011. Breaux’s ties to his native Louisiana – he is a native of Raceland, La. – and to his alma “The “Harold” supercomputer mater have remained strong, and not only as a fan of Tigers football. continues Breaux’s An interest in Acadian genealogy has inspired him to explore connections of his professional legacy.” Breaux and LeBlanc extended families as well as the history of his forebears’ travails in the mid-1700s. Breaux’s life story to date in his adopted hometown of Aberdeen will soon join the local annuls. Recently named a “Harford Living Treasure” by the Harford County Cultural Arts Board, Breaux has been asked to record his own oral history as part of the county’s archives chronicling the lives of prominent citizens. Breaux and his wife Priscilla, who celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary in August, raised three children – Mary Breaux Toler, Susie Breaux McShea, and Mark Breaux. The couple has five grandchildren. Now officially retired, Harold Breaux’s research has switched to unofficial computations on complex national economic issues like Social Security, along with his genealogy. Nearby, the “Harold” supercomputer continues his professional legacy. Susie Breaux McShea is a freelance writer in Baltimore and an affiliate instructor in communication at Loyola University Maryland.
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Profile
Healing War’s Internal Wounds
By Emily Herrington
Rachel Sherburn Johnson isn’t your typical LSU homecoming queen. From a self-proclaimed ROTC dork to an Air Force captain to a Christian missionary, Johnson doesn’t quite fit the mold. Johnson (2004 BACH MCOM) combines her two life passions in her work: faith and the military. She currently works in Virginia as a full-time missionary for the nonprofit Rachel Sherburn Johnson organization Military Ministry. The former homecoming queen and sorority girl grew up honoring the Catholic faith and with strong family ties to the military. From this perspective, her future path seemed nothing but natural. During her time in the military, Johnson deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, where she experienced the pains of war firsthand. “I didn’t know how bad it was,” she says. She observed violence and pain. She saw depression and new people who committed suicide. She watched soldiers cope with night terrors and crumbling marriages. “How do people do this without faith in God?” she found herself constantly wondering. This thought led to her desire to share the word of God and apply its healing power to soldiers’ wounds. Johnson says her time in the military left her with a sense of gratitude and appreciation for the United States that she never wants to lose. She left the Air Force after learning about Military Ministry and feeling drawn to offer her public affairs expertise. The 50-year-old organization didn’t have a public relations specialist, and Johnson, who was a PR major at LSU and Air Force public affairs official, knew she was the woman for the job. At Military Ministry, Johnson serves on the development team, connecting with troops and families, offering spiritual support, providing resources, and helping to secure funding for the organization. She works to help heal the internal wounds of war — “wounds you don’t see but are just as painful.” She called becoming a missionary “a step of faith,” as she earns no income — all of her financial support comes from donors. The uncertainty may seem frightening to most, but Johnson felt the undertaking was a call from God, and “if God has called me here, he will take care of me,” she says.
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ON THE WEB www.militaryministry.org.
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Following His Curiosity
By Kelly Hotard
The night of Aug. 5, Baton Rouge residents gathered around televisions, computers, and projectors at watch parties throughout the city, proclaiming “Touchdown!” This activity sounds like a typical fall weekend here, but on the screens, where one might have expected a 200-pound football player, was a one-ton rover vehicle, and the setting was not Death Valley, but rather the Gale Crater on Mars.
The landing of NASA’s Curiosity rover on one of Earth’s closest neighbors captivated people worldwide, but this historical achievement held special significance for the LSU community – alumnus and Baton Rouge native Keith Comeaux (1989 BACH ENGR) served as test conductor, team chief, and flight director for Curiosity’s launch, eightmonth flight, and landing on the Red Planet. Comeaux, currently residing in Redondo Beach, Calif., says he has always had a knack for math and science and an interest in airplanes and flight. He graduated from Catholic High School with a full scholarship to LSU, where he earned degrees in mechanical engineering and physics. In 2006 Comeaux was contacted by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, or JPL, where concepts and studies for the new Mars rover mission were under way. He was hired to coordinate the craft’s entry, descent, and landing on Mars. Scientists believe Keith Comeaux, flight director of NASA’s Curiosity. Mars was once warm and wet. “If that was the case,” Comeaux explains, “why is it so cold and dry now? The chemistry labs inside Curiosity can investigate that.” By piecing together collected data, scientists hope to answer vital questions about Mars’ past, present, and future: Could conditions on the planet have sustained life at some point? What about now or in the years ahead? If Curiosity does find evidence that Mars could support life, Comeaux says NASA could send manned missions to the planet as soon as 2035. Curiosity’s mission is projected to last at least two years. “We had done many simulations for Curiosity’s landing – and not one went so well as the actual landing,” says Comeaux. “We were so conditioned to expect a glitch, but it was absolutely flawless.” Comeaux appreciates the strong, well-rounded education he received at LSU. “I got exposed to all those different engineering disciplines that have helped me throughout my career,” he says. “The senior design project for mechanical engineering majors at LSU has proved especially valuable to me. In my work now, we have to design and build everything as a team, and these are skills I learned through that senior project.” Comeaux offers this advice to students: “Follow your curiosity – pun not intended. Find your interest and talent and pursue it. I didn’t plan to work on anything like this when I was in school – this kind of work was just unheard of at the time. But I followed my interest, and it paid off. I was in the right place at the right time, but I was also well-prepared.” Kelly Hotard is a senior in the Manship School of Mass Communication and an intern in the Office of Communications & University Relations.
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Tigers Around the World Thailand “Mike” – Atlanta magazine correspondent Sarah Clayton shares this photo of fellow alum Larry Stuber (1966 BACH ENGR), of Savannah, Ga., and a Bengal tiger taken while Stuber was vacationing in Bangkok, Thailand. “Larry got the Georgia LSU tag #5,” writes Clayton. “I would rather have the tiger, but can’t afford to feed him.”
Larry Stuber in Bangkok
Dockside Inn – Dreams of a sweet Southern belle is what brought John Tiernan (2000 BACH H&SS) to LSU, but it was the je nais se qua of Baton Rouge and the Tigers that kept him there – four years just wasn’t enough. Tiernan, a native of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., is now the owner and operator of the Dockside Inn, a twenty-one room chic boutique hotel on his beloved island. The notable spirit of LSU pervades the property – all flowers must be either purple or gold, all marketing material boasts a ‘GEAUX TIGERS,’ and an LSU flag flies high and proud at the peak of the building. The correlation between LSU and Martha’s Vineyard, to most, seems odd, but for John Tiernan, there is no other way. “I’m the only kid ever from Martha’s Vineyard to attend LSU, and with any hope, through my marketing efforts and obvious love of the school, I won’t be the last.” Vineyarders see celebrities daily but nothing puts a smile on John’s face more than seeing an LSU grad walk by – not even Bill Murray, President Obama, Jay-Z or Adam Sandler. GEAUX TIGERS! John Tiernan holding son Griffin and a treasured LSU flag.
Share your photos of “LSU sightings” across the country and around the world. Send to jackie@lsualumni.org.
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84 LSU Alumni Magazine | Winter 2012
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