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The annual Centenary College Book Bazaar brings out Shreveport-Bossier’s most devoted bibliophiles, some of whom camp out in the early September heat for hours prior to the 4:00 p.m. door-opening on Day 1. This much- anticipated community event sponsored by the Centenary Muses celebrated its 33rd year in 2019 and has raised more than one million dollars to enhance the student experience at Centenary.
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Centenary Magazine is published by Centenary College of Louisiana for alumni and friends of the College. © 2019 CENTENARY COLLEGE
FALL 2019 CONTRIBUTORS: Kate Pedrotty, Senior Director of Marketing & Communication Chris Brown ’01, Archivist of the College and Louisiana UMC Sherry Heflin, Visual Identity & Publications Manager Jeremy Johnson, Director of Digital Media Patrick Meehan, Assistant Athletic Director of Strategic Communication Candace Metoyer ’14, Digital Media Specialist Patty Roberts ’82, Coordinator of Grants & Faculty Endowments Saige Wilhite Solomon ’05, Director of Alumni & Family Relations Curt Youngblood, Lecturer in Art STUDENTS: Brandon Armstrong ’21, Student Photographer Jennae Mayberry, ’22, Student Photographer Ari Murphy ’20, Student Writer
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Dear Centenary alumni and friends, As I look back on what I have written in this space over the last three years, a bright thread emerges and it runs clearly through this issue of Centenary Magazine as well. It is also one of the things that makes working in higher education exciting but also challenging: how do we as institutions who treasure and protect centuries of knowledge and traditions adapt and respond to the rapidly e volving world we live in? It is not something that comes naturally to many of us. “Colleges are built to last, not to change,” according to one aphorism. And certainly in these pages, you will see Centenary carrying on traditions that go back to the Middle Ages, like the academic procession, as well as milestones that mark the passage of time, like the retirements of beloved professors. But you will also see signs of growth and change. Beautiful new athletic facilities are supporting new sports and growing rosters. Innovative partnerships are creating pathways for our students to their next educational goal. Our young faculty are joining their more experienced colleagues in winning awards, publishing and presenting new knowledge, and serving our community. As I read the proofs of the magazine, I smiled to see the coincidental placement of notes about the accomplishments of one of our
CENTENARY MAGAZINE Office of Marketing & Communication 2911 Centenary Blvd. Shreveport, LA 71104
most senior scholars, Dr. Labor, just above those of one of our most recent
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to equip them to succeed in their education and then in a meaningful life.
318.869.5715 WEB SITE centenary.edu/magazine EMAIL news@centenary.edu
additions to the faculty, Dr. Lechner. Most importantly, you will read about how our students are flourishing and how Centenary continues to change
Finally, please make a note of the holiday gatherings held around Louisiana and Texas. A late Thanksgiving has meant moving some of them earlier and I wouldn’t want the one closest to you to sneak up on you! Connie and I look forward to seeing many of you and bringing you up to date on the great news from Centenary. And if you have a neighbor or family member
COVER PHOTO: A bird’s eye view of the Centenary campus in the midst of Shreveport’s Highland neighborhood, looking from the Magale Library bell tower across King’s Highway toward the athletic complex centered around the iconic Gold Dome. This unique perspective on the College and its surroundings was taken via drone by Centenary Chief of Police Eddie Walker.
who might consider Centenary, please bring them along. Thank you for all you do to support Centenary!
Dr. Christopher L. Holoman President
COLLEGE NEWS (PAGES 6-19)
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COMMENCEMENT 2019
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NEW PARTNERSHIPS (continued on page 15)
12-14 KUDOS
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CORRINGTON AWARD 30TH ANNIVERSARY
FEATURES
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ENCYCLOPEDIA PROJECT
(PAGES 20-39)
INTEGRATED ADVISING
22-23 OFFICE SPACE:
DR. SCOTT CHIRHART
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IN THE ARCHIVES
25 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: ARI MURPHY ’20
26-27 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: JEFF STOTTS ’05
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CENTENARY ATHLETICS
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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CLASS NOTES
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IN MEMORIAM
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2019 Commencement At the commencement ceremony, the College saw the retirement of four beloved professors who have contributed a combined total of 137 years to Centenary: (clockwise from top left) Professor of History Dr. Sam Shepherd, Professor of Art Bruce Allen, Professor of English Dr. David Havird, and Professor of Economics Dr. Betsy Rankin. Commencement exercises had an extra dose of southern flair this year delivered by commencement speaker John T. Edge. Edge first came to Shreveport for TrueSouth, a show created for the SEC Network/ESPN showcasing southern restaurants and culture. The Shreveport-Bossier episode highlighted local favorites Herby-K’s and Lucky Palace Chinese Restaurant. At commencement, Edge spoke powerfully about the concept of place. He encouraged students to “…regard your place. Expect more from your place than it is able to give. Don’t love your place blindly, be critical.
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students graduated with institutional honors
Dr. Lee Morgan, professor emeritus of English, leads the academic procession at commencement.
To truly love a place you have to be critical of that place. Claim a place. Love a place. Be critical of a place, in the service of improvement and progress.” Part of Centenary’s new strategic plan calls for Centenary to be Shreveport-Bossier’s college, to be a place significant not only to students, faculty, and staff, but also to the larger community. Edge’s meditation on place was followed by music from Centenary graduate and all around rockstar AJ Haynes ’10, lead singer of the Seratones. Former Centenary Provost and current Luther College president Dr. Jenifer K. Ward observed that Haynes “took us to church” with her soulful performance.
and highlighted the importance of having a support system to help you climb life’s other mountains. “Life is a series of peaks and declines, and climbs and declines,” Johnson offered. “Life is a series of mountains. When one race ends a new one begins.” Johnson left the Class of 2019 with a compelling charge: “We’ve summitted Centenary, which summit is next?” n
Class speaker Regis Johnson addressed the 2019 graduates with a speech that was both amusing and inspirational. He reminisced on the experience of climbing a physical mountain with basketball teammates
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(starting from upper left corner) 1. The Centenary College Choir performs at commencement. 2. Honorary degree recipient and Board of Trustees member Edward J. Crawford III. 3. Class speaker Regis Johnson ’19 (center) arrives in the Gold Dome accompanied by (left, front to back) College Chaplain Lindy Broderick, Edward J. Crawford III, Board of Trustees chairman David Barlow ’92, and (right, front to back) commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient John T. Edge, and former provost and Dean of the College Dr. Jenifer K. Ward. 4. Connie Whittington ’86, executive assistant to the president, and Professor Emeritus Dr. Lee Morgan. 5. Lindsey Bruce ’16 MAT ’19’s students from S unset Acres Elementary School were on hand to see her receive her Master of Arts in Teaching degree.
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1 1. John T. Edge delivers the 2019 commencement address. 2. AJ Haynes ’10, lead singer of the Seratones, brought the commencement crowd to its feet with a song from the band’s newest album released in summer 2019. 3. Rebecca Dunn ’19 poses with President Holoman and David Barlow ’92, Chairman of the Board, after receiving her diploma.
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NEW PARTNERSHIPS EXPAND OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS In a flurry of activity in the opening weeks of the fall 2019 semester, Centenary significantly expanded opportunities for current and future students and strengthened relationships that stretch not only across the state of Louisiana but also around the globe. Thanks to a trio of new partnership agreements signed in September, Centenary students now have access to an accelerated nursing program at Northwestern State University, a competitive Pharm. D. degree from the University of Louisiana Monroe, and a once-in-a-lifetime global cultural experience with the multi-national touring group Up With People.
“Partnerships help schools like Centenary provide so many opportunities for our students.” – President Christopher L. Holoman
On September 5, representatives from Centenary and Northwestern State University’s College of Nursing and School of Allied Health signed a Memorandum of Understanding creating a partnership that will assist Centenary students with preferred admission into NSU’s accelerated bachelor of science (BS) to bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree program. The agreement will provide academic advising to Centenary students about the BS to BSN curriculum, assist Centenary students
Dr. Christopher L. Holoman looks on as NSU president Dr. Chris Maggio speaks at the signing ceremony.
