Southeastern Magazine: Spring 2019

SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE SPRING

LIONS OF TANZANIA

A new alumni-led safari business is creating impactful experiences for travelers while enriching Tanzania.

CREEPY CRAWLY SCIENCE

New research is increasing our understanding of ants and could help save amphibians from extinction.

SAVING OUR SWAMP

Current groundwater salinity studies are contributing to the restoration of our wetlands.

2019

16 29 39

SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY SPRING

201 9

MAGAZ I N E P RESI D EN T

Dr. John L. Crain PROVOST & VI C E P R E S I D E NT F O R AC AD E M I C A F FA I RS

Dr. Tena L. Golding V ICE PRE S I D E N T F O R AD MI N I S TR ATI ON & F I N A N C E

Sam Domiano V ICE PR E S I D E N T F O R U N I VE R S I TY ADVA N C EM EN T

Wendy Lauderdale, CFRE

See Yourself?, pg. 48

VI C E P R E S I D E N T F O R S TU D EN T A F FA I RS

Dr. Eric Summers E XECUTIV E DIREC TO R , P U BLI C & G OVE R NME N TA L A F FA I RS

Erin Moore Cowser S E N I O R D I R EC TO R , U N I VE R S I TY M A RKET I N G

Mike Rivault MARKETING CO O R D I N ATO R , P U BLI C ATI O N M A N AGER

Sheri Gibson P H OTO GRA P H Y

Randy Bergeron

Letters: Southeastern Magazine welcomes letters of 300 or fewer words. Letters may be used for publication unless the author states that it is not to be published. Letters may be edited for publication. Send submissions to Editor, Southeastern Magazine, Office of University Advancement, SLU 10293, Hammond, LA 70402 or sheri.gibson@southeastern.edu.

Printing and distribution for the Southeastern Magazine provided by the Southeastern Foundation — southeasternfoundation.org.

CO N T RI B U TO RS

Kemmler Chapple, Tonya Lowentritt, Amber Narro, Ashley Richardson

COV ER P H OTO : A curious lion cub in Tanzania peeks at travelers on safari, as a new Southeastern alumni-led business is helping make such experiences possible.

Contents.

16 22 27 29

LIONS OF TANZANIA

GOING GREEN

Two alumni provide unforgettable opportunities for adventurers while enriching Tanzania.

Southeastern’s new hybrid geothermal system becomes the first of its kind for any university or state building in Louisiana.

39 41 SAVING OUR SWAMP

A physics professor and student have partnered up to help save our wetlands by studying their salinity.

SOUTHEASTERN ATHLETICS

Led by Athletics Director Jay Artigues, the Department of Athletics continues to achieve success both on and off the field.

GROUND-BREAKING PROGRAM

CREEPY CRAWLY SCIENCE

A new unique offering helps certify educators to teach within the innovative International Baccalaureate program.

Southeastern researchers provide evidence that sheds a new light on ants and could help save amphibians from extinction.

president’s message

&

Alumni, Friends, Supporters, Welcome to spring and the spring issue of the Southeastern Magazine!

This publication is one of the university’s primary avenues for communicating about the many good things happening at Southeastern.

Each issue contains stories of alumni doing great things, researchers advancing science and knowledge, and students expanding their horizons and attaining success. Collectively, these stories form a picture of our university, much like individual pieces make up a larger mosaic.

As with any mosaic, each piece may be nice to look at on its own, but the full image only becomes visible as the many

pieces are assembled. The articles in each magazine— and across all magazines, social media, news media stories, etc.—are pieces of the overall story of the success and impact that Southeastern has been creating and helping to form over nine and a half decades. Tens of thousands of graduates each have a story to tell; thousands of scholarly advancements have made a global impact; scores upon scores of notable rankings and recognitions validate what we all know about Southeastern. Each of these individuals, advancements and accomplishments is a piece of the mosaic that ultimately forms a picture of a highly successful university with extraordinary people.

We share these stories to showcase individuals and their accomplishments in order to demonstrate that our university—your university— does great things, but most importantly it prepares students for a rich and rewarding future by offering a second-to-none education at a great value with the personal attention students deserve.

help we will continue to bring Southeastern into the light of day and into the minds of people across the region.

Please don’t keep these stories to yourself. Read the magazine. Go to our new online version of the magazine at southeasternmagazine.blog, share the stories on social media, and pass on your print copy to friends and strangers alike. These stories of success and accomplishment need to be passed on. With your

Thank you!

Your continued support means so much, and your assistance is an indispensable part of what makes this a great university and demonstrates what the Southeastern family is all about.

John L. Crain PRES ID EN T

Moses

out & about

GREENWOOD Senior // General Studies Hometown // Canton, MS

How Southeastern changed me Southeastern helped me become a bigger person on and off the court.

Favorite spot on campus Southeastern Oaks Apartments on North Campus.

It is the perfect spot to hangout with my friends and teammates.

Dream job Professional Basketball Player

What do you think of Southeastern’s faculty and staff?

They have helped and guided me all along the way— from a freshman to a senior. They’re excellent; I can’t say enough good things about them.

Favorite thing about my major I get to explore a wide variety of topics and subject matter through a broad array of classes.

Current involvement on campus SLU Men’s Basketball

In 15 words or less, what is great about Southeastern?

The people, including my coaches, and the positive influence that they provide.

SPRING 2019

3

social media

Share Your ROA R

BRINGING THE GREEN AND GOLD TO SOCIAL MEDIA

jessicahillphotography Happy Graduation Day Lions! #lionup #lionupwithleto lasportspix Lion Up! #Southeastern #Lions #Football #Hammond #Louisiana #LionUp #Southland #SouthlandConference #SLC

helennclairee Couldn't pass up sharing our Lion Spirit with Paris! #LionUp #OurSoutheastern #littleoleusinpari

Kalan A. Recatto #Lionup because ya boy got an A on his Statistics Midterm!

1234crows Miller has almost everything he needs for Christmas now! #LionUp

laci.baldwin fav people + fav team w/ a win = GREAT SATURDAY #LionUp #RTR 4

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

chels34but 'Tis the season. #LionUp

ssgallisoncochran Military appreciation game #lionup #southeasternlouisianauniversity #hammondusa #football #armyrotc #armystrong #fitness #geauxguard #recruitthehometeam

queeniefug #LionUp at the @ biltmoreestate #biltmore #oursoutheastern

Gabby Web #LionUp Paul Roppolo #LionUp — at Louisiana Swamp at Audubon Zoo

Bryce Grizzaffi A dream come true…only the beginning! #LionUp #NationalSigningDay

Southeastern Louisiana University It's GAME DAY, Lion Nation! #LionUp

SPRING 2019

5

news in learning

What’s in a Name?

CAMPUS STREET NAMES CHANGED TO BETTER DEPICT SOUTHEASTERN Four campus street names were recently changed to better reflect Southeastern’s identity, geography, and sense of place.

Texas Avenue has become Union Avenue, Tennessee Avenue is now Mane Street, Virginia Avenue has become Roomie Road, and Tornado Drive on North Campus has changed to Lion Lane.

The new names came about at the urging of students after several first-time campus guests using computerized navigation expressed confusion as to why a university named for and located in Southeast Louisiana would feature streets named for other states and a different mascot.

“It was just a bit confusing, for example, for someone visiting campus for the first time ever,” said Richard Davis, Southeastern Student Government Association president.

“If you think about it, it just doesn’t make sense. Why would you take TEXAS Avenue to get to Southeastern LOUISIANA University’s Student Union? Or turn onto TENNESSEE Avenue for the Southeastern LOUISIANA University School of Nursing?”

With so many more travelers now accessing the former Texas Avenue in order to reach the new Ascension and Twelve Oaks residence halls or attend events at the Student Union, it became an opportune time to review not only this campus street name but all others as well.

Once the four incongruent street names were identified, several student organizations were contacted to help craft a pool of potential names and select those that would be the best fit. New street signs have been installed that sport the names Union Ave. (replacing Texas Ave.), Mane St. (replacing Tennessee Ave.), Roomie Rd. (replacing Virginia Ave.), and Lion Ln. (replacing Tornado Dr.).

6

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

Online mapping services have been notified of the change and efforts are underway to update all campus maps and directional identifiers.

Why did they have those names in the first place? Historical reasons point to a street naming convention in the City of Hammond that features various states as street names. And, North Campus used to house Hammond High School (HHS), which explains why the street was named for the HHS mascot.

“We’re excited to see the new street signs properly reflect the pride we have in our campus,” Davis added.

Excellence in Theatre SOUTHEASTERN THEATRE STUDENTS RECEIVE INCOMPARABLE OPPORTUNITIES AFTER WINNING KENNEDY CENTER AWARDS After competing at last year’s Region 6 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF), two Southeastern students, Miranda Miller and Matt Doyle, earned the opportunity to study with some of the best in their field.

Fourteen Southeastern students traveled with three faculty members to Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, to compete in a variety of categories including performance, directing and design, and technology. Doyle received two awards, the Barbizon Award for Excellence in Sound Design and the Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas (SILV) Award for Excellence. Miller also received the SILV Award for Excellence.

Three additional students placed as finalists.

Doyle and Miller both won for their sound design work on the highly-acclaimed Vonnie Borden Theatre production of She Kills Monsters.

“This was one of our most successful years at the KCACTF Regional Festival,” said Jim Winter, associate professor of theatre. “I am incredibly proud of how admirably our students represented our university and our theatre program.”

Matt Doyle and Miranda Miller proudly display their award certificates at the 2018 Region 6 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.

