PREMIERE ISSUE | FALL 2016
IT’S A
GREAT TO DAY BE A BULLDOG DR. LES GUICE, PRESIDENT
CAMPUS EVOLVING WITH A FOCUS ON THE FUTURE 08
TECH XXI
JOHN J. LONG 06 | WHAT A YEAR! 14 | LOOK AT OUR DOCS 37
ALUMNI ASSOCIATON OFFICERS Dave Matthiesen, President Cathi Cox-Boniol, Vice President Phillip Parker, Treasurer Ray Weaver, Member-at-Large Brennan Easley, Past President Leslie K. Guice, Ex-Officio BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jake Carpenter Philip Cole Tony Corley Casey Covington Will Dearmon Ben Erwin Wayne Fleming Melanie Hudson John Malone Rodney Manning Kimberly Mire McDaniel Troy O’ Laughlin Brent Parker Phillip Parker Jonathan Perret Stuart Snook Jeff Thompson Linda Simonetti Turner Chris Weego Anita Lyon West Becky Turner Wilson Jason Zavala ALUMNI ASSOCIATION STAFF Brooks Hull Vice President of University Advancement BHull@LaTechAlumni.org Frank Bennett Director of Advancement Communications Frank@LaTechAlumni.org Michele Robinson Director of Alumni Engagement and Leadership Giving Michele@LaTechAlumni.org Wes Cavin Director of Alumni Programming Wes@LaTechAlumni.org Jimmy Washington Coordinator of Special Programs Jimmy@LaTechAlumni.org Barbara Swart Administrative Coordinator Barbara@LaTechAlumni.org UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS Dave Guerin, Executive Director Teddy Allen, Writer Donny Crowe, Photographer Tom Morris, Contributing Photographer
FROM THE TH
16 FLOOR Momentum. It doesn’t take being on campus long to feel it. Certainly, progress continues on many fronts – from a thriving student body to a superb faculty and staff, from engaging curricula to dynamic student organizations, from new facilities to successful athletics, from new partnerships to stronger alumni support, Louisiana Tech is continuing to advance. And progress is being made in spite of the most challenging decade in the history of higher education in Louisiana. Topping 12,500 students, the student body brings a high level of activity and energy to the campus every day. Excellent students, too. More presidential and national merit scholars than ever! Students demonstrating leadership and positive values every day.
DR. LES GUICE PRESIDENT
The driver? Our faculty and staff create incredible experiences inside and outside the classroom. They add value beyond the course of study. Students love the experience. They love their University! The word spreads.
New facilities signal progress. We’re expanding the new College of Business building. New student housing, parking, landscaping, campus lighting and more are still slated to begin. An engineering and science education building is ready to be constructed. And even more projects are in the works. Momentum. The best all-around sports year in decades: conference title in golf, football bowl game, 20-plus wins in men’s hoops, Diamond Dogs make regional finals, Lady Techster softball wins 30-plus games, top-70 tennis ranking, exciting soccer, track and volleyball – and Brooke comes home! Ruston is growing too, and supporting growth of our student body by making Ruston a true college town! Monster Moto, Fenway Group and other companies are using our students and faculty to grow more business. Partnerships with high-tech companies in Shreveport-Bossier and Monroe have never been more promising. The I-20 Technology Corridor grows. Momentum. Alumni support has never been better. Giving generously, visiting regularly, sending students here, hiring graduates, connecting us with others. You fuel Tech’s growth. Thank You!
SPECIAL THANKS Design by Pierry. pierryinc.com Campus renderings courtesy of Tipton Associates and Ashe Broussard Weinzettle Architects
Leslie K. Guice
Joe Aillet Stadium Pressbox renderings courtesy of TBA Studio, Gensler Sports, Lincoln Builders Inc. Louisiana Tech Magazine is published by the Louisiana Tech Alumni Association. We welcome your comments and suggestions.
Follow Dr. Guice on Twitter @LKGuice and on his blog at GuiceBlog.LaTech.edu.
08 FEATURED ARTICLE: GOING. GROWING. STRONG.
06
JOHN J. LONG
FEATURES 02 06 08 14
14
WHAT A YEAR!
37
WELL, WELL, WELL, LOOK AT OUR DOCS!
FUN TO BE AN ALUM! TOWER MEDALLION: JOHN J. LONG GOING. GROWING. STRONG. ATHLETICS
24
BULLDOG BYTES
25
TECHSPYS
28
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
38
FOUNDATION FOCUS
42
LAGNIAPPE LADIES
44
FACULTY AND STAFF WE LOVE
46
WHAT’S NEW WITH YOU?
FUN
IT’S TO BE AN ALUM!
ALUMNA MELINDA HUDSON PARKER WITH SON, CURRENT LOUISIANA TECH STUDENT AND BULLDOG PUNTER, WILL PARKER
ARE YOU EVER LOYAL? Melinda Hudson Parker is having FUN! Her son Will Parker is carrying on a family tradition of attending Louisiana Tech University and is following in the footsteps of his grandfather, the late All-American football player Jerry Hudson, as a member of the Bulldog Football team. “Through the years, every time I come back to campus, I feel like I am coming home. That’s why I stay connected to Louisiana Tech.” Melinda has been involved for years as an alumna. She and her twin sister, Melanie Hudson, are members of Lagniappe Ladies, a women’s leadership giving society, who select programs across the campus that need a little something extra. She and her family have traveled from North Texas to Tech sporting 2 | LA TECH MAGAZINE
events in Ruston, to destinations with alumni groups, and have attended events of all sorts in their own backyard. Lately, Melinda is involved with the new North Texas Chapter of the Alumni Association. The group hosted a send-off party for the new freshman class from the North Texas area and is actively engaged in the upcoming pre-game football event in Denton, Texas, when the Bulldogs take on the Mean Green Machine of University of North Texas. Join Melinda and over 4,000 alumni by becoming a member of the Alumni Association for as little as $35 per year. Come home, stay connected and ever loyal. Visit LaTechAlumni.org today!
LOUISIANA TECH
HOMECOMING NOVEMBER 11 - 12
The annual Alumni Awards Luncheon. The Class of 1966 Reunion. The Pep Rally, the Presentation of the Court, tailgating and your Louisiana Tech Bulldogs playing Conference USA opponent UTSA in Joe Aillet Stadium on a Saturday afternoon. It’s Homecoming ’16! Get the latest up-to-date info as events for alumni and students are scheduled. Stay in touch with us at LaTechAlumni.org/Homecoming2016. See you there, and Go ’Dogs!
WHERE THE
TECH ARE YOU?
Mistie Oliver and husband Lane in Keystone, Colorado
Ryan McCain at Blarney Castle in Ireland
Sisters Kelly Ringle Mouton and Lynn Ringle Jacob at Big Ben, London, England
Tom and Gayle Singletary at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada
Steven Burgess and Chris Brister at the 2016 U.S. Open in Oakmont, Pennsylvania
Champ is thrilled to be at the Dixie Center for the Arts, a proud supporter of Tech in the heart of Ruston Melanie Hudson and Melinda Hudson Parker in Machu Picchu, Peru
Regal Blue Kendra Wessels with mom Kay Berthelot Wessels cheering on the Bulldogs at the NCAA Baseball Regional in Starkville, Mississippi
ONCE A BULLDOG ALWAYS A BULLDOG The Alumni Association is part of the Division of University Advancement and is located in the Marbury Alumni Center. DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP GIVING Michele Robinson - Michele@LaTechAlumni.org
Show your Bulldog Pride and join the Alumni Association today!
ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR Barbara Swart - Barbara@LaTechAlumni.org
DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI PROGRAMMING Wes Cavin - Wes@LaTechAlumni.org
PHONE 800.738.7950 318.255.7950
COORDINATOR OF SPECIAL PROGRAMS Jimmy Washington - Jimmy@LaTechAlumni.org
FACEBOOK facebook.com/LaTechAlumni
LATECHALUMNI.ORG
318.255.7950
LA TECH MAGAZINE | 3
Experience New Traditions. FRIDAY NIGHTS
SATURDAY GAME DAY
Rock The Railroad
10/29 VS. RICE
Downtown @ Railroad Park
5:30 Family Activities PM
6:00 Pep Rally
Legends Day
11/12 VS. UTSA
Homecoming / Senior Day
PM
6:30 Live Band
See back cover for schedule.
PM
8:30 Movie in PM
The Quad
All events will be held in Railroad Park the Friday night before each home game.
For football tickets, call 318.257.3631 or go to latechsports.com/tickets.
For more information, visit: ruston.org call: (318)251-8621 Mayor Ronny Walker, City of Ruston @CITYofRUSTON follow us: cityofruston
#RustonLA
SHOW HOW YOU ARE
EVER LOYAL A GREAT WAY TO SHOW YOUR PRIDE AND SUPPORT FOR LOUISIANA TECH
OWN YOUR PIECE OF THE ALUMNI WALKWAY! ORDER YOURS TODAY at LATechAlumni.org/AlumniBrick or call the Marbury Alumni Center at 318.255.7950
AD - LICENSE PLATE AD - BRICK
NEW DESIGN!
