Alumni News Winter 2011

ALUMNI NEWS Fall 2010 W inter 2011

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Alumni

N EW S

A message from President John L. Crain

Southeastern Louisiana University Dr. John L. Crain ’82, ’84 President

When the enrollment numbers were totaled for Southeastern’s spring semester, we saw an encouraging trend of growth compared to the same time last year. With increased admissions standards implemented in the fall semester, we continue to attract highly prepared students to our institution. Healthy increases from some of our nearby feeder parishes – where the majority of our students reside – tell us Southeastern remains an attractive, value-based option for our region.

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 Rita Bertolino ’78, ’96 President Gayle Neal ’74 President-elect Steve Parill ’96 Secretary Amy Verbene ’99, ’01 Treasurer Board Members Gwen Barsley ’73, ’76 Dick Covington ’71 Cameron Barr ’70, ’71 Sally Carlisle ’02 Daryl Ferrara ’92 April Field ’10 Emily McKneely ’02 Stephanie Kropog ’86 Stacey Duvic Neal ’91 Rev. Eddie Robertson ’79

While state budget cuts are definitely challenging, our focus remains on maintaining a quality academic institution, where student success is our first and foremost priority. The national economic recession and reduced revenues to the state make additional cuts in higher education likely in the next fiscal year. We hope, however, that our lawmakers recognize the important role education plays in economic recovery. Our students are getting involved in this effort, having formed the SUPER Network (Students United in Pursuit of Educational Respect) and taking other steps to become educated about the impact of higher education cuts. (See story, page 7.) You can also help spread that message by joining Southeastern’s advocacy group, the ROAR Network, and expressing your concerns directly to your legislators. Visit www.ciclt.net/southeastern for information on how you can get involved.

Our goal is to keep Southeastern a student-centered institution, the kind of university remembered by many of you and our other alumni – such as Robin Roberts, who is profiled in this issue of Alumni News. In her recent visit to campus to see her basketball jersey retired, Robin marveled that while the university’s campus has grown and matured over the years, it maintains the family spirit she remembers. As she said, “We share a common bond … we all love Southeastern.”

A message from your Alumni president

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 Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts, a 1983 Southeastern graduate, returned to the university for Lady Lions Basketball Alumnae Day and to see her jersey retired in special ceremonies.

She visited with current players, alumni and fans while on campus.

As a Southeastern alumna, I am excited when I meet students who are choosing our alma mater to further their education. Our roles as alumni include being a recruiter, ambassador, and supporter of Southeastern in our daily lives.

I urge you to get connected and involved with our university.

Our leaders have faced the challenge of budget cuts head on and continue to strive to maintain the high standards of Southeastern. Just as the students have gotten involved by being informed about the impact of financial cuts in higher education via the SUPER Network, I personally invite you to join the ROAR Network. Through this network you can communicate with your legislators about your concerns regarding education and the cuts being made in the budget. Southeastern has always been a university that opens doors for students, faculty, and alumni. We want to continue this endeavor. Speak to your representatives in Baton Rouge. We cannot afford to have them close doors of opportunity for our standards or the future of Southeastern.

Rita Bertolino ’78, '96

It is vital that the family-oriented atmosphere at Southeastern continues while maintaining the focus on students. Remember when you were at Southeastern and you weren’t just a number? Well, among all the changes and improvements at our university, that still stands! As president of the Southeastern Alumni Association, I am requesting your support by joining the Alumni Association and getting involved with the University. Invest in Southeastern and support the University's fundraising initiatives. Why? Because, as it has been said, “…We all love Southeastern.”

As she gazed at the rafters of Southeastern’s University Center, one could see the joy in her eyes as Robin Roberts – one of Southeastern’s most recognizable alumnae – watched as her jersey was unfurled in ceremonies in early February.

awetuhez Robin returns home

Roberts, anchor of ABC’s Good Morning America, returned to her Southeastern roots to see her jersey, No. 21, officially retired in a ceremony held on Lady Lions Alumnae Day. “It’s good to be home,” Roberts said, as she was presented with a framed jersey. “This is truly my sports moment, and to share it with my Southeastern family means everything.”

In her remarks, she recalled as a senior in high school how she was returning home to Pass Christian, Miss., with her coach and feeling somewhat uncomfortable after visiting another Louisiana university. Passing through Hammond on I-12, she saw the sign “Southeastern Louisiana University – Next Right,” and urged her coach to take a detour and visit Southeastern.

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wetuhetyihdwetuhe “We took that exit and I fell in love right away, and I’m so glad,” she said. “The foundation that was laid here for me has been everything that I have built upon – the quality education first and foremost, the faculty who stressed the importance of being a student first and then an athlete, and this tremendous, tremendous community of Hammond, Louisiana. I am so proud to say that I am a Southeastern Louisiana University Lady Lion.”

“We welcome the opportunity to recognize Robin, who has served as such a great ambassador for Southeastern,” said President John L. Crain. “Her personal and professional achievements make her a true role model for young women everywhere and an inspiration to us all. We are proud to welcome her back to Southeastern and honor her with the retirement of her Lady Lion jersey.”

Athletics Director Bart Bellairs said he has never known of another person who speaks so highly of their school as Roberts does of Southeastern.

A 1983 graduate in mass communications who played as a power forward and center, Roberts is only the second Lady Lion to see her jersey retired, the other being Queen Brumfield in 2003. Nearly 50 Lady Lion basketball alumnae assembled in the University Center for the ceremony and were individually introduced. In addition, former Lady Lions coaches – the late Linda Puckett, Ace Bryant, and Frank Schneider – were all recognized along with current coach Lori Davis Jones.

The ceremony was sponsored by the Alumni Association, Athletics Department and the Lady Lions’ mentoring group, PRIDE. Interacting with her fellow alumni, she said, “I feel like I’m in my 20s again. It’s so nice to go back in time. All of us, we have a common bond, a love for Southeastern.”

In a press conference following the ceremony, Roberts was asked for her advice to the young women of today.

“To be a student first and then an athlete,” she responded. I think

that’s very important, even though there are more opportunities now for women in athletics beyond college. I didn’t have that opportunity, so it made me excel in the classroom. I tell them to stay in the moment, to enjoy this moment and don’t be in such a hurry, but enjoy what they are doing right now.

“I tell them to dream big and focus small,” she added. “The things they are learning now are going to help them later in life.

There are little things about sports that I apply to my everyday life. I know that the level of success that people say I have reached in my career is because I played sports. I think I would have been successful in anything I pursued because of my athletic background.”

Roberts starred for the Lady Lions from 1979-83. She currently ranks among the program’s career leaders in points (1,446, 6th), rebounds (1,034, 5th), games played (114, 4th), field goals made (507, 5th), free throws made (432, 4th) and free throw percentage (72.0). A member of the university’s Athletics Hall of Fame and a former Alumnus of the Year, in 2006 she was named one of the NCAA’s “100 Most Influential Student-Athletes” in conjunction with the NCAA Centennial Celebration.

Roberts got her start in broadcasting while still at Southeastern, working at the university radio station, KSLU, and at WHMD/WFPR in Hammond, where she was sports director. Later she held various broadcasting jobs in Atlanta, Nashville, Biloxi and Hattiesburg, Miss. From 1990-2005, she was a contributor to ESPN, where her assignments included hosting SportsCenter and contributing to NFL PrimeTime.