As a result of winning the SILV Award, both Miller and Doyle had the opportunity to travel to Las Vegas for a oneweek masterclass—an experience they’ll never forget. For winning the Barbizon Award for Excellence in Sound Design, Doyle additionally was afforded the chance to work with prominent theater professionals during an intensive week-long masterclass in Washington DC at the Kennedy Center.

“It was one of the best academic experiences I’ve ever had,” DoyIe said of this program. “I got to meet a dozen of the best college sound and lighting designers from across the country.

Every night after the masterclass we would get together and share notes and thoughts until late, late, late, which was incredibly inspiring and helped me develop all kinds of new skills and ideas to take to my next design. We all still keep in touch and regularly bounce ideas off each other and get feedback. The networking opportunity was one of the best you can hope for, as I now know both established and up-andcoming professionals based around the country.”

Doyle graduated from Southeastern this past summer, bringing into his new career the skills and professional network that he acquired during both the program and his time at Southeastern. He is now an assistant news director at Louisiana Radio Network in Baton Rouge, producing NPR's Talk Louisiana and Ask The Governor.

Scene from She Kills Monsters. Photograph by Rande Archer.

news in learning

Supply Chain Management Program Among Top in the Nation SOUTHEASTERN'S SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT PROGRAM HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AMONG THE TOP IN THE NATION FOR 2019 BY STUDY.COM Study.com, a website that helps students research potential schools, degrees, and careers, named Southeastern to their list of the top 23 schools for supply chain management in the country. According to Study.com, the schools were selected based on unique features that give students an edge in the job market.

The listed colleges and universities offer real-life training, simulations of actual supply chains, or hands-on projects, and many of them provide flexible course schedules or the convenience of online study.

“Our faculty, business partners, and alumni take an active interest in helping students find jobs in their majors,” said Dean of the College of Business Antoinette Phillips. “Supply Chain Management students have opportunities for real-world experiences that make them job-ready and able to contribute to their employers’ success from day one.”

As the only Louisiana school on the list, Southeastern was selected based on career and educational resources, faculty, job placement, and more.

The website cited Southeastern’s close ties with the Institute for Supply Management, a not-for-profit professional organization for supply chain management, as one of the reasons for being selected. It also stated that students enrolled in the supply chain management program are engaged in practical learning as well as classroom education, and that the school’s Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management supports purchasing and logistics functions of regional retailers, wholesalers, and distributors.

Additionally, Southeastern’s program offers a variety of internships for its students, including those at CalMaine Foods, Marathon Petroleum, Wal-Mart Logistics, Coca-Cola, and The State of Louisiana’s Office of Procurement. Students who graduate from the program have gone on to work for employers such as LockHeed Martin, Pool Corp., Smitty’s Supply, Cisco, and more.

Supply Chain Management students attend a backstage tour of Chick-fil-A headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.

Forging New Opportunities at Career Fair DURING THEIR TIME AT SOUTHEASTERN, STUDENTS MEET LIFELONG FRIENDS, LEARN TO BECOME INDEPENDENT, DEEPEN THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD AROUND THEM, GAIN INSPIRATION FROM NEW IDEAS, AND DECIDE ON THE PATH THEY WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW. When students and alumni are ready to begin moving forward on their chosen path, or simply see where other roads could lead, Southeastern’s Career Fair is the answer.

On September 20, 2018, this annual event once again took place, with hundreds of hopeful students and graduates flooding into the Pennington Student Activity Center eager to embark on their career journeys. Resumes in hand and donning their most polished, professional attire, one-by-one they confidently approached some of the 380 representatives (nearly a third of whom were fellow alumni) from the 168 organizations that were present.

Recognizing the well-rounded quality of a Southeastern education, many of the employers on site were interested in networking with and hiring Southeastern students of any major. “Students were engaging and very enthusiastic; they asked lots of good questions, even when the job field was not in their major,” noted one employer. About 70 percent of the organizations there were open to students and alumni of any major—elevating the career prospects of attendees.

Attendees were also not limited by a certain type of position. In addition to 158 employers looking to fill full-time, post-graduation level positions, 65 of the organizations hoped to find interns and 70 sought parttime employees.

The advantage of attending didn’t stop at in-person networking. Upon entering, the first thing that many students flocked to was a set-up offering professionally photographed LinkedIn headshots free of charge—tapping in to the growing necessity of social media networking for broadening career prospects. Through this new Career Fair offering, over 185 Southeastern students were able to build a more polished social media presence by having their headshot professionally taken.

The day was a major success for both employers and attendees, with countless lasting, impactful connections formed between the two. Students and alumni were also able to leave better prepared to follow their chosen path— or start on a freshly discovered one.

As one student commented, “I have been given a large amount of opportunities today to help me in the future.”

SPRING 2019

9

news in learning

Pitch Perfect SOUTHEASTERN VOCALISTS WIN AWARDS AT LOUISIANA COMPETITION Ten Southeastern vocal performance students and one alumnus placed at the Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition held recently at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches.

Four of these participants took home first place awards.

Sara Cage of Baton Rouge was the first student in Southeastern history to receive three first place awards at the competition: in the senior women’s division, Hall Johnson spiritual category, and women's upper level music theatre.

Cage additionally received the Governor’s Award as the most promising student at the competition.

Also receiving first place nods were William Dopp of Independence, sophomore men; Caitlyn Rodrigue of Thibodaux, sophomore women; and Joshua Staes of Baton Rouge, older advanced men.

Other students recognized at the competition include Andrew Butler of River Ridge, second place sophomore men; Cody Sires, now a Southeastern alumnus of Violet, second place older student adult women and men; Alfred Harper of New Orleans, third place junior men; Jody Bennett of Hammond, fourth place junior men; Ryan Blanchfield of Hammond, fourth place younger advanced men; Camryn Rodrigue of Thibodaux, fourth place sophomore women; and Brennan Simmons of Hammond, honorable mention senior men.

The auditions were judged by voice teachers from the NATS Louisiana Chapter. Students participated in lectures and master classes as part of the conference.

Top image: Vocal performance students earn accolades at the Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition. Pictured, from left, are Joshua Staes, William Dopp, Alfred Harper, Andrew Butler, Jody Bennett, Ryan Blanchfield, Sara Cage, Caitlyn Rodrigue, Cody Sires (alumnus), and Camryn Rodrigue.

Southeastern Magazine is Now Online!

DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY SO YOU CAN SEE AND SHARE STORIES WITH EASE Whether you’re on the go or going digital, visit us online at SoutheasternMagazine.blog to access news and articles from each issue.

In addition to providing an alternative format for reading content, you can now share specific stories directly from the magazine’s webpage onto your social media pages—showing

10

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

your friends, family, and fellow alumni the great things going on at your alma mater.

Have an opinion? Share it and be a part of the story by commenting on the articles online. Simply scroll down to the bottom of each page to post your thoughts.

Lowest Student Debt in the State SOUTHEASTERN STUDENTS HAVE THE LEAST STUDENT LOAN DEBT OUT OF ALL THE UNIVERSITIES IN THE STATE, ACCORDING TO STATISTICS RECENTLY RELEASED BY LENDEDU. The average debt per borrower for Southeastern’s graduating class of 2017 was ranked number 1 in Louisiana for least debt and number 46 among public colleges nationwide.

In Louisiana, the average debt per student borrower is $26,808, the 19th lowest in the nation. Forty-eight percent of Louisiana students graduated with debt. Southeastern graduates reported the average borrower taking out $20,164, 14 percent less than the previous year.

He pointed to two examples: the Southeastern Promise, with its four-year path to approved degree completion that comes with a fixed net tuition guarantee for participants, and the university’s textbook rental program, which saves students thousands of dollars while attaining their degrees.

“For over 90 years now, Southeastern has been dedicated to one thing—our students’ success,” said Southeastern President John L. Crain. “Part of that focus on student success is sensitivity to college affordability. Southeastern has always represented a great value, and we have a longstanding tradition of programs and initiatives that save students money.”

The new magazine website is in addition to and corresponding with the print version, which you can continue to receive in the mail or pick up on campus free of charge.

SPRING 2019

11

news in learning

Going for the Gold: Golden Grads Reconnect With Their Days at Southeastern ON DECEMBER 7 AND 8, SOUTHEASTERN'S FALL COMMENCEMENT WEEKEND, ALUMNI WHO GRADUATED 50 OR MORE YEARS AGO RETURNED TO CELEBRATE AND REMINISCE WITH THEIR ALMA MATER AND FELLOW GOLDEN GRADS. Nearly 90 alumni and guests enjoyed a luncheon at the Alumni Center on Friday, December 7, followed by a tour of the campus— allowing attendees to reflect on how much has changed over the years, as well as reconnect with the campus that they knew and loved during their college days.

The next morning, after enjoying breakfast together, Southeastern's Golden Grads proudly headed the commencement procession into the University Center arena, continuing a beloved tradition and leading the way for the next generation of new Southeastern alumni.

LEAVE A LEGACY THAT STANDS THE TEST OF TIME What would you do if you had the power to do something remarkable today while making an impact that would last forever, the kind of impact that takes little time and costs you nothing? All of this is possible when you take a moment to review and update the beneficiary designations for your retirement and bank accounts.

If you have any of the following, then you have a great opportunity to leave your own lasting impact: • IRA, 401(k) or 403(b) retirement accounts • Investment accounts • Checking, savings or CD account • Life insurance you no longer need The process of naming beneficiaries is easy. It gives you the power and control to tell your administrator who will inherit your accounts when you pass away. With a beneficiary designation, you still own the account and can continue to use it to meet your needs. To name your beneficiaries, ask your account custodian, insurance agent or bank to send you a beneficiary designation form, fill it out and return it. You can name family, friends or an organization like ours to inherit your account. When you leave a gift to the Southeastern Foundation, you create a legacy of student success and brighter futures.

