Alumni News Spring 2012

ALUMNI NEWS

Spring 2012

• So u th e a ste r n c i te d fo r c o m mu n i ty se r v i c e • Ki n e si o l o g y B u i l di n g a ddi ti o n de di c a te d • G e tti n g o f f th e g r i d: managing energy efficiency

Alumni

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Southeastern Louisiana University Dr. John L. Crain ’82, ’84 President Dr. Tammy Bourg Provost/Vice President, Academic Affairs Stephen Smith ’76, ’82 Vice President, Administration & Finance Dr. Marvin L. Yates Vice President, Student Affairs Wendy Johns Lauderdale ’93 Vice President, University Advancement Alumni Association Kathy Locascio Pittman ’71 Director Gayle Neal ’74 President Dick Covington ’71 President-elect Emily McNeely ’02 Secretary Amy Verbene ’99, ’01 Treasurer Board Members Wayne Booker ’85 John Watson ‘82 Cindy Faller ’73 Sally Carlisle ’02 Daryl Ferrara ’92 April Field ’10 Dick Whitson ’71 Stephanie Kropog ’86 Tony Licciardi ’93 Josie Mercante ’69, ’74 The Southeastern Louisiana University Alumni News, published four times annually by the Association, was entered as third-class matter, May 9, 1949, at the Post Office in Hammond, LA, under the amended act of June 11, 1934. The office of publication is Hammond, LA 70402. Annual dues of $30 include subscription to Southeastern Alumni News.

Produced and edited by the Southeastern Louisiana University Office of Public Information.

cover Thanks to Legislative support in getting complete Capital Outlay funding following the hurricanes of 2005, Southeastern officially opened its long-awaited addition to the Kinesiology and Health Studies Building. The two-story addition houses offices of the College of Nursing and health Sciences, School of Nursing faculty offices and much needed classroom and lab space.

A message from President John L. Crain Southeastern recently entertained nearly 200 high school seniors and their parents at our annual Scholars Showcase. These are among the best and the brightest high school students who have applied to initiate their post-secondary educational ventures at Southeastern, and at this event we recognize their achievements with significant academic and housing awards. We provide tours of our facilities, introduce them to faculty and our academic offerings and, in general, give them a taste of the family atmosphere for which Southeastern is known. By investing in these high achieving students, we are taking steps that will enrich our student body and result in improved retention and graduation rates, some of the factors upon which higher education is now evaluated.

While prospective students generally evaluate an institution based on it meeting their particular academic needs, we know that the quality of facilities also plays a significant role. It was with considerable pride that we recently dedicated the long-awaited addition to the Kinesiology and Health Studies Building. This facility provides a new home for the programs in College of Nursing and Health Sciences, which have been housed previously in a renovated dormitory. The new offices, classrooms and labs provide modern teaching facilities for our nursing, kinesiology, and communication and science disorders programs.

In this issue of Alumni News, we also announce that — for the second consecutive year — Southeastern was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. We at Southeastern, as well as the communities we serve, have always recognized the important role our faculty, staff and students play in community involvement and service. It is truly gratifying to see those efforts, particularly those by our civic-minded students, recognized by an outside agency, in this case the Corporation for National and Community Service. Southeastern accepts this distinction with pride, and we pledge to always maintain our focus to serve the people of our region.

A message from your Alumni president Serving on the Alumni board for the last few years has been very gratifying and certainly an eye opener for me. I had no idea of the work and dedication our director, Kathy Pittman, and her very capable staff perform each day. I have come to appreciate their leadership and the many events and activities that the Alumni Association supports.

Throughout the year, we have a number of local chapter activities that the Alumni Association enthusiastically supports. These events keep our alumni Gayle Neal ’74 informed, involved with this great university, and provide the opportunity to stay in touch with former classmates. Some of these events assist the university in the recruitment of potential students. For example, Rock ’n Roar has been so successful for the last 16 years in bringing high school students to our campus, many for the first time, as they participate in the Literary Rally and available camps for the younger children. The association also assists with campus events that provide an atmosphere for professional student growth and faculty excellence.

As president, it has been an honor to serve with some outstanding quality people. We have had our challenges but the board has always been a conscientious steward of finances and in supporting the university in so many successful endeavors.

As we come to the end of another semester, I am thankful that we have Dr. John Crain as our leader. Even though there will be many more challenges in the future, I am encouraged that they will be met with a positive attitude and a plan to keep Southeastern striving toward excellence. I urge all of you to become actively involved and continue to support this great university that has meant so much to all of us. I wish to thank the Association, our Alumni board and especially our Alumni Association staff for all their support and hard work.

Service Southeastern recognized for

Students in an enviornmental awareness course unload recycled Christmas trees on Jones Island in the Manchac Swamp to help rebuild the eroding shoreline. Servicelearning activities such as this incorporate classroom concepts into real world applications.

For the second consecutive year, Southeastern has been named to the President’s Higher Education Honor Roll for Community Service in recognition of volunteer work by students, faculty and staff.

The award cites the work of more than 2,600 Southeastern students who provided nearly 98,500 service hours worth an estimated $2.1 million to help meet various needs throughout the region.

The President’s Honor Roll recognizes institutions that “reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities,” according to the Corporation for National and Community Service, which sponsors the program.

“Service is an official element in Southeastern’s institutional values and basic mission,” said President John L. Crain. “We’re proud to see our students honored for the thousands of hours of volunteer work they perform for area non-profit agencies and in our communities.

We know the impact of their work is significant and valued.”

“Service is evident in all aspects of Southeastern’s culture,” said Tena Golding, director of the Center for Faculty Excellence, which oversees service-learning projects. “Service at Southeastern is diverse. It may involve marketing students organizing fundraising events for an animal humane society, ‘playologists’ at the Louisiana Children’s Discovery Center, or organizations working together to provide a wide range of services to meet community needs.”

The university was recognized for both its community service activities and its service-learning projects. Golding said community service activities are different than service-learning projects, which are integrated with academic courses and strongly tied to

course objectives. Through service-learning, the academic theories and principles of the classroom are used in real world applications. Examples, she said, include teacher candidates tutoring area children as part of their field experiences, environmental awareness and biological sciences students assisting in placement of recycled Christmas trees to strengthen area wetland shorelines, and nursing students participating in health fairs and educational events.

“Both forms of service are highly valuable and commendable,” she said. “Both contribute to helping students become empowered, motivated and experienced leaders and citizens, well-rounded individuals that our society needs.”

According to Southeastern’s report, in 2010–11 service-learning was incorporated in 38 course sections with nearly 800 students logging more than 15,600 hours of service. Community service activities involved even greater numbers, with more than 1,800 students involved, totaling nearly 83,000 service hours.

She cited the Children of the Gulf initiative conducted by the 2010 Lions football team to raise funds for children of Plaquemines Parish impacted by the BP oil spill. The team sold t-shirts depicting the pastimes affected by the disaster and raised more than $8,000 for Plaquemines Parish recreation activities.

“Greek organizations alone documented approximately 7,900 service hours and raised more than $55,000 for non-profit agencies,” he said.

Also noted were contributions of Southeastern faculty and staff members who logged close to 12,000 hours of service and participated in campus-wide fundraising campaigns for the United Way, the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association.

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grow

Room to

Long-awaited academic facility dedicated

In addition to nine new classrooms and computer lab, the facility includes administrative offices for the dean and department heads, resource rooms, four seminar rooms, four nursing labs, and a simulator lab where nursing students practice on “Sim Man,” an advanced patient simulator in a mock hospital room with monitors and other equipment.