At GMA, she has done extensive field reporting in the Middle East, Africa, and Mexico. Roberts played an active role in ABC News’ coverage of the 2008 presidential race, interviewing candidates and a wide-range of political newsmakers and reporting live from Washington, D.C. on Inauguration Day. She was the first 2

Far Left: Lady Lions Basketball Alumnae attending special ceremony in February gathered together on the basketball court with former coaches and trainers.

Left: Robin Roberts, right, shares a moment with friend and former player Queen Brumfield. Brumfield was the first Lady Lion to see her jersey retired.

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Below: Robin talks with current members of the team, from left, graduate assistant Charinee Mitchell, Rachel Mackie, Chelsea Hix, Amber Crenshaw, Aja Gibson, and Lady Lions basketball coach Lori Davis Jones.

Robin visits with Chadwick Moore, a recent Southeastern graduate now studying at the police academy in Pass Christian, Miss. Moore, a graduate of Roberts’ high school alma mater, Pass Christian High School, attended Southeastern on a full scholarship made possible by ABC’s Diane Sawyer, former co-anchor with Robin of Good Morning America.

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT MEETS ROBIN

journalist to interview President Barack Obama after he was sworn in as president.

Roberts was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2007. Her public battle has been recognized with awards and honors from organizations around the country, including the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program.

In 2005, Roberts found her personal and professional lives collide when Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast – a part of the country she called home for most of her life. Following the storm, she traveled to the hurricane zone and reported on the devastation. She also launched “GMA Gets It Done,” a year-long effort to rebuild Roberts’ hometown of Pass Christian.

Chadwick Moore of Robin Roberts’ hometown of Pass Christian got the opportunity to talk with Robin when she visited campus for her jersey retirement. Moore was the recipient of a full scholarship in Robin’s name that was donated by her then co-anchor Diane Sawyer as a Christmas present in recognition of Roberts’ strong interest in education.

Moore called Robin “a special lady,” who means so much to Pass Christian, as well as Southeastern.

He graduated from Southeastern in December with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and is currently in the Pass Christian Police Academy training to be an officer.

He intends to return to Southeastern next fall to pursue his master’s degree in psychology.

Visitors stroll through the national exhibit “Lincoln: the Constitution and the Civil War,” which is on display in the first floor lobby of Sims Memorial Library. Below, Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne made remarks at the opening ceremonies of the exhibit.

••••••••••• Library selected for

Lincoln exhibit •••••••••••

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Southeastern Sims Memorial Library is one of only 50 institutions nationwide to host the special national exhibit “Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War.” The exhibit, which is in the first floor lobby, examines how President Abraham Lincoln confronted some of the nation’s darkest days.

On display through March 25, it was created by the National Constitution Center and the American Library Association Public Programs Office and was made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

During grand opening ceremonies in February, Louisiana Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne praised Lincoln’s leadership abilities, which he said should be a model for all.

Dardenne said Lincoln is a classic study of “grace under pressure,” an individual who used humor, wit and leadership to cope with the nation’s most turbulent period.

“I certainly don’t fancy myself to be a Lincoln scholar,” Dardenne said, “but I am fascinated by his leadership traits and the qualities that he had to exhibit during the most trying time that our nation had to face. It’s nice to be able to reflect on that.”

Obtaining the exhibit for Southeastern was truly a “coup,” said Library Director Eric Johnson.

“This is an extremely well done, educational exhibit, and we are so fortunate to be selected to host it,” he said. “Not only does it bring Lincoln to Southeastern, but it also brings people to the library to learn about him.

“As a new president, Lincoln was faced with enormous challenges,” he continued. “This exhibition shows how he struggled with issues of secession, slavery and civil liberties – all questions our country’s founding charter left unanswered. Each section of the exhibit features information about a different aspect of Lincoln’s presidency.”

The 1,000-square foot interactive exhibit is designed to engage visitors with Lincoln’s struggle to reconcile his policy preferences with basic American ideals of liberty and equality. It features more than 100 images, historical documents and artifacts from The Lincoln Museum and other institutions, and examines how President Lincoln used the Constitution to confront three inter-related crises of the Civil War: the secession of Southern states, slavery and wartime civil liberties.

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Southeastern instructor Paul Simoneaux plays the role of a demanding teacher as he oversees the writing work of students Kelly Michon, left, and Tara Richardson.

The exercises are designed for the future teachers to feel the frustrations children with dyslexia experience when they are in the classroom.

SPRING ENROLLMENT SHOWS CONTINUING UPWARD TREND

Simulations prepare future teachers to deal with

dyslex ia ni the class room If trying to teach students with the learning disorder dyslexia is frustrating for teachers, consider what it must be like from the student’s point of view.

That’s exactly the point of dyslexia simulation exercises that every teacher candidate must experience before graduating from Southeastern with a degree in early childhood, elementary or secondary education.

“The role of an insightful teacher in working with a child with dyslexia is critical, and their perceptions play an important role in learning,” explained Elizabeth Wadlington, professor of teaching and learning in the College of Education and Human Development. She coordinates dyslexia simulation exercises for students at Southeastern every semester.

Dyslexia, the most common language-based learning disability, impairs the ability to read, write and spell. Affecting between 17 and 20 percent of the U.S. population, it is not related to intelligence, Wadlington said.

“Dyslexia causes difficulty in language processing,” she added. “The kids may be bright and intelligent and can see and hear just as well as everyone else, but they have a problem processing the information in their brains.”

The exercises she and her colleagues present are designed for the future teachers to feel the frustrations these children feel when they are in the classroom.

After attending lectures on dyslexia to gain a basic understanding of the issue, the students participate in the simulation exercise, rotating through a variety of stations that focus on simulating reading difficulties, writing and visual-motor difficulties, and visual perception and visual processing difficulties while trying to read. Meanwhile, faculty facilitators play the role of teachers, demonstrating the impatience, exasperation and lack of understanding that Wadlington says are all too common in many classrooms. After each station, the students go through a debriefing session, reflecting on their experiences.

“I felt like I was in second grade again,” one student said after struggling with a reading exercise. “I felt like I was holding everyone up.”

“It was an eye-opening experience,” said Christian Fengley, a senior education major who has dyslexia herself. “The exercises were dead-on in showing the difficulties a student with dyslexia experiences. It’s really important for teachers to understand what these kids are experiencing.”

Graduate student Dawn Rawlins, who teaches kindergarten in Livingston Parish, concurred. “It made me realize the importance of patience,” she said. “You can really learn from an experience like this.”

“Teachers need more than book knowledge about dyslexia,” Wadlington explained. “They need to have some level of empathetic understanding of how it feels to experience the frustrations and learning difficulties that a person with dyslexia faces every day.”

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Southeastern’s total enrollment for the spring semester reflects an upward trend over the same time last year.

According to official records, 14,325 students are enrolled in spring classes, compared to 14,117 in last spring’s semester, a 1.5 percent increase.

“Despite the higher admission standards we implemented in the fall semester, we are pleased to see our enrollment figures for the spring remain on trend with a slight increase,” said President John L. Crain. “We know also that even with concerns about higher education budget cuts and the uncertainty of various academic programs, students continue to be attracted to the institution and what we have to offer.

We remain committed to maintaining a strong academic mission. Our students are our foremost priority.”

The university has 425 new beginning freshmen this semester. New transfer students rose to 362, an increase of more than 28 percent over last year. Crain said an important feature of last year’s LA GRAD Act encourages institutions to increase the numbers of transfer students they enroll, especially from Louisiana community colleges.