For more information contact Katherine Rose at 985.549.5225 or krose@southeastern.edu.

SoutheasternLegacy.org

Class of 1971 graduate Mike DuBois has ensured that future generations of Delta Tau Delta Southeastern students will benefit from his success and have access to the same great education that he received. “Not everyone gets the opportunity to have the experience I did,” said Mike. His hope is that his legacy gift will help future Delts become productive men who find their paths to a life of excellence.

Copyright © 2018 Crescendo Interactive, Inc. Used by permission.

SPRING 2019

13

news in learning

Southeastern Dean and Alumna Participate in Washington, DC, Roundtable Discussion on Teacher Preparation COLLEGE OF EDUCATION DEAN PAULA SUMMERS CALDERON WAS RECENTLY INVITED TO WASHINGTON, DC, BY US SECRETARY OF EDUCATION BETSY DEVOS TO PARTICIPATE IN A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ABOUT PREPARING CLASSROOM TEACHERS. Paula Summers Calderon had the opportunity to attend the Washington, DC, roundtable discussion through Southeastern's participation in University-School Partnerships for the Renewal of Education Preparation (US PREP).

Southeastern is one of only seven school-university partners in the nation and the only one in Louisiana originally selected for the US PREP education coalition.

“When Dr. Calderon asked me to attend the roundtable discussion in Washington, DC, to speak to Secretary DeVos, I was beyond excited for a chance to tell my story of what high quality teacher preparation can do,” Bryant said. “My ultimate goal was to implore Secretary DeVos to make my experience commonplace for new teachers in order to prepare them adequately and retain them for years to come.”

“US PREP is a well-connected program advocating for rigorous university-based teacher education programs. In addition to advocating, US PREP provides clinical coaches who come to the university to train our methods instructors, host mentor teachers, and university site coordinators in best practices in teacher education,” Calderon explained. “As a new dean, I made the decision to continue the US PREP partnership, and the College of Education is delighted to be an inaugural and continuing member of the US PREP Coalition.”

During the meeting at the Department of Education, US PREP highlighted how it is addressing challenges that contribute to a national shortage of educators. Coalition deans and program graduates shared innovative features of the initiative and emphasized the importance of high-quality training for preservice teachers.

Attending the meeting with Calderon was Southeastern alumna and 2018 College of Education Student Teacher of the Year Payton Bryant. Bryant currently teaches at Luling Elementary in St. Charles Parish.

14

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

Among the features of US PREP are close partnerships between universities and schools, embedded university faculty in school districts, and intensive clinical experiences featuring a yearlong teaching experience and robust performance assessments. US PREP also supports their member providers with developing high-quality teacher preparation pathways that are affordable and accessible to prospective teachers.

A somewhat scientific polling of ALUMNI

you know it you said it

Are you still in touch with people you met while attending Southeastern?

Star Trek or Star Wars?

30.9%

YES; THEY ARE STILL SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS!

STAR TREK

69.1

STAR WARS

NONE

17.3%

FACEBOOK FRIENDS ONLY

19.2%

YES; I’M MARRIED TO ONE OF THEM!

47.4%

16%

What is your decorating style?

2.6%

8.3%

17.3%

32%

BOHEMIAN

COASTAL

ANTIQUES

ECLECTIC Heights 28% Snakes 27.3% Clowns 2.00% Spiders 9.3% Germs 10.7% Even more scary... 22.7%

INDUSTRIAL

2.6%

SHABBY CHIC

MODERN

25%

12.2%

How often do you clean your home?

14.8%

DONT ASK!

19.2%

NEARLY EVERY DAY

What is your biggest fear?

CLOWNS

2%

SNAKES

GERMS

10.7%

27.3%

12.8%

ONCE A MONTH SPIDERS

9.3%

53.2%

ONCE A WEEK

* *

OTHER:EVEN MORE SCARY*

22.7

HEIGHTS

28%

MOST FREQUENT WRITE-IN ANSWERS: DEATH, ROACHES, ENCLOSED SPACES MOST INTERESTING ANSWERS: KETCHUP, KALE, STAIRS, DEBT

SPRING 2019

15

feature story

a i n a z Lions of Tan viding o r P e r A i n tern Alum s a e h t u o S turers o n e v d A r How Tw o f periences x E e l b a tt e Unforg nzania a T g n i h c i r While En

BY S H E

RI GIBS

ON

a

frican safaris have sparked the imagination and adventurous spirit of people around the world for generations. While popular culture media portrayals have often focused on the wealthy elite from bygone eras, clad in colonial-style outfits and standing proudly with their trophies, safaris have greatly evolved over the last few decades, yielding broader accessibility and a more beneficial impact on the local communities. Two Southeastern alumni and Hammond residents, Ryan and Kimble Barker, are now making it their mission to further these positive trends.

Their inspiration for achieving this was first sparked in 2006. As a college graduation present from his parents, Ryan and his father Kimble set off on an adventure that would change them both forever. “When I arrived in Tanzania, it felt like I was home. I got chills. I still get chills thinking about it,” said Ryan.

The father and son duo instantly fell in love with the remote beauty of the place and with the local culture. “Community, togetherness, is so important to the people. They really take care of each other,” Ryan said. He knew that he wanted to one day find a way to help give back to the local people he found so genuine and welcoming.

It was a personally enriching experience that they believed everyone should have. Kimble noted that his favorite part of Tanzania and the business that they would go on to start together is “becoming a small part of another world; a world completely different than I was born and raised in. To experience first-hand the lives of the Tanzanian people gave me a look at another culture that has left me a different, better person.”

Eleven years later, Ryan (the director of Chappapeela Sports Park) and Kimble (a retired Hammond Police Department officer) still couldn’t shake the pull that their time in Tanzania had on them. They invited Said Hillary Kambelenje, their 2006 Tanzanian safari guide who had become a lasting friend, to visit. Talking one night, Ryan and Said decided to combine their strengths to create their own Tanzania safari company. When Kimble heard of the idea, he was immediately in as well. Tanzania Adventure Tours was born.

With Ryan and Kimble handling the business side while remaining in Hammond and Said leading the tours within Tanzania, the three began a soft launch of their venture later that year. In June of 2018, the budding company fully launched.

Part of the Barkers’ concept for Tanzania Adventure Tours is customization. In addition to meeting wide-ranging budgets, this makes it possible for everyone to have a trip tailored exclusively to them.

Currently, Tanzania Adventure Tours offers three pre-set packages at different price points. Those who want to create their own unique itinerary with the help of the Barkers, though, are always welcome to do so.

There’s no surprise that the activity travelers are generally the most excited about is encountering majestic animals in the wild. Guide Said steers visitors through the parks and preserves, including Serengeti National Park, in one of the company’s reinforced vehicles. Animals to look out for are zebras, elephants, wildebeests, buffaloes, hippos, giraffes, antelopes, gazelles, kudus, hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, lions, and much more. There are over four million animals in Tanzania, including 430 species and subspecies. This is in addition to species counts of approximately 1,000 for birds, 60,000 for insects, 100 for snakes, and 25 for reptiles and amphibians.

Witnessing these animals in their natural habitats goes hand-in-hand with the thrill of venturing through unspoiled lands, secluded from the rest of the world and the trivial worries of modern society. This is one of Kimble’s favorite things about Tanzania. “Being in places so remote that you’ve lost track of the compass points (N, S, E and W). So isolated that you can’t see the edge of the savannah even with binoculars. To imagine living in this environment not just today but in the prehistoric past. Mind boggling!”

While being in the middle of nowhere surrounded by a dozen lions might sound a tad terrifying, one of the company’s top priorities is safety. The vehicles are designed to withstand impacts while also allowing for open visibility, but Ryan noted that visitors should not be worried about the animals.

“You’ll often see Massai people walking through the grass with a big cheetah in the tree next to them, and they’re not concerned at all. It all comes down to as long as you respect the animals, they’ll respect you.”

Ryan also readily gives credit to guide Said as one of Tanzania Adventure Tours most unique assets. “Said has over 26 years of experience leading safaris. He’s a people person and very knowledgeable. He can tell you facts about everything, all of the animals. But he’s also very in tune with the earth and gives the traditional explanations and stories.”

Said leads visitors on a wide selection of activities.

Looking for nocturnal animals on night drives below a sea of shimmering stars, hiking across and camping on an active volcano, watching crystal blue waves gently lap white sand while relaxing on Zanzibar Beach, and floating over breathtaking vistas in a hot air balloon are just a few ways travelers can customize their experience. For locales, Arusha National Park, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park, and Tarangire National Park are top destinations.

And of course, there’s the food. All tours come with full food service provided, even while out in the wilderness on drives. But to cater to true foodies, there are a variety of local gastronomical experiences that can be enjoyed—from fine dining at The Rock Restaurant, an enchanting eatery comprising an entire tiny island, to learning about (and chowing down on) traditional

18

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

Massai food, prepared as it has been for generation upon generation.

The Massai food experience can also be part of a whole day of immersion in the local culture. Getting to better understand the local people and their way of life—learning from them—by spending time with a designated tribe is one activity that Ryan highly recommends to all travelers. For those who do like to go behind the scenes, exploring a beer brewery, banana plantation, and coffee plantation is also on the table.

But before you get ready to pack your bags, you’re probably wondering what an excursion like this will cost you. The perception of safaris as the sole domain of only the very wealthy and well-connected has indeed lingered. Ryan mentioned that he’s met many people who have going on a safari at the top of their bucket list, but then admit that it’s something they will likely never be able to do—until he tells them the actual cost.

