Southeastern Magazine: Summer 2020

SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE SUMMER

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MASK UP

Coming together to create masks for our alumni healthcare workers

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Reimagining the summer semester to meet students’ needs

Overcoming obstacles and achieving success during COVID-19

SUMMER ONLINE

LION STRONG

2020

SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY SU MMER

2020

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

Submissions: Southeastern Magazine welcomes photographs, alumni news, story suggestions, and letters of 300 or fewer words.

Items may be used for publication unless the author requests otherwise and are subject to editing. Send submissions to Editor, Southeastern Magazine, Office of University Advancement, SLU 10293, Hammond, LA 70402 or editor@southeastern.edu.

Sam Domiano

Southeastern Magazine Online:

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

Visit southeasternmagazine.blog to view and share the stories in this magazine or explore past issues.

Wendy Lauderdale, CFRE 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

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

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 E D ITO R I N C H I EF

Sheri Gibson P H OTO GRA P H Y

Randy Bergeron CO N T RI B U TO RS

Tonya Lowentritt, Brynn Lundy, Teague O’Mara

COV ER P H OTO : Southeastern’s iconic clock steadfastly captures the moments of this historic time and ticks away the minutes until campus is once again filled with the roar of Lions.

Contents.

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EXPLORING THE LINK

SHARING THE NEWS

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

MASK UP

As a follow-up to our Spring 2020 article on one professor's bat research, we asked the new hot question: Did COVID-19 really come from bats?

The Southeastern Channel has stepped up to provide up-to-date coronavirus news for the Northshore— and earned a national award in the process.

Class of '03 Lion Jonte Lee, a high school teacher in Washington, D.C., converted his home kitchen into a chemistry lab to help his students learn virtually.

Community members have joined in to help make cloth masks for our alumni healthcare workers.

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The summer semester has been reimagined, with online-only courses and a lower cost for all students.

STAYING LION STRONG

The entire Southeastern community has been overcoming obstacles and achieving success for the University and those it serves.

KEEPING IT CLEAN

Get a glimpse of how staff have been taking sanitation and protective measures to a new level to ensure a safe and healthy return to campus.

president’s message

&

Alumni, Friends, Supporters, As we move into the summer season and our first full semester amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, it is amazing to see how much has rapidly changed in such a short period of time. From social distancing, wearing masks, and increased sanitation procedures to new ways of communicating, working, and learning, many parts of our world are quite different than they were just a few months ago.

Despite all these changes, there is much that continues to—and will forever—remain the same. The members of our Southeastern Family have repeatedly demonstrated their strength, dedication, creativity, innovation, and compassion for others while successfully overcoming

the challenges before them, as they have throughout the past 95 years of Southeastern’s long history.

Students are energetically tackling their virtual classes and achieving their academic goals. Faculty are providing engaging instruction and steadfast support to their students, employing the most effective new methods and tools possible. Staff are providing vital services and implementing exciting programs for both the Southeastern and local communities. Alumni, and all categories of Lions, are making a positive impact in their chosen fields and on others.

The stories in this special edition of the Southeastern

Magazine provide a glimpse into how members of our Southeastern Family have drawn on their individual strengths to help our University and community overcome this otherwise difficult time. Each one has played an important and unique role in not only ensuring success in their own areas, but in something even bigger—ensuring the continued success of Southeastern and those it serves.

Don’t forget to also visit southeasternmonthly.blog to view and easily share individual articles with your family and friends.

Please take some time to explore these stories.

I hope they provide you with insight into how Southeastern has met head-on the challenges arising from this crisis and that they offer a respite of bright news in a sometimes seemingly uncertain world.

Stay safe and well, and—as always—Lion Up!

The past few months have been an unusual time, but thanks to the dedication and achievements of Southeastern’s people, our University has a bright future. We will continue to overcome all obstacles just as we always have— together.

John L. Crain PRES ID EN T

Did you KNOW?

by the numbers

STAYING SOCIAL Between March 11 and May 18, during the first few weeks of the pandemic, Southeastern's social media accounts had . . .

105 posts 1,974,748 impressions 95,956 engagements

46 posts 209,805 impressions 15,550 engagements

107,506

19 videos 17,808 video views 501.5 hours viewed

total followers on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube

211 posts 733,236 impressions 41,715 engagements SUMMER 2020

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update

A hanging QUESTION WHAT IS THE LINK

BETWEEN BATS AND COVID-19?

For Southeastern Magazine’s Spring 2020 issue, we sat down with Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Dr. Teague O’Mara to discuss his extensive research on bats—including their movements and impacts on ecosystems and people. Since that short time ago, the rapid rise of the COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a wave of questions and concerns over the potential link between the virus’s origins and these small flying mammals.

To address this, we asked O’Mara to explain from a scientific standpoint the real connection between bats and COVID-19.

BY DR. TEAGUE O'MARA

While there are a lot of uncertainties about COVID-19, the origin of this virus is commonly thought to be from bats. But is this necessarily true?

At the outset of this current pandemic, scientists were able to quickly and effectively sequence the genome of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Thanks to broad efforts by the One Health Institute, the CDC, WHO, and others that have tried to document different types of viruses across the world, we’ve found the most closely related virus. This virus was isolated from an insect-feeding horseshoe bat and called RaTG13.

These two viruses separated from each other approximately 50 years ago. This means that despite its recent outbreak, SARS-CoV-2 didn’t appear overnight; it has been spending time in another species since it left bats and before it infected humans.

SARS-CoV-2 didn’t jump directly from bats to humans, but we don’t know what the intermediate host is yet. It is curious that the spike protein that lets the virus enter human cells is much more similar to a coronavirus from a Malayan pangolin (a relative of the armadillo and anteaters) than any other bat virus, even though the entire SARS-CoV-2 genome is more similar to the bat virus. So, the origin of COVID-19 is still under active investigation.

But why are the new viruses that seem to have massive effects on humans so closely associated with bats?

Recent work has shown that bats don’t necessarily harbor more viruses than other animals. There are over 1,400 species of bats (25 percent of all mammals), and the number of viruses any group of mammals has is proportional to the number of species in that group.

Bats are often linked (sometimes very weakly) to outbreaks of new infections. This is likely because bats have supercharged immune systems. They are able to master a wide range of infections, largely due to their ability to minimize their inflammatory response and seek and destroy DNA damaging free radicals in a way that no dose of antioxidant foods could even come close to handling. This makes understanding their immune systems and inflammatory control incredibly interesting to try and harness the molecular mechanisms they’ve come by naturally for our own health. It is also why we find antibodies that show bat immune systems have seen the virus, but there are no actual active viruses. Viruses that find their way into bat species and do manage to make a living must compensate for this incredible immune system.