“We have strong agreements with a number of community colleges, including Delgado in New Orleans, Baton Rouge Community College, River Parishes Community College and Northshore Technical College,” Crain said. “These agreements help provide a more seamless transition to Southeastern from Louisiana community colleges. In addition, our textbook rental system and the automatic transfer scholarship Southeastern offers to any qualified transfer student ease some of the financial burdens associated with attending a four-year institution.”

St. Tammany Parish continues to be the top feeder parish for the university with 3,353 students enrolled this spring, a 5.6 percent increase over the same time last year. Other area parishes showing increases in the spring included Ascension, 886 students, a 10.6 percent increase; and Livingston, 1,859, a 5.3 percent increase.

CAMPUS NEWS Business student receives Collegiate Scholars Award

Southeastern physics student Chad Sziszak, left, and visiting Japanese student Tatsuo Okiyama adjust the mirrors on the laser interferometry equipment used to evaluate weaknesses in materials. Observing are Professor of Physics Sanichiro Yoshida and Associate Professor William Parkinson.

Japanese student continues research into materials weaknesses at Southeastern When Southeastern physics senior Chad Sziszak spent seven weeks in Japan last summer working on research projects with students and faculty at Tokyo Denki University, he stayed with a student he befriended there.

Fast forward less than a year and that friend, graduate student Tatsuo Okiyama of Hachijo, Tokyo, stayed with Sziszak at his Ponchatoula home. His visit allowed them to to continue their work of evaluating the strong and weak points of metal and other materials in the laser interferometry lab of Sanichiro Yoshida, professor of physics.

A post-graduate in mechanical engineering, Okiyama is working with the Southeastern team. The lasers they use are aimed at various types of materials, including metals, plastics and even bone, explained Yoshida, who earned a patent for his laser interferometry technique that evaluates weaknesses in stretched materials.

“We’re now looking at bone using the same type of optical technique because of the role that stress plays on the human body and joints, often resulting in the need for artificial joints,” Yoshida explained.

Okiyama has returned to Tokyo where he continues the studies.

Sziszak’s experience last summer in Japan was “a blast,” he explained. The trip, made possible by a grant Yoshida received from the National Science Foundation to facilitate student experimental research in Japan, allowed Sziszak to enhance the research work started at Southeastern using the more sensitive and precise equipment at the Japanese university.

“To study material degeneration, we were using a high speed camera that can shoot one million frames per second,” said Sziszak, who plans to go into graduate studies in cosmology or astronomy.

Yoshida expects to send two or three other Southeastern students to Japan this summer for research experience, with the possibility that additional Japanese students will return to Southeastern to work with his team.

“This is a tremendous learning opportunity for these students,” he said, “allowing them to interact with students from a different culture and perspective, the opportunity to work as undergraduates in highly sophisticated laboratories, and the personal attention they receive from the scientists they work with. It’s a great experience at many levels.”

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A Southeastern business student has been awarded one of three Board of Directors Scholarships from the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS).

Ashley Lynn Braud of Marrero, a junior accounting major and management minor, received a $1,500 award from NSCS in its recognition of members who have distinguished themselves through their involvement, enthusiasm and support for NSCS. For her project, Braud, who is treasurer of the Southeastern chapter of NSCS, created a PowerPoint presentation exploring the benefits of membership in the organization and included the group’s activities such as its “Adopt a Street” service project and various fundraisers.

This was the first year NSCS awarded the Board of Directors Scholarship. The NSCS is the nation’s only interdisciplinary honors organization to invite first- and second-year college students.

Southeastern produces new recruiting video A new 15-minute video entitled Southeastern Louisiana University: Strength, Endurance, TraSTRENGTH dition, has been launched ENDURANCE to promote the north TRADITION shore’s only regional four-year institution.

Developed by a recruitment marketing team and produced by the Southeastern Channel, the video is appearing on Southeastern’s Web site at selu.edu and its “Hot Spots” page; it will also air on the Channel, the university’s educational access station, along with placement on its Web site, selu.edu/tv. The piece can also be viewed on YouTube and the university’s Facebook page.

The video discusses the quality of academic offerings, vibrant campus life, and the advantages of attending a large university with the warm atmosphere and intimate feel of a small college.

“Our goal is to tell the story of Southeastern in a brief, informative and eye-catching manner,” said Enrollment Services Director Lori Fairburn.

“We’ve used it with area high school counselors who gave it high marks. We believe it will be very effective with prospective students and in our orientation programs.”

Student Government Association develops ‘SUPER Network’ In response to concerns over future Students United in budget cuts to Pursuit of Educational Respect higher education, the Southeastern Student Government Association (SGA) has launched an initiative to address questions and concerns of the campus community.

The Students United in Pursuit of Educational Respect (SUPER) Network answers questions and provides information on the current budget status and SGA’s plan of action. Questions were developed by the staff of the university’s student newspaper The Lion’s Roar with answers provided

by Southeastern President John L. Crain.

The network was recently launched on Facebook and is now available on the site under “Southeastern SUPER Network.”

“We want to make sure we’re getting the facts to the students,” said SGA President David Cavell. ”There were concerns over rumors being spread in this budget situation, and that was a major influence in our developing the network.”

“SUPER provides factual and straightforward information about the budget,” said Erin Cowser, exective director of public and governmental affairs. “When students know the facts about the budget situation, they can be more effective advocates for the university.”

The site – which will be updated frequently – is intended to lay rumors to rest, Cavell added.

“The network is intended to educate students so we can send a message to Baton Rouge, to let our state legislators and the governor know that students will hold them accountable for their actions and their decisions about the future of higher education,” Cavell said.

For more information about the SUPER Network, contact the SGA at 985-549-2296 or email SGA President David Cavell at sgapres@selu.edu.

Southeastern, Northshore Technical College initiate pilot program to improve access Southeastern and Northshore Technical College are piloting a program in an attempt to expand student access to post-secondary education and workforce training on the northshore.

Through the partnership, students who did not meet the new higher admission standards at Southeastern are enrolled with Northshore Technical College in developmental math and English courses. The students can also work toward industrybased certifications, participate in workforce training opportunities and obtain career counseling.

NTC is teaching the courses on the Southeastern campus, using the university’s established curricula and faculty who meet the necessary qualifications required by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, so that the course credits will be readily transferrable to Southeastern or other post-secondary education institutions.

“The GRAD Act legislation enacted last year encourages universities to raise admission standards and collaborate more closely with community and technical colleges,” said President John L. Crain. “We hope this program, as it grows and evolves, will help ensure access to post-secondary education for students who do not meet our admissions criteria and who do not have convenient access to community college services in their particular communities. By partnering closely with Northshore Technical College, the program also allows us to share resources so students can be served more efficiently.”

The pilot program emerged from a NTC rapid response opportunity which identified demand occupations in the region to include training in green technology and computer information technology.

“Working closely with Southeastern’s administration, we identified students who didn’t meet the university’s admission requirements,” said William Wainwright, Northshore dean and regional director. “We wanted to be able to provide them with the opportunity to meet those entrance requirements, while also being engaged in a relevant technical training program leading to employment opportunities within the region,” he added.

He said a long-standing cooperative relationship with Southeastern made the partnership on the pilot program easy to implement.

“We both have the best interests of the students at heart,” he added. “These students will be able to continue at NTC, transfer to Southeastern or pursue some other work readiness program. The effort is designed to promote job readiness, expand student access, and create opportunities for students that will enhance career planning and increase workforce participation.”