Although luxury expeditions that can reach the tens of thousands are certainly still available today, the average cost for a one week safari is now $3,000-$3,500, and Tanzania Adventure Tours offers a starting price far below that for a seven day excursion, all inclusive

Kimble Barker (left page) and Ryan Barker (right page) visit with Massai tribes in Tanzania.

with the exception of airfare from the US to Tanzania.

Despite the distance, flights to Tanzania can sometimes be cheaper than to Europe, even as low as $500.

was 20 years ago. Tourism is one of the key industries driving the current change and tourism could be a transformative tool within this takeoff,” it concludes.

So while many want-to-be-adventurers still might have to pinch their pennies for a while to go, safaris have become, and are still becoming, increasingly open to broader numbers of people. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, there were 6.7 million visitors to Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in 1990. By 2012, there were 33.8 million.

In addition to this economic and job growth, visitation and income from tourism also helps support antipoaching efforts. As well as allowing dollars to flow into local governments, which can aid in increased legislation and patrols, people who live near the parks have come to recognize the economic advantage of conservation for continued tourism. In February of 2018, Hamis Kigwangalla, Tanzania’s minister for natural resources and tourism, announced that by 2022 there will be no poaching in the local national parks and reserves. He stated that “Through collective responsibility, we will be able to eliminate poaching.

Wildlife is among major tourist attractions in the country; therefore, we must protect our heritage for sustainable tourism development.” When you book a safari today, the only thing you should plan on shooting animals with is a camera.

This broader ability to see firsthand other parts of the world and cultures benefits more than just the travelers.

Sub-Saharan tourism receipts totaled $36 billion in 2012. The World Travel & Tourism Council estimates that a total of 3.8 million jobs could be created by the tourism industry in SSA between 2012 and 2022.

“Already one in 20 jobs in SSA is in travel and tourism,” explains a 2013 report from The World Bank on "Tourism in Africa: Harnessing Tourism for Growth and Improved Livelihoods." “With incomes rising, SSA countries’ poverty rates declined from 59% in 1995 to 50% in 2005. Given this scenario, the World Bank concludes that SSA could be on the cusp of an economic takeoff, much like China was 30 years ago, and India

But the Barkers have personally taken their belief in giving back one step further. To further help the Tanzanian people that they felt a kindred connection with since their very first visit, they have also launched Enrich Tanzania—a nonprofit, sister organization SPRING 2019

19

to Tanzania Adventure Tours. The nonprofit’s goal is to “help Tanzanians enjoy the basic opportunities that we take for granted every day. Important projects include providing a clean, yearround source of water, a more affordable and accessible basic education for their children, and the chance to move from basic subsistence living to a future of limitless possibilities.”

Their first major project, currently in process, is to build an early learning center in a small village in Arusha. As public early childhood education does not exist in Tanzania, the Barkers identified this as a significant need for the local residents. Holding undergraduate and graduate degrees in education, along with a background that includes teaching and coaching at Hammond High Magnet School, Ryan has found a perfect way to combine his passion for Tanzania with his experience and skills to help others.

Land has already been secured, and once the doors open, the center will serve up to 150 local children, ages 3-6. Part of the project includes installing a well to provide clean drinking water for area families and the school itself. The last phase of the project will be to create a safe playground for the school and area children. It’s this nonprofit work—helping positively impact and create greater opportunity for the local people—that is the most rewarding aspect of the entire endeavor for Ryan.

Far from the popularized safaris of the past, an expedition today can create a symbiotic benefit for local residents like those in Arusha, animal populations, and visitors—with unforgettable experiences that can spark inspiration and personal enrichment. Kimble’s closing advice for current Southeastern students and alumni reflects on the importance of such an experience: “The world is a big diverse place. It’s full of people far more interesting than you realize. Experience it. ALL of it if you can.”

More information on Enrich Tanzania and Tanzania Adventure Tours can be found at TanzaniaAdventureTours.com, and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube at @TanzaniaAdventureTours.

Glimpses of the Tanzania experience.

20

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

SPRING 2019

21

cold air

warm air

NEW RESIDENCE HALLS FIRST IN THE NATION WITH GEOTHERMAL ENERGY, AND A

l t a n e m Mon u Ste p IN MAKING SOUTHEASTERN MORE GREEN

BY SHERI GIBSON

22

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

S

outheastern’s newest student housing is one of the university’s latest and largest sustainability initiatives garnering national attention, and yet it is also only one part of a grand plan to create a more eco-friendly campus.

For over 500 Southeastern students, the 2018-2019 school year began by moving in to one of the two new, state-of-theart residence halls. Ascension Hall and Twelve Oaks Hall, located adjacent to the former Zachary Taylor Hall, feature private and shared rooms, classrooms, meeting and common areas, and dining and retail venues. But while the roomy, contemporary spaces may be what awe most people who enter these additions, what’s below the surface is perhaps even more exciting.

What started out as a committee tasked with addressing litter concerns has evolved into a committee that is now a driving force behind making Southeastern more green.

“This is a perfect example of what makes Southeastern so special,” said President John Crain. “I convened a group to combat litter. They not only addressed that issue, but then began exploring ways to expand involvement and nurture a culture of conservatism across campus. Southeastern’s students, faculty, and staff always go above and beyond. This is but one instance.”

For more information about Southeastern’s ongoing efforts to keep getting greener, go to southeastern.edu/sustainability or visit the university’s Sustainability Center and see the efforts in action.

Ascension and Twelve Oaks halls have a hybrid geothermal system. With this type of system, pumps move heat from the ground to the building when the weather outside is chilly.

When cooling is needed, the process is reversed. The result is a sustainable, environmentally-friendly, and economical solution to heating and cooling.

An initiative of Southeastern Sustainability, the system is the first of its kind for any university or state building in Louisiana.

The new buildings, which draw from 220 geothermal wells, are also the second largest site in the country to use a system like this.

In addition to environmental benefits, the system significantly reduces heating and cooling costs. It is projected to save over 50 percent on energy expenses as compared to a traditional system and build.

And students now get to feel the effects of this new technology in more ways than one; the system also serves as a learning laboratory for real-world experiences for Southeastern students in various disciplines.

This ambitious construction project is the latest in a long line of efficiencies executed on campus with the lofty goal of becoming 30 percent “off the grid” by 2025. Other current efforts include the use of wind turbines, incorporation of photovoltaic panels, and harnessing of solar thermal energy at several sites across campus.

With student organizations such as Reconnect and the Student Government Association leading the way, students are helping promote the use of refillable water bottles, the retrofit of water fountains into modern refillable water bottle fountains across campus, new additions of recycling bins across campus, and adoption of community garden plots on the grounds at the Sustainability Center.

SPRING 2019

23

look at us now

THE REVAMPED STUDENT UNION PARK STUDENTS AND MEMBERS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN FAMILY ENJOY THE RECENTLY RENOVATED STUDENT UNION PARK DURING LAST YEAR'S ANNUAL STRAWBERRY JUBILEE. THIS YEAR'S EVENT IS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 17 IN THE SAME LOCATION.

Did you KNOW?

by the

numbers

SIMS MEMORIAL LIBRARY

365,673

bound volumes

428,672

e-books

220,275

government documents

2 2,412 33,975 170 209

Greco-Roman amphorae from the third century BC DVDs streaming videos

computer work stations presentations to groups during the 2017-2018 school year

DURING A TYPICAL FALL SEMESTER WEEK…

80 457 19,846 26

hours open reference transactions visitors

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

L BAC

C

A

C

ER

N

IN

U R E AT E

T E R N AT

LA

I

O

NA

TIFIC ATI

O

SOUTHEASTERN HAS BECOME ONE OF ONLY 12 UNIVERSITIES NATIONWIDE TO OFFER GROUND-BREAKING PROGRAM

BY AMBER NARRO

Southeastern’s College of Education houses an innovative and unique program that helps enable educators to teach within the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. After successful completion of courses leading to the IB Educator Certificate in Teaching and Learning, candidates may apply for their level of certification through the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) in Geneva, Switzerland. Only 45 universities in the world and 12 in the United States offer this.

The IB program started in 1968 after World War II. Diplomats were moving their families from country to country and realized that moving their children caused them issues with schooling. They wanted a universal but also rigorous curriculum so that when students moved from school to school, they didn’t fall behind or lose credits. The IB program helps students master skills within a core group of 10 principles: • • • • •

Inquirer Open-Minded Knowledgeable Caring Thinker

• • • • •

Risk Taker Communicator Balanced Principled Reflective

“The International Baccalaureate program is designed not only to get students to college, but also through college,” said Cherissa Vitter, assistant professor in the College of Education. “All students at schools offering the IB program benefit from the learning strategies upon which the program is built. They actually learn how to learn. When students learn how to learn, they are in control of their own education.”

LAUNCHING HAMMOND Vitter came to Hammond on a mission—to implement IB programs for this part of the state. Challenged with a community expectation that Hammond High School would become a regional destination school, she went to work right away and helped launch a new way of thinking in her role as IB coordinator.

Various elements of the community (business, education, and community at large) worked together to think differently and create a new school with no boundaries to student learning.

The business community realized building good schools would be good for the region and the regional economy. This required a heavy investment in the Hammond schools both financially and cognitively. Vitter says that it was worth the effort. The word was out—Hammond schools now host the only IB continuum in the state of Louisiana, offering a world– class education to every student ages 3-19.

“The community was anxious to make improvements at Hammond High,” Vitter said. “We wanted to respond to those community needs. And the students at Hammond High felt valued and heard. We had to train this mindset from within.

Everyone at Hammond High would be trained in the program, and big changes were coming.”