Occasionally when a virus manages to escape from bats into an intermediate host, amplify and mutate, and then come in contact with humans, these zoonotic infections can be dramatic because we have not had a long evolutionary history with the virus. Measles, which had its origins in a cow virus, is one such virus that is well known.

Regardless of which animal species a zoonotic virus comes from, when viruses jump from animals to humans it’s almost always because of humans encroaching on them, not because they have invaded our space. Bats control our pest insects, pollinate the plants that give us tequila, and disperse seeds across the landscape—all for free. The incredible adaptations of their immune systems might also give us answers to longer, healthier lives. But to allow all of this to happen, it is important that we take care in how we treat them and provide them with enough space to do their work.

social media

Virtual

C EL EB R AT I O N OVER 1,100 LIONS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THEIR DEGREES DURING THE SPRING 2020 SEMESTER. THE IN-PERSON COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES HAD TO BE POSTPONED DUE TO COVID-19, BUT THAT COULDN'T KEEP US FROM STILL CELEBRATING TOGETHER!

On May 16, 2020, during what would have otherwise been Commencement Day, these newest graduates received a virtual surprise party. They were able to partcipate and share remotely, with their posts featured on a webpage created especially for their big day. Our new Lion alumni were also greeted with celebratory video addresses from deans, Alumni Association President Dickie Whitson, University President John L. Crain, and even alumna Robin Roberts!

A l b e r t o Va l e n z u e l a From classmates to lifelong friends! I guess you can say we have a lot of chemistry #southeasterngrad2020

TYMIK AL Today is the day I have looked forward to ALL MY LIFE!! Today I became a 2020 college graduate of Southeastern!! Although I won’t get to walk across the stage on my special day, I have accomplished so much over the years and am extremely proud of myself. I am also blessed to have already secured my dream job and can’t wait for what life has in store for me. # SoutheasternGrad2020 #DegreeMe

c h l o e t ay l o r 1 5

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s u b r_ a r my r o t c

Ta m my L o u q u e W i l l i a m s Dreams can’t be quarantined!!! Lion for life!

ashlynn.martell q . m o b l ey cvinderella 1st generation college graduate.

Happy graduation day Lions!

Desiree Billiot Disedare

alexa.lonibos

c h l o e t ay l o r 1 5 May not have been what I imagined, but I truly had a great graduation day #lionup #classof2020

ambervmarinero Four Seasons, One Less PCL, Hundreds of Early Mornings, Lots of Time Traveled, Countless Teammates, Endless Memories, & One love #Lion4Life #SoutheasternGrad2020 Thank you soccer for bringing me to Southeastern.

jessica_ greer

brinagirl715 I'm proud to announce that I've finished graduate school with a 4.0 GPA!! This was a goal of mine since the moment I began pursuing my master's literally 2 weeks after earning my bachelor's. ... I'm an alumna x2 of oursoutheastern! #southeasterngrad2020

SUMMER 2020

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news in learning

Helping Lions Stay Active The REC has launched a virtual 5k program to help keep members of the Southeastern community on the move, for the benefit of both their physical and mental health, while staying close to home. Two races have so far been held, with participation free for all who are interested.

“When our facility closed, we got to work adapting as many of our existing programs online as possible and looked into new options we could deliver virtually,” said Associate Director of Recreational Sports and Wellness Jean Bernard. “Since studies show that exercise and physical activity boosts your mental health, we wanted a way for everyone to be involved and active wherever they were during the stay-at-home mandate. A virtual 5k would allow and encourage participants to get outside while staying active!”

After consulting with other universities that have administered virtual races, The REC staff began remotely planning Southeastern’s first virtual 5k.

Over 75 individuals from across the Southeastern Family have competed in the program's inaugural races.

“Our facility doesn't only serve students, so we also wanted a way to stay connected with the entire Southeastern community,” said Bernard. “Since we didn't require an entry fee, we opened it up to anyone who wanted to be involved. We had participation from students, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of the

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community who had no affiliation with The REC but just wanted a way to be active!”

The top times for these first two races were Brett Olivier (alum) 17:02 and Chris Vega (sophomore) 18:36.

Awards also went to Meagan Scuderi, top freshman; Chris Vega and Cameron Matthews, top sophomores; David Rau, top junior; Pawan Shrestha, top senior; Hannah Daniel and Taylor Heikes-Westmoreland, top graduate students; Curtis Meyers and John Burris, top faculty / staff; and Scott Henderson and Brett Olivier, top alumni.

“I have received a lot of positive feedback from the participants,” said Jason Templet, assistant director for Competitive Sports and Fitness Services. “A lot of them enjoy feeling connected to the Southeastern community, especially while having to stay at home.

Many participants also enjoyed that the Virtual 5k was free, and not many other races are going on right now. Being a virtual race, participants loved being able to complete the race at whatever time was most convenient for them during their day on a course of their choosing.”

Following the success of the first two virtual 5Ks and positive feedback from participants, The REC staff continued this offering. One race was held July 3-5 and one is scheduled for August 21-23, and accompanying training plans are also being prepared for people who are new to running or would like guidance.

Visit The REC's website to learn more or register for upcoming races.

Providing Resources for Local Business Recovery The Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) at Southeastern has implemented two different initiatives, a webinar series and a radio talk show, to help local businesses survive and thrive through the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first series provided information on the Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loan (SBA EIDL) program, which offered economic relief to businesses experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. Attendees were able to ask questions and receive practical information on the program and how to fill out the application. These 1.5-hour online workshops, titled SBA Disaster Loan, were held daily from March 30 to April 15 and received a total of 689 attendees.

“At a time when it was easy to be focused on the loss of momentum for the small business community, LSBDC at Southeastern wanted to support statewide businesses as much as possible, giving them the knowledge they needed to make the best decisions about their business loan options,” said Director of the Southeastern LSBDC Bill Joubert.

The second webinar series focused on the CARES Act, which provided fast and direct economic assistance for American workers, families, and small businesses, and the Payroll Protection Program, a loan designed to provide direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll. The series was held daily March 30 through May 1 with 841 businesses participating in and benefiting from these online workshops.

Additionally, Southeastern LSBDC has been co-hosting a radio talk show with WTGG Tangi 96.5 in Hammond and The Highway 104.7 in Covington. Titled Let’s Talk Recovery, the program airs live on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Conversations include sanitation practices, marketing, employees, financial situations, and more. Listeners can call in with comments or questions to 985.419.0965 or email sbdc@southeastern.edu.