NTC’s main Sullivan Campus is located in Bogalusa, with smaller campuses in Hammond and Greensburg. The new program – while drawing most of its initial students from the Hammond area – is intended to eventually serve other areas of the northshore that currently lack convenient access to community college services.

The Southeastern-NTC partnership also facilitates student access and avoids duplication of effort through joint admissions and advising processes. For example, a single admissions application is being used to simplify the admissions process.

Family & Consumer Sciences program approved by national agency

the university's program after a thorough review of the curriculum, faculty and resources, said Holly Kihm, assistant professor and program coordinator. The program is offered through the Department of Counseling and Human Development in the College of Education and Human Development.

The approval means that students completing Southeastern’s program have met the academic requirements necessary to apply for certification as a family life educator.

Southeastern’s Family and Consumer Sciences program has been recognized by a national agency as an approved program to offer students the opportunity to become certified family life educators.

The National Council on Family Relations, which provides the only national certification program for family life educators, approved 7

Nursing concentration now offered online Southeastern’s graduate nursing program will initiate a family nurse practitioner concentration beginning in the fall 2011 semester.

The program is offered as part of the Intercollegiate Consortium for a Master of Science in Nursing, a partnership involving Southeastern, the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and McNeese State University.

Nurses enrolled in the program access courses online that are taught by faculty at all three institutions. The model allows curricula, faculty and other resources to be shared, reducing the overall cost of the program.

With this move, the ICMSN will drop its adult nurse practitioner concentration in 2012. The decision to make the change came after a careful assessment of the workforce needs in south Louisiana, said Ann Carruth, interim dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. ”The family nurse practitioner concentration is a nice fit for our program, and the online format is a convenient way that will meet the graduate educational needs of nurses in our region, most of whom are already working full time” she said. “Graduates will be able to seek employment as primary health care providers for individuals of all ages, helping to address the need for cost-efficient healthcare in shortage areas or in medical offices and clinics.

“Nurse practitioners have become an increasingly important member of the healthcare team,” she added, “especially as we see more individuals gain access to health care. The changes we are making to this program will have an impact on the healthcare workforce in Louisiana.”

Channel programs air at state welcome centers Original television programs produced by the Southeastern Channel are now being viewed by over a million Louisiana visitors each year.

The programs were chosen by the Louisiana Office of Tourism to air in all 13 of the state’s welcome centers located at each major highway entry and stopping point in Louisiana.

Louisiana State Emblems, an episode of the nature series Backyard Wonders, and a pair of episodes from the history series The Florida Parish Chronicles began showing at the Louisiana welcome centers in late December.

Caleb Atwell, left, goes over an assignment with his instructor Rusty Juban, associate professor of management. Roseanna “Rosie” Atwell takes a break between classes at Southeastern.

Southeastern easing student transition from community college to university When Caleb and Roseanna “Rosie” Atwell of Denham Springs were considering their college career paths, they looked no further than their immediate family.

The siblings followed the approach their older sister used: start at a convenient, nearby community college then transfer to Southeastern to complete their college education.

Caleb, a senior general business major, started at Baton Rouge Community College and enrolled in its associate degree program in business. BRCC and Southeastern are cooperating partners in what is called a “2+2” program. That means once Caleb successfully completed a prescribed curriculum at BRCC, all his course work seamlessly transferred into a business program at Southeastern with no detailed paperwork required for his application.

“I chose BRCC as the place to start because it was close and convenient to home, as well as relatively inexpensive,” he said. “My older brother and sister had both gone there, so I was familiar with the school.”

Rosie’s story is similar. While being home-schooled for high school, she started taking general education courses at BRCC as a junior – courses such as English, math, and social studies. Thanks to these earned credit hours, she started at Southeastern as a sophomore in family and consumer sciences and looks forward to going into a graduate program in counseling.

“Southeastern has long been committed to working with students who begin their post-secondary education experience at a community or technical college and then want to continue at a four-year university,” said President John L. Crain. “We have worked closely with our colleagues at institutions in the Louisiana Community and Technical College System to better serve Louisiana students, particularly across southeast Louisiana.”

While they could have chosen other nearby institutions, the Senator Ben Nevers Transfer Scholarship made Southeastern an attractive choice for the Atwells. The scholarship requires no application and is automatically awarded to qualified students when they apply and are accepted at Southeastern.

That was a definite selling point for Caleb, who also holds a scholarship from the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and a College of Business Charles Wesley Merritt Scholarship.

“The Nevers Scholarship was automatic; I didn’t have to apply, and it continues as long as I maintain my grade point average,” said Caleb.

Both agree their college experiences have been pleasant. “I like it at Southeastern a lot,” said Caleb, who described the business study abroad opportunity he had last summer in Costa Rica as “unforgettable.”

Rosie agrees: “It’s a very comfortable, beautiful campus,” she said, “and the faculty are extremely nice and helpful.”

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FACULTY/STAFF NEWS AGOSTA ELECTED PRESIDENT OF STATE NURSING BOARD Lucie J. Agosta, assistant professor of nursing, has been elected president of the Louisiana State Board of Nursing. The 11-member board is charged with ensuring that individuals practicing as registered nurses and advanced practice nurses meet specific training requirements and licensure.

Agosta coordinates the adult health nurse practitioner specialty concentration in the School of Nursing graduate program. The program is operated in consortium with the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and McNeese State University in Lake Charles and offers training in areas such as nurse education, administration and nurse practitioner.

ARMAND EARNS PRIZE FOR NOVEL David Armand, an instructor in English, has earned the George Garrett Fiction Prize presented by the Texas Review Press for his novel The Pugilist’s Wife.

The award is given annually to an unpublished short novel or collection of short stories based on a competition sponsored by Texas Review Press. The award is named after the late poet laureate of Virginia, George Garrett, who excelled in a wide variety of writing, including novels, short stories and poetry. The Pugilist’s Wife will be published by Texas Review Press.

A native of Folsom and resident of Hammond, Armand received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees in English at Southeastern.

BEDELL NOMINATED FOR STATE POET LAUREATE Southeastern poet Jack Bedell was selected by a statewide panel as one of three nominees to become the next state poet laureate. The selection by the governor is expected in the spring.

A professor of English, Bedell is the director of Southeastern’s creative writing program and the editor of the journal Louisiana Literature. He is the author of seven books, including Call and Response and Come

Rain, Come Shine. He was named the 2007 Professional Artist in the awards recognition sponsored by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. He is the 1997 recipient of Southeastern’s President’s Award for Excellence in Artistic Activity.

HISTORIAN DOCUMENTS MISSOURI MOUNTAIN CONFLICTS Southeastern historian David Benac has documented the late 19th century conflicts between a tenacious group of inhabitants in eastern Missouri and the lumber and mining company that invaded their isolated society.

In his book, Conflict in the Ozarks: Hill Folk, Industrialists, and Government in Missouri’s Courtois Hills, Benac tells the story of how tensions were ignited between the hill people of the Ozarks and the lumber company that began harvesting timber in the region in the late 1800s.

“The inhabitants of the area subsisted almost entirely on the resources of these rich forests,” said Benac. “It was this same valuable timber that drew the Missouri Lumber and Mining Company to the area and sparked an enduring cultural and environmental struggle.”

Using government documents, company records, local newspapers and oral histories, he reviewed more than 60 years of major social and economic changes for the hill folk and the forest itself.