The addition also houses labs used by the Athletic Training Education Program. Southeastern was the first university in the state to have an accredited Athletic Training Education Program.

“The U.S. Department of Labor has indicated that athletic training is projected to grow 37 percent faster than all other professions until 2018, because of the athletic trainer’s ability to prevent injuries and reduce healthcare costs,” said Josh Yellin, interim director of the program. “Because of the unique expertise of the athletic trainer, possible places of employment include professional and collegiate teams, secondary and intermediate schools, sports medicine, hospital and rehabilitation clinics, occupational settings, fitness centers and physician offices.”

He said the addition is a big boost to the program.

“The labs provide us the space and equipment we need to properly prepare our students to meet the requirements to become certified athletic trainers,” he said.

With over-sized scissors in hand, Southeastern President John L. Crain — along with other officials and dignitaries — cut a ribbon in February to officially dedicate a long-awaited and much needed academic facility.

The $13 million, two-story addition adds nearly 35,000 square feet of offices, labs and classrooms to the 55,000 square foot Kinesiology and Health Studies building.

“This has been a long time coming,” Crain said, referring to the years-long state Capital Outlay process for designing and building new facilities that started in the 1990s. “It represents an important and much-needed addition to our campus.”

Crain thanked the legislators from the area, who worked to get complete funding for the structure after the hurricanes of 2005 delayed the start of construction. The building houses the offices of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, School of Nursing faculty offices, and classrooms for the athletic training, nursing, and communication sciences and disorders programs.

“These are extremely important programs at Southeastern,” Crain said. “Our graduates fill vital workforce needs throughout the area.”

“This is a special day for the college,” said Ann Carruth, interim dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. “For 20 years, we operated in a converted dormitory. We made the best of it, because our program is primarily about the students and faculty.

This beautifully designed, state-of-the art facility, however, will make a real difference.”

Above: President John L. Crain cuts the ribbon marking the official dedication of the university’s new addition to its Kinesiology and Health Studies Building.

Participating in the event were, from left, Dwayne Honore of D. Honore Construction Inc. of Baton Rouge, Michael Holly of Holly and Smith Architects of Hammond, former dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences Barbara Moffett, State Rep. Steve Pugh, Crain, former Dean Donnie Booth, Interim Dean Ann Carruth; former Dean Elienne Tate, and former Southeastern President Randy Moffett, now president of the University of Louisiana System.

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“This is so great for the faculty and students of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences,” said former Dean Donnie Booth, now retired. “They now have a modern facility that can help them meet the goals we’ve strived so long for; this is truly an exciting day.”

Booth recalled her days as a student at Southeastern, studying in old World War II barracks that served as the first home for the nursing program. Later the program was moved to Mims Hall, a converted dormitory building. With no classrooms in the building, nursing students were scat-

University to offer doctoral program in advanced nursing practice Recognizing the increasing demand for doctoral-prepared nurses to address the state’s healthcare needs, the Louisiana Board of Regents recently approved a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree to be offered

by Southeastern in partnership with the University of LouisianaLafayette.

With an initial cohort of students expected to enroll next fall, the program is strongly aligned with the workforce development goals associated with the state’s GRAD Act legislation.

Under development for several years, the program is one of the first Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees to be offered at public universities in Louisiana. One other DNP program is currently offered at Loyola University in New Orleans.

The DNP degree is Southeastern’s second doctoral level program.

In 2006, the Board of Regents approved the doctorate in Educational Leadership, which is also offered in partnership with ULL. Like the EdD program, each institution will award the DNP degree to students enrolled at their respective institution.

The new degree builds on the strong master’s in nursing practice program that Southeastern and ULL have offered for years in a consortium that also includes McNeese State University.

The new program is not expected to require additional faculty or costs to implement, as costs will be addressed through reallocation of current resources. In addition, by combining the strengths and resources of each institution, the program is being offered in a very cost-effective manner. Under the arrangement, Southeastern and ULL will share online instruction, program planning, curriculum development and library resources.

The program is considered an important step in helping the state address pressing healthcare needs. The Affordable Care Act of 2010, which will unfold over the next several years, is expected to have a profound impact on the current healthcare system, including how nurses practice. Louisiana already falls below the national level for both doctoral-prepared and baccalaureate-prepared nurses.

Surveys of nursing alumni from both universities, as well as potential employers, indicate strong interest and support for the DNP program. Currently, nurses in Louisiana are enrolling in DNP programs in neighboring states such as Alabama, Texas and Mississippi and paying increased costs associated with out-of-state tuition and fees.

The intent is to seek national accreditation of the program from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, as well as approval from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing as soon as possible.

tered across the campus for their classes.

University of Louisiana President Randy Moffett, who served as Southeastern’s president and provost during the years of planning the structure, offered his congratulations on the project’s completion.

“It was our goal several years ago to put our academic departments in new or fully renovated facilities,” Moffett said. “This represents a wonderful addition to the campus.”

The facility was designed by Holly and Smith Architects of Hammond, and the contractor was D. Honore Construction of Baton Rouge.

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences enrolls more than 2,850 students in the areas of nursing, kinesiology and health studies and communication sciences and disorders.

Above, top: Nursing students gain valuable experience practicing on “Sim Man,” an advanced patient simulator.

Above: Students in Southeastern’s Athletic Training Program are benefitting from added space and equipment offered in labs in the new addition.

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While some see increasing energy independence as a pipe dream, officials at Southeastern are eyeing the possibility of being off the commercial electrical grid within a decade.

With energy costs rising in a tight higher education budget situation, conservation and alternative energy

Getting off

THE GRID

Alternative resources and conservation saving Southeastern in energy costs

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sources implemented by the university may make that vision a reality.

“It’s an aggressive goal, admittedly,” said Southeastern Physical Plant Director Byron Patterson, “but we believe we have to think aggressively or it won’t happen at all. Any strides taken toward this overarching goal are steps in the right direction.”

The university is using a combination of tactics: solar power to generate electricity and heated water, biodiesel generation to power landscaping equipment, replacement of aging equipment with more energy efficient models, and conservation through a tightly controlled energy management system.

Among the latest additions is the placement of solar panels on the Kinesiology and Health Sciences Building to heat water used in the indoor pool and tennis and track team locker rooms. Also, a set of photovoltaic solar panels — able to withstand winds of up to 135 miles per hour and that track the sun for maximum efficiency — generate power to run the university’s Physical Plant offices.

The seven rows of linked panels on the kinesiology building cost approximately $150,000 and were purchased with funds approved by the university’s Student Technology Fee Committee. The committee uses dedicated student fees to fund large and small projects that improve technology available to students and advance student learning opportunities. The new energy resources, while helping reduce costs for the university, also are accessed by students in Southeastern’s environmental awareness courses and in the Energy Engineering Technology program, providing hands-on experience and research opportunities.

Mike Asoodeh, professor of industrial technology and chief information officer, said the annual energy savings will allow the university to recover the initial investment in approximately five years.

The panels powering the Physical Plant and those placed on top of the university’s administration building to provide hot water, as well as the biodiesel operation that uses waste cooking oil from food concessions on campus and area restaurants, were also funded through the committee’s allocations.

Chief Information Officer Mike Asoodeh, left, and Physical Plant Director Byron Patterson stand next to the array of solar panels mounted on top of the Kinesiology and Health Studies Building.

“The systems have a strong academic component,” Asoodeh said.

“They provide students an excellent opportunity to learn about the systems first-hand and do both research and practice.”

Patterson has also established a training area in the Physical Plant, where heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) staff are trained on the the theory and mechanics of their work.