By mid-May Southeastern LSBDC had additionally logged 376 individual sessions with 312 hours of assistance provided to small businesses.

SUMMER 2020

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news in learning

Showcasing Local Talent with #columbiafamous

When theatres and other cultural institutions began doing their part to ensure the safety of those that they serve by closing their doors during the rise of COVID-19, the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts remained steadfast in its mission. The theatre’s staff quickly began identifying and implementing new ways to help people connect with the arts—and with each other. One of these programs, which drew the attention of thousands, was an online talent contest called #columbiafamous.

“I felt that the pandemic shouldn't stop us from entertaining the public and celebrating the arts. I also felt this would give people a positive way to express themselves while stuck at home,” said Columbia Theatre Artistic Director Jim Winter.

The result was overwhelmingly positive, with many people indeed viewing this as a great opportunity to express themselves through this both creative and social outlet. Over 60 people entered the contest, and over 3,500 voted.

The online contest began Monday, April 6, and spanned several weeks. Entrants of all ages were able to submit short video clips, approximately 60 seconds or less, in a variety of categories that included dancing, singing, acting, comedy, and instrumental music. A visual art category was also made available, allowing contestants to enter digital photographs.

Each week focused on preliminary contests in two of the talent categories. Contestants had four days to submit their entry. The Columbia staff then narrowed down the submissions to three finalists in each category. The finalists’ videos were posted for 24 hours, during which time the public voted for their favorites.

The winners in each category received two tickets to one of next season’s shows at the Columbia Theatre, an opportunity to perform or show their work at Hot August Night, and automatic entry into the grand prize contest for a pair of season tickets to Columbia Theatre’s 2020-2021 season.

Winners included Kennith Woods for dancing, Brett Allen for singing, Logan Dupuy for acting, Clara Norris for comedy, Austin Noel for instrumental music and the grand prize, Caitlin Moore for visual arts, and Cecilia Sciortino for the children’s grand prize.

“It was such a success that we definitely plan to make it an annual event,” said Winter. "Since the winners in each category won tickets to a Columbia show, it also ended up being a really fun way for us to announce our next season. I think this will be the new way we roll out our upcoming seasons.”

In addition to this initiative, the Columbia Theatre has created further ways to help the community stay engaged with the arts during this difficult time. Columbia staff have been making a wide array of “virtual theatre” performances available on their website, columbiatheatre.org, with one to two videos added each week. Planning is currently underway on a project involving the visual arts. And for younger members of the community, Columbia’s first High School Playwriting Contest was recently announced and seeks oneact plays from area high school students, which will afford two winners a cash prize of $500 and staged readings at the Columbia Theatre as part of Fanfare in October, along with providing all participants with a creative and constructive outlet in a rapidly changing world.

Over $5 Million Given to Students Via CARES Act Through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, the U.S. Department of Education made $10.4 million in funds available to Southeastern.

As required by the federal legislation, half of the funds, approximately $5.2 million, was offered directly to students in the form of financial grants to cover increased cost of university attendance associated with the disruption of campus operations. The remaining half is being used by Southeastern to help cover additional expenses related to the crisis.

Many students incurred increased costs associated with the disruption of campus operations due to the pandemic, such as unexpected moving and housing costs, as well as technology and equipment purchases to transition to

virtual learning. Understandably, this caused financial hardship for many.

Thankfully, most of our students were eligible to apply for the financial assistance. To be eligible to apply for a Financial Relief Grant, the student must have been a degree-seeking graduate or undergraduate student enrolled in the Spring 2020 semester and not enrolled in a 100 percent online program.

A short application process helped us start to disburse funds quickly. As of May 26, 6,715 students had been awarded $4,289,075 in relief funds.

Funding was also allocated by the Southeastern Foundation to provide support to international students during this difficult time.

SUMMER 2020

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news in learning

Latin American Initiative Aids Relief Efforts for Families in Need

From left: Monica Monarrez; Veronica Hernandez, Hispanics Family Group; David Crowell, Killian First Baptist Church; and Dr. Aristides Baraya, director of Southeastern's Latin American Initiative.

The Hispanic community has been one of the most impacted by COVID-19, not only with health issues but also by unemployment—and consequently basic needs such as lack of food for their families.

Southeastern's Latin American Initiative, led by College of Business Instructor Dr. Aristides Baraya in alliance with the Killian First Baptist Church Food Pantry, has come to the rescue, providing basic food for multiple Hispanic families.

More than 75 people have benefited so far from this initiative that will continue to support Hispanic families in need and with limited financial resources.

"In these difficult times, serving and giving needed help to the Hispanic community is a great pleasure. Hispanics require everyone's help and support," said Killian First Baptist Church Food Pantry’s David Crowell.

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"We are pleased that we have been able to develop these alliances that have enabled us to expand our community services for Hispanic people in our Parish,” Baraya explained.

According to Pew Research Center, Louisiana is home to approximately 222,000 people who identify as Hispanic. The Latino and the Hispanic community is one of the fastestgrowing segments in America this decade.

The Latin American Business Development Initiative at Southeastern Louisiana University is dedicated to advancing global education among the University’s students and the Latin American population, supporting the American Hispanic community in the United States and developing closer international relations between Louisiana and Latin American countries.

Alumni Association Launches New Way to Find and Support Alumni-Owned Businesses

The Southeastern Connect Business Directory is the Alumni Association’s newest platform feature—providing a convenient and user-friendly way to support green and gold businesses during this time of uncertainty and financial loss.

Alumni business owners can showcase and promote their businesses to other graduates for free, while all platform users can view an in-depth description of each business’s operations, locate accurate contact information or even directly message business owners, and access special offers and discounts.

Visit southeasternconnect.org to browse and patronize the businesses of fellow members of our Lion Family during this critical time.

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news in learning

The Southeastern Channel Wins National Award for COVID-19 Coverage The Southeastern Channel has won the national College Coronavirus Coverage (CCC) Award for Northshore News Update: Coronavirus on the Northshore. The award was administered by the Society of Professional Journalists in conjunction with the Associated College Press; Society for News Design; College Broadcasters, Inc.; and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.

The Southeastern Channel was honored from over 700 entries from 258 universities across the nation as one of three broadcast winners for newscasts during the past month. Other winners were Cronkite News at Arizona State University and the Northwestern News Network at Northwestern University of Chicago. Honorable mentions were Annenberg Media at the University of Southern California, the University of South Dakota, and Appalachian State University.

The CCC Awards recognize excellence from college journalists for covering COVID-19 on their campuses and in their communities amidst campus closures and continuing online classes at home, said Southeastern General Manager Rick Settoon.