COWSER RECOGNIZED FOR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS Erin Moore Cowser, executive director of public and governmental affairs, has been recognized with a national award for leadership in state relations and institutional advocacy. She received the Edwin Crawford Award for innovation in governmental advocacy at the recent Higher Education Government Relations Conference in Austin, Tex. The award is administered by the American Association of Community Colleges, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

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In nominating her for the award, President John L. Crain noted her successful efforts to rejuvenate Southeastern’s governmental relations by recruiting alumni and community partners to serve as vocal advocates in support of the university.

Cowser played a key role in developing Southeastern’s ROAR Network, which provides online information about the university’s governmental affairs efforts.

CURRIE RECOGNIZED WITH AWARD FOR WORK IN ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY Paula Currie, associate professor and head of the Southeastern Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, was presented with a Freedom through Assistive Technology Champion Award by the Louisiana Assistive Technology Access Network (LATAN) at the group’s annual meeting in Baton Rouge in December.

Currie received the “Citizen Award,” presented to an individual who increased access to assistive technology or advocated for changes in policies, laws or practices to assure universal access.

Currie has championed assistive technology for years in her roles as university professor and clinical supervisor. She serves as a consultant to OPTIONS, a Hammond-based nonprofit agency that provides services for individuals with developmental disabilities.

McCARTHY APPOINTED TO JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD Daniel McCarthy, physicist and dean of the College of Science and Technology, has been appointed associate editor of the journal Radiation Effects and Defects in Solids.

An international peer-reviewed scientific journal based in England, the publication focuses on plasma science and technology and publishes papers on both fundamental and applied science that contribute to the understanding of phenomena produced by the interaction of radiation and matter.

A specialist in the area of plasma physics, McCarthy is one of three associate editors representing the United States, serving with others from Russia, Japan, Germany, India and other nations.

We want our community to take a stronger stand for our university and start supporting it more.

SUPER FANtastic

In every sporting event, there is a crunch time – a time for the players to step up or go home. For Southeastern alumni Janet and Richard Moran, every day is crunch time in their support of their alma mater.

“As alumni, we both strongly believe that because we had the opportunity to attend Southeastern, we need to give back to the school that gave us both so much,” Janet said. “We want our community to take a stronger stand for our university and start supporting it more. Southeastern gives so much to this community, and we feel it’s time to return the favor.”

Janet graduated in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in music education and also received a master’s of music education from Southeastern in 1989. A non-traditional student, Richard earned an associate degree in industrial technology with a concentration in occupational safety and health in 2005.

“We love Southeastern and the many opportunities it gave us,” said Richard. “As a non-traditional student, I thought the teachers were especially helpful. We both have made many friends

– Janet Moran

that we keep in contact with and enjoy spending time reminiscing about our time at Southeastern.”

The Morans are members of the Alumni Association and season ticket holders for the football program since its return in 2003. They tailgate for every home game and attend as many away games as they can. They also hold season tickets for Lady Lions basketball and attend as many Southeastern baseball games as possible. Janet is a FeLions member, and Richard has served as a referee for the FeLions’ Champagne Bingo.

The Morans now reside in Hammond with their son Jeffrey, a fourth grader at the Southeastern Laboratory School.

“The Morans are avid Southeastern fans. They follow the teams - especially football and women’s basketball - and have been loyal supporters since the return of football in a myriad of ways, giving of their time and talent,” said Alumni Association Director Kathy Pittman. “We appreciate Janet, Richard and their son Jeffrey for helping to provide our student athletes with that extra attention that makes their experience at Southeastern special. I wish we had many, many more volunteers just like them.”

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CHAPTER NEWS Grad Fair

Senior Salute

Southeastern’s newest alumni were hosted at the Alumni Association Oct. 14-15 as they purchased graduation supplies. It was one of the largest crowds on record, and the seniors took advantage of the “one-stop shop” atmosphere at the Alumni Center. The Alumni Association partnered with Gamma Beta Phi Honor and Service Society to provide the event for graduating seniors.

Ring Ceremony Southeastern students received their official rings at the Senior Ring Ceremony on Dec. 8. The students were congratulated

by President John L. Crain and enjoyed a reception that followed along with their families.

The Alumni Association welcomed December graduates to the “Alumni family” on Dec. 8 at the Alumni Center. The graduates and their guests were greeted

by President Crain and Alumni Director Kathy Pittman.

Golden Anniversary marked

Former Players Quarterback Reunion Former Southeastern quarterbacks returned to campus for a reunion prior to the Lions’ contest against Northwestern on Nov. 6. Quarterbacks from the 1940s through the 2000s attended and enjoyed reliving gridiron memories. The reunion spanned 60 years of football at Southeastern.

FeLions host Champagne Bingo

A special reunion luncheon was held for Southeastern’s Golden Grads on Dec. 10. The honor class of 1960, as well as graduates from previous years, renewed the bonds of friendship begun many years ago on Southeastern’s campus. President John L. Crain was on hand to present them with honorary diplomas and golden robes, which many of the grads wore the next day as they led the processional for Commencement.

The hottest ticket in town was for the FeLions annual Champagne Bingo, which was held Jan. 22 on Southeastern’s campus. Members of the FeLions and the Alumni Association staff welcomed approximately 500 ladies for an exciting afternoon of bingo and champagne and refreshments. Funds raised from the day benefit Southeastern Athletics.

Alpha Sigma Tau celebrates Alpha Sigma Tau alumnae and undergraduate chapter members hosted national officers and guests for a banquet celebrating Phi Chapter’s 70 years on Southeastern’s campus Nov. 13. They also installed the sorority’s alumnae chapter during the festivities. A highlight of the evening was the traditional Candle Lighting Ceremony led by Southeastern alumna and past national AST president Pat Nayle. Congratulations go to Alumni Association President Rita Bertolino and the rest of the Alumnae Chapter members.

Lion Alumni meet in Las Vegas Southeastern alumni from Las Vegas and the Hammond area met up to cheer on the Lions Basketball team as they played University of Nevada at Las Vegas on Nov. 17. The alumni enjoyed a pre-game reception hosted by alumni and avid Lion fans Dick and Glory Sharp. Thanks go to the Sharps for their hospitality!

11

Rec Sports – Join now!

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.

Check us out on

SOUTHEASTERN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

KEEPING IN TOUCH ’51 Annabelle McGuire Armstrong authored the book, Historic Neighborhoods of Baton Rouge, published by the History Press of Charleston, S.C. The result of interviews of residents, civic leaders and dvelopers of 50 subdivision areas in south Baton Rouge, the book is now in its second printing in less than five months. A former Lions Roar editor, she is now in her sixth decade of journalism. She is a recipient of Southeastern Alumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award and currently works part-time for the Louisiana State Archives. ’76, ’07 Linda Fussell, former math teacher at Covington High School and Pitcher Junior High, was named assistant principal for Pearl River High School. ’76 Katie Wainwright has written a book entitled Cuba on My Mind. She has drawn from memories of her own childhood while living in Cuba to create this novel. The novel is published by the University of West Alabama’s Livingston Press.

‘77 Don Parks has been named engineering manager for Knight Well Services. Based in Houston, he oversees plug and abandonment procedures for the company. He earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial technology and pursued graduate studies in petroleum engineering at Tulane University.