TAG YOURSELF AS A TECH SUPPORTER! ORDER YOURS TODAY Louisiana Tech License Plates are available in Louisiana and Texas. Visit LATechAlumni.org/Plates to find out how to get your Louisiana Tech plate!
HALL OF DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI JOHN J. LONG THE TOWER MEDALLION AWARD RECOGNIZES LOUISIANA TECH ALUMNI WHO HAVE DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES BY EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT, COMMUNITY SERVICE AND HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES. John J. Long has remained a staunch supporter of Louisiana Tech
At Tech, his leadership and involvement grew. Among his other
since his graduation from the University with an accounting degree in
accomplishments, John was president of the student body,
1951. He served three terms as president of the Louisiana Tech Alumni
a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity and a three-year
Association, serves as a privileged director of the University Foundation
baseball letterman.
and as a member of the advisory board for the College of Business, and twice he has been honored as Alumnus of the Year. His understanding of the unique culture of the institution and the importance of preserving history led him to initiate the establishment of several of Tech’s most cherished and esteemed traditions. In 1976, he led the Alumni Association’s initiative to establish the Hall of Distinguished Alumni and its Tower Medallion Award. His determination to chronicle the storied history of Tech has ensured the continuity of the Tech campus culture and the strength and spirit of the University, each made more meaningful and lasting because of his countless contributions in so many areas. He demonstrated his abilities and loyalty and work ethic at an early age, serving in academic, service and athletic organizations at C. E. Byrd High School in Shreveport; he was elected to the school’s prestigious Hall of Fame in 2003.
6 | LA TECH MAGAZINE
He is a highly successful businessman in the Shreveport area in insurance and investments. His professional accomplishments are rivaled by his many civic interests and contributions. John was married to his wife Connie for 55 years; she passed away in 2011. He has two daughters and three grandchildren, and one of those grandchildren is pursuing her graduate degree at Tech, so John’s contributions to his University continue.
GOING. GROWING. STRONG.
WITH PURPOSE AND BECAUSE OF YOU, THE CAMPUS CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.
Louisiana Tech’s campus continues to transform to meet the needs of a student body that’s expanding in size and in intellect and, because of that, in potential. Without the basics of housing and parking, the bus won’t go. Tech’s moving. A new housing project, including 11 buildings and more than 600 beds in suites and apartments, in the heart of our campus, is underway. Construction is beginning on the old Kidd Hall site and the site of the old Early Childhood Education Center – now relocated into what once was a fraternity house, a much larger space than the previous center – and the old Pearce Lumber yard. Transformation of the entry into campus at that location has also begun. Once completed, the change will be both drastic and inviting. It will also better tie the campus to the Enterprise Campus as well as to the entry to Tech from Highway 80. A bonus no one would have considered years ago: the University is working with the City of Ruston on a bike and running trail, part of which will likely involve the campus.
8 | LA TECH MAGAZINE
Add to those improvements the new soonto-be-bid Integrated Engineering & Science Education Building which will, with parking and 130,000 square feet of space, take up the block east of Tech Pointe. This will be the place where many of our students will become the problem-solvers of tomorrow. Tech will have 15,000 students in four short years, an increase of roughly 2,500 from the present day number. Tech will be ready for them and will continue to improve the experience of today’s students. “I am most grateful for our tremendously loyal faculty, staff and administrative team who have continued to step up their efforts and commitment to our students to provide them with unparalleled educational experiences, regardless of the circumstances,” said Tech president Les Guice. “The past year has been another challenging one for Tech and for higher education in our state. But I’m pleased to let you know that Tech remains strong, focused, and is finding ways to move forward, despite these challenges. Thanks to strong statesmanship and the strong support of our friends, family and alumni, Tech continues to make a difference for Louisiana and the nation.”
MORE IMPROVEMENTS • A new entry is being cut into the old Natatorium site from Tech Drive that will improve site access for construction, parking and A.E. Phillips Lab School pick-ups • A drain problem is being fixed and the softball parking lot reconstructed. The lot is
used heavily by our students each day. The new look will much enhance appearances at the Tech Drive campus entry • Curbs and parking stripes have been repainted • The new wing of the College of Business Building is nearing completion Again, these enhancements are for one purpose: to make necessary room for incoming students, but beyond that, to make sure every Tech student has the best chance at the best education at the most affordable price. It’s the responsibility of each Tech student, faculty member, staff and friend to continue to spread the news that the University is shouting with these visible physical strides: the well-being and positive future of Tech is important to the future of north Louisiana and the region.
AT-A-GLANCE
15,000 STUDENTS BY
11
BUILDINGS
600
MORE BEDS
BIKING & WALKING
TRAIL
2020 140K SQ FT
INTEGRATED ENGINEERING & SCIENCE EDUCATION BUILDING
WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING In Money magazine’s Best Colleges report, Tech is the No. 1 public or private university in Louisiana for best value and return on investment, and No. 14 in the nation in lowest estimated price for students without aid.
Forbes cites Tech as one of the nation’s Top Colleges and No. 2 in Louisiana considering measurements of post-graduate success, student debt, student satisfaction, graduation rate and academic success.
For the fifth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report ranked Tech as north Louisiana’s only Tier One “National University,” one of only two public institutions in the state to earn this recognition. By the same publication, Tech is ranked as the top public university in the nation for graduating students with least average debt.
LA TECH MAGAZINE | 9
“WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY,” GUICE SAID, “TO LEAD AND RETURN WHAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US BY PROVIDING A BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN.” These are the real-life “children” who will one day be saving lives in emergency rooms, investing your savings, protecting you from cyberattacks, teaching your children and leading our state. These are the innovators and difference-makers of tomorrow. That’s what we are building. Because of the University’s progress during recent years – and because of the progress achieved by our faculty and staff – Tech has earned and enjoyed even greater national recognition than before. For the sixth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report ranked Tech as north Louisiana’s only Tier One “National University,” one of only two public institutions in the state to earn this recognition. By the same publication, Tech is ranked as the top public university in the nation for graduating students with least average debt. Forbes cites Tech as one of the nation’s Top Colleges and No. 2 in Louisiana when considering measurements of post-graduate success, student debt, student satisfaction, graduation rate and academic success. In Money magazine’s Best Colleges report, Tech is the No. 1 public or private university in Louisiana for best value and return on investment, and No. 14 in the nation in lowest estimated price for students without aid.
10 | LA TECH MAGAZINE
The campus plan is providing strategic guidance to the University in developing the campus during the next decade, a plan that continues to unfold with assistance from and in partnership with the City of Ruston. The alumni are essential in continuing the momentum. Every single graduate has an opportunity. It might be to establish a scholarship. Maybe to make a major gift toward a facility that will alter careers. Maybe it’s attending a campus event, buying season tickets, trimming hedges on campus or bringing a grandchild to campus for a visit. Something is there for each of us to do. The record shows – and the look of the campus illustrates and testifies – that we are heading in the right direction, doing the little things that turn into big positives. It’s our challenge to keep that Bulldog momentum going.
PRESSING ON WITH PURPOSE
AND BECAUSE OF YOU, THE CAMPUS CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.
Almost $19 million in Joe Aillet Stadium improvements – a new press box, guest suites, LED lighting, aesthetic enhancements and other west side improvements – is a drawing card for students, student-athletes, fans and visitors. The impact won’t be realized until the project is completed before the 2017 home opener. Then fans will be able to better appreciate what the facility, stretching from the 10-yard line to the 10-yard line, will mean to the athletic program and to the University. Tech’s current press box was built in 1968. While it’s better than several press boxes in Conference USA, it’s poorly functional
on several levels, a nightmare for visiting TV crews, and an uncomfortable set-up for working media and visiting athletic directors and coaches. The sky box, built in 1988, is also outdated. Funded through private donations, the most recent step in Tech’s Quest for Excellence capital campaign will offer visiting media a much better platform from which to report. Fans will notice an immediate difference in the game-day experience, much as they have with the presence of the Davison Athletics Complex. Plus, the University will realize a revenue stream from the guest suites. The $40 million investment in Joe Aillet Stadium during the past three years allows the athletic side of the University to keep pace with more than $55 million in student life/ academic improvements during the past few years. Not only have the drastic enhancements and upgrades greatly improved Tech’s chances of drawing top caliber students, they’ve improved the University’s ability to fulfill its mission, which is serving the students, the town of Ruston, the state and the region.