Greg Drude, Hammond real estate agent and recent inductee to Southeastern’s Educator Honor Roll, was instrumental in helping to bring IB to Hammond High. “I had spoken with several community leaders, especially through the Greater Hammond Chamber of Commerce, and people were moving out of the area,” Drude said. “Good schools promote people coming in. We tested a program at Hammond Eastside Elementary Magnet School that produced high scores and results, and when that happened, we knew it was time to grow opportunities for children in the area.”

In just a few years, Hammond High Magnet School fully implemented the IB program and catapulted to national recognition, boasting students who experience school differently, capitalize on their own talents, and reflect on the learning process.

“It’s a strenuous program,” Drude said. “Kids are challenged in IB, and they have the work ethic to succeed. There is trickle down success for everyone at the school.”

Cherissa Vitter

SPRING 2019

27

SOUTHEASTERN JUMPS IN As the Hammond schools improved, Southeastern Louisiana University administration was paying attention and quickly saw the value in the program. The university soon committed to developing courses that would lead to IB certification for educators.

“It’s an investment by the university to do this,” said Kate Kuhn, professional services manager, IBEC, International Baccalaureate Organization. “When the number of IB World Schools expands, there will also be an increasing need for educators who have a deep understanding of how to teach in an IB context.”

Southeastern now has the curriculum in place to help train teachers to become IB educators. The graduate program offers multiple tracks leading to the IB Educator Certificate in Teaching and Learning. Vitter says the certification opportunities are yielding global attention.

Dean of the College of Education at Southeastern Dr. Paula Calderon said, “Southeastern’s teacher education program is well respected throughout the state and nation, and I was proud to relay that during a recent presentation to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. With the IB educator certifications, we have an added opportunity for student success with graduates who will be using IB best practices whether they end up teaching in IB schools or not.”

Calderon noted that this additional certification allows teachers to work in IB schools all over the world, and it also invigorates those who are teaching at schools that do not adopt this programming. “Teachers who go through IB certification learn how to readapt on their feet, adjusting strategies during their lessons when they recognize specific needs of students,” she said.

At Southeastern, Vitter is working to continue growing opportunities for would-be teachers and those wishing to continue their education. To become an IB educator, teachers must attend IB training to keep that consistency in the program on the global scale.

college. Vitter credits Southeastern’s Assistant Vice President for Academic Programs Dr. Jeff Temple for helping to develop the admissions process for these students, an initiative that has now been heralded by the International Baccalaureate organization and adopted at many universities.

RESULTS High schools that adopt IB programming don’t just do so for a few of their students; the entire school benefits.

All teachers must gain certification and training, and this touches every student enrolled. “Hammond High is not a regular high school with a select group of students who go through IB,” Vitter said. “Everyone there benefits, from the students to administration.”

Since launching, the results have been very positive. Students and teachers have been recognized nationally; over 90 percent of those who finish the IB program become college graduates; the schools have now been recognized in the region for their academic strength; and as a note of success, recent planning meetings for IB’s 2019 global conference in New Orleans have been held at Hammond High, putting it on a global stage and recognizing its achievements.

Calderon says offering the IB educator program at Southeastern demonstrates forward thinking. “As we become more mobile and our teachers begin moving to other parts of the country and the world, they take this certification with them,” she said. “Our Southeastern graduates with this certification won’t have to seek other credentials because this certification is recognized worldwide. We can also be a resource as IB programs continue to grow in our area. If local schools want to become IB schools, Southeastern can provide training. This is a benefit not only for our university, but also for schools and students throughout the region.”

SOUTHEASTERN AGAIN FINDS ITSELF AT

THE HEART OF INNOVATION THAT SPURS POSITIVE REGIONAL IMPACT.

Lyndsey DeVaney, a member of Southeastern's inaugural International Baccalaureate Educator Certificate class, gains hands-on experience while participating in the program.

“We offer five tracks at Southeastern, and IB has awarded 15 certificates to Southeastern students so far,” Vitter said.

“We have university students from all over the world who now have Southeastern on their resumes. It’s quite an honor.”

Additionally, Southeastern also has been instrumental in ensuring that the high school students who receive the IB diploma have an easier admissions process going on to 28

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

Creepy Crawly

SCIENCE SOUTHEASTERN DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF UNCOVERING ANTS AND SAVING SALAMANDERS

BY SHERI GIBSON

When you think of cute and cuddly critters, leafcutter ants and three-toed amphiuma are probably not the first creatures that come to mind. But members of the Southeastern Department of Biological Sciences have developed a true love for learning more about these little guys, as evidenced by their recently published research. Thanks to their highly-acclaimed, impactful work, we now know more about the extent to which ants cultivate their own food—and have possibly found the key to saving amphibians from extinction.

The leafcutter ant packs a lot of might in its tiny frame.

Endemic to South and Central America, Mexico, and parts of the US—including western Louisiana and Texas—leafcutter ants can carry 20 times their own body weight. They can build underground nests that include over 1,000 chambers, with millions of ants living and working together, each with

their own role. Leafcutter ants can strip a tree of its foliage in less than 24 hours. They bring this foliage back to their underground nests where they cultivate it in “gardens” to grow fungi, which they eat.

Southeastern Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences April Wright, along with collaborators from Rice University and the University of Texas–Austin, set out to prove another interesting aspect of these ants by providing factual evidence on the range of funguses that they actually cultivate. “For many years, it was thought that one species of ants would cultivate one type of fungus,” Wright said. “This work shows that different species of ants may share funguses, and may farm multiple types of fungus in their nests.”

SPRING 2019

29

Previous page: top image courtesy of Brian Gratwicke. Above and top left of facing page: Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences April Wright at work in her office.

Bottom of facing page: former Southeastern graduate student Kenzie Pereira catching salamanders.

Wright specializes in computational and mathematical methods for understanding the history of life on Earth. “The work I did sits at the intersection of statistics and biology,” she explained. “My collaborators used specialized technology to get DNA sequences from funguses grown by ants. I used several methods to estimate the phylogenetic relationships between these sequences.”

“To me, the most exciting part of this research was getting to participate in uncovering something that people have long suspected,” Wright continued. “While the dominant narrative has been that one ant will cultivate a narrow range of funguses, people who have carefully observed ants for a long time have known that the story is probably more complicated.

It was my pleasure to be able to help represent the complexity that natural historians have observed in hard numbers and statistics.”

While fungus may be vital fuel for leafcutter ants, two types—Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, which cause the disease chytridiomycosis— have contributed to diminishing amphibian populations around the world. However, thanks to the research of Kenzie Pereira and her fellow team members, the future may now be brighter for these vulnerable species.

Pereira was a master’s degree student at Southeastern when she began this potentially life-saving study on the three-toed amphiuma alongside Southeastern faculty Brian Crother, David Sever, and Clifford Fontenot Jr; John Pojman Sr. of LSU; and Damian Wilburn of the University of Washington. She is now continuing her research as a PhD candidate at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The three-toed amphiuma, an eel-looking salamander, sports four vestigial legs that each have three toes, giving it its name.

It is commonly found in Louisiana and several additional states in swamps, ponds, lakes, and other permanent bodies of slow moving water. Importantly, this slimy salamander also secrets antimicrobial substances onto the surface of its skin.

30

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

The potential properties of these substances intrigued Pereira, who began to study them with encouragement and guidance from her advisor Crother and thesis committee members Sever, Fontenot, and Pojman.

Pereira gently prodded salamanders to collect their skin secretions. She then sent these to Wilburn—who determined that they were probably antimicrobial—while also testing their effect on the growth of the two types of fungi in question in test tubes. Pereira was amazed to find that at certain doses the salamander’s skin secretions completely killed the potentially lethal fungi.

“Fungi are killing off amphibians at an alarming rate. If these secretions hold secrets to fungus resistance, her work could be responsible for helping save amphibians from extinction,” said Crother.

“Being able to explain why some salamander species are more vulnerable to the pathogen than others allows us to develop conservation strategies to better protect salamander biodiversity,” continued Pereira. “It is also exciting to be reminded that there is so much left to learn about animals that are found in our own backyards!”

Pereira, who plans on training another Southeastern master’s degree student to aid in additional studies on the role of skin secretions in protecting amphibians from disease, reflected on how her time at Southeastern led her to this impactful work.

“Southeastern’s Department of Biological Sciences played a pivotal role in making this research possible by giving me the freedom and encouragement to explore my own curiosities and passion for amphibians. Further, without the abundant natural history collection within Southeastern’s Vertebrate Museum, the histological portion of this research may not

have been possible.”

Wright has also taken an interest in the problems facing salamanders, recently coauthoring a study on the endangerment of 13 salamander species in Central Texas due to overexploitation of groundwater. Conservation efforts are currently underway to help save these little critters.

Ants and three-toed amphiuma may not be the largest—or to many, the cutest—of creatures, but they are still an important part of our ecosystem. And thanks to the love for them demonstrated in the monumental research of Wright and Pereira, along with their team members, others may also begin to see them in new ways, getting a glimpse of their unique, amazing characteristics. The work of these members of our Southeastern family is not only important for increasing a scientific understanding of nature, it is additionally important for aiding a human understanding of the world around us and the other creatures that we share our planet with—including creatures that may have otherwise become lost to us forever.

giving back

Bryan Boudreaux INTERVIEW WITH

Retired Walmart executive and class of 1990 alum Bryan Boudreaux credits Southeastern for having a profound impact on his life.

We recently sat down with him to learn more about how his time at Southeastern has helped shape his success, and why he chooses to give back.

Q: How do you think Southeastern affected your life / career?

My time at Southeastern has set the tone for the last 29 years of my life. I attribute any successes I’ve garnered to date to the lessons I learned at Southeastern. The university shaped who I am as a leader and who I am as a person in so many ways. Not to mention, I met my wife at Southeastern 32 years ago and I simply can’t measure the impact she’s had on my life and career success.