Parks has more than 33 years of experience as a production engineer, working in both onshore and offshore fields. ’78 Raymond Roberts earned the Honorary American Farmer degree from Future Farmers of America. He is a teacher at Maurepas High School and has spent 20 years preparing students to achieve the same degree. ’86 Kevin Darouse was chosen as the new supervisor of administration for St. Tammany Parish Schools System. He was formerly an assistant principal at Fontainebleau High School. ’87 Marcus Naquin received the President’s Choice Award during the Louisiana Nursing Home’s fall convention and annual awards luncheon. He has been the administrator of Hammond Nursing Home since 1992 and is part owner of St. Francis Villa Assisted Living. ’88 Dwayne Severio, who has served as the defensive coordinator for the Bastrop High football team for the past two seasons, has accepted the head coaching position at Class 5A Walker High School. Severio, who graduated with a degree in physical education, previously spent 16 years as an assistant at Walker. He has also served as head coach at St. Helena Central. ’91 Bill Shea of Baton Rouge has been elected a partner in the law firm of Adams and Reese. Shea joined the firm in 2004 and is currently a member of the commercial disputes and casualty and coverage teams.

He focuses his practice on commercial clients in a wide variety of litigation matters,

including contract and lease disputes, claims for breach of fiduciary duty and general business disputes.

rently teaches piano and piano pedagogy and is the director of the Preparatory Music Program.

‘94 Suzanne Howard Carpenter, Ph.D., RN, CNE, a professor of nursing at Our Lady of the Lake College in Baton Rouge, was named the 2010 Educator of the Year by the National Organization for Associate Degree Nurses. Criteria for the award include motivation of students to perform at their highest levels, functioning as a role model, working cooperatively with colleagues, involvement in college, professional and community activities, and the use of innovative teaching strategies.

’00 Mandy Babin Fernandez has published a cookbook Learn, Laugh, Cook. After majoring in English and holding a series of correspondence-writing jobs, she became a stay-at-home mom and took the opportunity to write a book about her cooking experiences. The 96-page book features stories, poetry, pictures of her daughter and recipes. “This cookbook is my insight on how I learned to prepare better meals, how I laughed at myself along the way and how I cooked traditional recipes in new and improved ways,” she says. She currently resides in Pensacola, Fla.

‘94 Anthony Sears served as a clinician in January for the Lafayette Parish Honor Choir Clinic involving approximately 200 students in 5th through 8th grade representing Lafayette Parish schools. A graduate of Southeastern in music education, Sears earned a master’s degree in choral conducting at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, N.J. While teaching in New Jersey, he was selected as teacher of the year and conductor of the Junior High State Honor Choir. He has returned to his native New Orleans, where he serves as director of choral activities at Isidore Newman School.

‘00 Edward Fuselier, former math professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and currently at High Point University in North Carolina, played a key role with other scientists in using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope to create one of the sharpest and most detailed maps of dark matter in the universe. Dark matter is the invisible substance that makes up the bulk of the mass of the universe. Working with a team at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., Fuselier devised a new technique to calculate the map and is credited with having “cracked the code” of gravitational lensing or distortions that was used to observe a large galaxy cluster called Abell 1689, located 2.2 billion light years from Earth.

‘95 Ricci Broussard Hebert has published a new book entitled A Saintsational Swamp Adventure. The children’s book, with full color illustrations, celebrates the New Orleans Saints’ journey to the Superbowl from the view of Louisiana swamp animals. A former teacher in the Jefferson Parish Public School System, Hebert earned her registered nurse diploma from Charity Hospital School of Nursing and is now employed at West Jefferson Medical Center as a well-baby nursery nurse.

‘96 Angela Lewis has been named assistant vice president and branch sales manager for Regions Bank’s Jefferson Highway location in Baton Rouge. She previously served as a vice president and sales manager for OMNI Bank in Metairie and Hibernia/Capital One in Baton Rouge for a combined nine years.

’01, ’06 Ken Oertling is the new principal of Hahnville High School. He previously served there as assistant principal. ’05 Brandon Bell of Baton Rouge was named one of the Capital Region’s fittest executives by the publication Baton Rouge Business Report. A graduate in business administration, he is the business development manager for Smith Tank & Steel, which builds and repairs above-ground storage tanks.

‘98 Susannah Welch has been appointed principal of the new Joseph B. Lancaster Elementary School in Madisonville when it opens next fall. Currently she is assistant principal at Lake Harbor Middle School, where she has been since 2001. Welch holds a master’s degree plus 30 hours in elementary education from Southeastern.

‘05 Arlana LeBlanc has been chosen by the St. Tammany Parish Public School Board as the first principal of the new Mayfield Elementary School near Slidell. She previously served as assistant principal at Lakeshore High School and is a curriculum specialist in middle grade mathematics. She earned her master’s degree in educational leadership from Southeastern and joined the St. Tammany School System in 1997.

‘98 Elizabeth Messina Floyd is a member of the popular vocal trio “Swing Set,” an Andrews Sisters-style singing group, which recently performed at Bogue Falaya Park in Covington. With her Master of Music degree in piano performance from Southeastern, she recently performed her first doctoral solo piano recital at LSU, where she cur-

’05 Krisy McAdams of Gonzales has been named the Child Advocacy Services’ volunteer recruiter for the Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) in the River Parishes. With her degree in social work from Southeastern, she started work with Child Advocacy Services as a volunteer through the AmeriCorps Vista program. She has also

12

been involved in her community through various outreach events including the Give Kids Hope Celebration. ’05 Kelsey McNitt Prather, a Southeastern nursing graduate working for Women’s Hospital in Baton Rouge as a home health registered nurse, recently displayed her artful side when she exhibited her photography (“A Change of Scenery”) at the DuBuisson Gallery in Slidell.

The 64 exhibited images are products of her extensive travel to four continents, where her camera is a constant companion. She is currently working on a master’s degree in the family nurse practitioner program at LSU Health Sciences Center. (Photo by Kathleen DesHotel) ’10 Samantha Perez, a graduate student at Tulane University working on a doctorate in history, has published the book The Islenos of Louisiana: On the Water’s Edge, a history of the Canary Islanders of Spanish descent who relocated to St. Bernard Parish in the late 1700s. While attending Southeastern, she and communications major Joshua Robin (’10) created an hour-long documentary entitled Louisiana’s Lost Treasure: The Islenos, which debuted at Fanfare, Southeastern’s festival of the arts and humanities.

OBITUARIES ’42 Myra Darouse LaRue, October 22, 2010 ’46 Bobbye McMichael Hall, January 17, 2010 ’49 Helen Ann Behrman Wall, December 6, 2010 ’50 Katherine Katy Cockrell, July 31, 2010 ’50 Elizabeth Jane Mann, October 25, 2010 ’54 George Louis Lezu, July 29, 2010 ’55 Calvin William Yokum, November 22, 2010 ’56 John Frank Sziber, Sr. November 20, 2010 ’56 Donald Ray Moffat, January 9, 2011 ’59 Lula McCraw Bucklew, October 15, 2010 ’61 Edward Webster Burke, December 24, 2010 ’62 Richard Dick Gerard Daigre, Sr., January 20, 2011 ’62 Harold Charles Dufour, December 13, 2010 ’65 Kennard Lawrence Kyte, December 21, 2010 ’66 George Calhoun McCormack, Jr., December 20, 2010 ’66 Nancy Langham Mitchell, December 27, 2010 ’72 Albert Joseph Bordelon, December 5, 2010 ’73 Edward David Frederick, Sr., September 21, 2010 ’76 Kathleen Bauer Downey, August 29, 2010 ’84 Mark Allen Lea, November 17, 2010 ’89 Phillip Hill Massey, Jr., July 14, 2010 ’92 Stephanie Leach Truxillo, September 23, 2010 ’01 Lisa Lynette Foster Weaver, December 30, 2010 ’04 Karen Anderson Campbell, November

join us

24, 2010

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

Name E-mail *Spouse name FROM HIGH ATOP MOUNT GHAR, LT. COL. AMY BUMGARTNER U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Amy Bumgartner proudly displays an American flag after hiking to the top of Mt. Ghar on the eastern outskirts of Kabul, Afghanstan, where she has just completed a one-year tour of duty.