“With a better understanding of the systems, our staff can more easily handle most repairs,” Patterson said. “We don’t want to be dependent upon outside firms for most maintenance and repair.”

An additional significant step toward conservation came with the installation of a comprehensive energy management control system that covers about 85 percent of university buildings. Dawson Kinchen, supervisor of controls, underwent specialized training, learning the systems installed in a number of buildings on campus.

“This means we can do a lot of work in-house and not have to depend upon expensive system control professionals,” said Patterson.

To create a more integrated system, the university converted outdated pneumatic controls to direct digital controls in many buildings. Now, via a control panel and monitors, Kinchen can simultaneously view the HVAC performance in most campus buildings.

“With direct digital controls, we can basically ‘tune up’ a building to get maximum efficiency,” he said. “Under the old pneumatic system, you could have up to a five percent swing in temperature.

We cleaned up the controls for digital commands, and this allows us to control the temperature to within one-half of a degree.”

That operation has a direct impact: in 2009-10, more than $1.2 million was saved in electrical costs, and Patterson said that’s the basic benchmark the plant seeks to exceed each year.

To Kinchen’s knowledge, this is the only system of its type in the state. Consequently, the university has been visited by representatives from several other universities and colleges, school systems and parish governments who are considering implementing similar technology.

To increase energy efficiency even more, Southeastern officials are considering other projects involving better control of lighting during off-hours and the placement of solar panels for electrical power and hot water generation on top of the Biology Building and the university’s large parking garage. Also in the plans are expanded recycling activities and investigation of biomass technologies for energy production.

“There is no single approach to efficient energy generation and management,” said Asoodeh. “However, collectively the various technologies available that are constantly improving, as well as a strong conservation program, can yield tremendous savings.”

Above: Preparing a new batch of biodiesel fuel are Martin “Chip” Perrilloux, right, and Clint Rushing, both with Southeastern’ s Physical Plant. The university recycles waste oil from campus food operations and converts it to fuel at a fraction of the cost of diesel. The biodiesel is used to power landscaping equipment and off-road vehicles.

Left: Dawson Kinchen and Rosa Campbell of the Physical Plant staff monitor the temperature controls and fire alarm systems throughout most campus buildings via an online system. The computerized network increases the efficiency of energy systems throughout the campus.

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CAMPUS NEWS TRIO program awarded $4.9 million in grants The U.S. Department of Education has awarded the TRIO programs at Southeastern nearly $5 million to provide counseling and information on college admissions to individuals from underserved populations looking to enter postsecondary education.

TRIO refers to the original three programs of the Higher Education Act of 1968: Upward Bound, Talent Search and Student Support Services. While retaining the TRIO name, the program has expanded to include other programs, including Veterans Upward Bound and Educational Opportunity Centers.

“These programs are geared toward first generation and low income students in an effort to prepare them for postsecondary education opportunities,” said Duane Donald, Southeastern coordinator of Special Projects and TRIO. “The programs have proven to be very effective, and many students from low income families depend on them to succeed academically in high school and college.”

Educational Talent Search programs for Tangipahoa and Washington parishes were awarded $3.04 million to cover operations through August 2016. The grants fund programs in selected schools in the two parishes.

Serving junior and senior high school students, ETS offers tutoring and non-academic services, including personal and career counseling, information on financial aid and ACT/SAT testing.

The Educational Opportunity Center at Southeastern received a $1.87 million grant through 2016. Donald said the program annually serves more than 1,200 individuals in the nine parishes of East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Jefferson, Orleans, St. Helena, St. John the Baptist, Tangipahoa and Washington.

Jean Fotie, left, assistant professor of chemistry, will perform research on paper coatings for Bercen, Inc. of Denham Springs through a grant from the Louisiana Board of Regents and the company. Working with him are senior chemistry students Jessica Rhodus of Walker and Bijay Bhattarai of Nepal.

Students to assist with chemistry grant Preliminary research performed by Southeastern chemistry students has led to an assistant professor of chemistry being awarded $40,214 to develop new paper coating agents for Bercen, Inc., an international manufacturing facility for paper chemicals based in Denham Springs.

With a $28,214 grant from the Louisiana Board of Regents and $12,000 from Bercen, Jean Fotie, assistant professor, will work on synthesizing new paper sizing agents, compounds that allow ink to adhere to paper without bleeding or smudging.

The work builds on initial results generated through Southeastern’s SEAL program.

SEAL (Student Entrepreneurs as Active Leaders) is a university program that links a student-run, faculty-supervised organization with industrial partners to work on research problems encountered in industry.

Fotie will involve undergraduate students in the project, giving them the opportunity to do fundamental chemistry and see it applied to an industrial process.

“Southeastern brings skills and techniques that we do not have here,” said Bercen Technology Director Joseph Schaffer. “Working with the SEAL team brings us these capabilities, while giving students experience in solving real world problems. Our company can draw on their natural ability to innovate.”

“The grant demonstrates the ability of the university to work in areas that help the economy of the state, train students for good jobs, and demonstrate to technology companies that Louisiana has a lot to offer,” added Debra Dolliver, associate professor of chemistry and co-investigator on the project.

Southeastern social work program earns reaccreditation Southeastern’s social work program has been reaccredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation.

The eight-year accreditation is the maximum granted by the CSWE, the primary accrediting agency for social work education.

Southeastern offers a baccalaureate social work program, which has been accredited continuously since 1982.

National accreditation is considered an important endorsement of an academic program, and represents an independent, outside evaluation of the program’s quality and its relevance to the workforce needs of the area, said John C. Fischetti, dean of the College of Education and Human Development, which oversees the program.

“Southeastern’s social work program is one of the finest in the

region and in the country, and this accreditation is validation of the great work of our faculty and students and the potential of the program to impact children and families,” he added.

The accreditation process involved a comprehensive self study to document the program’s compliance with established standards and policies, a site visit in October by representatives of the agency, and a full review by the Commission on Accreditation, said June Williams, head of the Department of Counseling and Human Development.

Southeastern’s social work program focuses on preparing entry level practitioners to work with diverse populations in rural and small communities, Williams said. In addition to course work, students must also complete a field internship at a social service agency.

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Scholars Showcase recognizes students More than 180 area high school seniors and their guests attended Southeastern’s Scholars Showcase in February, where students were offered special academic and housing scholarships.

In all, 543 students from 24 Louisiana parishes were offered scholarships at the annual event. The scholarships are four-year awards that are renewed each year depending upon student academic performance. The students recognized had an average ACT score of 26.28.

At the event, students and parents toured Southeastern’s housing facilities and visited with faculty representing the university’s academic offerings.

“We are thrilled at the prospect of your joining the Southeastern family,” said President John L. Crain in his welcome address. “You are here tonight because you have been successful in high school and because you have great things ahead of you.”

Noting the beauty of the campus, Crain said beautiful grounds and attractive facilities can be found at many institutions. “But there is something unique and special that you will discover about Southeastern – the people here,” he said. “You are looking for that special place that’s a good fit for you, and that place is Southeastern.”

Auxiliary Services Marketing Director Robin Parker Rodrigue, left, talks about the university’s housing and meal plans with Allyson Achee, right, and her mother Shannon Achee. Allyson Achee, a senior at St. James High School in St. Amant, was one of more than 180 area students honored with scholarships at Southeastern’s Scholars Showcase.

Turf upgrade starts in Strawberry Stadium Southeastern’s Strawberry Stadium will see its first turf upgrade since the return of football to the university in 2003.

The $525,000 project — which includes removal of the existing turf and track and installation of new turf — is being financed by the Lion Athletics Association.