Fans will notice “pre-work” immediately; construction will begin in earnest in mid-November when the Bulldogs complete their home schedule. Some more facts about the new facility: • The project is led by Ruston-based contractor Lincoln Builders; the design team includes TBA Studio as well as a sportsspecific architect firm, Gensler. • 30,000 square feet means the facility is more than four times the square footage of the existing press box and sky boxes. • The first floor will house 13 luxury suites plus the Presidential Suite. Each one of the luxury suites will hold 20 supporters and will include 12 outdoor seats, indoor lounge furniture, a kitchenette area and a big screen TV. Patrons will gain access to these luxury suites through a club area. • The second level will include a two-level media work area with twice the square footage of the existing press box, home and visiting AD suites, a suite for the University’s media rights partner (Learfield), booths for home and visiting coaches, home and visiting radio, national TV, game-day security operations, instant replay, public address and scoreboard operations, and a flex booth that can be utilized for scouts or a third radio broadcast.
12 | LA TECH MAGAZINE
EACH ONE OF THE LUXURY SUITES WILL HOLD 20 SUPPORTERS AND WILL INCLUDE 12 OUTDOOR SEATS, INDOOR LOUNGE FURNITURE, A KITCHENETTE AREA AND A BIG SCREEN TV.
ATHLETICS
WHAT A YEAR FOR THE BULLDOGS 2015-2016 WAS A GREAT YEAR ON THE FIELDS AND COURTS AND COURSES FOR LOUISIANA TECH
BULLDOGS ACTIVE ON NFL 53-MAN ROSTERS, OPENING OF 2016 NFL SEASON
Luke McCown, QB, New Orleans 13th year. Drafted 4th round by Cleveland in 2004.
• Football: Second straight nine-win season, second straight convincing bowl victory
Ryan Allen, P, New England 4th season. Only back-to-back Ray Guy Award winner in college history, in 2011 and 2012. All-American and All-WAC both seasons. Signed as undrafted free agent. Now in his fourth season.
Jordan Mills, OT, Buffalo 4th year. Drafted 5th round by Chicago in 2013 and every game that season.
• Dunkin’ Dogs: 23 wins, four straight postseason appearances • Bulldog Baseball: 42 wins, NCAA Regional finals and first regional appearance since 1988 • Lady Techster Tennis: First national ranking in program history • Golf: A Conference USA title and the program’s first Regional appearance It all started late last August when the brand new $23 million Davison Athletics Complex opened and the second largest crowd in Tech football history watched the Bulldogs defeat Southern in the season opener. And it kept going because the fans and friends of the University’s athletic programs continued – and now continue – to support Tech Athletics, its coaches, staff and student-athletes. As the football Bulldogs try to paw their way to another title this fall, let’s note the impact the program is making at “the next level.” When the 2016 NFL season opened, 13 Bulldogs were on active NFL rosters and three were on NFL practice squads. Of those 16, 14 have gone into the league in the past five years. Seven were Bulldogs last season, including two undrafted free agents – Kentrell Brice and Adairius Barnes -- who nonetheless made a 53-man roster.
14 | LA TECH MAGAZINE
Adairius Barnes, CB, Detroit Rookie, undrafted free agent. Houston Bates, LB, Washington 2nd year. Undrafted free agent. Kentrell Brice, S, Green Bay Rookie, undrafted free agent. Vernon Butler, DT, Carolina Rookie. First defensive lineman from Tech ever chosen in the first round. First C-USA player and first player from Louisiana to be drafted in 2016. First defensive lineman from a C-USA school to go in the first round since 2012. Kenneth Dixon, RB, Baltimore Rookie. Drafted 3rd round. Second all-time in NCAA in TDs scored. Tech’s all-time leading rusher. Jeff Driskel, QB, Cincinnati Rookie. Drafted 6th round by San Francisco, waived and picked up by the Bengals the week before the season opener. Justin Ellis, DT, Oakland 3rd year. Drafted 4th round. I.K. Enemkpali, LB, Buffalo 3rd year. Drafted 6th round by New York Jets. Now in second year with the Bills.
Quinton Patton, WR, San Francisco 3rd season. Drafted 4th round by 49ers. Played in all 16 games last year. Tramon Williams, DB, Cleveland 10th season. Signed as undrafted free agent by Houston in 2006, signed by Green Bay to practice squad in Nov. 2006, signed by Packers in Jan. 2007. Played eight seasons for Packers. Started 15 games for Cleveland last season.
ON NFL PRACTICE SQUADS Vontarrius Dora, DE, Chicago Rookie. Signed as undrafted free agent. Paul Turner, WR, Philadelphia Rookie. Signed as undrafted free agent. Myles White, WR, New York Jets 4th year. Signed with Green Bay as an undrafted free agent in 2013. Nine catches for 66 yards with Packers in 2013, 7-for-88 and a TD for the New York Giants last year.
VERNON BUTLER, CAROLINA PANTHERS
ERIK MCCREE
DUNKIN’
DOGS CONTINUING THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE
From 1983 to 1992, the Louisiana Tech Dunkin’ Dogs built the 12th best winning percentage in all of college basketball. Every year fans could expect at least 20 wins, a postseason appearance and star players racking up postseason accolades. That consistency of excellence is ongoing; the program racked up the 11th best winning percentage in the past four seasons combined in the country. That is more than Florida, Ohio State, Syracuse, Maryland, UConn, Notre Dame, Memphis and many other top-tier basketball programs. Under first-year head coach Eric Konkol this past season, LA Tech made it a fourth straight year of 20-plus victories (23-10 and a fourth straight appearance in a postseason tourney, Vegas 16), and one of the best Bulldogs in program history, Alex Hamilton, was named Conference USA Player of the Year and honorable mention AP All-America. Hamilton is one of five ‘Dogs who have moved on. Taking over the leadership reins will be redshirt senior forward Erik McCree, who earned second team All-Conference USA honors this past season after averaging 16.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game and posting a team-high eight double-doubles. Another player who is looking forward to an impactful senior season is Qiydar Davis, who received a medical hardship waiver after
16 | LA TECH MAGAZINE
suffering a season-ending injury only seven games into last season. At the time, Davis was averaging 10.6 points and 6.7 boards per game. There are other key pieces returning next season as well. Sharp-shooting Jacobi Boykins made 50 three-pointers and 29 starts as a sophomore. Derric Jean will step in to fill the void at point guard, a position that has seen back-to-back All-Americans – Hamilton and Speedy Smith – take the court for the Bulldogs.
spent one season starring at Paris Junior College in his home state of Texas. Hill, 6-8, 210, comes to Ruston after spending two seasons at Itawamba Community College. A rim protector, he averaged 2.4 blocks per game as a sophomore. Add to that the fall’s four-person high school signing class: the Dallas-area trio of Oliver Powell, Jalen Harris and JaColby Pemberton, and Baltimore, Md., point guard DaQuan Bracey. All had impressive senior seasons at their respective high schools.
Jean was the backup point guard as a freshman and always the first player off the bench. He ended his first year as the team’s leader in three-point shooting percentage and was second on the team in total assists. Returners Joniah White, Da’Shawn Robinson and Jy’lan Washington look to make strides as well. Six newcomers are itching to help make it five straight seasons of 20-plus wins and, more importantly, an appearance in the coveted NCAA Tournament, a goal that’s eluded the program since 1991. Two junior college transfers join the team in Omar Sherman and LaBarrius Hill. Both are front court players, starting with Sherman, a load at 6-8, 250. He played as a freshman at Miami (Florida) in 2014-15 while Konkol was on the Hurricanes staff. He most recently
DERRIC JEAN
RESTOEHRED FORMER LADY TECHSTER BROOKE STOEHR, A DEPENDABLE AND PROVEN WINNER, RETURNS HOME. HER JOB – RESURRECT A ONCE PROUD PROGRAM.
In more recent years, winning has been more challenging. However, Stoehr – who was a part of four NCAA Tournament teams and a Final Four team during her playing days – has already shown the capacity for winning. She took over a Northwestern State program that had won only six games the year prior. In just her second season she had the Lady Demons leading perennial contender
Brooke Lassiter Stoehr was a calm leader, a respected presence and proven winner on the court during her days as a Lady Techster point guard from 1998 to 2002, the program’s most recent consistent run among the nation’s top programs.
Tennessee at halftime in Knoxville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. “Coach Brooke and the entire staff are very outgoing,” said sophomore Reauna Cleaver. “They have a great personality off the court. They are always smiling and reaching out to us. However, once we stepped on the court for our first few individual workouts, I realized they are all about business. The fun and games have to wait until practice is over.”
Now from the sidelines, she’ll try to translate the same qualities to a program that shockingly bottomed out at the beginning of last off-season. In mid-April, Stoehr became the seventh head coach in program history. Almost immediately genuine compassion and concern for her new team was felt and began to have a calming and cooling effect on the confusion and uncertainty surrounding the program.