Bumgartner, who earned her undergraduate degree in history from Southeastern in 1991 and her master’s in history in 1994, was assigned to the International Security Assistance Force Headquarters in Kabul.

“I worked in the Stability Division doing governance and development work. This work is led by civilians, but the military has a large supporting role,” she explained. “I spent a lot of time doing liaison work with the U.S. Embassy and other civilian organizations.”

Bumgartner is now stationed at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland as a special agent with the Office of Special Investigations, the section responsible for counter-intelligence support for the Air Force. “It’s kind of like the FBI for the Air Force,” she said.

A native of Texas, she recently completed a master’s degree in stabilization and reconstruction at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., where she completed her thesis on the civilian-military lessons of Vietnam and how they could be used in Afghanistan. “That’s how I wound up in Stability,” she said.

Bumgartner started Air Force Officer Training School in August 1995 and received her commission in November 1995.

Order your official Southeastern ring today.

1-866-Balfour or balfourcollege.com

*Spouse e-mail Address City/State/Zip Home phone

Work phone

❏ Check (enclosed) ❏ Master Card ❏ Visa

Account # Signature Expiration date

Today’s date

Online at: www.selu.edu/alumni

Join us for the Best of Italy!

The Southeastern Alumni Association invites its members and friends to join us in a tour of the “Best of Italy,” April 29 – May 12, 2011.

Visit the eternal city of Rome and all it offers, and enjoy trips to Naples, the Taormina area, Agrigento, Palmermo and much more.

For more information, call JoAnn Bowman at 225-767-4444.

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DEVELOPMENT PONCHATOULA ROTARY – NED WELLES ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP

ENTERGY IMPACTS SOUTHEASTERN’S PUBLISHING STUDIES PROGRAM

An Opportunity to Create a Gift that Keeps on Giving AND ONE WAY TO BENEFIT SOUTHEASTERN – AN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP

Sparky Welles presents a donation to Southeastern Director of Development Lynn Horgan in support of the Ned Welles Endowed Scholarship. Pictured from left are Cierra DeLucca, Cate DeLucca, Cathy Welles, Sparky Welles, and Lynn Horgan.

Craig Schimpf of Entergy, second from right, presents a donation to David Hanson, head of the Department of English. Also pictured are President John L. Crain and Katherine Rose, senior director of development.

The Ponchatoula Rotary and the family of Ned Welles have joined forces to establish a scholarship to be awarded to a Ponchatoula High School senior. Funds for the scholarship are provided by proceeds from the annual Rotary Golf Tournament named in memory of Ned Welles and by the Ned Welles Memorial Scholarship Fund directed

by Ned's parents, Sparky and Cathy Welles, and sister Katie Welles Delucca. The recipient of the Ponchatoula Rotary –Ned Welles Scholarship will have been active in the Ponchatoula High School Interact Club and will have exhibited involvement in extracurricular activities at the school and/ or in the community. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a student who has a 3.0 or higher GPA and has plans to attend Southeastern full time.

The Entergy Charitable Foundation has awarded Southeastern a $10,000 grant in support of the English Department’s new program in Publishing Studies. The new minor prepares students with marketable skills in both print and digital publishing.

“When people are supported with knowledge, they become more effective members of their communities,” said Craig Schimpf, Entergy customer service manager for the North Shore District. “Investing in this program made sense for us, as we believe an essential element to healthy, thriving communities is creating an environment where every individual has basic reading and writing skills. This program will train the professionals we need to improve the literacy of our state’s population.”

THE SCHARMAL SCHROCK ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP IN VOCAL PERFORMANCE The family, friends, colleagues and former students of Scharmal Schrock have come together to create an endowed scholarship in vocal performence in recognition of her commitment to the Southeastern vocal performance program. Scharmal Schrock was on the vocal music faculty for 25 years and retired from the university in 2006. She trained some of the most gifted vocalists to emerge from Southeastern, and her influence continues to be felt through the achievements of her former students and the memories of her many admirers and friends.

BLOSSMAN RECOGNIZED FOR SERVICE TO DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

If you are concerned about giving up assets today to support any of the educational programs at Southeastern, you’ll be glad to know that there are ways to help your alma mater without ever jeopardizing your personal financial security. One easy way is by including a bequest in your will or living trust that specifies a dollar amount or a percentage of your estate to benefit your favorite department or college at Southeastern. The following are four types of bequests: 1. Unrestricted bequest. This is a gift for the general purposes of the university, to be used at the discretion of the Southeastern Foundation governing board. A gift like this— without conditions attached—allows us to determine the wisest and most pressing need for the funds at the time of receipt.

2. Restricted bequest. This type of gift allows you to specify how the funds are to be used. Perhaps you have a special purpose or project in mind. If so, it’s best to consult us before you execute your will or trust to be certain your intent can be fulfilled.

3. Honorary or memorial bequest.

This is a gift given in honor of or in memory of someone. We are pleased to honor your request and have many ways to grant appropriate recognition.

Pictured at the Christmas Party for Southeastern boards is Development Foundation President Jack Blossman, right, with President John L. Crain. Blossman was recognized for his two-term commitment as president of the Foundation board. Other invited guests included the members of the Development Foundation Board, Southeastern Alumni Association Board, Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts Advisory Board, Lion Athletic Association Board and the IGDD (Institute for Global and Domestic Development) Board.

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4. Endowed bequest. This bequest allows you to restrict the principal of your gift, requiring us to hold the funds permanently and use only the income or a small percentage of the fund each year. Creating an endowment in this manner means that your gift can continue giving indefinitely.

MAKE AN IMPACT Make your give today. selu.edu/give • 985-549-3770

Southeastern Alumni leaders demonstrate support

LION UP!

When hearing that Southeastern alumni philanthropic giving was far below the national average of 10% participation, the Southeastern Development Foundation, past and current members of the Alumni Association Board and the Student Government Association decided to launch a Leadership Campaign to establish the “President’s Fund for Excellence” at the Southeastern Foundation.

Funds generated by the “President’s Fund for Excellence” will provide discretionary resources to ensure resources to maintain and improve academic opportunities available to Southeastern students. Additionally, the Campaign Committee hopes to encourage philanthropic giving to Southeastern, by serving as role models for every alumni and friend of the university.

La Cap to sponsor ’Toast’ The exclusive Diamond Sponsorship of Chefs Evening 2011 provided by La Capitol Federal Credit Union will make possible some special amenities for the President’s Toast, a pre-party hosted at the residence of Dr. John L. Crain. Funds raised at Chefs Evening are directed to the academic colleges of the university. Among the amenities awaiting guests will be hors d’oerves and paired wines prepared and suggested by a guest chef. Pictured are President Crain and Ronaldo Hardy, Hammond Branch Manager for La Capitol Federal Credit Union.

WHO GIVES

A BRICK? April 3 , 2 011 Support Southeastern students by purchasing a personalized brick in Friendship Circle.