The new turf was used for one year in the 2010 season in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome by the New Orleans Saints and Tulane University. The high quality turf is replaced every year by the Superdome although it has a multi-year warranty.

“Obtaining this turf is a great opportunity to get professional grade turf of the highest quality at a greatly reduced price,” said Athletics Director Bart Bellairs. “It provides another layer of safety for student-athletes and others who use the field.”

He said the new changes will allow the soccer team to play in the stadium for the first time. Soccer games generally are played on a north campus complex.

He said the existing turf was installed in 2003 and was due to be replaced, having been used for university and high school football games, the Manning Passing Academy and Louisiana Special Olympics. The project includes the removal of the existing turf and the track surface surrounding the field. All areas inside the stadium, including the existing grassy areas at the north and south end zones, will be replaced.

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Southeastern enhancing Western Avenue entrance The topsoil excavated from Strawberry Stadium in a turf replacement project funded by the Lion Athletic Association won’t be headed for a landfill or other dumpsite.

Instead the dirt is being piled along General Pershing Avenue and will be recycled to enhance drainage and appearance of the area while providing additional student parking space.

The project is a collaboration between the university and the Student Government Association.

Currently the area is low and tends to hold water following a heavy rain. The dirt will be used to build berms to help manage the drainage.

New trees and landscaping will further upgrade the entrance, a main portal into the university.

Monies from an SGA capital outlay grant will concurrently fund an upgrading of Tinsley Gardens, the camellia-laden area located behind the Garrett College of Business Building and the President’s Residence. The project will redefine the gardens to include development of gathering areas with benches and tables and equipped with wi-fi capability for wireless Internet access.

Discussions of an additional grant to include entrance enhancement are underway. Related projects include sidewalk restoration in the area and construction of a new student parking lot to add approximately 60 vehicles.

Research aims to reduce injuries among workers A research grant has been awarded to a Southeastern occupational safety specialist to investigate methods of reducing injuries among installers of drywall.

Lu Yuan, assistant professor of Occupational Safety, Health and Environment in the Department of Computer Science and Industrial Technology, received the $30,000 grant from the Center for Construction Research and Education, awarded through a cooperative agreement with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Yuan said workers handling drywall are at risk for musculoskeletal injuries and disorders, especially to the lower back and shoulder areas.

Drywall installation is a strenuous task, he said, and can cause overexertion injuries due to the weight and bulk of the sheets.

A specialist in biomechanics and occupational ergonomics, Yuan will use a biomechanical modeling approach he developed previously in researching the effects of position and size of drywall on the physical demands on installers.

FACULTY/STAFF NEWS KEVIN BRADY NAMED SOUTHEASTERN HR DIRECTOR

Fischetti heads Education and Human Development

Kevin Brady of Hammond has been appointed director of Human Resources.

Brady, who has worked at LSU Health Care Services in a number of capacities for the past 14 years, returns to Southeastern where he first started working in 1992.

Brady most recently served as assistant HR administrator for the headquarters office of LSU Health Care Services Division in Baton Rouge. In that position, he provided guidance and advice to HR directors and other administrators at the seven hospitals in the LSU system. From 2007 to 2009, he served in the same office as HR manager.

A Southeastern graduate with a bachelor’s degree in management and a master of business administration degree, he worked in the university’s HR department from 1992 to 1998.

An education leader with a research background that focuses on school reform, teacher preparation and teacher dispositions has been named the dean of the College of Education and Human Development. John C. Fischetti, former professor in the Watson School of Education at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, succeeds William Neal, who has been serving as interim dean.

“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Fischetti to Southeastern to help lead one of our largest academic colleges,” said President John L. Crain. “He comes to Southeastern with an impressive record of scholarly research and a body of knowledge and experience associated with teaching in today’s environment. As Louisiana focuses on school reform, he will be a definite asset to Southeastern as well as to our extended community.”

“It is an honor to serve as the new dean of the College of Education and Human Development,” Fischetti said. “The mission of the university, its outstanding programs, the core values of the faculty and staff, and the commitment to making a difference in the lives of children, families and educators all make Southeastern a very good fit for me. I look forward to helping the university and the college continue to grow and be distinguished, in Louisiana and the nation.”

Fischetti, who also served as interim associate director of the UNCW Center for Teaching Excellence, had been with UNC since 2001, when he joined the faculty as professor and chair of the Department of Specialty Studies. He later served as the inaugural chair of the Department of Educational Leadership and helped initiate the first doctoral program in education for the campus. From 1988-2001 he was a professor in the Department of Secondary Education at the University of Louisville, where he and his colleagues were recognized nationally for their work in establishing Professional Development Schools.

Fischetti earned his doctorate in education in 1986 from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a bachelor of arts degree in economics and American government from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

ANN CARRUTH APPOINTED TO NORTH OAKS BOARD Ann Carruth, interim dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, was unanimously appointed to the North Oaks Health System Board of Commissions by the Tangipahoa Parish Council.

Carruth will represent nursing staff interests on the board.

DENOUX WRITES NOVEL BASED AT THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS O’Neil De Noux, investigator with the University Police Department, has written an extensively-researched story of love and war based in the Battle of New Orleans.

Entitled Battle Kiss, the 320,000 word historical novel incorporates three points of view reflecting the thoughts and actions of the British invaders and the Americans and Creoles who faced the assault in the fields of what is now Chalmette, La. De Noux lived for 10 years near the battlefield and became fascinated with the battle. With a Career Advancement Award from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, he began researching the battle from various points of view, accumulating volumenous notes before writing the novel.

The Battle of New Orleans concluded the War of 1812 with a disaster for the British military and celebrates its 200th anniversary in January 2015.

ELLIOTT RECEIVES HUMANITIES ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

JOUBERT RECEIVES CERTIFICATION AS GLOBAL BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL

History Instructor Charles Elliott has been selected by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH) to receive the 2012 Individual Achievement Award.

Elliott has a long involvement in the LEH’s Readings and Literature and Culture (RELIC), a special adult reading program that partners with local libraries.

Since 2002, he has led 15 programs.

“Charles Elliott has demonstrated the highest standards of professional dedication to the preparation and implementation of the programs,” said Jim Segreto, RELIC director.

“Charles richly deserves this award,” said History and Political Science Department Head William Robison. “He is one of Louisiana’s greatest natural resources. His regular classes on Louisiana history and the American frontier, his supervision of social studies education majors, his work with graduate students, his public lectures, and, of course, his extensive work for LEH, make him a most worthy recipient of this award.”

William Joubert has been certified as a Global Business Professional, one of only five people in the state to pass the national exam taken in December.

Joubert is director of the Southeast Louisiana Business Center and the university’s Louisiana Small Business Development Center. The center also houses a business incubator site.

The test, administered by NABSITE International was formed to raise the level of practice in the field of international trade, provide professional development goals, and showcase competency through a rigorous certification process. Only 843 individuals in the United States and 1,052 people worldwide passed the most recent certification exam.

“The Business Center is doing an increasing amount of work and consulting with clients who have international interests,” said Joubert. “This certification is an excellent component of the extensive expertise that we are able to offer our clients in southeast Louisiana.”

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STUDENT NEWS LANE NAMED DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL GROUP

Senior named top student by social work group

Kenneth E. Lane, professor of educational leadership, was named executive director of the International Academy of Educational Leaders for a sixth consecutive three-year term.

The organization was formed in 1997 with a goal of improving the profession of educational leadership. It publishes an online journal, Contemporary Issues in Educational Leadership.