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Dr. Christopher L. Holoman and ULM president Dr. Nick J. Bruno shake hands after signing the new Pharm D. agreement in Monroe. Photo credit: Emerald McIntyre/ULM Photo S ervices.
in the advising process to ease the transition between institutions, and provide a program leading to degree completion in 15 months. The following week, Centenary president Dr. Christopher L. Holoman and other College representatives traveled to Monroe to finalize a partnership between the College and the University of Louisiana Monroe College of Pharmacy (ULM COP). The agreement guarantees Centenary students an interview to ULM COP’s competitive Pharm. D. degree program if they have completed the required prerequisite courses and meet the minimum application requirements for the program. Centenary students pursuing the ULM Pharm. D. degree will complete all required prerequisite courses during their undergraduate career at Centenary, following a curriculum that includes biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics core courses as well as humanities, fine arts, and social science electives. Finally, the Centenary community celebrated the campus arrival of Up With People on September 23 with a special signing ceremony creating a partnership between the College and the Up With People organization. Up With People has toured the world for more than 50 years, performing for millions of people in more than 70 countries and appearing in four Super Bowl halftime shows. Through a unique blend of music, social action, and international travel, UWP empowers young people to be positive agents of change in their communities and the world. The 2019 world tour included a lively show at Centenary’s Gold continued on page 15
MAKE NEW FRIENDS, BUT KEEP THE OLD… The Friends of the Meadows, a longtime community organization supporting Centenary’s Meadows Museum of Art, entered a new phase in its history this summer. At the request of the Friends’ Executive Board, and after much discussion with its members, the Centenary College Division of Development became the administrator of the Friends’ operations on July 1, 2019. The new partnership eliminates overlaps in fundraising efforts and maximizes the expertise of Centenary’s Development staff to support the mission of the Museum and the College. Patrons become members of the new Friends of the Meadows by making a gift of $50 or more to one of several designated Meadows Museum funds: Operations, the Directorship Endowment, or the Special Project fund. Patrons also have the option to split their gift among the designated funds, but 100% of all gifts made through the Friends of the Meadows program will support the Meadows Museum. “The Friends of the Meadows have had such an important and historic tie to the Algur Meadows Museum of Art at Centenary College,” says Jena McKinzie, Director of Development at Centenary. “We are so thankful that they approached the Development Division last year when they were considering revision of their 501c3 status. This new relationship allows the individual members to focus on the areas of their support that were truly the most important to them without being bogged down by administrative responsibility. We are energized by the opportunities ahead, and excited to see continued growth in the Friends’ participation.”
Heather F. Wetzel
During the coming year, McKinzie and new Meadows Museum director Heather F. Wetzel will be working with the former Friends executive board to establish a new Advisory Board for the group. Katy Larsen, immediate past president of the Friends of the Meadows, is excited for the Centenary Division of Development to take on administrative duties for the [ C E N T E N A R Y
group and is facilitating the formation of the Advisory Board. “We view this transition as a positive move that will help all ‘friends’ make a more direct impact in supporting the Meadows Museum,” adds Larsen. Wetzel brings two decades of experience as a practicing artist, instructor, and curator to her work at Centenary College and the Meadows Museum. Shortly after arriving on campus on August 1, Wetzel took on the task of helping recently retired Centenary art professor Bruce Allen mount his eagerly anticipated retrospective, 35 Year Waltz. The Friends of the Meadows were the very first patrons to view the exhibit – which includes, among other eclectic surprises, a giant bubble teddy bear, a sculpture made of woven baskets, and a recreation of Allen’s Centenary office (above) - during an exclusive opening reception on Thursday, September 12. The 35 Year Waltz retrospective is open at the Meadows Museum through November 25, 2019. For more information or to get involved with the new Friends of the Meadows, contact Jena McKinzie at 318.869.5008 or visit the Friends page online at centenary.edu/friends. n
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kudos HONORS AND RECOGNITIONS Dr. Andia AugustinBilly, assistant professor of French and francophone studies, was among ten national scholars to receive the Nancy Weiss Malkiel Scholars Award for 2019 (see story on pg. 18). Funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the award is given to junior faculty whose research focuses on American history, politics, culture, and society and who are committed to the creation of an inclusive campus community for underrepresented students and scholars. Alan Berry, theatre technical director, has been selected once again as the technical director for the Region VI Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival to be held in Abilene, Texas, in February 2020.
Dr. Zachary Lechner, assistant professor of history, has been awarded Centenary’s Mattie Allen Broyles Inaugural Year Research Chair for the 2019-2020 academic year for his current research project, Jimmy Carter’s America. Dr. Lechner also recently received notice that his book The South of the Mind: American Imaginings of White Southernness, 1960-1980 (University of Georgia Press, 2018) has received the Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society’s First Book Award. Dr. George Newtown, professor of English, won the top award (and a $3,000 prize) for his
Dr. Amanda Donahoe, assistant professor of political science, was the recipient of a Centenary Faculty Research Award which allowed her to spend the month of June researching Brexit and Peacebuilding in Northern Ireland.
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manuscript proposal entitled Perverse, a book-length memoir-in-essays, at the 2019 Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference held in Dallas at the DFW Hilton in July 2019. Dr. Newtown has attended the annual Mayborn writing workshops for the past 15 years, and this is his fourth award in their competitions. His other three awards have been for personal essays, one of which received the 2004 Dallas Morning News Prize for Literary Excellence. He is thankful to Centenary for the support for his sabbatical leave during which he began drafting the current project. Dr. Jennifer Stokes, assistant professor of biology, received the Teaching Career Enhancement Award from the American Physiological Society for the pedagogical research project entitled “Using interactive technology in an integrated human physiology and anatomy course to enhance student engagement, knowledge, and retention.”
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PRESENTATIONS AND RESEARCH
Logan Sledge ’00, assistant professor of theatre, received an Actors Equity contract to be in a production of Keith Huff’s A Steady Rain. The production at the Marjorie Lyons Playhouse was a collaboration between MLP and StageCenter. Sledge (above, left) starred alongside Blayne Weaver (above, right) in this taut, two-person drama.
Dr. Andia Augustin-Billy, assistant professor of French and francophone studies, presented “(Dé)respecter les vieux de Guinée: Vodou, Class, and Citizenship in Haitian Literature” at the 13th International Conference on Foreign Languages, Communication and Culture at the Universidad de Holguín, Cuba, in April 2019.
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Dr. Michelle Glaros, professor of art, toured the Highland Story Project during the spring and summer of 2019, presenting it in Houma, Louisiana, (Louisiana Folklore Society), Washington, D. C., (Popular Culture Association), and Minneapolis (University Film and Video Association). This tour aimed to highlight and share the developing and ongoing work of the Highland Story Project. The Highland Story Project is a reciprocal neighborhood ethnography produced by cohorts of firstyear undergraduate students working in collaboration with members of the Highland community. It is also an instance of the scholarship of application. The Highland Story Project is inspired by, informed by, and indebted to the Neighborhood Story Project, a collection of collaborative ethnographies developed by the University of New Orleans and the rich, engaged neighborhoods of the Crescent City. The overarching goals of the Highland Story project are to produce a living, growing instance of cultural documentation that celebrates and demystifies Shreveport’s
Dr. Paulina Villarreal performed before a crowd of some 25,000 in September at a celebration of Mexican independence and the 112th anniversary of the city of Torreón in Coahuila Mexico. Torreón mayor and former Mexican Ambassador to Spain Jorge Zermeño Infante congratulated Dr. Villareal on her performance and presented her with a bouquet of roses. Left: Villarreal performs in Torreón Right: Centenary students present the Highland Story Project.
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Highland neighborhood while also involving first-year students in civic-oriented, projectbased learning in such a way that they engage with and give back to the college’s local community. This civic engagement embodies Centenary’s strategic initiative to be Shreveport-Bossier’s college while also teaching students to think critically about the power of stories and storytelling. Dr. Dana Kress, professor of French, presented “New Orleans—An American Literature in Other Words,” an invited plenary address, at the College English Association 50th Annual Conference in New Orleans on March 28. Dr. Jennifer Stokes, assistant professor of biology, has been selected as invited speaker for the 2020 American Physiological Society’s Institute for Teaching in Learning. She will present a talk and lead an interactive workshop on the pedagogical research topic “Using Collaborative Exams to Promote Group Work and Peer-to-Peer Teaching.” Dr. Michelle Wolkomir, professor of sociology, presented “’This is How We Do It:’ Gender and Power in Swingers and Polyamorists Relationships” at the Southern Sociological Society Meetings in Atlanta, Georgia, in April.