Tech’s 2016-17 roster will include seven returning letter winners, including six players who saw action in at least 26 games last year in Santos, Anthony, Cleaver, Jasmine LeBlanc, Rochelle Vasquez and Kevione Moten. It will also include red-shirt junior Alexus Malone, red-shirt freshman Anna McLeod, true freshman Kierra Lang and D-1 transfer Nikki McDonald. And with fall quarter started, a few more additions could be slated.
“Everyone can relax,” said guard Ashley Santos following the press conference introducing Stoehr. “We have our leader.” Leader is the perfect word to describe Stoehr, who played for legendary Hall of Fame coach Leon Barmore during her time in a Lady Techster uniform. Stoehr was a leader during her playing days. She was a leader during assistant coaching stints at University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Southern Miss and Florida State. She was a leader during her most recent four years as head coach at Northwestern State, where she led the Lady Demons to three straight postseason appearances, including a pair of NCAA Tournaments. Stoehr developed the intangibles that all successful coaches possess. And it is evident to her players.
SCOTT AND BROOKE STOEHR WITH COOPER & AUBREY
“I feel as if Coach Brooke is about to get the program back on the right track,” said sophomore guard Kierra Anthony. “She was once a Lady Techster so she knows what it takes and how to do things the right way. The staff is great and they all have the same goals. Everyone wants a winning program.”
Northwestern State finished 19-12 last season, third in the Southland Conference at 13-5. Tech was 14-16, just the third losing season in program history. As a player and two-year captain for the Lady Techsters, Stoehr and her teammates were 119-16, went to the Final Four in 1999 and back-to-back Elite 8 appearances in 2000 and 2001.
A winning program. For the first 35-plus years, Lady Techster basketball fans knew nothing else as the program won three national titles and competed in 13 Final Fours.
LA TECH MAGAZINE | 17
ATHLETICS
WHAT A TURNAROUND!
CASEY SUTTON
18 | LA TECH MAGAZINE
No one wanted it to end. Louisiana Tech kept winning – a sizzling 19 of 23 going into the Conference USA Tournament – the crowds kept growing, anticipation kept building. When it did, in the championship round of the NCAA regionals, the Bulldogs, with 21 new players – 19 of those were junior college transfers – had led the baseball program to an improbable turnaround, one that ignited fans with the kind of passion unseen at J.C. Love Field, much less at a Tech road game, since around the time both “The Simpsons” and FOX debuted, since before Prozac, or since you could get a Ford Escort for
season and the eighth time in program history at least three Bulldogs were drafted.
at least 30 games each of the past three seasons.
But position players who started more than half Tech’s games and nine pitchers – more than 22 letter winners who brought the magic back – are likely to return. Tech returns its top six hitters and two of its top weekend starters. The entire infield is back (minus shortstop Chandler Hall, who signed a free agent deal after his junior season) with catcher Brent Diaz, third baseman Chase Lunceford, second baseman Jordan Washam and first baseman
In Burroughs’ second season, 2014, NSU increased its league win total from the previous year by 14 and finished third in the Southland Conference. The Demons also tied a school record that year by increasing their win total from the previous season by 17 victories. In 21 seasons, Burroughs has coached in the SEC, Big 12, C-USA and SLC. If Burroughs has a secret weapon at Tech, it’s Christian Ostrander, the Bulldog pitching coach in 2016 and now the associate head coach. Although Ostrander didn’t come to
SELF-PROCLAIMED “DIRT BAGS” ON THE
around $6,000.
DIAMOND, THE ’DOGS MADE A SWIFT, SWEAT-
LA Tech won more games in 2016 (42) than the previous two years combined (40). Tech went 42-20 overall and 19-11 in C-USA to clinch the program’s first at-large berth in history and its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 1987.
Ruston until November, the pitching staff he led broke the school record for strikeouts in a season (496) and innings pitched (548.2). The Bulldogs posted a 3.77 team ERA in 2016, down from 4.52 the previous year. A big part of that success was returning righthander Casey Sutton.
POWERED MOVE FROM IRRELEVANCY TO
CONTENDERS IN RECORD TIME, AND THE
COLLEGE BASEBALL WORLD TOOK NOTICE.
Picked to finish 11th out of 12 teams in the Conference USA preseason polls, the Bulldogs instead set a school record for conference wins and series victories, finished fifth in the league, and made it to the semifinals of the C-USA Tournament. Overall, LA Tech won more games this spring than any other team in Conference USA, defeated 10 ranked teams and earned the program’s first national ranking – No. 26 on May 30 – since 1987.
Cody Daigle. Outfielders Raphael Gladu and Sean Ulrich also return. One important addition is Lane Burroughs, who in June became the eighth head coach in the program’s history.
LANE BURROUGHS, HEAD COACH
Similar to what Goff and the Bulldogs accomplished at Tech, Burroughs guided Northwestern State to the largest turnaround in Southland Conference history and won
The hot finish earned Tech a spot in what was ranked either the first- or third-toughest regional in the country, in Starkville, Miss. Tech fought back from a 1-0 opening-round loss to No. 1 Cal State Fullerton and won backto-back elimination games over Southeast Missouri State and Cal State Fullerton and advanced to the finals of the Starkville Regional opposite No. 4 Mississippi State. A 4-0 loss to the SEC champs ended it. Second-year coach Greg Goff departed for Alabama, and pitchers Adam Atkins, Braden Bristo and Phillip Diehl were drafted and signed. Three players is the most LA Tech has had selected in a single draft since the 2013
CHASE LUNCEFORD
LA TECH MAGAZINE | 19
ATHLETICS
WHAT A TOURNAMENT, WHAT A TITLE!
Prior to April’s Conference USA Championship in Texarkana, Louisiana Tech head golf coach Jeff Jenkins showed the team the ESPN 30-for-30 “Four Days in October” highlighting the Boston Red Sox and their improbable World Series comeback win. Sox players constantly asked each other, “Why not us?” Consider that sufficient motivation. Entering the week in eighth place in the 13-golf team league, Tech came out of the gates hot and never relented, shooting its way to a second-place finish after three rounds of stroke play. Senior Victor Lange even carded an impressive 7-under-par 65 final round to force a playoff for the individual medalist spot before falling to UAB’s Taylor Eyster. Similar to the NCAA Championships, C-USA’s championship tournament then turned to match play with five matches in head-to-head play; the first team to three wins the match. But in a drama-filled week in Texarkana, 18 holes was never enough and it certainly wasn’t in the semifinal match against North Texas. With the team match tied, 2-2, Lange and the Mean Green’s Ian Snyman needed 20 holes to determine a winner as Lange helped the
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Bulldogs advance. No. 38 and top-seeded UAB awaited Tech in the finals.
THIS TIME HEROICS CAME FROM AN UNLIKELY SOURCE: FRESHMAN JACOB WYATT. Facing the league’s top-ranked golfer and trailing three holes with four to play with the ‘Dogs trailing 2-0, the Bossier City native rallied and won four straight holes in the decisive match. Lange followed to tie the match before Ben Robinson nailed a 15-foot putt on 17 to clinch the school’s first championship since 1980. Lange again thrilled golf fans as the team reached its first NCAA Regional. Lange carded a collegiate course record 7-under-par 65 at The Gallery Golf Club in Tucson, Arizona. Tech would finish the three-round regional tournament 12th with a 20-stroke win over No. 25 North Carolina. The Bulldogs bid adieu to three of the team’s seniors – Lange, Robinson and Chuck Spears – but with fresh, young talent in Wyatt and Luke Neeley and some top talent coming in from both Louisiana and internationally, the future is bright for this young team.
LUKE NEELEY
PARTNERED FOR INNOVATION BUILT FOR BUSINESS RESEARCH-READY TALENT-RICH
“As an alumnus, I know the type of talent, leadership and innovative spirit finding its way to campus each year. And I’m ecstatic to help connect a small piece of Silicon Valley with Tech.” BEN LEE CMO, Pierry Louisiana Tech Alumnus
TECH POINTE
With an entrepreneurial drive, a love of technology and a desire to push ideas forward, Pierry selected Louisiana Tech for its robust talent pool, forward-thinking leadership and business-centric facility, Tech Pointe. How can we do business? Learn more at latechinnovation.org.
ATHLETICS
BOMBS AWAY
LONG-BALL LEADS LA TECH TO ANOTHER 30-WIN SEASON
SOCCER
ON AN ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC ROLL
Since Kevin Sherry took over the soccer program in 2007, the Lady Techsters have averaged double-digit wins per season on the pitch.
PAULINE TUFI
Another impressive average Louisiana Tech has put together during that span is its grade point average of 3.5. This year’s team had the program’s highest ever GPA: the team posted a 3.686 in the spring quarter to bring its 2015-16 GPA to 3.54. “This academic success is not a one-time thing,” Sherry said. “It is the result of hard work and focus on academics for many years. What is amazing is the fact that we have a squad of over 30 players who worked together for this academic success.” Eleven soccer student-athletes achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or better. One of those student-athletes is Katie Sloan, who became the first Lady Techster in the soccer program’s 12-year history to be named an Academic All-American (selected to the Division I women’s soccer third team by the College Sports Information Directors of America).