In his position, Lane manages the general business of the organization.

AUTISM EXPERT SELECTED ASHA ‘FACE OF INSPIRATION’

Senior Chelsea Maulden of Prairieville has been named the Student of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers Louisiana Chapter.

A social work major who will graduate in May, she was selected on the basis of representing the best of the profession’s values and achievements.

“Chelsea has made significant contributions to our region through her volunteer work and continues to be an inspiration to us all,” said Heidi Kulkin, coordinator of Southeastern’s Social Work Program. “She is professional, insightful, empathetic and has a solid ethical stance rooted in the profession’s Code of Ethics.”

Maulden is currently completing an internship in the YEA program. Short for “Youth Entering Adulthood,” the independent living skills program targeted for youth between the ages of 14 and 21 is designed to teach youth the skills they need to live a successful, independent life.

Lillian Stiegler, a specialist in the field of autism spectrum disorders, was honored by the American Speech-Language & Hearing Association at its annual convention in November in San Diego.

She was one of 20 professionals selected as ASHA’s “Faces of Inspiration,” an activity intended to recognize colleagues who are beacons of inspiration in their work and whose innovations make a positive impact in their professions.

A professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Stiegler was nominated by Paula Currie, assistant dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

“Lilly is certainly a Face of Inspiration,” said Currie. “Service is not just a part of her role in the university setting, but it is truly the embodiment of who she is as a person. She gives students, colleagues, and individuals with disabilities her many gifts and talents with no expectation of anything in return.”

SYNOVITZ LEAD AUTHOR ON TEXT COMPLEMENTARY/ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE Linda Baily Synovitz, professor of health education, has co-authored the book Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Health Professionals: A Holistic Approach to Consumer Health.

Synovitz is the lead author of the book, a combined introduction to alternative therapies and a holistic approach to traditional consumer health topics. The book was written in collaboration with Karl L. Larson of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn.

The intent of the book, she said, is to increase an individual’s knowledge of various traditional and alternative therapies so he or she can make informed consumer health decisions.

Southeastern students earn regional Emmy A Southeastern Channel student documentary production recently won an Emmy at the 2011 Suncoast Region Emmy Awards gala in Miami.

The student documentary “Glazed: The University Donuts Story” was the only Emmy winner selected out of 12 college nominees. Pictured from left are student producers Stephen Pfeil of Hammond and Calvin Nix of Baton Rouge and Southeastern Channel General Manager Rick Settoon.

Piano student receives performance accolades Piano performance major Liliia Oliinyk continued her recent winning ways in the 2012 Caudell Cup Piano Competition held in March at Louisiana College in Pineville.

A senior from the Ukraine, Oliinyk was awarded second place in the piano competition, which is open to all undergraduate piano students in the state. The competition included students from universities throughout Louisiana.

She also was recently named first alternate in the Music Teachers National Association Young Artist competition for the South Central Regional Competition, having previously won the MTNA Young Artist Louisiana Competition.

Counseling grad student cited by state group Southeastern graduate student Erica Kelly of Ponchatoula has been awarded the Louisiana School Counselor Association’s Graduate Student Scholarship. She was selected for the scholarship from a pool of statewide applicants. The award is based on leadership, character and academic excellence in a graduate program.

“Erica’s skills are second to none; she works with her students like one who has practiced for several years,” said Mary Ballard, Southeastern professor of counseling who nominated her for the award. “She is effective in working with teachers and administrators, counseling parents and guardians and has earned the utmost respect from her teachers and peers.”

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From

training

life:

to

grad gains building blocks for successful career in pro sports

When Southeastern alumnus Mark Armour II was researching athletic training programs as a pre-med student at Clark Atlanta University, he spoke with Karen Lew, the Southeastern program director at the time, to set up a visit.

“After the visit to Southeastern, I knew it was the place for me,” Armour said. “The Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) had a good reputation, structure, a great passing rate on the Board of Certification (BOC) test, and seemed like a great learning environment.”

While a student at Southeastern, Armour served as an intern for two years, under the direction of Southeastern alumnus Reggie Stone, with the New Orleans Voo Doo arena football team. Armour said it was the gateway for him into professional sports.

“I had the opportunity to work with professional athletes and learn the ropes of practicing athletic training in the pro-sport setting early on,” he said. “I had a great mentor in Reggie in learning from his athletic training skill and professionalism. He also helped me attain my first job in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints.”

Although the current Assistant Athletic Trainer for the New Orleans Hornets, Armour said nothing compares to being a part of the Saints during the Superbowl season. It was hard work, he said, nevertheless he gained more knowledge about athletic training in professional sports and learned more about the business of professional sports as a whole.

“I have had the opportunity to work on and with some of the best athletes in both the NFL with the Saints and the NBA with the Hornets, as well as top coaches, physicians, athletic trainers and support staff from around the world,” he said. “With all the latest

and greatest technologies and equipment at my disposal, I have the opportunity to expand my knowledge base in my practice and that forces me to stay on top of what is new and improving in sports medicine.”

A 2007 Southeastern graduate with a bachelor of science in athletic training, Armour credits the program with preparing him to enter the real world as an athletic trainer.

Armour credits Southeastern with preparing him to enter the real world...

“Southeastern allowed me to be an independent thinker. The athletic training program put me in a work environment very similar to that of ‘real world’ athletic training,” he said. “The coursework gave me focused information that was pertinent in what I do as a professional athletic trainer, yet allowed me to think outside of the box and teach myself to continue learning.”

Armour highly recommends the Southeastern athletic training program because the Southeastern community embraces students as individuals and provides them with the keys to be successful and still enjoy the whole college experience.

“Southeastern gave me and many of my friends the opportunity to be successful, as well as provided many avenues to get help to succeed, whether it was helpful faculty or another service, a lab, or program that the university provided,” he said. “I am proud to have been part of such a successful program.”

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ALUMNI NEWS Ring Ceremony

Tangi Dinner Theatre

Southeastern students received their official rings at the Senior Ring Ceremony held on in November. The students were congratulated by President John Crain and enjoyed a reception that followed.

The Tangi Chapter hosted a dinner at the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts prior to the sold-out production of Hairspray.

Attendees enjoyed champagne chicken and a champagne toast before taking their seats for the hilarious production by the Jefferson Performing Arts Society. Thank you to Tangi Chapter leaders Danny Wallette and Daryl Ferrara for their help with this very successful event.

Senior Salute

College of Business honors former deans

The Alumni Association welcomed December graduates to the “Alumni family” in December. Graduates and their guests were greeted by President John Crain and Alumni Director Kathy Pittman.

Golden Grads celebrated

The College of Business hosted a reception to honor former deans Basil Sweatt and Joe Miller recently. Faculty and family joined together to honor their dedicated service to the college during their respective years as heads of the college.

New Chaper gathers

A special reunion was held for Southeastern's Golden Grads in December, honoring the class of 1961 as well as graduates from previous years. President John L. Cran, far right, presented the group with honorary diplomas and golden robes which they wored as they led the processional for Commencement. Also present were, from left, Louisiana Board of Regents member Scott Ballard, University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors member Andre Coudrain, and Board of Regents Chair Robert Levy; second from right, state Rep. Steve Pugh.

Feeding the Lions The Alumni Association fed the Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams in January.

The student-athletes enjoyed comradarie with alumni and great food at this annual event.

FeLions host Champagne Bingo The hottest ticket in town was for the FeLions annual Champagne Bingo, which was held in January on Southeastern’s campus. Members of the FeLions and the Alumni Association staff welcomed a sold-out crowd of over 500 ladies for an exciting afternoon of bingo and champagne.