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generalization in perceptual adaptation to accented speech” in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America in June. The study investigated the degree to which perceptual adaptation to foreign-accented speech is specific to the regularities in pronunciation associated with a particular accent. Dr. Amanda Donahoe, assistant professor of political science, had an edited volume published: Donahoe, A, and A.T.R. Wibben. 2019. Teaching Peace and War: Pedagogy and Curricula. New York: Routledge. Dr. David Havird, professor of English, has a poem, “Vanishing Point,” in the fall 2019 issue of Literary Matters. He published an essay review, “The Permanence of the Temporary: Like by A. E. Stallings,” in the spring/summer issue. Literary Matters is the online journal of the Association of Literary Scholars, Critics, and Writers. His new book, Weathering: Poems and Recollections, will be published by Mercer University Press in spring 2020. Dr. Dana Kress, professor of French, has contributed to a National Library of France website dedicated to France in the Americas. Dr. Kress’s section on Louisiana, La Louisiane: terroir américain qui chante sa francité, will be available on the website in 2020.
PUBLICATIONS Dr. Jessica Alexander, associate professor of psychology, published “Specificity and 14
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Although he’s no longer in the classroom, Dr. Earle Labor (above, right) is still “teaching” Jack London. Most recently,
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he has co-edited Stories for All Seasons with Professors Jeff Hendricks and Dana Kress. This handsome book, published by Centenary’s new Storyport Press, includes six works representing the remarkable range of London’s fiction—from the Northland to the South Seas and Outer Space: The Call of the Wild, The Law of Life, To Build a Fire, Koolau the Leper, War, and The Red One. Later this fall Penguin/Random will release the new Penguin Classics Edition of The Call of the Wild (also including White Fang, South of the Slot, and The Night-Born) with Dr. Labor’s Introduction. This will be his fourteenth book about Jack London. Dr. Zachary Lechner, assistant professor of history, published an op-ed in the Washington Post entitled “What Jimmy Carter’s Most Famous Moment Can Teach the Democrats Running in 2020.” Dr. Michelle Wolkomir, professor of sociology, published a book chapter: Wolkomir, Michelle. (2019). “Monogamy vs. Polyamory: Negotiating Gender Hierarchy.” In Expanding the Rainbow: Exploring the Relationships of Bi+, Polyamorous, Kinky, Ace, Intersex and Trans People. Eds. Brandy Simula, J.E. Sumerau and Andrea Miller. Pp. 81-94. Boston: Brill Sense Publishing. n
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Dome on Saturday, September 28, and the UWP cast spent the week at the College and in Shreveport completing service projects and sharing their talents and stories with students, faculty, staff, and community members. Under the new agreement, Up with People will accept all Centenary applicants who meet the UWP admissions criteria and successfully complete the UWP application process. Students will have the opportunity to earn college credit while completing a semesterlong international learning experience through UWP. Centenary will reciprocate by accepting all UWP participants who meet the College’s admission criteria and complete all elements of the admission process. UWP students at Centenary can earn up to 12 elective credits per semester as part of the new program. Speaking at the Up With People signing ceremony, Centenary president Christopher L. Holoman reflected on the significance of
UWP cast manager Alicen Schade (l) and Centenary president Dr. Christopher L. Holoman (r) sign the agreement while UWP CEO Dale Penny looks on from Denver.
the College’s recent strides, some of them a long time in the making. “I’m a big believer in partnerships, because partnerships help schools like Centenary provide so many opportunities for our students. Thanks to partnerships concluded over the last several
years, Centenary students have access to outstanding law, nursing, and pharmacy programs, and now to an incredible crosscultural experience through Up With People.” n
Up with People performs in the Gold Dome September 28, 2019.
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The Corrington Award for Literary Excellence Dr. David Havird arrived at the annual presentation of Centenary’s John William Corrington Award for Literary Excellence in much the same frame of mind as any audience member, expecting an enjoyable evening with the 2019 honoree Jericho Brown, a celebrated poet and Shreveport native. But Havird, a driving force behind the creation of the Corrington Award 30 years ago and recently retired after 31 as an English professor at Centenary, did not anticipate a surprising twist in the 30th anniversary award ceremony.
Dr. Jeff Hendricks ’75 presents the Corrington Award for Services to Literature to Dr. David Havird.
Corrington medal and signature handmade box.
Havird was, by his own description, momentarily “speechless,” but recovered to thank his English Department colleagues and his wife, Ashley, for their support and enthusiasm for the Corrington Award. “It really has been a labor of love, and I’m delighted that my colleagues are
Dr. Jeanne Hamming participates in the well-orchestrated surprise.
Havird listened as friends and colleagues rose from their seats around the room to personally thank him for some of the Corrington Award’s “greatest hits” since its inauguration in 1991 with writer Eudora Welty. Since that time, the award program has enriched the campus and the Shreveport-Bossier community with visits from Ernest J. Gaines, Miller Williams, Alice McDermott, Amy Hempel, Percival Everett, and many more. Dr. Jeff Hendricks ’75 brought the retrospective to an emotional close with the announcement of a special Corrington Award for Services to Literature to Havird. Praising his friend and longtime colleague in the English Department as the “founder, architect, and organizer” of the Corrington Award, Hendricks presented Havird with his very own 16
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2019 Corrington winner Jericho Brown reads from The Tradition during the award ceremony.
perpetuating it,” said Havird. “I’m sincerely grateful.” The John William Corrington Award for Literary Excellence, presented annually by the Department of English on behalf of the Centenary student body and faculty, recognizes an established writer who has earned the critical esteem of readers who distinguish artistic accomplishment from commercial success. The award honors a Centenary alumnus and English major, Bill Corrington (1932-1988), who was variously an English professor, an attorney in private practice, and, with his wife, Joyce, the head writer for several television series, including Search for Tomorrow and General Hospital. A prolific poet, he also published four novels, two short novels, and three collections of short stories. The 2019 award winner, Jericho Brown, grew up in Shreveport and graduated from Byrd High School in 1996. He continued his education in New Orleans, graduating magna
and director of the Creative Writing Program at Emory University. Brown’s first book, Please (New Issues 2008), won the 2009 American Book Award, and his second collection, The New Testament (Copper Canyon 2014), won the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award. He is also a past recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Dr. David Havird shows off his special Corrington Award.
cum laude from Dillard University and completing an M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of New Orleans before earning his Ph.D. in literature and creative writing from the University of Houston. He currently lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia, where he is an associate professor in English
On October 8, the day after Brown received the Corrington Award, his third collection of poems, The Tradition, was announced as a finalist for the 2019 National Book Award in the poetry category. Centenary students, faculty, and community members had the chance to discuss The Tradition with Brown during his visit to Centenary. n
The Corrington Award takes the form of a bronze medal designed by the internationally exhibited Louisiana sculptor Clyde Connell. The medal depicts two primitive figures, one of them slightly in front of the other, carrying a long object. A presentation box, handmade by a local craftsman, accompanies the medal. The award was originally funded by the Student Government Association and now benefits from generous donations by the Corrington and Attaway families. Visit centenary.edu/corrington for more information on the award and a full list of winners. Jericho Brown greets an old friend after the ceremony.