32

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

A:

Q : Do you have any particular fond A:

memories of Southeastern?

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Southeastern. I have so many fond memories of it—“studying” all hours at the Brown Door and the numerous opportunities to be involved in campus activities through SGA, ROTC, and Greek life, which in particular helped me become who I am today. Thanks to all my Brothers in Alpha Tau Omega!

Q : Did any professors / teachers make a A:

difference in your education?

So many professors had an impact but one in particular stands out. He really helped propel my career in the Army—LTC Paul Marek. I’ll never forget Colonel Marek having a conversation with me in his office about what he saw in me—the potential to be an Army officer. It was his encouragement that launched my career.

Q : What inspired your donation? always been grateful for my time at Southeastern.

A : I’ve The environment was nurturing and provided me with many opportunities to make mistakes and learn in a safe environment.

Q : How will your donation be used? gift is an endowed scholarship to the College of A : Our Business. Our goal is to support “future leaders” in the supply chain management program. I’ve spent the last 23 years working in logistics and can’t say enough about the opportunities I’ve had to learn, grow, and take care of our family with this discipline as my career.

Q : What do you hope your gift will A:

accomplish?

My wife and I hope our scholarship will provide a helping hand, a hand that nudges students into a successful career in the supply chain field.

Q : What would you say to others considering A:

supporting students?

I’ve visited Southeastern many times over the years since graduation. Each time I visit I’m reminded of the good times and the solid foundation the university helps form. It was during one of these visits that I decided I wanted to give back. After discussions we decided that providing a scholarship was the best way for us to show our commitment and gratitude to Southeastern. Giving is a great way to not only help students and the university, it’s a way to affirm that what we received from Southeastern was more than a degree—it was a valuable education.

Explore the Freshly Upgraded Southeastern Connect DISCOVERING NEW WAYS TO GET INVOLVED AND GIVE BACK IS JUST A CLICK AWAY. The Southeastern Connect alumni platform has received a wave of enhancements; log in or create your account to explore them now at SoutheasternConnect.org.

SPRING 2019

33

PROFESSIONAL

Sales Education GROWING AND EARNING ACCOLADES

BY MIKE RIVAULT

With an eye to the dynamic nature of business today, Southeastern’s new marketing concentration in professional sales provides real-world experiences in what many executives call the single most important function in any business—sales.

According to statistics produced by the Sales Education Foundation, sales as a discipline plays an important role in both the economy and the professional lives of today’s college graduates. A recent Harvard Business Review article stated that nationally, over 50 percent of college graduates will take on a role in professional sales at some point in their career. That percentage grows to 88 percent for marketing majors. However, only three percent of colleges in the United States offer a professional sales program. In 2017, Southeastern moved forward to enter this growing area with its own program.

34

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

Students who graduate from university sales programs, when compared to their non-sales educated peers, fare better in the workplace. They receive an average of 2.8 employment offers before they graduate; experience, on average, over 90 percent job placement; ramp up 50 percent faster with standard company training; have a current average starting salary of $60,000/year; and 77 percent report high career satisfaction.

Southeastern prides itself on working with regional companies to respond to industry needs—the development of curricula in industrial technology and welding inspection are recent examples. The professional sales program is no different.

“Our Marketing Degree Advisory Board was instrumental in confirming the need for graduates with specialized sales training. We also had many companies reaching out to us looking for students interested in going into sales positions,” said Dean of the College of Business Antoinette Phillips.

Once it was obvious that the need was high, Dr. Tará Burnthorne Lopez and Ms. April Field Kemp, marketing faculty members in the College of Business, worked to get the program started. The program helps students differentiate themselves in the job market by enhancing their analytical and tactical skill sets, focusing on consultative selling, relationship building, and developing trusted long-term partnerships with clients.

According to Phillips, “The professional sales concentration was approved to begin in the fall of 2016, but real momentum began in Spring of 2018 when the first Advanced Professional Sales course was offered, and Southeastern students began competing in on-campus and regional sales competitions. We had been teaching an Introduction to Personal Selling course for many years, but we wanted to offer a deeper level of sales training for our students.”

The core sales curriculum consists of courses in Personal Selling, Advanced Professional Selling, and Sales Management, and is supported with other marketing courses in Consumer Behavior, Marketing Research, and Marketing Strategy.

Because the current goal is to prepare students for success in the sales profession, the program has been developed for marketing majors with a future goal of including those majoring in areas outside of business who wish to pursue a sales certificate.

“We know that professional sales is not only a starting point for careers, but is becoming more and more important across all sectors of the economy. With the proliferation of technology, data analytics, and CRM applications, the role of the salesperson has become significantly more sophisticated as have the skills needed to be successful. The Southeastern professional sales program will help train the next generation of sales leaders,” said Phillips.

The success of an academic program can be seen in several ways—student interest, industry interest, and third party accolades. After only one year up and running, the professional sales program has achieved all three.

The strength and effectiveness of the program is already being recognized. This past year Southeastern’s sales concentration was named one of the top professional sales programs by the Sales Education Foundation. Student numbers were immediately strong and businesses from all over were looking to participate through support, sponsorships, and recruitment for interns and graduates.

“We’ve been very fortunate that the program started off so strong with so much support,” said Kemp.

As the program got off the ground well over 30 companies have shown interest in participating in some way, many making financial commitments.

Most recently Northwestern Mutual has sponsored the program at a significant level. Through a generous financial commitment, professional sales students will learn in a new Northwestern Mutual Training Room, to be located in Garrett Hall, with renovations to the existing space set to begin early this year. Steven Dugal, managing partner of the Mississippi and Louisiana offices, as well as Paul Hodge, managing director of the Mandeville and Gulfport offices, are supporting the initiative.

“We are excited to get involved in Southeastern’s sales program. From our experience at other universities, sales students ramp up faster than non-sales students, have lower turnover, and are more prepared for the workforce” said Dugal.

“The investment that Northwestern Mutual is making demonstrates that the program is on the right track. We are really appreciative of their support,” concluded Phillips.

ART GALLERY

out there

Contemporary Art Gallery Director and Visual Art + Design Department Head Dale Newkirk.

BY SHERI GIBSON

Louisiana is a state rich with culture. A state that does not simply embrace the arts at its surface, but is deeply intertwined with them in its soul.

While the first thoughts of many may jump to iconic locales such as New Orleans, with its distinct architecture and multitude of galleries and museums, the deep-seated, vibrant arts culture of Louisiana’s Northshore region is one that should not be overlooked. Its jewels may be more hidden away within the local communities, but for those who embrace them, they shine just as brightly.

Tucked away on Southeastern’s campus, at 100 East Stadium, is one such gem: the Contemporary Art Gallery. An extension of the Visual Art + Design Department, the gallery serves not only students and faculty but the community as well.

36

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

The gallery is devoted to presenting contemporary art exhibitions, lectures, and workshops and to providing a forum for contemporary art for students, the city of Hammond, and residents of the Northshore.

“Part of our mission is to bring contemporary art to campus, to the gallery, to show students and the public what is going on in the art world today in terms of cutting edge, new ideas,” explained Dale Newkirk, the gallery’s director and curator in addition to the department head of Visual Art + Design. “We bring in regional, national, and international [art]. There is more of a national focus, but we have also had artists from Europe, Africa, and Canada. We try to bring in people that the university and the community would be exposed to that they normally wouldn’t have access to.”

Upon passing between the gallery’s sandy columns then stepping though its unassuming glass front doors, a façade that blends seamlessly with the traditional red brick and concrete architecture of the surrounding buildings, a

shockingly large 7,000 square feet of modern gallery space greets visitors. The gallery is actually the largest art space in the area and one of only two devoted to showing contemporary art.

While some stop in for a respite from their busy day or to take advantage of the quiet, serene environment to read, the exhibitions—which switch out eight times per year—are at the foundation of what draws people in. Popular past exhibitions have included Real to Not Real, a paintings show comprised of 20 artists “working in the gap between representational and nonrepresentational visual languages, bringing the two together”; a cell phone photography show that featured over 300 images taken by people all over the world; and a national tattoo arts show. Many of the exhibitions are not only innovative, but they feature topics that are relatable to Southeastern’s students—meeting them where they are and thus helping to better engage them and draw connections between objects and ideas, creating more meaningful learning experiences.

The other part of the Contemporary Art Gallery’s mission is, in fact, to serve these students and open up new possibilities for them. Each semester an exhibition is held showcasing the work of graduating art majors. This exhibition serves as the students’ thesis show and is part of the capstone course in their curriculum, with students putting everything they

SPRING 2019

37

have learned over the years into it. This dedication has paid off for many of the students active with the gallery throughout their college careers by landing jobs at galleries and museums across the country, allowing them to continue to follow their passion.

The gallery is also used as a learning tool by groups across campus.

“A lot of the art faculty bring their students over to talk about the shows and do various projects with the artwork,” said Newkirk. “The drawing classes come over and draw in the gallery. Faculty will come over and talk about content of the work. But other departments come over as well. The English department comes over regularly to have students write about work. Foreign language classes use the space a lot, and some of the teachers are devoted to coming over and having the students engage by using the works as a vehicle for exploring language.”

For students, faculty, and the general public alike, the gallery also hosts several events a year that provide a deeper insight into the current world of contemporary art. Evening opening receptions celebrate each new major exhibition and allow attendees to be among the first to explore the works on view while mingling with fellow art lovers.

Consisting of either a lecture or exhibition and tying in with both Fanfare and Homecoming activities, special programming is held each year in October for Southeastern alumni. The gallery additionally organizes an active and robust visiting artists program, which brings in about 10 artists each year. These reputable artists travel from all over the country to provide workshops and seminars at Southeastern.