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Officers and members of the newly formed Southeastern Seventies Black Alumni Chapter gathered at the 2011 Homecoming Alumni Awards Banquet. Pictured from left are Sharon St. Cyr-Vicks, Anthony Vereen, Secretary-Treasurer Christella Cornin-Clark, Alumni Association Assistant Director Julie Perise, Marcia King Galatas, Alumni Association Director Kathy Pittman, Herman Colly, Brenda Baker-Ramsey, President Mary Patterson and Eartha CyprianCross. Twenty members of the chapter attended the banquet, and more than 50 members took part in Homecoming activities.

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SOUTHEASTERN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

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Rock ’n Roar ’12 Southeastern’s 16th annual Rock ‘ Roar celebration for the Southeast Louisiana District Literary Rally attracted a record 2,900 high school students from 72 area schools. Public and private high school students from 11 area parishes competed in 48 different academic subjects then browsed various academic interactive displays. Above, Volker Stiller, associate professor of biological sciences, right, explains a model showing a cross section of a leaf to the Hymel family of Ponchatoula, from left, Charlie, Ryan, Gabriel, a seventh grader at Ponchatoula Junior High, and little Callie.

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4

The official Southeastern ring and pendent

Order your’s today.

1-866-Balfour or balfourcollege.com

r Get you

&

Green

Gold !

Southeastern merchandise makes great gifts. Items available at Ruby

include: (1) Assorted Southeastern tank tops, $25. Items available from the Book Store include (2) grey cotton back sack, $17.49 and (3) Southeastern wallet, $22.99 and coin purse, $9.99.

Items from Imagine Boutique include (4) child's tee, $15 and adult tee $20.

Southeastern is proud to showcase merchandise from our retail partners. If you would like to include merchandise in a future edition of Alumni News, contact Executive Director of Public and Governmental Affairs Erin Cowser at 985-549-5861.

KEEPING IN TOUCH ‘48 Milton Bush of New Orleans has been presented with the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Big Easy Foundation.

Bush, founded the UNO band program and served as its director for two decades. He has played trombone in jazz groups, symphony orchestras and for operas and musicals. ’66 Mark Soloman of Richardson, Tex., has been re-elected to the Richardson City Council for his second term. Prior to his election, he was vice chairman and member of the City Parks and Recreation Commission for six years. He is the owner of Assurnet Insurance Agency. ’68 Henry “Tank” Powell of Ponchatoula was reappointed by Gov. Bobby Jindal to the Louisiana Board of Pardons. The board makes recommendations regarding applications for clemency and pardon of individuals who are incarcerated.

’87 Richard Wales was recently promoted to Supervisior of Operations at Mexichem Fluor, Inc., a chemical plant in St. Gabriel, La. He has worked at the plant since 1992. He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from Southeastern.

‘89 Eli Just of Atlanta has authored a new novel, The Eddy, described as a supernatural mystery rooted in the real-life theories and experiments dominating today’s science headlines. He is the author of several books, including the Manny Jones series of supernatural thrillers.

‘89 Nanette McCann of Baton Rouge was named the Region 2 High School Principal of the Year. She will compete in the state Principal of the Year awards selection process. McCann has been in charge of the 1,200-student Baton Rouge Magnet High School since 2002.

’70, ’75 Linda Vaccaro, a retired educator from Independence, La., was a recipient of the Name of Fame Award by the Louisiana Retired Teachers Association.

She holds a bachelor of science, master of education and +30 degrees from Southeastern. She began her teaching career in 1970 at Independence Boys School and retired in 2000.

’91 Coletta Barrett, vice president of mission of Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge, has been selected to join the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Advisory Council. The council meets four times a year to advise, assist, consult and make recommendations to the NLBI and the secretary of Health and Human Services.

’73 Cathy C. Faust of Memphis, Shelby County Extension Director, was honored recently at the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences annual meeting with the Continued Excellence Award. She was recognized for over 20 years of exemplary programming in areas of family life and financial management.

’92 Daryl Ferrara of Hammond, was elected the 2012 chairman of the South Tangipahoa Parish Port Commission. He is vice president at Hancock / Whitney Bank in Hammond. The commission oversees the operations of Port Manchac.

‘83 Robin Roberts, co-anchor of ABC’s Good Morning America, has coauthored a book with her mother Lucimarian Roberts entitled My Story, My Song: Mother-Daughter Reflections on Life and Faith. The book is a memoir of Lucimarian Roberts, detailing how faith and music provided strength and hope to face life’s challenges. Robin offers reflection on her mother’s faith in each chapter. The book is published by Upper Room Books.

Career Compass of Louisiana, a nonprofit organization based in Baton Rouge she helped develop in 2006 to assist students in their efforts to enter postsecondary education.

‘00 Heidi Cohenour Gordon, assistant Vesper Choir director and instructor of voice at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, has been nominated by the Arkansas Department of Education to participate in a statewide standard setting study to make recommendations regarding a new music Praxis Series test. The test will be used in making teacher licensure decisions and confirm that the test content is relevant to the job for which licensure is required. Dr. Gordon has been teaching at UAPB since 2004.

‘07 Brenita Williams, head women’s basketball coach at Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, Tex., has been named the 2011 Sportswoman of the Year by the Jacksonville Daily Progress. In her first year as a head coach, she piloted the Lady Bearcats – a team predicted to finish last in the region – into the finals of the conference’s championship tournament. As a forward on the Lady Lions at Southeastern, she was named to the second team All-Southland Conference team for two seasons (2005-2007).

‘08 Landon Tims of Bogalusa,

’93 Josh Martin was recently named Huddle Coach of the Year by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The award is given annually to a faculty advisor whose example and commitment have made the greatest impact on students. Martin is a teacher and coach at Denham Springs Freshman High.

‘99 Julie Scott was named to the “40 under 40” list

by Baton Rouge Business Report. She is co-founder and executive director of

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La., has been named director of Parks, Recreation and Culture for the city of Bogalusa. He has 21 parks under his jurisdiction and will be looking to expand the cultural outreach of the city’s museums. A graduate in kinesiology, he is a former junior varsity basketball coach at Bogalusa High School.

‘10 Cara Williams, a native of Franklinton, La., and a second year graduate student in vocal performance at Arizona State University, was cast in the lead role of Susanna in the university’s production of The Marriage of Figaro. At Southeastern, she was a recipient of the President’s Medal for Excellence and won several national and regional honors as an undergraduate.

‘11 David J. Freese has joined the St. Tammany News/Slidell Sentry as a staff reporter and photographer.

why

PHILANTHROPY

G ive we

Keeping students in mind At Southeastern, students are working harder than ever, and faculty and staff are with them, providing the encouragement, programs, and services they need.

Southeastern is able to do more for students thanks to continued and increased generosity of alumni and friends. The following philanthropic major gifts and pledges were made to the Southeastern Foundation between Oct. 23, 2011 and Feb. 15, 2012.