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Centenary professor wins prestigious grant to support encyclopedia project
James Baldwin opens his 1959 essay, “The Discovery of What It Means to Be an American,” with a raw and honest assessment of the forces that initially drew him to Paris and the different kind of life he hoped to find there. “I left America because I doubted my ability to survive the fury of the color problem here. (Sometimes I still do.) I wanted to prevent myself from becoming merely a Negro; or, even, merely a Negro writer. I wanted to of my experience could be made to find out in what way the connect me with other people instead of dividing me from them.” Since joining the Centenary faculty in 2015, Dr. Andia Augustin-Billy (“Dr. A-B” to her students) and her French department colleague Dr. Dana Kress have guided first-year Centenary in Paris students through an examination of Baldwin’s experience, and that of other 18th, 19th, and 20th century African-American expatriate writers, musicians, artists, business people, diplomats, educators, and military men and women, during a CIP course designed by Kress, “Paris Noir: African Americans in the City of Light.” This history of generations of gifted African-Americans fleeing the United States to escape the horrors and indignities of racism and find a society that valued their contributions often surprises their students because it is still not widely known. 18
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Teaching the Paris Noir course with Kress has made Augustin-Billy not only recognize the vast knowledge gap that exists in this unique historical space in the African-American experience but also inspired her to, as she puts it, “unearth black bodies and their narratives” in an effort to close this gap. Conversations with fellow CIP professor Dr. Jefferson Hendricks ’75 led to AugustinBilly joining the scholarly project, AfricanAmericans in Paris from the Eighteenth Century to the Present: An Encyclopedia and Chronology. A collection of several hundred short biographies along with thematic, topical, and place entries that illuminate key aspects of the African-American experience in Paris, the encyclopedia is aimed at the “common reader” and blends the disciplines
of literary criticism, cultural studies, and history to bring these individual stories together in a centralized, accessible format. The project is designed as a collaborative effort that creates space for a diverse set of contributors, from motivated Centenary undergraduates to leading scholars from across the country. While the primary vision for the encyclopedia is to bring together the different voices and stories of African-Americans whose lives and work were significantly influenced by their time in Paris and by their desire to escape oppressive racial realities in the United States, Augustin-Billy believes that digging into these individual narratives can also contribute to a scholarly discussion about the basis for and evolution of French understandings of American culture.
“I am excited about the way African Americans in Paris fosters collaboration with scholars here and abroad.” The encyclopedia took a giant leap from vision to reality in May 2019, when Augustin-Billy was announced as one of ten Nancy Weiss Malkiel Scholars by the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Foundation. The prestigious Malkiel Scholars program, established in 2015 to honor Dr. Nancy Weiss Malkiel, a scholar of civil rights and race relations in early 20th century America, provides support for junior faculty members whose research eliminates disparities in their fields and who are committed to building intentionally inclusive networks on their campuses and beyond.
Left to right: Professors Hendricks ’75, Augustin-Billy, and Leithauser.
In her application materials for the Malkiel Scholars program, Augustin-Billy described the encyclopedia as her “most meaningful” current scholarly work and explained that the project “beautifully combines my scholarly and my mentoring passions, strengthening my commitment to inclusion and my support of undergraduate research.” Funds provided through the award program will support Augustin-Billy on crucial research trips in Paris and the United States and will also allow her to teach a reduced course load in 2019-2020 as she coordinates the writing and editing of entries for the encyclopedia. She is working as a writer and co-editor with Centenary colleagues Hendricks and Dr. Emily Leithauser, both of the English Department, underscoring the encyclopedia’s collaborative and interdisciplinary nature. With AugustinBilly’s award giving the process a boost, the editorial team is projecting a fall 2020 completion date with publication to follow in spring 2021. African-Americans in Paris from the Eighteenth Century to the Present: An Encyclopedia and Chronology will be published by Centenary’s own Storyport Press, the English-language side of the
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Centenary College of Louisiana Press known primarily for foreign-language publications under the Tintamarre imprint. Storyport published its first two books in 2019: Bruce Allen’s Paris: In Another Light and Stories for All Seasons (see the note in Kudos on pg. 14 in this magazine). Once complete, the encyclopedia will be available for purchase from the Press, and Hendricks believes that a growing interest in and awareness of the experiences of AfricanAmerican expatriates will make the title widely popular. As the only comprehensive reference book on the subject, the encyclopedia will be a crucial addition to classrooms and libraries. The encyclopedia and other future Storyport projects will also give undergraduate students at the College the chance to build a portfolio of publication skills that will set them apart in graduate school and job interviews. “I am excited about the way African Americans in Paris fosters collaboration with scholars here and abroad,” wrote Augustin-Billy in her Malkiel Scholars application. “But most importantly, I am proud of the space it provides to undergraduate students to grow as they fruitfully contribute in various ways.” n
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A Team Approach Dr. Valerie Breashears (far left) meets with students in the Integrated Advising office in Rotary Hall.
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In mid-June, Arkansas native Dr. Valerie Breashears packed her bags and headed south for a new job – a job so new, in fact, that it existed mostly as an idea waiting to come to life. Fast forward to midway through the 2019 fall semester and Breashears, Centenary’s director of integrated advising, has established a welcoming, comfortable campus office and has made the vision of student-centered advising a reality for a group of first-year students participating in the program’s pilot year.
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Integrated Advising (IA) at Centenary is a progressive initiative focused on student academic success that considers students’ individual needs and connects them to the tools they need to succeed. A key component of the program is giving students the opportunity to build personalized support teams made up of people they trust and with whom they connect, including faculty, administrative and athletic staff, and even peers. The concept of Integrated Advising at Centenary grew out of several years of interdepartmental discussions about how to best support student success as well as a growing awareness of the need to reimagine the College’s approach to academic and career advising for the current generation of students. The program is designed to increase first-year student GPAs, encourage greater student engagement and self-efficacy, and increase first to second year retention. A small group of first-year students was invited to participate in Integrated Advising beginning this fall. “Students have been very receptive to the assistance IA is providing,” reports Breashears. “I intentionally built a strong rapport with each student and explained in detail what IA would provide for them. Students set goals for themselves and were asked to think about the people they already have a connection with on campus as well as offices or individuals they may not know who could help them meet their goals. The students have been very creative in identifying their team members, including faculty, staff, and peers. It truly feels like the students have embraced the idea of having a team of Centenary people on their side.”
After Breashears has established a relationship with students participating in IA, she acts as a type of “case manager” to help them set their goals, build their teams, and connect with resources on campus. Since each student is an individual with distinct needs, she approaches each student differently. “What works for one student may not work for another,” explains Breashears. “Some of them need help academically. Some of them need help socially or a jump start to get involved. We know academic success and engagement in the campus community are key elements in retention, so that’s what our goals are for the IA program.” Just a few months after the launch of the program, Breashears can already point to some notable successes. One student came to their initial IA meeting struggling significantly in all classes. Breashears helped the student create a weekly schedule that included time for all the necessary components for success: class attendance, tutoring hours, work-study, three meals a day, and plenty of sleep. The student’s biology grade quickly came up from a low D to a high C. Another student, a science major, expressed an interest in wanting to play their instrument in a meaningful way while at Centenary. When Breashears contacted the [ C E N T E N A R Y
music department about the student there was a quick response, and the student is now a member of an ensemble and enjoying their musical hobby. Breashears feels that her participation in the College’s signature Centenary in Paris program this year was “priceless” for the IA director position, because many students already knew her from this shared experience. “Many of the students knew me on a much deeper level because we’d traveled together, found our way around Paris together, enjoyed a meal together, or I had spent academic time with their CIP class,” says Breashears. “When I reached out to students for our initial IA conversations, there was a sense of camaraderie because I’d been to Paris and experienced this significant event alongside them.” Breashears is also an enthusiastic believer in CIP’s potential to foster a sense of selfefficacy and belonging – key elements in the IA program - among students who participate. One student told her later, “After finding my way around Paris, I felt like I could do anything.” As director of integrated a dvising, Breashears is working to help first-year students sustain and expand this kind of confidence with the support of their personalized IA teams. n
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Office Space Dr. Scott Chirhart’s second floor office in Centenary’s Mickle Hall is busy – busy with students and colleagues popping in from the wide hallway outside and brimming with an ever-expanding collection of mementos and tchotchkes reflecting his eclectic interests. At first glance it looks chaotic, but if you sink into the comfy plaid couch and spend some quality time taking everything in, an amazingly coherent picture emerges of a beloved, dedicated educator; his unique space; and his deep understanding of the value of a liberal arts education.
Chirhart came to Centenary in 2003 after earning an undergraduate degree from Southwestern University and a Ph.D. from Texas A&M. He currently holds the College’s Warters Chair in biology and has been instrumental in building Centenary’s impressive pre-med program, but his most enduring contribution to the College, his students, and his colleagues will surely be the genuine relationships that he welcomes and fosters. Many of those relationships begin here, sparked by conversations about otters, sports memorabilia, Legos, Charles Darwin, and one very large tree. Centenary Magazine recently visited Chirhart’s office for a first-person tour. 22
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1 – NOTRE DAME STADIUM I grew up watching Notre Dame as a kid and dreamed of going there to college – my grandfather went. I applied there and was accepted, but then I fell in love with a liberal arts college, Southwestern, on an overnight visit. I still go up to South Bend at least once a year to watch a game. This wooden model of the stadium came from a friend who saw it online and gave it to me as a gift.