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Settoon said the judges, all professional journalists, praised the Southeastern Channel as “expertly adapted to excel in this difficult climate, resulting in a strong, smooth newscast. They have been consistently good every week. The stories, the story choices, the diversity, the mix—all were excellent.”

“We’re extremely honored to be recognized as best in the nation by the prestigious Society of Professional Journalists, the world’s largest journalism organization,” said Settoon. “We’re so proud of our students who’ve stepped up big time to serve their communities during this crisis while having to complete online classes at the same time.”

The weekly newscast provides timely information on the coronavirus, specifically for Northshore residents. It is a condensed newscast that spotlights critical services for those in Tangipahoa, St. Tammany, Livingston, and Washington parishes provided by specific parish governments, school systems, hospitals, law enforcement, and business organizations.

Above image: Kaylee Normand

The information provided spans everything from coronavirus testing and school food distribution to small business disaster loans. Also included are phone interviews with parish and state officials, such as parish presidents Robby Miller of Tangipahoa, Mike Cooper of St. Tammany, and Layton Ricks of Livingston, along with state representatives Richard Nelson of Mandeville and Randal Gaines of LaPlace.

Others interviewed so far include Dr. Robert Peltier, chief medical officer for the North Oaks Health System; Director Bill Joubert of Southeastern’s Small Business Development Center; and Melissa Bordelon, CEO of the Greater Hammond Chamber of Commerce. Student reporters from the Southeastern Channel’s national award-winning newscast Northshore News have conducted the interviews.

Lorraine Weiskopf of Covington covered St. Tammany Parish.

Having demonstrated hands-on experience and skills through her work with The Southeastern Channel, she was hired by WXXV-TV Ch. 25 (FOX/NBC) in Gulfport, Mississippi, as a news reporter months before her graduation this past May. “I was thrilled to win this award, especially with many bigname universities placed alongside us,” Weiskopf said. “My team and I have put a lot of work into this, and I am so happy to see that it paid off.”

“I feel so honored to play a role in this program, and for us to win is another level of excitement because I know how hard we work each week to produce excellent content,” said reporter Gabby Cox of Hammond, who covers Tangipahoa Parish.

“To be up against so many other universities and college broadcasters and to come out on top is such an awesome feeling,” said Kaylee Normand of Mandeville, who covers Livingston Parish for the show. “We have all put in so much time and effort to make every aspect of the shows perfect, and it’s really just rewarding to win this and see our hard work paying off.”

Since the students are forced to work from home during the pandemic, and thus are unable to shoot interviews and footage to avoid face-to-face contact, their reports lean on phone interviews and graphics with timely information in the form of websites, phone numbers, URLs, and times and locations of the vital services provided in each parish.

“This show is important because each week we strive to get the best and latest information to give to the people in our community,” Cox said. “The feedback that we receive from our viewers makes it all worthwhile because I genuinely feel like we are being helpful during a time that most of the world feels helpless.”

“We are gathering information about things that are happening within smaller communities on the Northshore,” Normand said. “Most news stations are covering things that are going on in the entire state right now, but I feel like we narrowed that down to particular parishes, and we

are giving those residents all of the information about what’s going on in their backyards.”

“It takes a lot of extra work and a lot of phone calls throughout the day, but it makes for an interesting and informative show,” Normand said. “And that is the most important thing that residents need right now. They need to hear something that they haven’t already heard before.”

The students feel strongly that working on the coronavirus update in addition to the regular newscast provides real-world training that prepares them well for a career, Settoon said.

“Northshore News is fantastic because it allows you to take away as much as you put into it,” Weiskopf said.

“It’s a student-run newscast that provides unlimited opportunities for us to develop shooting, writing, and editing skills for news. It also helps us understand the production necessary behind a newscast. When we create live shows, there are many opportunities to operate cameras, a teleprompter, audio, and visuals.

Students can learn everything so they can be well prepared for jobs in the TV news industry.”

New episodes debut at 4 p.m. each Friday and air throughout the day every day of the week on The Southeastern Channel, which can be seen on Spectrum 199 cable throughout the Northshore for a potential viewing audience of 250,000 in Tangipahoa, St. Tammany, Livingston, and St. Helena parishes.

Live streaming of the 24-7 Channel broadcast can also be seen on Roku and Apple TV along with thesoutheasternchannel. com, which offers video on demand of all episodes. The coronavirus update can also be accessed through the Southeastern Channel accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

In its 17 years of existence, the Southeastern Channel has won over 400 national, international, and regional awards.

news in learning

Only Student Newspaper Recognized in National COVID-19 Front Page Effort

Newspapers around the country were recently encouraged to run a prominent headline with a localized news story to remind readers how local publications and their staffs share in the difficult circumstances and impacts of COVID-19.

Southeastern’s student-run newspaper The Lion’s Roar chose to participate through their March 31 issue. They, along with several other Louisiana newspapers, submitted their customized message and design to the Louisiana Press Association (LPA), the official trade organization for Louisiana news publishers. The Lion’s Roar was the only college newspaper in the state recognized by the LPA for their participation in the initiative.

“The editorial staff and I were thrilled to be a part of this initiative, keeping the community up to date on the most recent news regarding the pandemic,” said Editor-in-Chief Jacob Summerville, a junior political science major from Greenwell Springs. “We have had several stories concerning COVID-19 thus far, but this layout was great to include because of the unity among other news organizations in the state. Being one of the most heavily impacted states in the country, this was the best decision to include our contribution in providing a local twist on an international crisis.”

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The Lion’s Roar staff have been working to produce original content to include in both the digital version of the weekly newspaper, along with content shared through the publication’s web and social media presence.

“This is a hard time for everyone in the community,” said Assistant Editor Prakriti Adhikari, a junior accounting major from Hammond. “There are many uncertainties and people are scared, but there are good things happening as well. Through our participation with the Louisiana Press Association to make a unified front page, we wanted to spread a message to the community that we are still together. We want our readers to know that The Lion’s Roar will continue to serve its readers.”

The Lion’s Roar is continuing with its weekly production efforts despite staff working remotely. Readers can access content produced by student staff reporters through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @lionsroarnews, as well as via the newspaper’s website, lionsroarnews.com.

The Southeastern Sales Team recently honed new skills to compete virtually in the 22nd Annual National Collegiate Sales Competition (NCSC). Originally scheduled to be held in Atlanta, the competition included two categories—Virtual Speed Selling and Role Playing.

Sales Team Adapts to Win National Selling Competition

“The NCSC staff, corporate judges, and student competitors quickly pivoted from their semester-long preparation to compete in person to an online format within a two-week time frame,” said April Kemp, Southeastern marketing and sales instructor and professional sales program coach.