The Lady Techster softball program took another step forward this past year as head coach Mark Montgomery and Co. won 32 games, finished fourth in Conference USA and played toe-to-toe with a number of high-profile programs.
On its way to the third winning season in four years, Tech set numerous team single season offensive marks: home runs (64), RBI (281), runs (315), extra base hits (137) and walks drawn (210). The 315 runs scored were 50 more than the previous single-season high.
It marked the second straight season that Tech has won 30 or more games, the first time since the late 1990s that the Lady Techsters have eclipsed the mark in consecutive years. Tech finished 32-22 and 12-9 in league play.
Senior Anna Cross (14), junior Pauline Tufi (11) and freshman Morgan Turkoly (10) all recorded double digits in home runs, marking only the second time in program history three players reached the mark in the same season. Turkoly also set Louisiana Tech freshman records for home runs, RBI, runs scored, walks, total bases and slugging percentage.
Tech won its final five C-USA series of the year – a program first -- going 11-4 and moving from 12th place to fourth in that span.
KATIE SLOAN 22 | LA TECH MAGAZINE
SET UP FOR SUCCESS
TENNIS
RECEIVES NATIONAL RANKING
After filling the roster with a mix of transfers and true freshmen during the past four years and focusing on adding depth, volleyball continues to improve. Coach Adriano de Souza has seen his team improve in the win column in each of his previous four seasons as head coach. Ten players returning give the Lady Techsters a favorable chance to extend that streak, especially since the team is coming off its best overall record since 2011 and its best wins-in-league record since 2009.
ALEJANDRA AVILES March 22, 2016, was a historic day for Louisiana Tech Tennis.
The most notable returner is senior Alejandra Aviles; with 1,184 career digs, the senior should break into the top five in program history in that category. Last season’s top five leading blockers return too; Hannah McRee (64 total blocks, .88 blocks per set) leads that group. Leading attacker Marta Monne battled a knee injury toward the end of last season but still had a season-team-high 261 kills (3.07 average per set). Brooke Short saw action in 29 games and started 12. The sophomore was second on the team last year in both assists (453) and average-assists-per-set (5.21).
On an otherwise uneventful Tuesday, the weekly Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis team rankings were released, and the Lady Techsters found themselves on the list at No. 69 in the country, the first national ranking in the history of a program that began in 1977. The ranking came on the heels of what was LA Tech’s first ever victory over a nationally-ranked opponent, 4-3 at No. 45 Georgia State. The team would spend three weeks in the national poll, climbing as high as No. 66 after another highlight victory, a 4-0 shutout at SMU. It was the Techsters first ever win against the Mustangs, who were ranked as high as No. 49 last spring.
For Starkova, the spring of ’16 marked the fourth time she was selected first team all-conference during her amazing career on the courts, highlighted by an impressive 49-19 record in dual singles, third in program history for most wins and for winning percentage. She and fellow seniors Taly Merker and Manoela Chiacchio ended their collegiate careers by being part of 52 dual match wins as Lady Techsters. The future still looks bright for a program that returns four players who were regulars in the six-person singles lineup. Joining them will be two international standouts, Nadja Manjon of Spain and Jill van den Dungen of the Netherlands.
LA Tech had four players - Alexandra Starkova, Jazmin Britos, Marta Sramkova and Zoe Chen - receive All-Conference USA honors after playing a huge role in what was a 15-win spring season, the program’s 4th-most victories ever.
LA TECH MAGAZINE | 23
BULLDOG BYTES In the 2016 NFL Draft, Vernon Butler became the first defensive player from Tech ever chosen in the first round of the NFL Draft (Carolina Panthers), and this year was the first Conference USA player and first player from Louisiana to be selected. Kenneth Dixon went to Baltimore in the fourth and quarterback Jeff Driskel to San Francisco in the sixth. Four players signed undrafted free agent contracts: Adairius Barnes (Detroit), Kentrell Brice (Green Bay), Vontarrius Dora (Denver) and Paul Turner (Philadelphia).
TECH’S
OLDEST LIVING LETTERMAN
In celebration of the landmark 20th season, the WNBA named former Louisiana Tech Kodak All-American and Hall of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon (New York Liberty, 1997-2003; Los Angeles Sparks, 2004) to the Top20@20, a list of the Top 20 Players of All Time. For the sixth straight year, and the eighth time in the last nine years, Atlanta Hawks All-Star Paul Millsap was chosen as recipient of the Bob Pettit Award, given annually by the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches (LABC) to the most outstanding professional basketball player from a Louisiana college. Raymond Germany and Mickey Slaughter were inducted into the Ark-La-Tex Sports Museum of Champions this summer. Germany was a Tech basketball star from 1955-60; Slaughter was Tech’s allleague quarterback in the early 1960s before quarterbacking the Denver Broncos from 1963-66. He returned to Tech and coached the offensive backfield for 12 memorable seasons, including the 44-4 run in the early 1970s. Long jumper Mia Adams received Honorable Mention AllAmerica honors by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) after placing 23rd at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon. The redshirt senior jumped 19-1.5 (5.83m) to place 23rd in the nation in her first appearance at the national championship meet.
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DR. THOMAS M. DEAS & BROOKLYN DEAS JOSEY Thomas M. Deas was the honoree at a birthday party this past spring. The party celebrated his 100th birthday, but it could have also been a celebration of his being the oldest living Louisiana Tech letterman – and one of its most successful. In the late 1930s, Deas lettered in football and boxing – the Bulldogs had a team then – and graduated from Tech with a degree in premedical studies. Medical school and World War II followed. During his campaign in New Guinea in 1944, he was awarded the Silver Star Medal.
Winnfield’s P.J. Brown, who led Tech to the NCAA Tournament before a 15-year NBA career, was enshrined into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in June. The 6-11 forward/center capped his career in 2007-08 by helping the Boston Celtics win the NBA championship.
Dr. Deas left the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel after the war ended and moved to Homer, where he practiced medicine for several decades and helped establish Homer Memorial Hospital, the Lions Club and the Chamber of Commerce.
After coming in second at the Kentucky Derby, Exaggerator, trained by Keith Desormeaux, won the Preakness in May. In the third race of the Triple Crown, Destin, owned by Steve Davison of Twin Creeks Racing Stables, finished second by a nose in the Belmont. Destin ran sixth in the Kentucky Derby.
Today, from a retirement home in Shreveport, Dr. Deas keeps up with his University and his family, including Brooklyn Deas Josey, pictured here with her Bulldog grandad.
AND THE AWARD GOES TO... PRESIDENT’S AWARD Soccer’s Kathryn Sloan and football’s Jeff Driskel.
FEMALE STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Track and field’s Mia Adams, who claimed second-team All-Conference USA honors with a silver medal in the long jump at the 2016 C-USA Indoor Championships.
MALE STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Football’s Kenneth Dixon, who concluded one of the most prolific careers in NCAA history. He earned first team All-Conference USA honors and is the program’s all-time leader in touchdowns scored, points scored and rushing yards.
FEMALE TOP PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR Marta Monne, volleyball, for her 23-kill performance versus Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
MALE TOP PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR Alex Hamilton, basketball, for his triple-double in what was his final game inside the Thomas Assembly Center.
FEMALE PLAY OF THE YEAR GERALD JORDAN, MIA ADAMS, SHANE CARPENTER
Soccer’s Monica Gebler on a goal scored after a perfect five-pass combination against UTSA.
MALE PLAY OF THE YEAR
BLUE CARPET,
BIG TIME
SECOND ANNUAL TECHSPYS
Basketball’s Derric Jean for his half court buzzer beater at Marshall.
FEMALE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR Softball’s Karlee Jensen.
MALE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR Football’s Jaylon Ferguson.
HIGHEST TEAM GPA AWARD Soccer: 11 of the squad’s 26 student-athletes were recognized for earning the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal.
The blue carpet was there. Champ was there, dressed to thrill. So were LA Tech players and fans as the Louisiana Tech Athletics Department hosted the second annual Techspys inside Howard Auditorium. All of the LA Tech players turned in their uniforms and instead dressed up for the ESPY-like event to celebrate their success on the field/court, in the classroom and in the community.
TEAM OF THE YEAR The 2015 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl champion Bulldog football team, the second straight year the team earned the award.
STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY COMMITTEE Track and field.
LA TECH MAGAZINE | 25
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
COLLEGE OF
APPLIED & NATURAL SCIENCES Newly formed within the College of Applied and Natural Sciences, the School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry has a name that means “growth.”