The gallery also manages the Southeastern Fine Art Collection, which consists of over 350 works of art. These pieces are not only kept in the gallery’s collections storage room, but are installed around campus in public spaces where all can enjoy them. Portraits of former university presidents in the library and sculptures by world-renowned artists John Scott and Robert Warrens situated outside near popular student walkways are just a few examples of pieces that have been made highly visible. While the collection’s focus is on contemporary art of the Southeast, a wide variety of artworks and objects—from works on paper and ceramics to sculpture and video—comprise the entire collection.

Furthering its efforts to serve students and expose the entire community to the current world of contemporary art, admission to the gallery and its popular public events is free of charge.

While many unfamiliar with Southeastern’s campus may not realize this vibrant, impactful resource exists, its ever-flowing reach permeates the artistic soil of the Northshore area, and of those who engage with it. As Newkirk remarked, “It’s part of creating a richer life in this region.”

SAVING OUR SWAMP

BY TONYA LOWENTRITT

Southeastern is no stranger to the marsh in the Lake Maurepas and Pass Manchac areas. In fact, the biology department has conducted many projects over the last few decades to study the decline of the area.

The problem was brought to light several years ago through the research of scientists, including Southeastern Professor of Biological Sciences Gary Shaffer. Shaffer has been studying Louisiana wetlands for years and has compiled a significant body of research on the impacts that logging of native trees, erosion, nutrient starvation, saltwater intrusion, herbivores such as nutria, and other factors are having on the deterioration of wetlands of southeast Louisiana.

He explained that the establishment of levees over the last century along the Mississippi River to eliminate natural flooding removed a once reliable source of fresh water, sediments, and nutrients that swamps require for healthy growth.

“This has enabled saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico to make further inland intrusions,” he said. “Combined with rising sea levels and the construction of massive canals, such as the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO), the intensity and frequency of saltwater intrusions has only grown worse.

Consequently, most of the Maurepas Swamp appears to be in transition to marsh and open water.”

The findings are based on comparisons of selected groupings of sites in the southern wetlands of Lake Maurepas. The sites had three different levels of water quality: including stagnant and nearly permanently flooded areas, sites with severe saltwater intrusion, and sites that receive some freshwater runoff. Salinity levels appeared to be the major factor causing sites to rapidly deteriorate, with the most degraded areas located near Lake Pontchartrain or along the margin of Lake Maurepas.

Recently, Gerard Blanchard, professor of physics and undergraduate coordinator, and Southeastern physics / electrical engineering dual degree student Fawaz Adesina have joined in the research efforts to study groundwater salinity in the Turtle Cove area, located on Pass Manchac between lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas. Encouraged by Rob Moreau, manager of Southeastern’s Turtle Cove Environmental Research Station, and aided by two grants through the Southeastern Center for Faculty Excellence, Blanchard and Adesina designed and installed at Turtle Cove the first of four groundwater salinity monitors that will be deployed in a line that is perpendicular to Pass Manchac. The monitors take daily readings at three different depths—10 cm, 20 cm, and 50 cm—to get a two-dimensional view of the salinity profile.

“This improves on the current method, which uses manual weekly readings that do not distinguish the variations in salinity with depth,” Blanchard said. “The scientific goal is to build a physical model of the salt transport.”

SPRING 2019

39

Blanchard has been collaborating with Shaffer on the project.

Shaffer currently has wells in the marsh, where salinity levels are checked once a week to study the health of the marsh.

“The higher the salinity levels in the marsh, the harder it is for things to grow, or for what used to be out there to grow,” said Blanchard. “Getting the salinity down is a big part of the restoration efforts.”

Blanchard said an equation is used to measure how the saltwater flows from one position to another and up and down.

The data collected will hopefully identify the factors that cause the salt levels to change at different locations and help scientists determine if the levels are getting worse. Scientists are working on diverting the water from the Mississippi River into Lake Maurepas that will then flow through that area to try to preserve the marsh.

“When we get our information, we are going to try to fit the data with this equation. There are some unknowns and some constants that specify the exact type of soil, the sources, and how much evaporation exists,” Blanchard said. “With the data, we can specify the equation to that particular time and place.

If we do it well, we can use that to predict future levels.”

Blanchard said the educational goal of the project is to give Adesina practical experience with electronics, instrument calibration, data analysis and presentation of results. Adesina gained more experience than he bargained for with this project. Originally from Kenya, it was his first time in a boat when they installed the instrument.

“I was not prepared for that journey,” Adesina said. “It was a cold morning and we were on a boat in the middle of a cold lake going at high speed. The blowing air froze my face, my nose was running and my fingers were so cold. But the opportunity of installing a device that I helped build was worth the whole experience.”

Adesina also expressed his excitement about the project helping prepare him for a career in his field.

“As a student, this project is an opportunity for me to prepare for the real world and to gain some research background,” he explained. “The knowledge of the electronics part of the project will be immensely helpful to me in my engineering classes and labs. The project also put me on the path of finally overcoming my fear of coding.”

The project, Adesina said, has not only helped him academically, but personally as well.

“I have learned to ask questions when I don’t understand things; I never used to ask questions,” he said. “It has taught me that patience is the key to success—or you’ll get burned by 40

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

a soldering iron. This project has given me many experiences that I would not have gotten in a class, and that is the main purpose of working on research as an undergraduate. It is the extracurricular activities that help you in class and help you decide what you want to do in the future.

“Southeastern has a way of making you feel at home, while also training you to venture into the real world and how to communicate with people from different backgrounds and break down barriers,” he said. “Through conferences, on-campus job interviews, seminars and even talking to professors on campus, my communication skills, as well as my people skills, have improved.

“I have always loved to take things apart and see how they work, and the chance for me to actually build something with my own hands is like a dream come true.”

Student Fawaz Adesina (front) and Physics Professor Gerard Blanchard (back) install a groundwater salinity monitor in Pass Manchac.

athletics

BY KEMMLER CHAPPLE

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Over the course of the past five years, Southeastern’s Department of Athletics has experienced success across the board.

When current Athletics Director Jay Artigues was named to the position, he hoped to chart a path toward a very strong future. Almost immediately, with input from the department’s head coaches, a fresh mission statement was crafted that embodied the new vision for athletics at Southeastern: Committed to excellence in the classroom, in the community, and in competition. “We wanted to clearly establish what it means to be a part of the athletics program here at Southeastern. Whether you are staff, a coach, or an athlete, we all should be working toward the same goals, and I think we have achieved that focus,” said Artigues.

By targeting these three key areas outlined in the new mission statement, Southeastern has excelled in each. This success is visible both on campus and in the community. The impact has been stellar and has brought a holistic approach to the program and the anticipated results for student-athletes.

“I commend our coaches for committing to our mission...it starts in recruiting studentathletes that are committed to excellence in all three areas,” Artigues said. “The mission statement is posted in every athletic building on campus. I wanted our student-athletes and coaches to see it every day everywhere they went.” >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> SPRING 2019

41

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Excellence In The Classroom

Excellence in Competition

In the classroom, student-athletes are thriving. In the spring of 2017, Southeastern recorded its highest GPA in department history. The department continues to break records academically and foresees improving the overall GPA over the course of the next three semesters. This past fall semester, student-athletes achieved a 3.16 overall GPA with more than 50 percent recording an individual 3.0 GPA or higher.

Student-athletes are excelling on the field, court, and track.

Since the fall of 2013, Southeastern has claimed a pair of Southland Conference football titles, indoor and outdoor championships in men’s track and field, a baseball regular season title and a Southland tournament championship, a men’s basketball regular season title, and a women’s soccer tournament championship.

“While we are about winning athletic competition, we are also about forming student-athletes for a strong and productive future. Our overall academic progress has been fantastic and I could not be more proud. This ensures that whatever these students may go on to do, they can do it with excellence after they have graduated from Southeastern,” said Artigues.

At the NCAA level, track and field athlete Alex Young earned a national title in the men’s indoor weight throw during the spring of 2016. Since then, the baseball, football, and softball teams have all churned out program records for most wins in a single season.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Excellence in the Community Part of any education is not just the book learning that prepares one for a career, but it is the life education that teaches one to be a great person. With a specific focus on giving back to the community, Southeastern Athletics ensures that every student-athlete engages in service to the community each year.

“We hope that this helps form the overall person that they will become,” said Artigues.

Southeastern now averages 15 hours of community service per student-athlete each year. The department routinely accumulates more than 5,000 combined hours of service annually. With record-setting numbers, Southeastern earned the Southland Conference Community Service Award in 2017.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

42

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

Excellence on the field requires a great deal of focus. In addition to strong recruiting and coaching, facilities play a huge part. Having good facilities that support the students are an important part of the recruiting process. Creating physical improvements throughout the department is a focal point for Artigues.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Excellent Infrastructure and Support “I think it’s important to show every year that you’re making some sort of major improvement, one thing every single year,” Artigues said. “If we do that in every sport, you look up five years later and we’ve accomplished a lot. Tip your hat to the coaches and administration; everyone has pitched in and done a great job.”

Behind-the-scenes upgrades to the Dick & Glory Sharp Academic Center and the Doc Goodwin Athletic Training Room, along with the Naquin Strength & Conditioning Center, benefit all Southeastern student-athletes, cheerleaders, and

members of the national champion Lionette dance squad.

Improvements have been made across nearly all facilities including Strawberry Stadium, the University Center, North Oak Park, the North Campus Athletics building, the Tennis Complex, Track and Field Complex, and Alumni Field.

The academic center, located on the west side of historic Strawberry Stadium, has received additional computer stations, study rooms, informational signage, flooring, and furniture. An NCAA grant helped provide for additional academic counselors.