2 – OTTERS I have loved otters my whole life. I love them because they are smart, and they are very motivated by food (like me!). My students and colleagues know right away about my otter affinity because they appear in my syllabus and my PowerPoint slides, and they also show up on exams sometimes. I haven’t had the chance to touch a real otter but someday I want to. I have had the chance to feed some, though! (Editor’s note: We counted 22 otter sightings in the office, gifts from friends, family, and former students)
4 – CHARLES DARWIN Darwin is mentioned in almost every class I teach as I believe that his theory of natural selection is one of the most important discoveries in the field of biology. If I could go back in time and meet Darwin I would love to ask him precisely what he thought at the moment he made the connection between natural selection and life, and whether he had any idea just how important his discovery would be. My favorite Darwin piece in my office is the statue of the monkey holding the human skull while sitting on a Darwin book. It just reflects to me the study of evolution and the link between evolution and biology.
5 – THE CHICAGO CUBS 3 – MCAT PREP BOOKS I have lots of MCAT resources in my office that are available to students who are pursuing medical school, but all along their journey in biology we are inserting MCAT-like questions in classwork and exams to give them exposure. I think our students are so successful at getting into medical school* because the faculty don’t view our job as just getting them to graduate in four years or even just to helping them achieve their goal. Instead, we make sure that they are going to be fully prepared for and successful at that next level. As a mentor I try to guide them through the whole process: how to apply, writing the personal statement, deadlines, and the interview process. *Over the past five years, 93% of Centenary students who applied to medical school have been accepted.
who took me to games all the time as a kid. He was my father figure growing up and one of my heroes – he was very smart and always helped me in math and science. This photo is important because it was our last game together, as shortly after that he got sick and eventually passed away. (Editor’s note: The editor is also a life-long, long-suffering [those are synonyms] Cubs fan, so she wanted to know: “Where were you when the Cubs won the World Series in 2016?” Chirhart: “I was at home watching the game with my daughter….we were yelling and screaming at the TV.” The editor vaguely recalls falling on the floor in a near-faint after the final out.)
6 – LEGOS The Legos serve as a way to unwind and relieve stress. Dr. Rebecca Murphy and I will buy them, and sometimes when we just want to have a little fun, we will go into a biology room and work on them a little bit. The biggest set I ever assembled at Centenary was the Millennium Falcon. I think the new Star Wars movies are good, but nothing beats the original ones – they definitely hold a nostalgic feel.
7 – THE TREE I have been a Cubs fan since I started liking baseball, and grew up watching them as a kid, just like Notre Dame. I had a lot of family and friends in the Chicago area and always went to games when I would visit them in the summer. My best memory of seeing the Cubs play at Wrigley Field is represented in this photo in my office. The man in the photo is my great uncle [ C E N T E N A R Y
When I inherited this office from Dr. Ed Leuck, it came with this enormous willow tree. It’s definitely a conversation piece! n
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Centenary Archives receives grant to digitize Louisiana United Methodist newspapers The Centenary College of Louisiana Archives and Special Collections has recently completed a grant-funded project to digitize and preserve its collection of Louisiana United Methodist newspapers: Louisiana Methodist (1949-1973), Louisiana United Methodist (19741999), and Louisiana Now (2000-2016). Over 23,000 pages are now available online, allowing researchers to page through each newspaper volume, download complete PDFs, and search the full text versions. The project was funded by the Louisiana Conference Commission Louisia na Meth on Archives and odist, J une 10, 1971 History as well as a grant from the William C. Woolf Foundation.
Louisiana Methodist, Centenary Commencement – June 20, 1968
travel, advertising, social customs, racial and ethnic relations, women’s activities, marriage announcements, obituaries, and more,” explains Chris Brown ’01, Centenary archivist. “The printed newspapers document valuable information much like the news currently shared by Louisiana United Methodists through their social media accounts, online newsletters, and automated email lists.” To access the newspapers, visit centenary.edu/archives. In the Louisiana United Methodist Archives section, see the digital collections. Since 1963, the Centenary Archives has served as the repository for the historic records of the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. For more information about the project and the works that have been digitized, contact Centenary archivist Chris Brown at 318.869.5462 or archives@centenary.edu. n
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Student Spotlight:
Finding a Passion in the Non-Profit World
This past summer, I spent three months interning for the International Rescue Committee at their Dallas office. During the course of these three months, I did everything from compiling monthly Excel reports documenting thousands of dollars of in-kind donations to handing out diapers to our clients with young children. This internship was a valuable experience for me and reaffirmed my goals as both a professional and an individual. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is an organization working across the globe to address humanitarian crises. In the United States, their work centers predominately around refugee resettlement and support services. The IRC is one of a small group of organizations contracted by the government to perform refugee resettlement in the US, and Dallas is one of their offices which performs refugee resettlement. After several interviews, I was selected for the Resource Development internship at the Dallas office. This internship allowed me to interact with a variety of different functions of the organization- I assisted with running the Donations Center getting hygiene products, household items, and other necessities to recently arrived clients, created and scheduled social media content, wrote blog posts, and compiled monthly donation reports. I have always known I wanted to make an impact in the world. In high school, I realized that I could make a difference by working for
Ari Murphy ’20 facilitates a discussion during a Domestic Violence Awareness Month event at Centenary.
a non-profit and using my strong communication skills to help an existing organization to be as effective as possible. However, before I had the chance to get true experience with a non-profit, I couldn’t help but wonder if I would prepare for the job, get hired, and realize I hated the work. Interning with the IRC showed me that I love working for a non-profit. I loved going to work every morning knowing the work I did was truly needed in the world, I loved seeing people being empowered across a multitude of areas of life, and I loved knowing that I could be proud to put my name behind the work I was doing.
“I loved going to work every morning knowing the work I did was truly needed in the world.”
After graduation, I plan to pursue a career in the non-profit sector, using my skills as a communications graduate to better the world in which I live. I am open to whatever opportunities come my way and whatever non-profit needs me most, but having seen the impact even one individual can have through my work with the IRC, I am dedicated to finding a place where my passions and my abilities intersect. n – Ari Murphy Ari Murphy is a senior communications major with a professional writing concentration. This year, Ari is president of the Outreach student organization, a member of La Legion Louisianaise Honor Society, a Senior Senator for the Student Government Association, an inducted member of Alpha Psi Omega, a Student Ambassador, and a Maroon Jacket. They enjoy volunteering for Project Celebration and also serve as a board member of Louisiana Trans Advocates. Ari can often be found listening to true crime podcasts in bed while snacking on a bowl of frozen corn.
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Centenary Then and Now Jeff Stotts is a 2005 Centenary graduate currently living in Little Rock, Arkansas. ESPN recently hailed Jeff as “the most authoritative public resource for tracking injuries in the NBA.” He has cataloged the careers of more than 1,100 players as a consultant in medical and injury analytics.
Centenary Days I started at Centenary in fall 2001 and graduated in 2005 with a degree in biology. During my four years, I ran cross country and was a member of Theta Chi Fraternity. I spent time as an orientation leader and served on the Student Athlete Advisory and Homecoming Committees. I was co-director of intramurals for a year and was always on Jones-Rice Field, playing everything from Ultimate Frisbee to intramurals. Life in 2019 I’m currently living in Little Rock, Arkansas, with my wife Emily Argue Stotts ’06 and our two kids, Charlotte and Anderson. I serve as the head athletic trainer for Mount St. Mary Academy where I provide medical coverage for the school’s student athletes. I also teach anatomy at the high school. Additionally, I helped establish Sports Medical Analytics Research Team (SMART), a consulting group that helps develop and explore medical and injury analytics for professional sports teams and organizations. What was your favorite campus study spot? The disingenuous answer is a study room in Magale or a quiet corner in Mickle, but I somehow always ended up in the lobby of James “studying” with friends. What residence hall did you live in? What was the culture like? Any fun residence hall stories?