TOM & DONNA GAY ANDERSON, New Track & Field Complex CAMERON & MARCIA BARR, Thomas & Virginia Barr III Endowed Scholarship in Athletics, the Track & Field Complex, the Alumni Association, and a Partner with the Southeastern Foundation BRYAN A. BOUDREAUX, Boudreaux Family Endowed Scholarship for Future Leaders in Supply Chain Management GLEN D. BOWMAN, JoAnn Spangler Bowman Memorial Endowed Scholarship and The Glen Bowman Family Endowed Scholarship for Men’s Basketball

BARRY L. BROWN, Viola Guthrie Brown Swift Memorial Endowed Scholarship in Nursing and Partner with the Southeastern Foundation ERNA L. DEIGLMAYR, College of Nursing & Health Sciences Program DOROTHY L. BLOSSMAN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, Blossman Publishing Studies Research Assistantship FIRST GUARANTY BANK, Support for The Columbia Theatre, Southeastern Channel, Business Perspectives Week in the College of Business, Community Music School Scholarships and a Corporate Partner with the Southeastern Foundation LETTIE PATE WHITEHEAD FOUNDATION, INC., The Lettie Pate Whitehead Nursing Scholarship JOHN & BEVERLY MANZELLA, Manzella Nursing Advanced Practice Professorship JAMES & MARILYN MCCLIMANS, J.W. McClimans Chair in Mathematics ROBERT R. PHILIPPE, David "Wolfie" Philippe Memorial Endowed Scholarship ROBIN R. ROBERTS, Chauvin Press Box at Strawberry Stadium SANDERSON FARMS INC., Corporate Partner with the Southeastern Foundation JOHN F. SCHNEIDER, Hans Schneider Excellence in Music Endowed Scholarship, Marietta Reimers Schneider Piano Endowed Scholarship & JoAnn Spangler Bowman Memorial Endowed Scholarship RICHARD R. WHITSON, Sylvia Majesty Whitson Memorial Endowed Scholarship ESTATE OF HOLMAN HEMBY MORGAN, James Ernest, May Hemby, and Holman Hemby Morgan Endowed Professorship in the College of Education and Human Development and the First Generation Endowed Scholarship ESTATE OF GARY TRAVIS, Joyce Travis Endowed Scholarship in Mathematics

Building opportunities, dreams and the profession

Charles “Chuck” O’Drobinak came to Southeastern from Whiting, Ind., in 1949, a band recruit of the legendary Ralph Pottle. Though he was an accomplished trombone player, his dream was to earn a degree in accounting.

His music scholarship afforded him the opportunity to study accounting, but Chuck was also a good basketball player — good enough to make the Southeastern team as a 5”11” forward and letterman all four years. He even helped build the talent of the Lions team by recruiting his Indiana hometown high school buddy, Dick Sharp, a Southeastern Athletic Hall of Famer.

Patricia Terry O’Drobinak came to Southeastern from Covington to become a business educator. She considered it the perfect career; if she couldn’t find a job as a teacher, she could always find a job in business. She started on that path early, obtaining a student job in President Luther Dyson’s office. Chuck and Pat both believe that “coming to Southeastern and meeting each other is the most important thing we ever did.” They knew from the beginning they wanted to build a life together.

With his degree from Southeastern and MBA degree from Indiana University, Chuck and Pat began to build their married life together in Indiana. He joined the international accounting, auditing and consulting firm, PriceWaterhouse. Working there for over 30 years, Chuck established and later became a managing partner of the firm’s Indianapolis office for 23 years.

Starting with nine employees, he grew the office to more than 100. Later he was nominated by his peers and elected by the partners to serve on the firm’s policy board. For bringing honor and recognition to his alma mater, Chuck was recognized in 1997 as the Southeastern Alumnus of the Year.

Chuck and Pat are one of just a few of Southeastern’s alumni who have a record of over 30 years of consistent annual giving to their alma mater. Their giving began with contributions supporting the accounting and athletic programs and continues today. Among their many philanthropic gifts to Southeastern has been the establishment of the Charles and Patricia O’Drobinak Excellence in Accounting Endowed Scholarship. Thirteen Southeastern graduates have been beneficiaries of their scholarship. Their goal is to help build the Southeastern accounting program and the profession in general.

They have had an equally important goal of providing an opportunity to help build better lives for deserving Southeastern students. Having been the recipients of Southeastern scholarships so many years before, they continue faithfully to provide the same opportunity for other young, ambitious Southeastern students.

Chuck and Pat know what it takes to build excellence. Please join them by being builders of opportunities and dreams for today’s Southeastern students… consider establishing your own scholarship or lending support to the Southeastern program that helped you build your own dreams.

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Tribute Gifts HONORING THOSE WHO MAKE OUR LIVES BETTER

IT’S EASY TO PAY TRIBUTE

Tribute gifts offer a unique opportunity to let special people know how important they are to you, acknowledging admiration, love, respect or gratitude. A tribute gift can be made for any occasion and in any amount.

Tribute gifts also provide a meaningful way to express your appreciation, because every tribute gift supports the mission of Southeastern — to lead the educational, economic and cultural development of southeast Louisiana. This allows you — and the person you honor — to become active participants in higher education in our region and beyond.

Honoring someone who has touched your life while simultaneously supporting Southeastern could not be easier. To make a tribute gift, simply go online to www.southeastern.edu/give. If you have any questions, or if you are interested in learning more on how to create a named endowed fund, contact the Foundation at 866474-4438. Your gift will truly make a difference.

“Creating a scholarship in my mother’s name was the perfect way to honor her contributions to the Hammond community, while ensuring her lifelong commitment to art and theater were respectfully commended. My mother, father, sister, and I all graduated from Southeastern. Jackie and I have gladly contributed to this fund so that my mother’s work and love of the arts may continue to influence the lives of developing artists and thespians for years to come.”

– James Griffith ‘92

James Griffith, left, recognized his mother Maya Levy, by funding an endowed scholarship in the performing arts. The Maya Levy Endowed Scholarship was recognized by President John L. Crain at the university’s annual Donor Recognition Event during Homecoming.

Endowments vital for university excellence

Bryan Boudreaux, right, meets with Professor Mike Jones prior to lecturing to a Supply Chain Management class.

“Over the last year I’ve gotten involved with the growing Supply Chain Management program in the College of Business, speaking to classes, recruiting and providing other assistance whenever possible. My involvement heightened my awareness of the positive impact alumni can have on students and their studies. Giving back to Southeastern is something I’ve contemplated for quite some time, and my recent experiences motivated me to get started right away. My time at Southeastern was full of great experiences that really helped shape my leadership skills. I hope by giving back via an endowment, I can help students in the supply chain program reach their goal of earning a degree from Southeastern.”

Why Endowment? Endowment is vitally important to sustained high achievement. It is no coincidence that our nation’s most prestigious universities and colleges have the largest endowments. These schools consistently rank in the top 10 in the country. Tuition pays for the education we already know how to deliver. But state support and normal operating revenue do not pay for exceptional advances in education, innovation and excellence.

That is where endowment fits in. Endowment sustains exceptional faculty, exceptional students, and exceptional learning environments.

What is Endowment? An endowment is a permanent fund in which the principal is invested and a portion of the earnings are distributed each year for a purpose chosen by the donor, whether for faculty, student or program support or facilities enhancement. You may designate the fund in your own name or as a tribute to a loved one, friend, professor or mentor. An endowment can be established with a gift of cash, securities or real estate; with a pledge to be paid over time; or through a planned or deferred gift. The choice is up to you.

A Stronger Southeastern. Endowment provides flexible funding for innovative academic programs, scholarships to recruit outstanding students, competitive salaries for faculty, and essential upgrades to facilities and technology. Each year, the Southeastern Foundation engages alumni and friends in support of the university's mission.

With your help, the exceptional happens. For more information, please contact the Southeastern Louisiana University Foundation at 985-549-5660, toll free at 866-474-4438 or www.southeastern.edu/give.

– Bryan Boudreaux ’90

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ATHLETICS Ron Roberts named head football coach Ron Roberts, who guided Delta State University to four Gulf South Conference championships and four appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs, was named the 15th head football coach at Southeastern at a December press conference.