“We’re developing a holistic student-athlete,” said Artigues. “The academic center has paid dividends by recently generating the highest GPA in department history. It is no coincidence. We’ve committed to excellence in that area, providing the resources we need to be successful academically.”

Over the past five years, the numerous facility upgrades were made possible by an increase in fundraising, sponsorship, and concession dollars, identifying internal funds and cost efficiencies, routine maintenance, and a variety of grant monies. Concession revenues have doubled since bringing the operations in-house, and developing a partnership with Peak Sports Management to handle sales has led corporate sponsorships revenues to quadruple.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> T H ROU GH A FOCU S ON CLASSROOM, COMM U NIT Y, AND COMPET IT ION EXCELLENCE, SOU T H EAST ERN AT H LET IC S IS REAPING T H E BENEFITS OF SU CCESS.

Renovations have also allowed for the new North Oaks Nutrition Center to launch. The nutrition center is only one piece of an entire nutritional program for the Lions and Lady Lions, developed by North Oaks Dietetic Internship Director Leslie Ballard and Southeastern Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine Brandon Albin. The program is designed to not only provide sustenance through the nutrition center, but also to better educate all Southeastern student-athletes on the best dietary practices.

“It’s important we also give the nutritional resources to be successful,” Artigues said. “They get their three meals a day, but it’s also important they have the proper nutritional information.”

“Our goal with this program is for the student-athletes to see better performance, fewer injuries, faster recovery, and overall better health,” Ballard said.

SPRING 2019

43

Join Us for This Sampling of

COMING EVENTS APRIL TUE - FRI

9-12

THU EVERYMAN, A MODERN ENGLISH VERSION | 7:30 pm Vonnie Borden Theatre

SAT

13

11

WINE TASTING: ST. TAMMANY ALUMNI CHAPTER | 6 - 8 pm N’Tini’s, 2891 Hwy 190, Mandeville

WED BILL EVANS JAZZ FESTIVAL: SOUTHEASTERN JAZZ BAND WITH PETE RODRIGUEZ | 7:30 pm Pottle Music Building

17

STRAWBERRY JUBILEE | 11 am - 2 pm Student Union Breezeway and Park

MAY THU

WED

1

LECTURE BY DR. JEREMY RICHMAN: THE NEUROSCIENCE OF PEACE | 7 - 8:30 pm Student Union Theatre, Room 216

CRAWFISH BOIL: DALLAS / FT. WORTH ALUMNI CHAPTER | 2 pm TILL The Barley House, Dallas

FRI

10

44

7

CERAMICS CLUB POTTERY SALE | 9 am - 2 pm Student Union, East Pavilion (Outside)

SUN

SHRIMP & CRAWFISH BOIL: TANGI ALUMNI CHAPTER | 4:30 - 6 pm Alumni Building

SAT

18

Contemporary Art Gallery

TUE

SAT

4

2

ART + DESIGN SENIOR EXHIBITION OPENING RECEPTION | 5 - 7:30 pm

12

BASEBALL: SLU VS. SAM HOUSTON STATE | 1 pm Pat Kenelly Diamand at Alumni Field

SUN

SPRING 2019 COMMENCEMENT | 10 am University Center

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

19

CRAWFISH BOIL: RED STICK ALUMNI CHAPTER | 3 - 5 pm Country Club of Louisiana, Baton Rouge

K EE P I NG

'65

' 74

JOSEPH L. CACIBAUDA

T ER RY HA R P ER was appointed to the North Oaks Health System Board of Commissioners for a six-year term. A lifelong resident of Tangipahoa Parish, he worked for Shell for 36 years before retiring in 2010.

has published four books, including two historical fiction novels—Not for Self: A Sicilian Life and Death in Marion and After Laughing Comes Crying. Both of these books are studies of the Sicilian immigrants’ experiences in America from the 1900s through the 1950s.

' 80

'8 0

class notes

in touch ' 74

'79

JEFFR EY F. W IL EY has

SHERY L ST. GERM AI N

retired as Ascension Parish Sheriff after holding the position since 1996. In recognition of his service, December 31 was declared Jeffrey F. Wiley Day by Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa.

received the 19th annual Louisiana Writer Award at the Louisiana Book Festival in November for her outstanding contribution to Louisiana letters and cultural life. She has written five books of poetry in addition to directing the MFA program in creative writing at Chatham University in Pennsylvania.

'8 6

LE S LIE L IPPS

RO G ER N AVA R R A

DANA VICKNAIR

CALLE N DE R was elected president of the Georgia chapter of the Construction Financial Management Association. She has worked in the Atlanta area construction industry as a CPA and certified construction industry financial professional for 27 years and is currently the owner of On Call Accounting.

was appointed to the North Oaks Health System Board of Commissioners for a six-year term. Navarra, a State Farm insurance agent in Independence for more than 32 years, also serves on Mater Dolorosa Catholic School Board and is an active member of the Independence Chamber of Commerce.

was appointed director of the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL).

She previously worked for the Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System before joining TRSL in 1995, serving as TRSL’s chief financial officer for the past six years until her appointment in 2018.

' 91 ROSSANA B OYD has become a leading advocate for English language learners.

In addition to being an award-winning lecturer, she is director of the University of Northern Texas’ bilingual / ESL teacher education programs, is an executive board member for the National Association for Bilingual Education, and has been instrumental in acquiring extensive funding in support of ESL and bilingual students and teachers.

SPRING 2019

45

class notes

' 92

' 95

'01

'0 4

K IM BE RLY H A N S

A DA M DA I G L E accepted

SHAW N DEAR IE

CL AY DAUGHE RTY

joined AXA XL’s US broker and client management team as the company’s Southeast regional leader, based in Atlanta. She is the former vice president of broker relationship for Zurich North America.

the position of business editor for the Acadiana office of The Advocate. He has 23 years of experience working for various newspapers, including Tulsa World for the last 12 years.

accepted the position of family medicine nurse practitioner at North Oaks Primary Care Clinic in Independence. He previously served as a nurse practitioner and critical care nurse for North Oaks Medical Center Emergency Department.

was selected to oversee scaffolding operations for Danos. A resident of Denham Springs, he has 23 years of industry experience, which he previously utilized as operations manager for Sunbelt Rentals.

' 07 JU S T IN CROS S I E was appointed as the US Small Business Association’s regional administrator for Region VI, serving more than 3.8 million small businesses in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

46

'08 A S HL EY I N G OL IA joined Northshore Internal Medicine Associates in Hammond. She is returning to Louisiana after serving as a resident at the John Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

'09 MICHEL L E AND JOHN CAVAL IER launched Looziana Book Co., a business which specializes in the wholesale and distribution of titles written and published within Louisiana. The couple also brings book fairs to schools within the region and operates Cavalier House Books, which they opened together in the Denham Springs Antique District soon after graduating from Southeastern.

'0 9 W HITNEY C RAI G is the new director of Cancer Services in Baton Rouge. Now responsible for the organization’s day-to-day operations, she was promoted to the position after serving as Cancer Services’ director of children and family programs.

Craig also interned with the organization while a student at Southeastern.

' 10

' 11

' 14

ALANN A “LA N I” FA S T

MA RG U ER I T E

B R ITTANY CASEY was

was selected as the new associate administrator for St. Bernard Parish Hospital. As the former assistant vice president of clinic operations for Ochsner Health System—North Shore, Fast now draws on her extensive experience to provide oversight and leadership for the hospital and satellite clinic locations serving Chalmette and New Orleans East.

G U I L LOT was appointed principal of Buillon Primary School in Prairieville. She began her career teaching in Ascension Parish 14 years ago and has served as assistant principal of St. Amant Primary since 2014.

named director of Intensive Care Services at Lane Regional Medical Center in Zachary. She has over 15 years of healthcare experience as a certified care nurse, primary charge nurse, and relief supervisor.

' 16

' 17

' 17

' 15 TATE SCIONEAU X , a former Lions Baseball pitcher, is continuing his love of baseball by playing for the Pittsburg Pirates. He first signed with the Pirates in 2015 upon graduating from Southeastern.

' 18

J O NAT H O N TAY LOR

MAT T HEW G EO RGE

KIMB ER LY MARCEL

SAMSON A JAYI

signed with the Jacksonville Sharks, beginning his career in arena football. Prior to joining the Sharks, he worked out with the Cleveland Browns after developing his football skills at Southeastern and as a high school All American.

has been keeping busy as a political consultant and campaign advisor. Since graduating in 2017, he has managed campaigns for Jessica Lotspeich for Mayor of Abita Springs; John Botsford for Covington City Council, District B; and Joey Roberts for Covington City Council, District C.

joined Northshore Urological Associates in Hammond as a nurse practitioner. She previously served as a family nurse practitioner in Covington, diagnosing and treating patients with acute and chronic health conditions.

has begun his career as a production associate for Tesla in Reno, Nevada. He was offered the position at Tesla while still completing his BA in industrial technology at Southeastern last spring.

SPRING 2019

47

See Yourself?

These historic photos are a snapshot of a different time at Southeastern. Let us know if you recognize anyone pictured here. We would love to have names and stories to go with these photos. Email editor@southeastern.edu.

48

SOUTHEASTERN MAGAZINE

NON PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

PERMIT NO. 51 HAMMOND, LA

Office of Advancement, SLU 10293 Hammond, LA 70402 southeasternfoundation.org

Success: The Southeastern Channel’s live, student-produced broadcast of a Lions basketball game has been honored as one of the top four in the nation, winning the Award of Excellence for student “Television Sports Event Production” at the Broadcast Education Association’s 2018 Festival of Media Arts in Las Vegas.