Introducing Centenary Then and Now – a special feature looking back at the lives of Centenary alumni and how their time at the College influences their life now. We gave current Centenary students the chance to submit questions to gain insight, advice, and maybe even hear a funny story or two. 26
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I lived in Cline my freshman year and then James for the next three years. Both were coed. I loved living on campus, especially in James. The majority of my friends lived in James or nearby dorms, and we all seemed to congregate on the porch or in the lobby. Some of my favorite moments were the conversations and laughs shared there. What was your favorite off-campus hang out spot? Every time I left campus it seemed to be for food. I loved eating at Murrell’s or Strawn’s, and it was impossible to pass on a run to Johnny’s Pizza. I also spent more hours that I should probably admit playing video games with Luke Spence ’05 and Paul Morrow ’06 at Luke’s apartment near campus.
Left to right: Andrew Barkley, Chris Lavan, Jeff Stotts, Darrius Hills, and Paul Morrow wait to be presented as part of the Homecoming court. (2005 Yoncopin)
How did Centenary benefit you versus a large university? – Colbee Duke, Class of 2022
2003-2004 Cross Country: Brian Williams, Steven Deas, David Reiland, Michael Maricelli, and Jeff Stotts (far right). (2004 Yoncopin)
I always felt like my presence on campus was impactful and meant something. I wasn’t just a number to my professors and was able to form real bonds with them over my four years there. When I switched my career path to athletic training late in my college career, I was going to be hardpressed to meet the necessary requirements to pursue my Master’s degree. However, my advisor and the faculty enthusiastically worked with me to help make it possible. I’m not sure that happens anywhere else.
What was your favorite student event during your time on campus? – Hayley Hardel, Class of 2020
Do you miss Centenary or the College experience? – Camryn Hebert, Class of 2023 I miss Centenary often but feel its impact daily. I’m married to my wonderful wife who I met on campus, and we still hang out with numerous friends and family who are also Centenary alumni. In what ways has Centenary better prepared you for the workplace? – Kristen Maddox, Class of 2021 My current approach to problem solving was molded by my time at Centenary. From the very beginning, I felt challenged to look at problems or issues from multiple angles and other people’s perspectives. Centenary provided a diverse faculty and student body that allowed me to interact with people from different walks of life. What is something I should do before I graduate? – Cason Hancock, Class of 2021
Homecoming Week was always a blast. Everybody on campus seemed to participate in the various events, culminating with the basketball game in the Gold Dome. It was also a fun time to share the school with my mom, Leslie Anderson Russell ’77. Who was your favorite professor? Are they still here? – Meg Hamilton, Class of 2021 It’s hard to pick just one. Scott Chirhart, current Warters Chair of the Biology Department, was the most down-to-earth, approachable professor who always made himself available to talk. Both Beth and Ed Leuck (since retired) kindly guided me throughout my four years in the biology department. Former Centenary psychology professor Matt Weeks was another teacher who made a monumental impact with his attitude toward statistics and their application. He challenged me to apply the subject in way that mattered to me, an approach that influences my daily work. n
Explore everything on campus. My first year or so at Centenary I shied away from activities and campus events, opting to keep to myself or my small friend group. It wasn’t until I embraced the numerous things the school had to offer that I realized how unique Centenary was. Even in my last year there, I found myself meeting new groups of people who would go on to become lifelong friends and doing things outside of my comfort zone. As a result, I met Emily and set off down a pathway that has shaped my entire life.
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sportsRECAP Spring 2019 Athletics Highlights GYMNASTICS The Ladies hosted the Midwest Independent Conference Championships this past March at the Gold Dome, finishing fifth. Junior Cami Bea Austin (vault) and senior Navia Jordan ’19 (beam and floor) each picked up AllConference honors. Jordan also capped her decorated career at the USA Gymnastics Championships on Sunday afternoon, April 14, earning First Team All-American Navia Jordan ’19 accolades on the floor and on the beam. She finished her time at Centenary as a four-time AllAmerican. Freshmen Kendall Sanders and Xian Baumgartner and junior Cami Bea Austin also competed in the USAG Championships
for Centenary, with Sanders earning Second Team AllAmerican status on floor. SOFTBALL
Payton LeBlanc makes a play against Austin College on March 16, 2019.
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The Ladies won 18 games in 2019 which included an eight-game winning streak in the middle of the season. Centenary hosted the 2019 SCAC tournament at the newly renovated softball field and fought hard for two come-from-behind wins in their final games, finishing third for the third time in the last four seasons. Seven Ladies earned all-conference honors. Senior Sydney Hurley was named to the first team, senior Wendy
Gillet ’19 and junior Haley Campbell earned second team All-Conference honors, and a trio of seniors Cassie Gonzales ’19, Amberlee Nix ’19, and Margeaux Smith ‘19, along with freshman Hannah Scoggin earned Honorable Mention recognition. BASEBALL The Gents won 18 games this past season including a 10-8 mark in SCAC play. In the first game of the SCAC tournament, the Gents battled back from a five-run deficit against eventual tournament champion Trinity before falling on a key double play. Five Centenary baseball players earned AllConference accolades as Cody Crowder and Preston Ludwick were named to the first team, Connor Cudd to the second team, and Chris Haggard and Andrew Russell were named Honorable Mention.
Preston Ludwick
GOLF The Ladies finished fifth, and the Gents sixth, at the 2019 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships in April at the Vaaler Creek Golf Club in Blanco, Texas. The Gents placed second in the Louisiana College Fall Invite in the fall for their best finish of the 201819 season. The teams also played host to the Hall Sutton Centenary Invitational in March at The Golf Club at Stonebridge
Erin Rostro
In June, the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference named 51 Ladies and Gents student-athletes to the conference’s 2019 Spring Honor Roll. The number represents an increase of 16 spring student-athletes from the 2018 spring semester. In total, 109 Centenary student-athletes were recognized as Academic All-Conference during the 2018-2019 academic year.
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in Bossier City. Junior Gents golfer Reed Balcerowicz led the tournament with seven birdies on the week and finished second, one back from the leader. Junior Brodey Warner also finished in the top ten for the Gents. LACROSSE CJ Seling was named the Gents lacrosse head coach on March 14, 2019, and the team begins play as a varsity sport in the 2019-2020 season. n In the summer of 2019, Centenary welcomed Morgan Crespo (left) as head coach for the Ladies and Gents cross country and track and field teams and Ellen Reid (right) as head coach for competitive cheer and dance. All five new teams are actively recruiting and will begin competition in the 2020-2021 academic year.
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Mayo Field Rededication On Friday, September 27, Centenary Athletics was proud to officially dedicate new Cool Play Field Turf at the College’s Mayo Field, home to Ladies and Gents soccer and Gents lacrosse. The addition of 93,096 square feet of field turf, which began in January 2019 and was completed in May 2019, represents the first major construction project on campus in more than a decade. The new all-purpose playing surface provides fast turf with a true bounce. On hand for the dedication ceremony were Centenary president Dr. Christopher L. Holoman and Director of Athletics and Recreation Marcus Manning, along with members of the Shreveport-Bossier Chamber of Commerce to provide the ceremonial ribbon cutting. A special guest, former Gents soccer player and coach Eric Mayo ’02 (pictured with his daughter, right), was also in attendance. Mayo Field is named for Eric’s father, a Houston firefighter who died in the line of duty in February 2000. A generous gift from the Mayo family had previously provided lighting for the Centenary soccer field, and in December 2001, the Board of Trustees voted to name the field Lewis E. Mayo III Field in his memory. n
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SAVE the DATE
Join Centenary this holiday season! 2019-2020 Holiday Receptions with President Christopher L. Holoman and Mrs. Connie Holoman BATON ROUGE Wednesday, November 20, 2019 | 6-8 p.m. Hosted by Gray ’64 and Suzanne Sexton at Beausoleil Restaurant & Bar 7731 Jefferson Hwy., Baton Rouge, LA 70809
HOUSTON Sunday, December 8, 2019 | 2-4 p.m. At the home of Mike ’63 and Carolyn ’65 Mann 1907 River Oaks Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77019
RSVP by Friday, November 15, 2019
rsvp@centenary.edu | 318.869.5027
RSVP by Monday, December 2, 2019
rsvp@centenary.edu | 318.869.5027
NEW ORLEANS Thursday, November 21, 2019 | 6-8 p.m. At the home of Henry ‘72 and Paula ‘73 McCarthy 106 Sycamore Drive, Metairie, LA 70005
SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER OPEN HOUSE Sunday, December 15, 2019 | 1-5 p.m. Hosted by President Christopher L. Holoman and Mrs. Connie Holoman 735 Wilder Place, Shreveport, Louisiana 71104
RSVP by Friday, November 15, 2019
RSVP by Monday, December 9, 2019
rsvp@centenary.edu | 318.869.5027
rsvp@centenary.edu | 318.869.5027
AUSTIN Saturday, November 23, 2019 | 4-6 p.m. At the the home of Nancy ’70 and Brown ’71 Word 17824 Serene Hills Pass, Austin, Texas 78738 RSVP by Monday, November 18, 2019
DFW Sunday, January 12, 2020 | 2-4 p.m. Hosted by Ken Bowdon ‘78 The Residences at the Stoneleigh 2300 Wolf Street, Dallas, Texas 75201
rsvp@centenary.edu | 318.869.5027
RSVP by Monday, January 6, 2020 rsvp@centenary.edu | 318.869.5027
Alumni and community members enjoy bringing children to campus for Breakfast with Santa.