DR. WILLIAM GREEN
AND THAT’S THE PLAN. GROWTH WITH PURPOSE. The School was established in December 2015 through a merger of the Department of Agricultural Sciences and School of Forestry. The merger of the two, which were already aligned in academic areas related to natural resources and consolidation, creates a number of new learning, research and collaboration opportunities for both students and faculty. It also encourages strong interdisciplinary interactions in teaching and outreach, and allows for greater efficiencies in administrative and staffing costs. The new school is directed by one of Tech’s most familiar faces. Dr. William Green, who since 1980 has served Tech as a professor of agricultural sciences, University veterinarian and an advisor for numerous pre-veterinary medicine students, has hit the ground running in the new role, and that’s hardly an exaggeration. “Our recruiting efforts since December when I became interim have resulted in a bit more than a 200 percent enrollment increase in forestry,” he said. “We’re making the same push in agriculture. Our goals are to get students and then to retain them. That means working hard to get some scholarship opportunities for them. “Then any parent is going to ask what their child can do with that degree, so we have to make more inroads in the industry so we can help place these graduates,” Green said. “Our employment rate in forestry right now is 100 percent. Fourteen of our 20 who applied to 26 | LA TECH MAGAZINE
vet school were accepted; the state average is 35 percent and we’re at 60. We’re building on that.”
the ideal person to lead the recently combined areas,” said dean Gary Kennedy.
The key is pooling the resources and leaving behind a mindset that the two programs are separate. Now, any “welcome back to campus” activities, tailgating events and even recruiting efforts will be joint ventures between the previously separate entities of forestry and agriculture. Green has served on the Board of Veterinary Medicine and is a lifetime member of the national, state and local veterinary associations. He has been honored with numerous teaching, advising and service awards at Tech as well as the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award for North Louisiana. He’s recently released a book, “Doc, Did I Wake You Up?,” stories he accumulated while owning and operating a veterinary hospital for 27 years in Dubach. “His experience, combined with a career as a practicing veterinarian and a highly respected and accomplished professor, makes Dr. Green
POINSETTIAS SHOW A BEAUTIFUL BOOST
In early December, the Poinsettia Show and Auction will be held to benefit the School of Agriculture Sciences and Forestry. Coupled with each springtime’s livestock auction, the events allow the School to award more than $60,000 annually in department scholarships. Check ans.latech.edu for more information.
COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE WHAT ROLE DOES YOUR SUPPORT PLAY? Cyber Storm is a commitment to excellence. This competition, hosted by Louisiana Tech’s computer science and cyber engineering departments and sponsored by Cyber Innovation Center and CSRA, provides an opportunity for students to showcase their talent in realworld situations with industry experts. By choosing to support Louisiana Tech University Foundation, you are advocating for the University’s areas of greatest need and opportunity. Areas benefiting from the University Fund include scholarships, teaching equipment and aids, library services, student services, faculty and staff positions, and faculty awards for excellence.
Begin Your Commitment To Excellence by giving to Louisiana Tech University Foundation. To learn more, visit latechalumni.org or call 318.255.7950.
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
COLLEGE OF
BUSINESS THE GOAL OF CENTURYLINK’S UNIVERSITY RELATIONS PROGRAM IS TO BUILD A BEST-IN-CLASS INITIATIVE THAT ATTRACTS, HIRES, DEVELOPS AND RETAINS TOP PERFORMING TALENT FROM A PIPELINE OF SELECT STRATEGIC UNIVERSITIES. CENTURYLINK VALUES THE PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE WITH LOUISIANA TECH. TRESTEN PAGE FENWAY GROUP INTERN/ MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
MARILYN DORRIS, UNIVERSITY RELATIONS, SR. RECRUITER FOR CENTURYLINK
While working as a Human Resource Intern at Graphic Packaging, I have gained valuable knowledge and experience in my field of study. Thank you Graphic Packaging and the College of Business for providing me with this opportunity and preparing me for my future career in Human Resources.
SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT COB’S INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
CAITLYN GIBSON, HUMAN RESOURCES INTERN
The Internship Program through Tech’s College of Business offers students the opportunity to integrate the theoretical principles studied in the classroom with the practical knowledge gained from on-the-job performance.
The opportunity to work for Enterprise Holdings has given me a unique experience to learn the logistics of managing a large fleet of vehicles. As a student of sustainable supply chain management, logistics and operations are at the forefront of my curriculum. It is my goal during this internship to gain valuable experience in my field so that I can employ those methods during my professional career. BRETT HOOKS, MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS INTERN
My internship enhanced my classroom knowledge by allowing me hands-on access to real-world experiences. I was able to do meaningful and impactful work related to my major while also letting me see the inner workings of a large corporation. LA Tech prepared me to jump right into a corporate internship and succeed. KATHERINE MORRIS, CENTURYLINK INTERN 28 | LA TECH MAGAZINE
Each calendar year the College places interns with companies ranging from small businesses to large international corporations spanning multiple industries. The advantages to the student are many: networking, academic credit, the chance to experience the job firsthand, and even the opportunity to earn money while you work and learn. The College takes its Internship Program seriously and partners with dozens of businesses and partners, like CenturyLink.
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NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION
WHAT’S SHAPING UP IN THE LAB COULD HELP UNIVERSITY, COMMUNITY
Department of Kinesiology professors and sports science researchers Dr. Lanie Dornier, Dr. David Szymanski and Dr. Jordan Blazo are working steadily toward taking the idea of a comprehensive sport science relationship between the University and the community which involves testing, assessing and monitoring Ruston athletes and working with local youth coaches to hopefully enhance sport performance. “One of the goals of the Department is to not only utilize the University’s 2,000-square-foot Sport and Movement Science Laboratory,” says Dornier, Department Chair, “but also to give students practical experience working with people.” Using a Ruston Dixie Youth Baseball team coached by Szymanski, the researchers had the opportunity to apply their skills and research in testing and monitoring sports performance by testing bat velocity. “Their eyes lit up when they saw the equipment and when they got immediate feedback from video,” he said. “I talked with the leaders in the Ruston Dixie Youth Baseball program and we felt this might be a perfect opportunity to initiate this program of testing and help them to improve, mixing science with coaching.” Tech assistant professor Jordan Blazo became involved from a sports psychology perspective with Szymanski’s fall baseball team. “Jordan’s research specialty is in working with siblings,” Szymanski said. “I asked him how he’d like to interact with youth baseball players, just to get them to think positively about themselves, learn how to deal with adversity. Now we’re working together.” “Working with David’s team provided a great opportunity.” said Blazo. “This allowed young athletes to get specialized training in the mental side of sports, which is generally overlooked. Parents and coaches often think that sports will teach athletes to be mentally tough but we were able to meet with the team and practice specific skills to make sure they
were prepared both mentally and physically for competition. Working with the team also gave Tech students real-world experience being mental coaches, a great opportunity to take the lessons learned in the classroom and apply them in our community.” The Department knows the big picture would be to expand to help other teams, like other youth teams, high school teams or Tech teams. The program and lab could grow to actually support in a positive and unique way the proposed Ruston sports complex that will replace Ruston’s current, outdated youth facilities. “We have equipment in our labs, but we need more,” Szymanski said. “If we create something that can help both Tech and Ruston, I’m confident people will want to help and be involved because this involves local children and parents, in addition to University professors and students. It’s a win for everyone.” The Department believes this proactive approach with the mix of sports and science exposes athletes to testing and monitoring, to sport coaching, to conditioning, to academics…that’s something that can benefit the University, professors and students, as well as the whole community. “On a larger scale, a doctoral program in sports performance in Kinesiology, or a sports performance facility that tested, assessed and monitored Tech athletes, would be a huge selling point for student-athletes at Tech if there was a comprehensive program in place” Szymanski said. “But again, we’re starting slowly. To give our students more hands-on opportunities, help the University, help the community, help our young student-athletes, that’s our goal.”
FOR MORE INFO Go to youtube.com and search for “Louisiana Tech Sport and Movement Science Laboratory.” Call Dr. Lanie Dornier, Department Chair, at (318) 257-4432, or check the Department’s website (education.latech.edu/departments/ kinesiology/) to learn more, to discover how you can help, or to receive updates on the department and the project.
EXTENDING KINDNESS AND DELIVERING CONTENT WITH KINESIOLOGY
Schilling and Chen have served each school within Lincoln Parish and many more throughout Louisiana through past programs including LA GEAR UP.
Interdisciplinary research, powerful community partnerships and unparalleled selfless service are all phrases that describe much of the programming and faculty in the Department of Kinesiology within the College of Education.
The focus of the efforts goes beyond basic health and exercise education: they focus on character, goal-setting and empowerment of students to take control over their decisions and their opportunities.
Faculty and staff are renowned for their work and, more importantly, a great affinity for the individuals served through that work. While there are numerous faculty and staff within the Department that are leading such efforts, there are two – Dr. Tammy Schilling and Dr. Jean Chen – who are leading the efforts particularly as it relates to community outreach and giving back to those who can benefit most. In the past year, the faculty have hosted numerous field days at schools and partnered with other campus colleges to help area students. The College of Education and the College of Applied and Natural Sciences partnered to host a health event benefiting the Boys and Girls Club, a collaborative event funded through the Lincoln Health Foundation. Also, the College has hosted leadership and education days for local students unable to attend field trips sponsored by Project ACHIEVE.