Representing Southeastern in the Virtual Speed Selling Competition, which was judged by 16 corporate sponsors, were marketing majors and professional sales program students Brielle Ricca of Walker, Paxton Page of Prairieville, and Ashley Murphy of Baton Rouge. Each student delivered a 90-second elevator pitch live via web conference to the corporate judges. Ricca won the top honors out of over 360 competitors by being selected the Top Speed Seller by more companies than any other student in the competition.

For the Role Playing competition, India Williams of Baton Rouge and Conner Brian of Greenwell Springs were chosen to represent Southeastern this year. In the wild card round, Williams won first place in her room and Brian won second place in his room. Williams was able to move on to the quarterfinals.

More than 75 universities and 40 corporations participated in the NCSC, which was hosted by Kennesaw State’s Center for Professional Selling. Overall, Southeastern was the runner-up for Top Rookie School, as this was the first time to participate, giving the team an automatic bid to next year’s competition.

Top image: Southeastern Louisiana University student Brielle Ricca of Walker won top honors out of over 360 competitors for being selected the Top Speed-Seller by more companies than any other student in the National Collegiate Sales Competition.

“We are proud of our student competitors for transitioning quickly to an online competition format,” said Kemp. “Our students worked hard, and the outcome showed Southeastern was a fierce competitor.”

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Shining On look at us now

A new chapter in Southeastern's—and the world's—story has dawned this year. It is one that has at times been marked by uncertainties and new difficulties.

But something else has also arisen. Out of the hardships and vulnerability has come a renewed strength, innovative spirit, and sense of community—making the days ahead bright, no matter what the world may bring. There is no stopping the Lion Pride.

IMAGE: PUBLIC ART IN FRONT OF SOUTHEASTERN'S KINESIOLOGY AND HEALTH STUDIES BUILDING

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Jonte Lee, CLASS OF '03

When his school physically closed because of COVID-19, Lee found a new way to keep his students excited to still learn.

He not only continued instructing virtually; he converted his own home kitchen into a chemistry lab to demonstrate class material and effectively engage students.

The accomplishments of Lee did not go unnoticed. On May 4, National Teacher Day, he was featured on ABC’s Good Morning America and interviewed by fellow alum Robin Roberts, who surprised him with a $20,000 grant for his school from DonorsChoose.

Alumni across the region, country, and world have been drawing on their own unique skills and passions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to not only overcome challenges, but to also make a positive difference. Class of 2003 alum Jonte Lee is one of these many impactful members of our Lion Pride.

Since then his dedication to his students’ education has been honored by additional outlets—including on Episode 2 of Amazon Prime Video's Regular Heroes, narrated by Kevin Hart—as an example of how one person can make an impact on many during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lee has achieved a successful career focused around helping others receive quality educations and brighter futures. He currently teaches in Washington, D.C., at Calvin Coolidge High School.

Southeastern Magazine got in touch with Lee to find out more about his work since his time at Southeastern and how he has effectively adapted it to our new world of closures and social distancing.

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Q. Tell us about your work at Calvin Coolidge High School.

A. I teach chemistry and physics in the Early

Coolidge Academy at Calvin Coolidge High School.

In this academy, students will graduate in four years with their high school diploma and their two-year associate degree. I've been teaching at Calvin Coolidge High School for one academic year.

Q. What brought you to Washington, D.C.?

A. I was living in Lawrence, Kansas, from 2006

to 2011. After five years, I knew it was time for a change. I choose Washington, D.C., because I wanted to work and live in the Nation's capital.

Living in D.C. has been fantastic because I have the opportunity to work for one of the best school districts in the world: D.C. Public Schools District.

Q. What inspired you to convert your home kitchen into an at-home chemistry lab?

A. During this pandemic, our students have experienced

an unprecedented amount of change. I wanted them to see a familiar environment when they logged into their online classroom. Having a familiar environment decreases students' anxiety, thus increasing learning.

Q. What impact has it had so far on your students?

A. They love it!!! Students want to learn, whether it's face to face or through distance learning. They want to learn.

Learning will always find a way.

Q. What have you learned from this experience?

A. I learned that teachers are not just teachers of content.

We don't just teach to the brain of the child; we teach the whole child. We teach to their past, present, and future experiences. I also learned that learning does not have to happen inside of four walls; it can happen anywhere.

Q. How did ABC find out about your innovative way of virtually teaching?

A. They saw my classroom over twitter and reached out. This is the age that we live in, the power of social media.

Q. What were your first thoughts when your grant win was

announced? What effect will this have on your school and the students?

A. I was SHOCKED. I thought my students were my surprise.

I had no idea it was a monetary gift. Every teacher fantasizes what they could do if they had x amount of dollars. This fantastic gift will allow me to order state-of-the-art chemistry materials for my students.

Q. Tell us briefly about your other current work.

A. I currently teach undergraduate marketing classes at

the University of Phoenix, and I am part of the Institutional Evaluation and Improvement team. This team evaluates colleges within the University to ensure they meet the national accreditation standards.

Q. Are you still in touch with any of your former classmates or teachers from Southeastern? How did your time at Southeastern impact you?

A. Yes, I keep in touch with Dr. Celina Echols. She was my

educational psychology professor. She was tough but fair. I thank Dr. Echols for having astronomical standards for her students. I learned the most about life from her.

I keep in touch with a few of my classmates, but none of them live in D.C. Some live in Louisiana, and some live in New York, New York.

The experiences I had at Southeastern were some of the best times of my life. Southeastern Louisiana University was my second family. It taught me how to interact with a diverse group of people.

BY SHERI GIBSON Images: Stills from Amazon Prime Video's Regular Heroes

SUMMER 2020

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Mask Up

& Make a Difference HELPING PROTECT OUR ALUMNI AND COMMUNITY, ONE MASK AT A TIME

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences and the Southeastern Foundation have partnered together to help with the low supply of medical masks for healthcare workers amidst the global emergency. The project, titled Mask Up & Make a Difference, is also aiding current and future graduates of the University who are working on the front lines.

Above image: Kaylee Normand

“We want to make sure that all of our nursing graduates have masks and are ready to immediately help with this crisis,” said Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences Ann Carruth.

The initiative provides a means for volunteers to do one of four tasks to help the cause. Volunteers can collect supplies and donate them, make a monetary donation to the Southeastern Foundation to aid the purchase of more supplies, help sew partially or fully completed masks, or teach others how to make masks.