5: 30- 7:30 P M • Pe n n i n g t o n S t u d e n t Ac t i v i ty C enter

S o ut he a ste r n Lo u i si a n a U n i v e rsi t y ’s “d i n n e r p a r t y fo r a c a u se ” fe at urin g c u l i n a r y offe r i n g s a n d l i b a t io ns fro m are a rest a u ra n t s, b a rs, g r i lls a n d w holes a lers .

H o s te d by t h e S o u t he a ste r n D e v e l o p m e n t Fou nda tio n

selu.edu/chefsevening • 985-549-3770

selu.edu/projectfriendship

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ATHLETICS Frugoli selected head volleyball coach Geno Frugoli, who spent four seasons as head coach at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and was the chief recruiter and top assistant for three years at Baylor, has been named head volleyball coach at Southeastern.

His hiring is subject to approval from the University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors.

“We’re excited and fortunate to have Geno join us,” said Athletics Director Bart Bellairs.

“He’s had success in the past, not only as head coach at UMKC, but as an assistant at Baylor.

He’ll bring not only expertise, but enthusiasm to our volleyball program, which will help us in developing a championship program.”

Frugoli spent four seasons as head coach at UMKC where he gradually built the program into a competitor in the Summitt League.

“It’s an honor to be head volleyball coach at Southeastern,” Frugoli said. “There is so much going on at Southeastern that is positive.

We’re going to build a championship-caliber program and it will be exciting to see where we can take this program.”

Student-athletes earn degrees, honors as grads Twenty-seven Southeastern Louisiana studentathletes were among the 1,345 graduates who had degrees conferred at the university’s fall commencement exercises in December.

Among the graduates was Southeastern softball student-athlete Katie Duhe. Duhe, a native of Lutcher, completed her accounting degree with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

Duhe was one of eight students to be awarded the university’s highest academic honor, the President’s Medal for Academic Excellence.

A 2010 ESPN the Magazine Academic AllAmerican, Duhe is the third Southeastern student-athlete – and the second softball player – to be awarded the President’s Medal for Academic Excellence in recent years. She has one season of athletic eligibility left and will start graduate school in the Spring 2011.

Other programs that saw graduates in the fall are: Softball, 6; Football, 11; Baseball, 5; Men’s Basketball, 2; Men’s Tennis, 2; Women’s Basketball, 1; and Women’s Soccer, 1.

Participating in the Southeastern baseball hitting facility groundbreaking event are, from left, Rachel Artigues, Head Baseball Coach Jay Artigues, Athletics Director Bart Bellairs, President John L. Crain, lead donors Georgianne and John Poteet of Hammond, Vice President for University Advancement Wendy Lauderdale, LAA President David Vial, Vice President for Administration and Finance Stephen Smith, Facilities and Planning Director Ken Howe and contractor Roy Eschette of Zimmer-Eschette Construction. Back row are current members of the Southeastern baseball team.

Construction starts on baseball hitting facility Southeastern officials broke ground recently to start construction on an enclosed baseball hitting facility made possible by a leadership gift from John and Georgianne Poteet of Hammond.

In a ceremony near Alumni Field, officials donned green construction hats and wielded gold shovels to initiate the project, expected to be completed this spring.

Southeastern Athletics Director Bart Bellairs recognized the Poteets as lead donors for the facility. The Poteets operate Louisiana’s 1st Choice Auto Auction, a company that began operations in Hammond in 2002.

“We know facilities are a major feature student-athletes evaluate when they are making decisions about where they should attend college and compete athletically,” said Bellairs. “This facility takes us a step further in our goal of providing first class support of our baseball team.”

Poteet said that while he is not from Hammond nor is he a graduate of Southeastern, he is a firm believer that businesses should be strong supporters of the educational institutions in their respective area. Poteet and his wife are enthusiastic backers of the Lions baseball program.

Sports writers honor Southeastern’s Hymel Larry Hymel, Southeastern’s first sports information director, was named a winner of the Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

Hymel remains active with the Alumni Association coordinating relations and activities engaging former Lions and Lady Lions. He served as Southeastern’s SID for 28 years.

The Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism is the most prestigious honor offered to sports media in the state. Award winners join the “writers and broadcasters wing” of the Hall of Fame and are recognized with the 285 athletes, coaches and administrators chosen for enshrinement since 1959.

Hymel was named to Southeastern’s Athletic Hall of Fame for Distinguished Service in the 1994-95 year. The LSWA bestowed its coveted Mac Russo Award to him in 1994, recognizing his valuable and varied contributions to the organization.

After leaving the SID office, he served as director of Southeastern’s University Center for 11 years, managing the facility while it became the home for the Louisiana High School Athletic Association’s annual state girls basketball championship tournament known originally as the “Sweet 16.” Upon his retirement from full-time duties at Southeastern in 2005, he began work as the Alumni Athletic Coordinator for the Southeastern Alumni Association. He coordinates the university’s Hall of Fame Day activities.

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1

Schedules 2011 Home Baseball DATE

OPPONENT

TIME

MARCH 18 19 20 22

McNeese State * McNeese State * McNeese State * UNO

6 2 1 6

p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m.

APRIL 1 2 3 5 12 21

22

23

27

Lamar * Lamar * Lamar * South Alabama Southern Texas A&MCorpus Christi * Texas A&MCorpus Christi * Texas A&MCorpus Christi * UNO

6 2 1 6 6

p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m.

MAY 6 8 13 14 15

Nicholls * 6 Nicholls * 1 Stephen F. Austin * 6 Stephen F. Austin * 2 Stephen F. Austin * 1

3

2

6 p.m.

6 p.m.

2 p.m.

6 p.m.

p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m.

* Southland Conference game

6

4 5

2011 Home Softball MARCH 19 Louisiana Tech (DH) 2 p.m.

26 Central Arkansas (DH) * 3 p.m.

27 Central Arkansas * 12 p.m.

29 LSU 6 p.m.

APRIL 6 9 10 19 22 23 MAY 7 8

Southern 6 p.m.

UTSA (DH)* 3 p.m.

UTSA * 12 p.m.

South Alabama 6 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin (DH)* 3 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin * 12 p.m.

McNeese State (DH) * 3 p.m.

McNeese State * 12 p.m.

* Southland Conference game All times are Central; Dates and times are subject to change

Get your

Green and Gold!

Southeastern merchandise makes great gifts. Items available at the Southeastern Book Store include: (1) Sport wallet, $14.99, (2) Women's jogging shorts, $31.49, and (3) Southeastern tumbler, $12.99. New items available from JCPenney include: (4) Women's short sleeve tee, $28 and (5) long sleeve tee $30. (6) Refillable hot/cold Turtle Cove mug available through the campus Starbucks and Java City, $5. Receive 10% off all coffee and hot beverages; fountain drinks are 50 cents when purchased at any Aramark campus locataion.

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.

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

Looking ahead ‌ Construction is expected to start this summer on a major renovation and expansion of Southeastern’s War Memorial Student Union.

With a total cost of approximately $32 million, the project will be funded largely by a self-assessed student fee and through funds obtained from participating commercial partners. The project will include about 90,000 square feet of renovation and the construction of 90,000 square feet of new space. Among various ameni-

ties, the facility will include a new residential dining facility with an adjacent food court, a large ballroom that can be subdivided into four smaller rooms, additional meeting rooms and conference space, a new bookstore and other retail outlets. Architects are Holly and Smith of Hammond and WTW of Pittsburgh, a firm specializing in the design of university facilities. The project is expected to be completed in 2013.