LA TECH MAGAZINE | 31
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
COLLEGE OF
ENGINEERING & SCIENCE
COLLABORATION AND COMMITMENT ILLUSTRATED BY GRANT OF $6 MILLION BY NSF FOR RESEARCH
A $6 million grant awarded to a research team led by Tech’s Dr. Leonidas Iasemidis will be used to investigate the origins and impacts of brain seizures associated with epilepsy. Already, it illustrates Louisiana Tech’s research expertise and its spirit of working together for the common good. In August, the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded the grant to a team led by Iasemidis, the Rhodes Eminent Scholar Chair and professor of biomedical engineering. The grant funds four years of investigation into the origins and impacts of brain seizures associated with epilepsy. Iasemidis, the group’s “principal investigator,” is joined by Tech teammates Dr. Teresa Murray, Dr. Mark DeCoster, Dr. Prabhu Arumugam, Dr. Katie Evans and Dr. Ioannis Vlachos, along with researchers from the University of Alabama and the University of Arkansas. “Dr. Iasemidis and his team exemplify Tech’s spirit of collaboration and commitment to meaningful research that leads to significant advancements in the study of the human condition,” said Tech Vice President of Academic Affairs Terry McConathy. “An NSF award of this scope and substance has implications at the national and, arguably, international levels—especially when three prestigious universities come together to
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seek fundamental solutions to major health challenges.” The collaboration should result in the foundation for the region as a hub for interdisciplinary, collaborative research activity in the neurosciences. The project also includes development of both new undergraduate and graduate courses and new student research and workforce opportunities. Iasemidis’ project, titled “Probing and Understanding the Brain: Micro and Macro Dynamics of Seizure and Memory Networks,” seeks transformative advances and understanding of the brain’s function, in particular the explanation of the foundations of transitions of brain networks from normal states into crises such as seizures. “Completion of the scientific goals of the project,” said Iasemidis, would significantly advance the state-of-the-art in probing the brain at multiple levels at once and the mathematical study of spontaneous brain transitions to crises, as well as contribute to novel applications in epilepsy.” The award also highlights “the impact of Tech attracting such accomplished researchers and faculty in the Board of Regents Endowed Chairs for Eminent Scholars program,” McConathy said. Iasemidis is an internationally recognized expert in nonlinear dynamics and the detection, prediction and control of crises in complex coupled systems.
DR. LEONIDAS IASEMIDIS Highlights concerning the significance of the $6 million NSF award to Louisiana Tech*: • Tech faculty and students will be helping scientists all over the world understand how the brain works and how it sometimes works improperly when it experiences epileptic seizures or other brain crises; • There will be multiple investigators, from multiple universities, using multiple methods (some basic laboratory and some clinical methods), over multiple years to address a very complex problem; • This research team will help train numerous undergraduate, graduate and professional school students in brain research; • Identifies Louisiana Tech as a leading national research university, addressing the grand challenges that impact health for all people.
*Source: Stan Napper, Louisiana Tech VP for Research and Development For more information on Iasemidis’ project, visit nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1632891
ACHIEVEMENTS & AWARDS
THIS IS GRAND!
STAR FRESHMAN EARNS NASA FELLOWSHIP
NSF GRANT HELPS TECH FAST-FORWARD
Five engineering students joined a prestigious group of graduates from the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenge Scholars Program (NAE GCSP) at spring commencement.
A NASA fellowship usually awarded to seniors was earned instead by a freshman student in physics and computer science who believes the collaborative environment available to him on Tech’s campus provided him with the support and resources to perform top-notch research and the opportunity to obtain the fellowship.
Tech’s “Sophomore Fast-Forward: A Summer Bridge Program to Support Retention in Engineering” has the objective of increasing retention of Tech’s engineering students so they will best be prepared to enter the workforce and be successful in their chosen field.
Caroline Bell (biomedical engineering, Metairie), Sam Helman (mechanical engineering, Amarillo, Texas), Ryan Joseph (mechanical engineering, McKinney, Texas), Pranay Uttamchandani (chemical engineering, Dubai, United Arab Emirates) and Amara Uyanna (chemical engineering major with a minor in French, Amuwo-Odofin, Nigeria) comprise the largest single class of Grand Challenge Scholars at Tech. The graduating seniors completed the national program with presentations at the Tech GCSP Showcase in May. Tech offers one of only 28 Grand Challenge Scholars Programs in the United States, and was one of the first universities in the nation to participate in the program. The Grand Challenge Scholars Program, which started at Tech in 2009, is an interdisciplinary, co-curricular program designed to better prepare engineering graduates to solve realworld, 21st century problems and enhance their leadership and interpersonal skills.
Darrian Mills, from Greenwood, earned the prestigious Minority Research Scholars oneyear fellowship by distinguishing himself as a freshman with a 3.9 grade point average in the double major of physics and computer science, and his strong work ethic as well as his research in developing the new nanostructured material. The NASA fellowship offers an opportunity for Mills to continue his work with Chester Wilson, associate professor of electrical engineering and nanosystems engineering, and postdoctoral researcher William Clower, to develop an inexpensive new nanostructured material that is made from carbon and metal and can be used for radar imagery to monitor spaceships. “This award is representative of what youth from north Louisiana are able to achieve with a good education and mentoring systems like we have at Tech, which provides them opportunities to better themselves,” Wilson said.
That program was bolstered this spring by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and its award of a $999,234 grant to the University. The grant targets rising sophomores in the field of mechanical, biomedical and civil engineering who demonstrate academic talent and financial need. “This NSF grant will help improve the success of our engineering students by providing scholarship awards and supplemental professional development. Awards from NSF are highly competitive and require innovative ideas to be successful,” said COES dean Hisham Hegab. “This funding recognizes the dedication and focus our faculty place on student retention and success.” “Louisiana’s young folks are generating some exciting, new ideas, particularly in the fields of science, technology, mathematics and engineering,” said U.S. Senator David Vitter when announcing the award. “This STEM grant for students at Louisiana Tech in Ruston will go a long way toward encouraging them to continue their important work to keep Louisiana at the forefront of innovation and technology.” LA TECH MAGAZINE | 33
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
COLLEGE OF
LIBERAL ARTS
SCHOOL OF DESIGN PAINTS THE TOWN RED A service-learning project for Tech students brightens Ruston Farmers Market. The Farmers Market partnered with the School of Design for a project that focused on students from a studio art class creating a mural on the outside wall of the Farmers Market’s new location on 220 East Mississippi Avenue in Ruston. “The mural will be part of revitalization and beautification of the space,” said Nicholas Bustamante, chair of studio art, who teaches the class. “The project began in early March when students met with the Ruston Farmers Market to talk about design ideas. It was important to showcase the items that would be available at the market.” Molly Butler, a member of the studio art class, said the experience helped her and her fellow 34 | LA TECH MAGAZINE
classmates learn about art in the community and about design issues that could arise with any project. “There were a lot of satisfying aspects with working on this mural, but I think the most rewarding facets were definitely the appreciation we received from the community, being able to watch the progress quickly take place, and also having the privilege of telling others that we were a part of completing such an awesome piece of art for Ruston,” added Butler. Bustamante said students were given a week to create detailed colored sketches to present to the client. A design direction was then chosen and developed, and students started painting on the wall in mid-March. “By bringing their art out of the studio and into the public realm, Bustamante and his students not only transformed the exterior wall of a building with color and imagery, but also helped transform the image of the Ruston Farmers Market and our historic downtown with a spark of joy, excitement and optimism,” said Karl Puljak, director of the School of Design. “Their work and dedication to this mural has left a long-term imprint on our community; what a valuable experience and a
valuable gift to leave behind. “I am so thankful for our University and for our professor, Nick Bustamante, for working so hard for the studio department at Tech to provide us with courses such as this mural class,” Molly said. “I would have probably never had the experience of participating in painting a mural had it not been for him. I never thought I would enjoy something like this, but he has opened doors for so many of us, and I am very thankful for that.”
ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS LAUNCH A WINNER The School of Design has set the bar high for itself through years of designing and building structures for organizations in Lincoln Parish. But somehow, the Architecture 335 students keep outdoing themselves. The School, in its third year of partnership with MedCamps, designed and built a “Hero’s Launch” – a fullyaccessible canoe launch that has much improved canoeing and paddle boating for campers. Nearly 20 students helped to make the structure a reality. MedCamps of Louisiana is a non-profit organization that provides a series of one-week fun-filled camps each summer for children in Louisiana facing the challenges of a variety of physical and mental disabilities. Each camping session is held at Camp Alabama in Sibley, which is a property of the Presbytery of the Pines. The canoe launch will accommodate all boating activities for the campers who attend MedCamps of Louisiana and guests of the Presbytery of the Pines.