By the end of May, approximately 200 masks were received

by Southeastern for the initiative. New nursing graduates received 80 of these during their pinning ceremony at the end of the spring semester. The Foundation mailed another 40 by the end of May to all nursing alumni who had so far requested one.

“The Foundation is grateful for this partnership in support of the University and its alumni,” said Vice President for University Advancement Wendy Lauderdale. “During this time of great need, we are eager to lend our hand by helping coordinate in this effort.”

Melanie Easley, an administrative coordinator for Physical Plant Services, has donated some of her time to the cause by sewing multiple masks. Her reasoning for participating in the project is twofold.

“I wanted to do this because sewing is kind of a lost art with the younger generation, and I think there are so few of us that do this,” said Easley.

Easley’s sister-in-law is a nurse practitioner in the New Orleans area. Sewing masks is a way for her to help essential workers and make a difference while staying at home.

“I see all of these endless hours that doctors and nurses put in, as well as other essential workers, and felt that this little thing that I could do might help,” shared Easley. “My heart goes out to them. It makes me feel like I’m making a contribution to this huge mess we’re in right now. I pray for these people.”

Alumna Valerie Saba is one of many volunteers to make and donate masks to the Mask Up & Make a Difference initiative. Courtesy of Valerie Saba.

Joan Guzzardo, volunteer for Mask Up, has sewed and donated over 30 masks to this project.

“I think it’s a worthy cause, and I think the mask is good protection for all people to wear,” expressed Guzzardo. “I’m a cancer patient right now, and it gives me something to do at home. This is a crazy, crazy time right now, but I think it’s the best thing we can do as a society to help one another.”

Valerie Saba, a University alumna, is another Mask Up volunteer. She commented on how the task of crafting masks has affected her quarantine experience.

“I think it has made it better because I feel like I’m contributing or doing something,” said Saba. “I’m not just staying at home. I am working a little bit from home online, but it makes me feel like I’m doing something.”

She believes this initiative will not only aid the workers receiving the masks but will encourage more people to wear them.

“I think it’s great,” said Saba. “I think more people need to do it. I feel like if more people participated, then I think more people would be wearing masks. I think it’s a great give-back to the community.”

Kayla Caldwell, a sophomore communication major, shared her sentiments about the initiative.

“I think it’s great because the more masks we can provide for health-care workers, the more healthy workers we will have to help those in need,” expressed Caldwell. “Therefore, the more people they can nurse back to health.”

Volunteers who are interested in helping with the project can learn more, download a mask pattern, or make a donation at southeastern.edu/maskup.

BY BRYNN LUNDY. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN MODIFIED FORM IN THE LION'S ROAR SUMMER 2020

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Around Campus

TO HELP LIONS COMBAT QUARANTINE FEVER, THE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS CREATED A FREE DOWNLOADABLE ACTIVITY BOOK. THIS OFdoPUZZLES, AND THEN VISIT You don’tTRY know YOUR where someHAND of these AT buildings areSAMPLING located on campus, you?

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• Alumni Center • Campbell • Cardinal Newman • Clark • D Vickers • Dugas Center • Dyson • Fayard • Garrett • McClimans • McGehee • Meade • North Campus • Pennington Center • Physical Plant • Pottle • Pursley • Sims Memorial Library • Southeastern Oaks • Strawberry Stadium • Student Union • Textbook Rental • Tinsley • University Center • The Village

Lion Pride

The average pride has about 15 lions. We have way more.

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State located Mascot name Legendary tree King of the jungle Organization for graduates Lion ______!

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1. Gold | 2. Fight Song | 3. Hammond | 4. Pride | 5. Louisiana | 6. Twelve | 7. Student Union | 8. Roomie | 9. North Campus 10. University Center | 11. Alma Mater | 12. Friendship Oak | 13. KSLU | 14. Lion | 15. Diamond | 16. SGA 17. Bronze | 18. Alumni Association | 19. Up | 20. The Rec | 21. Five Hundred | 22. Green | 23. Strawberry | 24. Linus

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Warm official color Anthem ______, America A company of lions, or justifiable self-respect Number of official Southeastern Athletics sports Campus food hub Location of Textbook Rental and Financial Aid Basketball and commencements happen here Begins with “We hail Thee now Southeastern, For Thee we’ll always stand” Radio Station Pat Kenelly ______ at Alumni Field Common name of student organization with Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches Material of lion statue in Friendship Circle Cool official color

SUMMER 2020

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ONLINE AMIDST THE ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS AND UNCERTAINTIES FACED BY SO MANY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, SOUTHEASTERN MOVED FORWARD TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE PURSUIT OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL GOALS

BY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING THE COST OF THIS SUMMER SEMESTER. THIS NEW PROGRAM IS CALLED SUMMER ONLINE.

As the name implies, all courses are being provided virtually.

This and the wide availability of offerings, in addition to the financial cost reduction, is allowing students to more rapidly advance their degree progress while addressing COVID-19 concerns over in-person contact, helping students to better focus on their studies while helping ensure their health and safety.

By providing the flexibility that online courses offer, more students have been able to enroll in courses at Southeastern during the summer semester. Total enrollment for the semester is 4,215. This is a 10.4 percent increase over last year.

As has been the case in the past, this format has been embraced by both traditional and non-traditional students alike. High school students and students from other universities, who may live too far away to easily commute, have likewise taken advantage of the program to rapidly advance toward their degree.

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For those who applied for entry during the summer or fall semester, all application fees were waived through July 31. This removed a possible initial barrier for individuals considering beginning or returning to college, as well as students from other schools who wished to try courses at Southeastern or more quickly reach their degree goals.

To help all students pay for their summer courses, they were provided with reduced tuition. A $300 credit was placed on the fee bills of both undergraduate and graduate students.

This credit helped significantly lower the overall cost of attendance this summer. It also effectively made the cost for most undergraduate students less than $325 per credit hour.

Fees were also waived to lower the cost of attendance even further for the summer semester. These included all studentassessed fees, benefiting all students, and non-resident fees, allowing out-of-state and international students the opportunity to take classes for an exceptional value—whether as part of their ongoing studies at Southeastern or to transfer back to another institution. The fee waivers were given to both undergraduate and graduate students.

Chief Enrollment Management Officer Kay Maurin said Southeastern is committed to ensuring the population it serves has access to higher education during this challenging time.

The online classes are currently underway, allowing students to earn credits in as little as one month.

“We care about the financial health of our students.

Southeastern is waiving these fees for the summer semester due to the evolving nature of this unique time and need for summer classes by so many students,” Maurin said. “We want our students to be able to continue with their educational goals, even during a time when they may be experiencing hardships in other areas of their lives.”

