McNeese Rodeo Awards
McNeese Receives National Recognition
L to R: Browning, Porter, Plush Abernathy, Smith, Hansen, Cooper, Doré Sr. and McNeese President Philip Williams.
For the fifth consecutive year, McNeese State University has received national recognition as one of the best regional universities and one of the top public universities by U.S. News and World Report, widely considered to be the foremost authority on college rankings. In the just released 2016 edition of “Best Colleges” McNeese is ranked in Tier One in the Best Regional Universities-South category and it is also ranked in the top 50 public schools in the southern region for a fifth consecutive year. The U.S. News ranking system considers information collected from several sources and measures indicators of academic quality including the strength of the faculty, freshman class rankings, retention and graduation rates, as well as cost, availability of financial aid and campus life opportunities. To see the full Best Colleges 2016 rankings by the U.S. News and World Report, visit www.usnews.com/education and follow the links.
Six McNeese State University rodeo team members were honored at a Rodeo Awards Banquet for their accomplishments at the 67th College National Finals Rodeo. Kirsten Smith, St. Francisville, won the National All-around Cowgirl Championship and the National Reserve Championship in goat tying; Bobby Abernathy, Athens, Ala., won the National Reserve Championship in tie down roping; Trace Porter, Leesville, won the National Reserve Championship in team roper heeler; and the women’s team - which also included McKenzie Cooper, DeQuincy, Lauren Hansen, Sulphur, and Paige Plush Abernathy, Merryville captured the National Women’s Reserve Championship. The rodeo coach is Justin Browning. William J. Doré Sr., one of the founding members of the Golden Saddle Club, sponsored the banquet and awards. The proud tradition of McNeese rodeo began in 1947 and McNeese is currently the only intercollegiate rodeo team in Louisiana.
October 2015
McNeese Sponsors Geaux Blue Contest Employees of local businesses and organizations are encouraged to wear their blue and gold every Friday in support of McNeese State University for a chance to win a 3 foot by 5 foot McNeese flag to proudly display in their office. The Geaux Blue Contest runs on Fridays through November 21 and is sponsored by the McNeese Office of Marketing and Licensing. Participants can submit a photo by 11am each Friday to geauxblue@ mcneese.edu for a chance to win a flag. The photo
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must include at least three employees wearing their McNeese blue and gold. Winners will be notified by the end of that business day. For more information and additional contest rules, visit www.mcneese.edu/marketing/geaux_blue_ contest_2015.
CB&I Scholarship Established at McNeese CB&I of Lake Charles has presented a $15,000 donation to the McNeese State University Foundation to establish the endowed CB&I Engineering Scholarship in the McNeese College of Engineering.
L to R: Roxie Boxie, Foundation Board of Directors member, Chris Fordham, plant manager at CB&I, and Dr. Nikos Kiritsis, college dean.
www.thriveswla.com
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