Other Upcoming Events at CENTENARY YOUTH ORCHESTRA November 17, 2019 • 2:30-3:30 a.m. Anderson Auditorium CHRISTMAS CANDLELIGHT SERVICE December 6, 2019 • 6-7 p.m. Brown Chapel BREAKFAST WITH SANTA December 14, 2019 • 9-11:30 a.m. Kilpatrick Auditorium DREAM WEEK 2020 January 20-25, 2020 A week of events celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Christmas Candlelight Service is an annual tradition for alumni and the community.
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Almabase Ad
Make It Count On December 3
JOIN US ON
Saturday
MAY 30
4:30-7:00 PM • Jones Rice Field Centenary College of Louisiana Sponsored by the Centenary College Alumni Association
M O R E I N FO R M ATI O N AT CEN T EN A RY. EDU/B E A S T FE A S T
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Class Notes The following class notes were submitted by alumni between April 13, 2019 and October 15, 2019. Class notes are subject to content editing by the Offices of Alumni & Family Relations and Marketing & Communication.
The Centenary Alumni Association seeks news of Centenary alumni. Please send news and information to alumni@centenary.edu Office of Alumni and Family Relations Centenary College of Louisiana 2911 Centenary Blvd.•Shreveport, LA 71104 318.869.5115 • alumni@centenary.edu
1966 Tom Kerwin, Pine Knoll Shores, NC, was honored by the city of Pittsburgh, PA, for being a vital team member of the Pittsburgh Pipers (ABA). Mark Cuban, along with author Mark Whited, helped to celebrate the “50 year” anniversary reunion of the Pittsburgh Pipers ABA World Championship Team. The Pipers are Pittsburgh’s only pro basketball title. Whited is putting the final touches on his newest book Forgotten Championship, telling the story of all the team members.
1967 Leonard Critcher, Whitney, TX, received the National President of the Year Award from the National Homeowners Association of America. The award was presented in New York City on May 15, 2019.
1969 Jimmy Davis, McKinney, TX, was included as one of eight authors presenting at the Texas Civil War Museum in Ft. Worth’s Summer 2019 Speaker Series. Jimmy signed books and spoke at noon on Saturday, July 6, 2019. The Museum is the largest Civil War museum west of the Mississippi River, housing thousands of items of memorabilia from both the north and south, as well as a collection of uniforms and women’s wear of the period.
1970 Gordon Hamilton, Streamwood, IL, celebrated 50 years of marriage to Patricia Hennessy Hamilton ’71 on June 7, 2019.
Randy Pace, Houston, TX, is a 2018 graduate of the Texas Archaeological Society, Archaeology Academy 101; recipient of the 2018 Pioneer Award presented by Houston Heights Association; and recipient of the National Society of the Daughters of American Revolution’s (DAR) Historic Preservation Medal for 30 years of volunteer preservation efforts in the Houston-Galveston area. The medal was presented by the DAR, Alexander Love Chapter, Houston, on May 12, 2016, which was 53 years to the day that Randy received a Citizenship Award from the DAR Shreveport Chapter while a freshman at Hamilton Terrace Junior High School. Randy also received the Historic Buildings Committee Heritage Society’s 2015 Martha Peterson Award, presented by Preservation Houston for restoration/reinterpretation of Fourth Ward Cottage, the oldest frame cottage in Houston. Pace spearheaded a preservation partnership to rescue the cottage from demolition.
1972 Camille Young Bryan, Houston, TX, was presented with the Living Legend Award by the Houston Advertising community. Camille was very active for years with the AAF, served as its president, gave time, money, and services, worked tirelessly on almost every committee, was active in the Student Conference, and is still dedicated to the college scholarship program through the Education Foundation. Mary Ann Garrett Caffery, Baton Rouge, LA, hosted a reception at Baton Rouge Gallery on July 3rd to showcase her new body of artwork entitled “Waiting for the Dawn.”
Left to right: Joanne Sherrod Sigler ’54, Noel Tipton ’54, and Dorothy Peeler Walters ’56 visited in E. Orleans, Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
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Theresa McConnell, Shreveport, LA, and L. Ray Branton, both widowed, retired United Methodist clergy, were wed January 2019. Their home is in Shreveport.
1973 Jeffrey Daiell, Houston, TX, had the paperback edition of his novel, From Roundfell to Revoluntionary, selected for distribution to local libraries by the Texas Liberty Club.
1981 Robert Darrow, Shreveport, LA, celebrates his 22nd Anniversary serving as Shreveport Little Theatre and Academy’s Managing and Artistic Director this year.
1982 Mike Corbin, Shreveport, LA, completed eight years (two terms) of service on the Shreveport City Council in December 2018. He now serves as the External Affairs Manager-Louisiana for Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO). Gerald Lipscomb, Sanford, FL, reports that his youngest daughter, Casey Renee Lipscomb, has “made him a grandpa again.” His oldest daughter Rebecca Marie had his first granddaughter a few years back. He has also remarried and bought a home on Lake Jessup in Sanford, Florida. Gerald says “Life is good. Go Kappa Alpha!” Pam McPherson, Shreveport, LA, received two national honors in New York City and Washington, D.C. this past Spring. She, along with a fellow physician, received the Physicians for Human Rights 2019 Heroes Award at the PHR Gala in New York. In D.C., they, along with an attorney, were awarded the Ron Ridenhour Truth Tellers Award for their role as whistle blowers regarding the treatment of immigrant children on our southern borders.
Kathy Packard, Houston, TX, is the Technology Infusion Manager for Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC). She recently received her Certified Safety Professional credential, the first woman at NASA JSC to do so. In addition to her achieving the CSP, Packard has received two Superior Accomplishment Awards and a Silver Snoopy, an award given personally by NASA astronauts “In appreciation for professionalism, dedication, and outstanding support that greatly enhanced space flight safety and mission success.”
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Wes Moulden, Richmond, TX, was the winner of the 2019 Mark A. Wallace Catalyst Leadership Award at Texas Children’s Hospital, ranked 3rd in the nation by US News and World Report. centenary.edu/ moulden
Laura Echols-Richter, Frisco, TX, is the executive minister at Grace Avenue UMC in Frisco, Texas. Ronald Viskozki, Shreveport, LA, recently purchased Williams Creative Group, Inc, a ShreveportBossier marketing, advertising, and public relations firm. He joined the firm in 1998 and formerly served as senior vice president.
Angie White, Shreveport, LA, was given the tremendous honor of being named the 2019 ACT Workforce Champion for Louisiana.
1994 Casey Elledge, Mankato, MN, was named the winner of the 2019 Faculty Scholarly Accomplishment Award at Gustavus Adolphus College’s Honors Day Convocation on Saturday, May 4.
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1986 Jeffery McDonald, Nacogdoches, TX, has been appointed sr. pastor at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas.
1988 Kyle Sherman, Atlanta, GA, was named a “Best Lawyer in America” on August 15, 2019, as part of Best Lawyers’ 26th edition of The Best Lawyers in America publication, a peer-reviewed ranking recognizing lawyers for their professional excellence across the United States.