This innovative new Summer Online initiative is part of Southeastern’s ongoing commitment to remaining one of the best values among four-year colleges in the region— providing an affordable, high-quality, and supportive education centered around the needs of today’s students.

BY SHERI GIBSON AND TONYA LOWENTRITT

Communication Sciences and Disorders graduate student Brooke Giaratano studies online.

SUMMER 2020

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OVERCOMING OBSTACLES ACHIEVING SUCCESS

&

During COVID-19

IN EARLY MARCH OUR DAILY LIVES AND ROUTINES BEGAN TO CHANGE IN UNEXPECTED AND UNPRECEDENTED WAYS, WITH EACH SUNRISE SEEMINGLY USHERING IN NEW QUESTIONS AND LINGERING UNCERTAINTIES—AND ONE MORE DAY OF THIS DIFFICULT PERIOD IN HISTORY. BUT FOR SOUTHEASTERN AND ITS PEOPLE, THE BEST WAY TO OVERCOME A CHALLENGE IS THROUGH FIERCE DETERMINATION, CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION, AND WORKING TOGETHER TOWARDS A COMMON PURPOSE. INSTEAD OF SUCCUMBING TO THE DIFFICULTIES THAT EACH DAY HAS BROUGHT, SOUTHEASTERN’S FACULTY, STAFF, STUDENTS, AND ALUMNI HAVE BEEN CONQUERING THEM WITH GREAT SUCCESS.

When in-person classes were suspended beginning Friday, March 13, faculty and staff across the board tirelessly focused on creating strategic plans, along with researching and learning new tools and methods, in order to ensure that students continued to thrive and be fully engaged. On Wednesday, March 18, remote instruction officially began.

Standing upon these initial plans and tools, it was time to enter this new world of virtual learning amidst the backdrop of a growing pandemic.

Southeastern’s Center for Faculty Excellence and Center for Student Excellence are two such areas that began preparing

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for the move in advance of the first day of fully remote learning—and continue to offer a variety of tools and resources for members of the Southeastern community.

When the transition was announced, the Center for Faculty Excellence, which exists to provide support to Southeastern educators, rapidly pivoted to provide on-campus workshops to faculty before the University physically closed, followed by both live streaming and recorded webinars and online advising and tools.

“You can’t just put a face-to-face class online,” said Dr. Mary Ballard, the center’s director. “Learning objectives have to be re-examined, and new ways of achieving them are often needed. Activities that work well in the physical classroom may no longer work in the virtual one. Our workshops and one-on-one time helped those struggling with this concept.”

The Center for Student Excellence, which offers guidance to first-year students, transfer students, and students that are uncertain about their major or career, in addition to tutoring and supplemental instruction for all students, quickly transitioned their services to a digital format as well— including making online advising and Tutoring Center sessions available to students through Google Meet.

“This is a great opportunity for students to stay connected with Southeastern,” said Brooke Giaratano, a Communication Sciences and Disorders graduate student and Tutoring Center graduate assistant. “Students can access many resources for remote learning during this time.”

Continually supporting faculty, staff, and students also remained the primary mission of Sims Memorial Library, which physically closed on March 18 but was able to fluidly transition to the new remote requirements. “Most of our services and hundreds of thousands of books and journal articles are available online,” said newly retired Library Director Eric Johnson.

In addition to these vital resources, members of the Southeastern community have also been able to access a variety of materials, including digital magazines, language learning tools, and special online libraries, allowing the library to effectively continue this mission.

To provide as close an experience to that of walking into the library, staff have remained available to help with research and locating books and other materials through an online 24/7 reference chat feature, text, telephone, and email.

For patrons who prefer physical publications, the library automatically renewed all checked out books until the end of the semester. On June 1, Inter-Library Loan operations resumed, and staff began offering Sims-2-Geaux, a new service that offers touchless curbside pickup of reserved books and equipment.

For those who wished to purchase books and other items including apparel, electronics, and school supplies, or send gifts to their favorite Lions during lockdown, the University Bookstore offered free shipping with no minimum purchase during the height of the pandemic. The store continues to offer free shipping with a $65 minimum purchase, along with free curbside pickup.

SUMMER 2020

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140 students have reached out about this service, and 74 have completed the required paperwork and scheduled appointments.

The University Health Center never physically closed in order to serve students who remained on campus and assist by appointment individuals without suspected COVID-19 who require an in-office visit, commonly for TB skin tests or physicals for internships and blood work for the nursing program. To cut down on people having to come in, Health Center staff helped people over the phone as much as possible, including with prescription refills, and, on May 11, they began offering telehealth visits.

Southeastern’s Textbook Rental, which saves students thousands of dollars each year as compared to the standard requirement by most universities to purchase all course materials, initiated a way to make returning books convenient and free for all students.

While students in the area were able to drop off their items, return shipping labels were also made available so that those from further away, having already returned home, could mail their books back without the burden of a return trip or mail costs.

The REC, citing studies that demonstrate how exercise benefits not only physical but also mental health, began creating and implementing virtual 5ks to help keep participants active and well. Over 75 registrants took advantage of the first two races, and more virtual events are scheduled over the coming months. The REC additionally offered access to free online fitness resources, a sports movie bracket challenge, and e-sports intramural leagues.

Throughout all initiatives enacted across the University, the health and safety of members of the Southeastern community has remained at the forefront. Three different areas that already specifically catered to facilitating the mental and physical health of members of the Lion Family actively ensured the continued welfare of those that they serve throughout the physical closures.

Also identifying this need for virtual offerings to help keep the community engaged, the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts created several initiatives with their own specialized spin.

Columbia Famous, an online talent contest, attracted over 60 entrants who were able to express themselves and demonstrate their artistic talents in a variety of categories. Over 3,500 people voted for their favorites. The Columbia Theatre will begin offering this new contest on an annual basis due to its demonstrated success. Some of their other offerings include the new High School Playwriting Contest, virtual theatre performances, and a visual arts project that is currently in the works.

According to the CDC, “fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children,” and social isolation can also take its toll. To help students, faculty, and staff overcome such mental and emotional burdens, the University Counseling Center stepped up to provide crucial counseling services through telemental health counseling, serving both ongoing and new clients in need. As of May 31,

Communicating information about these ways to maintain success and stay connected—as well as providing critical and indemand news, helping alleviate some uncertainties during these often confusing and stressful times—has remained of paramount importance to Southeastern. The University’s communications outlets have jumped feet first into ensuring that the community receives accurate, useful, and timely information.