His new staff includes six members of his previous staff at Delta State, as well as a pair of holdovers from the 2011 Lion staff. Brandon Lacy and Tyronee Williams will remain on staff with the Lions, while former Delta State assistants added were Assistant Pete Golding, Chet Pobolish (Receivers/Special Teams), E.K. Franks (running backs, associate head coach), Travis Mikel (Offensive Line/Football Operations), Jason Wilkes (Tight Ends/Video) and Karl Scott (Linebackers), previously at Tusculum (Tenn.) College, rounds out his coaching staff.

In a successful five-year tenure at DSU, Roberts led the Statesmen to a 47-16 record, four 10-win seasons and two NCAA Super Region II titles that included an appearance in the 2010 NCAA Division II national championship game and the 2011 semifinals.

Roberts led DSU to an 11-3 record in 2011 and was named the AFCA Division II Region Coach of the Year. The Statesmen led the GSC and finished 12th nationally with 463.7 yards per game while ranking 21st nationally in passing offense (282.7).

DSU, which was ranked No. 1 nationally in the Division II polls for much of the season, paced the GSC in seven categories, including total offense, scoring offense (33.4), total defense (336.6) and rushing defense (134.1).

Roberts spent two seasons as defensive coordinator at DSU before becoming the head coach in 2007. The Statesmen posted identical 10-2 records and claimed GSU Conference titles with a combined 16-0 mark in his first two seasons as head coach.

Prior to joining the DSU staff, Roberts served one season as head coach at Mount Whitney (Calif.) HS and the 2003 season as defensive coordinator at Texas State. He spent five seasons as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Tusculum College. He also served as an assistant coach at Greensboro College in 1998 and was head coach at Burroughs High School (1994-96) in California.

Roberts was a two-time All-Conference selection at linebacker at the College of Sequoias in his native Visalia, Calif. He transferred to the University of Tennessee at Martin. He graduated from UTM with a degree in sociology and earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Memphis.

Lions finish second in Carter tournament Southeastern’s Philipp Westermann fired a 1-under par 71 to claim his school-record tying fourth individual tournament championship as the Lions’ golf team finished second at the Carter Plantation Intercollegiate at Carter Plantation in Springfield.

Southeastern, which was looking for its first team championship since the 2010 Southland Conference title on its home course, fired a team score of 306 to finish at 883 for the 54-hole event – four shots behind first-day co-leader Central Arkansas.

Westermann Westermann, who tied former Lion Cedric Scotto with his fourth career victory, earned medalist honors for the first time since claiming the Jim West Invitational in April 2011. The Germany native, who was the lone player in the field to score below par in each round, finished at 7-under 209 (70-68-71) for the tournament and was three shots ahead of second-place finisher Alfred Kerstis of ArkansasLittle Rock.

16 16

Lion Athletics Association benefits student-athletes With unprecedented growth in the past year, the Lion Athletics Association (LAA) is doing its part to enhance every aspect of the student-athlete experience for current and future members of the Southeastern Athletics family.

As the fundraising arm of Southeastern Athletics, the LAA assists with operational expenses, scholarships and facility improvements.

The LAA has been able to play a larger part in these areas in the past year, with membership growing from approximately 350 to 543.

“We’re excited about what we’ve been able to do with the LAA and what we have planned in the future,” said Director of Athletics Bart Bellairs. “The facility projects we've undertaken help draw high-caliber student-athletes dedicated to excelling in the classroom and competing for championships.”

The newest facility improvement has come at the University Center, where basketball and volleyball programs compete. A scorer’s table with a built-in video message board was added to improve atmosphere at the events. The LAA is also funding new turf in Strawberry Stadium.

On North Campus, the softball and women’s soccer programs were recently furnished with renovated offices courtesy of the LAA. In addition, the volleyball team will start spring practice in a new locker room. The LAA has also assisted with improvements to the Ray A. Naquin Strength and Conditioning Center, utilized by all Southeastern student-athletes.

Upcoming LAA projects include adding bleachers to both the new Track and Field Complex and Tennis Complex. A new bullpen area is also set for the home of the Lion baseball team, Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field. Bellairs is also looking to add video boards at several of Southeastern’s facilities.

The continued growth of the LAA is key for Southeastern to keep progressing with the facility and other operational improvements, according to Bellairs. Assisting him is new Director of Development Ashley Winning. Winning shares Bellairs’ vision for the LAA’s future.

“I’m dedicated to helping continue the LAA's progress," she said. “Our goal is to provide our coaches and student-athletes with what they need to be successful.”

For more information on the LAA, visit www.

LionSports.net/laa or call (985) 549-5091.

join us Southeastern Alumni Association Membership Dues: ❏ $30 Individual ❏ $50 Dual (alumnus spouse)* ❏ $60 Dual (non-alumnus spouse)

Name E-mail *Spouse name Top student-athletes Kyle MacIntosh (Soccer) and Torin Lucas (Baseball) were recognized at the university’s annual academic banquet in March. Pictured above are, from left, Southeastern President John L. Crain, MacIntosh, Monty Buckles of La Capitol Federal Credit Union, Lucas, and Academic Liaison Chris Bentley.

*Spouse e-mail Address

Student-athletes honored at academic banquet

City/State/Zip

Southeastern Athletics honored 147 student-athletes who made the President’s List, Dean’s List or Honor Roll in the past year at the annual Spring Athletic Academic Banquet. Sponsored by La Capitol Credit Union, the event recognized members from all of Southeastern’s 15 Division I athletic programs.

Twenty-five student-athletes who earned a 4.0 semester grade point average during the year were among those honored, highlighted by volleyball letterwinners Megan McMillan and Stephanie Mueller, who were each presented with academic medals in recognition for their outstanding achievements.

Soccer standout Kyle MacIntosh, who will graduate in May with a degree in Kinesiology, was named the Female Academic Excellence Award winner. Torin Lucas, a senior on the Southeastern baseball team, was selected as the Male Academic Excellence Award winner.

Volleyball letterwinner Chelsea Barr was presented with the annual Sandy Goodwin Award, while five teams — volleyball, baseball, soccer, golf and softball — each earned team GPA’s of 3.0 or above at the end of the Fall 2011 semester.

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Football 2012 Date

Opponent

SEPTEMBER 1 8 13 22 29

at Missouri SOUTH DAKOTA STATE at Tennesse- Martin MCNEESE STATE* at Lamar*

OCTOBER 6 13 27

at Alabama-Birmingham NORTHWESTERN STATE* CENTRAL ARKANSAS* (Homecoming)

Date

Opponent

NOVEMBER 3 at Sam Houston State* 10 STEPHEN F. AUSTIN* 15 at Nichols State*

Rec Sports – Join now!

ALL CAPS - Home games * Southland Conference Game Schedule subject to change

Now is the best time for alumni to sign up at Southeastern’s state-of-the-art fitness center featuring exciting new renovations and equipment to whip you into shape!

Visit the Pennington Student Activity Center or call the Membership Desk at 985-549-5734.

Southeastern Louisiana University Alumni Association 500 West University Avenue Hammond, LA 70401 www.southeastern.edu

Lion Baseball from Strawberry Point On a beautiful spring afternoon, three area chambers of commerce from Hammond, Ponchatoula, and Amite held their March Chamber After Hours social event at Strawberry Point, the top deck of the Southeastern parking garage.

There they watched the Southeasern Lions take on Mississippi State on nearby Alumni Field. The event was co-hosted

by Southeastern and Northshore Technical Community College. The Lions defeated the Bulldogs 5 to 1.