Shelley Schneider Armstrong, Shreveport, LA, (above) received the nation’s “Outstanding Youth Program Award” from Road Runners Club of America for her program YOUth FIT. Founded ten years ago, YOUth FIT provides cross country running instruction and promotes a healthy lifestyle to children in Shreveport, LA. Shelley is the academic program director for Walden University’s School
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of Health Sciences bachelors programs. In addition to the RRCA award, her family (Brad, Tilley [9 years old], and Trinity [6 years old]) received the “Family of the Year Award” from the local Red River Road Runners for their inspirational impact on the sport of running in the community. Ashley Hunter, Austin, TX, was recently reappointed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority for a term set to expire on February 1, 2025. The authority assesses the scope of motor vehicle crime in Texas and supports a statewide law enforcement network through grants, auto theft reduction initiatives, education, and public awareness.
2003 Seth Winterer, Shreveport, LA, CEO of Digital Logic, has been chosen by the Connected Commerce Council (3C) as a Congressional Champion, one of just 24 business leaders recognized from across the country.
in Shreveport. He sells CTFO CBD products (over 70 products for general health, pain relief, weight loss, beauty, hair growth, skin care, pet care, and more!) and ships worldwide. For more info, centenary.edu/cooksey.
Seth was also recently recognized by 3C for his innovative use of digital tools to run his Shreveportbased business. He visited Washington, D.C., to meet with members of Congress to discuss the importance of access to digital tools, platforms, and marketplaces for small business success.
2004 Reggie Cooksey, Shreveport, LA, recently opened a CBD business
The alumni website has a NEW look and some great new tools to help you stay connected to Centenary and to one another.
CHECK IT OUT TODAY AT
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Debbie Hollis, Shreveport, LA, was a candidate for the Louisiana State Senate District 37 seat in 2019. She ran as a Progressive Independent, and was endorsed by the Working Families Party and Bayou Rising. Learn more about her views on reproductive justice, judicial reform, LGBTQIA equality, and other important issues at her campaign website: debbiehollisforsenatedistrict37.com.
2005 Steven Deas, APO, AE, is a major in the USAF and a critical care pulmonologist. He, wife Debbie ’06, and twins Caroline and William are currently living in Landstuhl, Germany, and enjoyed a visit with Centenary friends David Henington ’82 and Dominic Salinas (pictured left) over the summer.
Ryan Reid, West Monroe, LA, is currently a teacher for West Monroe High School. He also ran for the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 15 on the platform of lowering taxes, providing more funding for law enforcement, and improving education.
Allison McClain Suarez ’09, Houston, TX, married Spencer Suarez on June 8, 2019. Emma Viskozki Cortese ’15, Shreveport, LA, married Eric Cortese on June 1, 2019, at Brown Chapel on the campus of Centenary College. Many Centenary alumni, family, and friends participated in the wedding, which included a benediction of “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” sung by current members and alumni of the Centenary College Choir. Emma and Erick (left) are pictured in the Quad at Centenary on their wedding day.
2006 Amy Harrell, Dallas, TX, is engaged to Stephen Holloway ’07. Stephen proposed on stage at a work event for Amy on May 5th. Jessica Long Darnutzer, Austin, TX, joined Austin Regional Clinic as a nurse practitioner in cardiology in October.
2009 Christopher Vaughan, Frisco, TX, is the minister of youth at Grace Avenue UMC in Frisco, Texas. He and his wife, Caitlin ’09, have two children, Benjamin and Hattie.
2010 Emerald Doria, Dubach, LA, was recently named head softball coach for NCAA Division III Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, which competes in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference along with Centenary.
2011 Roman Tubner, Terre Haute, IN, recently joined the UNCW Women’s Basketball coaching staff as an assistant coach.
2013 Austin Rinehart, Sulphur, LA, was ordained an elder in full connection by Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey at the 49th session of the Louisiana Annual Conference held in Shreveport, LA on June 9, 2019.
BIRTHS Trina Blodgett ’96, Washington, DC, and her husband, Michael, welcomed a son, Wesley Edward McLellan, on June 30, 2019.
2015 Alissa Brown Klaus, Chicago, IL, just started classes for a master of arts management degree at Columbia College Chicago.
Benjamin Barcelona ’12, New Orleans, LA, and his wife, Mary Lauren Barcelona, celebrated the birth of their second child, Alice McKellar Barcelona, on July 17, 2019.
2016 Princess Jones, Shreveport, LA, graduated from Louisiana State University - Shreveport with a master of business administration in May 2018. She started a new job as office coordinator at Common Ground Community Inc. in June 2019. She reports that she is on the path to graduate from Louisiana State University - Shreveport with a master of science in nonprofit administration in May 2020.
Jesi Wilcox ’13, (below) Mobile, AL, and her husband, C.J., welcomed the birth of their second son, Bennett Rollins Wilcox, on September 25, 2019.
2019 Graham Maxwell, Houston, TX, finished the engineering 3/2 program, begun at Centenary, when he graduated from Columbia University in May 2019.
MARRIAGES Leslie Clampitt ’09, Dallas, TX, married John Russell Harrison on May 26, 2019.
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MAKING ART IN PARIS APRIL 21 – 30, 2020 A travel opportunity led by Professors Bruce Allen ’75 and David Havird
Learn more at centenary.edu/alumnitravel
In Memoriam RECEIVED BETWEEN APRIL 13, 2019 – OCTOBER 15, 2019
Mary Sherman McCord ’32 9/20/2019
Chappelle Arnett ’56 6/1/2019
R. J. Fertitta ’69 11/9/2018
Paulyn Gill Dougherty ’41 6/10/2019
Phyllis Lapleau Green ’56 6/14/2019
Gloria Thacker Lee ’69 3/1/2019
C. W. Williams ’42 9/6/2019
Yvonne Pittman Hendrick ’56 7/26/2019
Bill McBride ’69 12/9/2017
Betty Garrett McDonald ’44 8/21/2019
Carl Stephens ’56 10/10/2019
William Wassell ’71 6/29/2019
James Stroud ’44 8/15/2019
Nancy Johnston Records ’57 10/4/2019
Barbara Roberts Carlton ’74 9/1/2019
Peggy Lou Huddleston Sartain ’44 5/18/2006
Arthur Gwinn ’58 8/17/2019
Jim Cox ’81 9/10/2019
Willard Ent ’46 5/4/2019
Dug Duggan ’60 4/8/2019
Jack Markham ’81 9/25/2019
Chester Posey ’47 9/1/2019
Paula Naremore Hoge ’60 8/21/2019
Jim Moore ’82 6/6/2019
Richard Hawkins ’49 9/23/2019
Margaret Powell Akins ’61 6/25/2019
Kate Mrdja ’83 3/31/2019
Betty Turner Herlong ’49 7/4/2019
Paul Osburn ’62 8/8/2019
Greg Cush ’85 6/13/2019
Jimmy Weyman ’49 9/10/2019
Judy Martin Harris ’63 7/18/2019
Roger Templeton ’88 10/1/2019
Wayne Hanson ’51 7/26/2019
Roy Simmons ’63 5/8/2019
Jean McDowell Tullis ’88 2/16/2019
Peggy Tolbert Brock ’52 9/4/2019
Jay Querbes ’66 7/27/2019
Thomas Gibson ’89 6/24/2019
Dottie Pomeroy Hodge ’52 5/28/2019
Ron Inderbitzin ’67 8/25/2019
Kim Wilhite ’89 4/19/2019
Willy Malarcher ’54 2/25/2019
Earl Dawson ’68 2/17/2019
Louis Hall ’94 8/24/2019
Frank Pearce ’54 8/4/2019
Kaye Gustafson Griffith ’68 5/6/2019
Laura Holt ’96 5/12/2019
Francis Randall ’54 8/9/2019
Mary Price Collins ’69 8/17/2019
Robert Brocato ’04 9/8/2019
Ben Achee ’55 11/15/2017
Scott Crook ’69 6/10/2019
Ashley Giffen ’14 4/21/2019
Charlie Prince ’55 9/8/2019
Joyce Dunford Davis ’69 6/6/2019
We celebrate the lives and legacies of these members of the Centenary family.
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2019-20 Centenary College Choir
Office of Marketing and Communication 2911 Centenary Boulevard Shreveport, LA 71104
NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID SHREVEPORT, LA PERMIT NO. 696