The Southeastern Channel launched Northshore News Update: Coronavirus on the Northshore. This program provides a weekly update of the most timely, critical, and useful information for residents of the Northshore, with student reporters Lorraine Weiskopf, Gabby Cox, and Kaylee Normand working, interviewing guests, and filing reports from home.

The program was selected as one of three broadcast winners from over 700 entries and 258 universities for a national College Coronavirus Coverage Award. The Society of Professional Journalists in conjunction with the Associated College Press; Society for News Design; College Broadcasters, Inc.; and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education presented the Southeastern Channel with this prestigious award.

Student newspaper The Lions Roar, in continuous publication since 1937, was also honored for its coronavirus coverage. It was the only college newspaper in the state recognized in a front page competition organized by the Louisiana Press Association to draw attention to the personal impacts of COVID-19.

KSLU, which recently took home awards for Best College Radio Station and Radio News Reporting in this year’s Southeastern Journalism Conference competition, as well as multiple awards from the Louisiana-Mississippi Associated Press Broadcasters and Media Editors College Competition, has been maintaining its broadcasts to continue entertaining and connecting with listeners while also providing Southeastern students with increased handson experience.

For business owners, the co-hosted Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) at Southeastern and WTGG Tangi 96.5 radio program Let’s Talk Recovery was of particular benefit.

It helped provide crucial guidance specific to business recovery during this economically difficult and hard to maneuver time.

LSBDC at Southeastern has also been creating and facilitating online workshops for businesses, with 1,530 attending by mid-May and new virtual series being offered over the coming months.

While alumni can benefit from the above offerings, additional online resources were launched by the Southeastern Alumni Association to better meet the needs of those that it serves. A more visually appealing, easy to navigate, and mobile-friendly website was made live soon after the physical shutdown in March.

Among the many features are a news section that highlights alumni, the University, event information, and announcements from the Alumni Association; information on Southeastern traditions; and downloadable items such as Roomie emojis, desktop wallpapers, and a ringtone of the fight song.

“The new site gives better access to ways to get involved, connect with one another, give back, and show Lion Pride,” said Executive Director of Alumni Relations Michelle Biggs.

To aid graduates and students in supporting the businesses of fellow alumni during this critical time, a business directory was

added to the Alumni Association’s Southeastern Connect platform. Alumni entrepreneurs have the ability to list their businesses so that members of our community can identify and patronize them. Users can also securely and directly contact listed businesses, as well as receive special offers.

“During this time of uncertainty and financial loss, we need to support our alumni, friends, and community more than ever,” said Biggs. “We are excited for the opportunity to give our alumniowned businesses a platform that allows their business to shine.”

The Alumni Association has also partnered with Southeastern’s Workforce Talent Initiative program to promote free Amazon Web Services certifications and with the Office of Career Services to share information on Handshake to help alumni stay career competitive.

For overall University communications to not only students and alumni but also the entire community, the Office of Marketing and Communications tackled the need for updates and information by releasing 370 Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn posts with 2,952,018 total impressions; 39 news releases; 19 YouTube videos; and 18 e-newsletters / emails between March 11 and May 18.

A webpage, southeastern.edu/coronavirus, was created at the beginning of the pandemic to serve as a resource for all

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University COVID-19 information, news, and announcements.

While most departments have been working remotely, several have maintained a presence on campus in order to continue to provide essential services. Dining Services provided to-go meals and University Housing maintained residence halls for those who needed to remain on campus. The Document Source, Southeastern’s printing and mail center, remained open with limited hours two days a week—as well as on call—to meet the needs and continued work of the University community. The University Police Department maintained a presence to ensure a safe environment, keeping with Southeastern’s reputation as one of the safest campuses in the region, while Physical Plant kept the grounds and buildings in top shape, awaiting the return of a once again full campus. Additionally, sanitation and protective measures were carried out that included disinfecting all surfaces across campus, from desks and books to housing rooms, doors, and water fountains, along with installing plexiglass counter guards.

Thanks to these efforts and more, the future looks as bright as ever.

Enrollment reached 4,215 for the summer semester, a 10.4 percent increase over last year, with students choosing to take advantage of Southeastern’s innovative Summer Online program. This reimagined summer semester features virtual courses; a $300 credit for both undergraduate and graduate students; waived studentassessed, out-of-state student, and international student fees for undergraduate and graduate students; and no application fee.

To aid this high level of enrollment and counteract the necessary cancellation of many recruitment events, Admissions developed new ways to stay in touch with high schoolers and their families while the University operated remotely. Live streaming events on sites including Facebook, Instagram, and Zoom were held. Students, parents, and family members have also been able to schedule appointments with University recruiters or take virtual tours of campus. Additionally, a new website was created to allow students near and far to stay connected to Southeastern and provide a onestop source for admissions virtual events and updates.

THE TIME WILL SOON COME WHEN EVERYONE CAN BROWSE THE SHELVES AT SIMS MEMORIAL LIBRARY, EXPERIENCE A SHOW AT THE COLUMBIA THEATRE, CONNECT WITH OTHERS AT ALUMNI EVENTS, HAVE DINNER IN THE MANE DISH, AND SO MUCH MORE. BUT WHILE THIS PHYSICAL REOPENING IS SOMETHING TO BE EXCITED ABOUT, THE UNIVERSITY ITSELF—AND ITS WORK OF ADVANCING THE LIVES OF STUDENTS, ALUMNI, AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY—HAS NEVER CLOSED.

BY SHERI GIBSON

“We are excited to be among the first in the region to launch a dedicated website to continue to serve our future Lions during the statewide closures. Moving quickly to online was an easy switch for the Admissions Team,” said Director of Admissions Anthony Ranatza. “You matter here is not just a tagline—it is personal with our team.”

All of these measures are still only a taste of the University community’s efforts to keep Southeastern strongly moving forward in the face of the unexpected obstacles presented

by COVID-19. Each member of our Lion Family has played their own unique role, making it impossible to fully delve into all the individual and area achievements. But while each has made a tangible impact, together they unite for something far larger and more powerful: the personal success of countless current and future students, the continued economic success of the region, and a prime example of the boundless fortitude of Southeastern and its people—a vivid demonstration of true Lion Spirit.

In June, the University entered Phase Two of reopening, moving on-campus staff numbers up to 50 percent. By the beginning of the fall semester, the campus will once again be filled with staff and faculty carrying out their daily work, students learning in the classroom, and visitors enjoying Southeastern’s beautiful campus.

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Snapshot!

UNIVERSITY STAFF HAVE BEEN SANITIZING SURFACES AND INSTALLING NEW PROTECTIVE MEASURES ACROSS THE ENTIRE CAMPUS, ENSURING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE SOUTHEASTERN COMMUNITY.