LA TECH MAGAZINE | 35
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
TRI DELTA
ARRIVES THIS FALL
The Louisiana Tech Panhellenic Association,
point where another group was needed to
279,000 alumnae. The sorority’s Louisiana
composed of the members of the four National
accommodate all of the female students who
chapters are located at LSU, Tulane and the
Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sorority chapters
were interested in the sorority experience.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette. A program
at Louisiana Tech, has extended an invitation to Delta Delta Delta Sorority to colonize (establish a chapter) at Tech in the fall of 2016. Tri Delta joins other NPC member organizations on the campus—Alpha Chi Omega, Kappa Delta, Phi Mu and Sigma Kappa.
An exploratory committee was formed by the Panhellenic under the direction of Ashley Allen, Panhellenic Advisor, and Megan Franks, Panhellenic President, to determine the need to expand the system. Upon their recommendation, the Panhellenic began
unique to Tri Delta is its BodyImage 3D program that is a multidimensional approach to body image awareness and education as its members are taught to Live, Learn and Lead. The sorority is a philanthropic partner of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
Sororities did not have an easy beginning at
working through NPC’s Extension Committee to
Tech; until 1926, women were not allowed
announce the opportunity at Tech to the other
A new chapter presents significant leadership
to be included in Greek organizations. In
22 NPC groups.
opportunities for all Tech women; the Tri Delta
October of 1926, a club called The Torches was organized by faculty member Odette Alley, and after six months of probationary status, the group was recognized by the college. At that point – May 7, 1927, as Babe Ruth and the Yankees were beginning one of the most remarkable seasons of any big-league club in history – the club became Lambda Theta local sorority.
After receiving a highly positive response, the Panhellenic Extension Committee, composed of a collegiate and alumnae representative from each chapter, selected Tri Delta, Kappa Kappa Gamma and Zeta Tau Alpha to make on-campus presentations to the entire Panhellenic community. After the presentations, the decision was made by the Panhellenic Council to accept the
The group immediately began the process of
recommendation of the Extension Committee
petitioning a national sorority for membership.
to invite Tri Delta to colonize in the fall of
That was accomplished and on April 25, 1931,
2016 and, should conditions warrant a further
Lambda Theta became the Alpha Chi Chapter
expansion, to invite Kappa Kappa Gamma to
of Kappa Delta Sorority, the first chapter of a
colonize after the fall recruitment of 2019.
NPC member organization at Tech.
Each proposal was enthusiastically accepted.
In the meantime, several other strong local
Tri Delta conducted campus marketing and
groups were formed, and they, too, quickly
strategic planning throughout the spring and
were accepted for national affiliation; the
summer, and the colonization started with
Panhellenic was soon established, and one of
the completion of fall recruitment in
the Panhellenic’s first contributions was the
early September.
iconic Lady of the Mist statue, donated to the University by the sororities. The Panhellenic has continued to flourish over the years, and several of the chapters have been recognized as the most outstanding chapters in their national organizations.
Founded at Boston University in 1888, Tri Delta has 137 current chapters across the country with 18,857 collegiate members. The
After the formal recruitment in the fall of
sorority has
2015, the four sororities recognized that
more than
their membership had steadily grown to the 36 | LA TECH MAGAZINE
team is seeking women of all classifications as they establish the foundation for the new chapter. Colonizing chapters typically attract women who recognize the value of the lifetime sorority experience that includes academic, leadership, life skills and networking opportunities. NPC Sororities annually award millions of dollars in graduate and undergraduate scholarships and focus on developing a woman’s greatest potential. At Tech, the Panhellenic academic average is higher than the all-women’s average, and sorority members are leaders in all phases of the University. If you would like to learn more, visit the national website at TriDelta.org or contact The Louisiana Tech Panhellenic Association at (318) 257-4730.
A SHOT IN THE ARM FOR TECH Back row from left: Wesley Reeves, Dylan Jason, Ashley Vorenkamp, Megan Carroll Smalley, Nick McDonald, Kevin Hebert, Arthur Grimes Front row from left: Alex Bellone, Christiana Hayward, Lauren McCalmont, Frankie Pedigo (Not Pictured: Erin Haifley and Courtney Bundrick)
BIG DAY FOR UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF M.D. GRADS
As a proud Bulldog, Timothy Gilbert calls himself the “very unofficial voice for Louisiana Tech” at LSU Medical School in Shreveport, where he is the director of Quality Enhancement Plan/Faculty Development for Academic Affairs. Without his alert, we might not have known that this spring, an unprecedented number of Tech graduates received their Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from LSU Health Sciences CenterShreveport (LSUHSC). The 13 graduates on May 29 represented more than 10 percent of the graduating class. Each graduated from Tech between the Winter 2011 and Winter 2012 quarters.
applicants,” said Hebert. “Small class sizes and approachable world-class professors are two unique qualities Louisiana Tech provides. These characteristics were instrumental in learning a solid biology foundation needed to succeed in the medical field.”
medical school and residency,” she said. “The biomedical engineering degree I received from Tech gave me a strong foundation in critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork and communication. I feel that my time at Tech prepared me very well for medical school.”
Tech biomedical engineering graduate Megan Carroll Smalley will stay in Shreveport and LSUHSC for her internal medicine residency, a three-year program. Her husband, David Smalley, is also a Tech grad and engineer; he double-majored and received degrees in both chemical engineering and chemistry. The pair graduated in May of 2012, got married two weeks later and now live in Shreveport, where David is employed.
“I’m a pretty big fan of Tech athletics,” said Gilbert, whose wife, Marie, is an associate athletics director and chief financial officer for Tech Athletics. “But to me, this is an accomplishment in the same level as winning a conference championship or getting invited to postseason play. It’s big stuff, and I thought someone besides me would love knowing what Tech and these graduates have accomplished.”
“My experience at Tech was great and helped me build skills that I’ve used throughout
“I am just really proud of these fine young people, and they are going to continue to represent Tech very well as they scatter across the country to begin their residency training,” Gilbert said. “Some of them are placed in some of the most prestigious health care facilities in the country. I think it speaks not only to the quality education that Tech provides, but also the caliber of student Tech is attracting.” Those graduates include Kevin Hebert, who graduated from Tech in 2012 and who will be working at the Mayo Clinic and Hospital in Rochester. “The Department of Biology at Louisiana Tech fosters an environment that offers key advantages to medical school
From left: Wesley Reeves, Kevin Hebert, Nick McDonald, Dylan Jason, Arthur Grimes
LA TECH MAGAZINE | 37
FOUNDATION
FOCUS Donors to the Louisiana Tech University Foundation offer private gifts for a pure and public cause: to support the educational mission of the University. For information on how to be a part of the Foundation’s mission, call 800.738.7950. The University Advancement Office is implementing a comprehensive plan to raise funds for the five colleges, the University Fund (unrestricted gifts used primarily for scholarship support), and special programs and projects of Louisiana Tech University. It is our goal to acquire, renew and increase philanthropic support for Tech through annual gifts from alumni, friends, faculty, staff and parents.
PHONATHON CALL CENTER
BULLDOGS GIVE4GOOD DAY
BULL MARKET CROWDFUNDING
After a seven-year hiatus, the Bulldog Call Center at Marbury Alumni Center is up and running. This summer, 22 of Tech’s finest students called 8,418 alumni and asked them for an annual gift to their academic college or to the University Fund. This resulted in 1,095 total pledges and commitments of $125,061, with an average pledge of $114. Of these pledges, 263 were instantly fulfilled by credit card. Thank you if you spoke to our students during phonathon. If you want to make a gift or fulfill a pledge, visit LaTechAlumni.org. We will be calling again in January and February of 2017.
On May 3, 2016, Tech held its first 24-hour online giving day in conjunction with The Community Foundation of North Louisiana, and what a day it was! At 4 a.m., three students and two alums participated in KSLA’s live remote event in Shreveport. Later, on campus, the students, faculty, staff, Dr. Guice, Champ and Tech XXI celebrated in Centennial Plaza with a free event offering music, games, chips and salsa, and a photo booth. Throughout the day, there was a blitz of email and social media activity, and Tech alumni, students, friends and parents responded overwhelmingly with 291 gifts - the most of any of the 180 participating non-profits - and gave almost $24,000. With prize money for early morning participation and the Lagniappe Fund from local foundations, the check to the Louisiana Tech University Foundation was $25,474, all earmarked for scholarship support.
There’s a new way to invest in Tech. At our new crowdfunding website, Bullmarket.LaTechAlumni.org, alumni and friends will find a portfolio of blue-chip projects, all championed by our own students, faculty and staff. From new uniforms and instrument upgrades for The Band of Pride to sending Champ to Mascot Camp, the sky is the limit for investing in Louisiana Tech. Coming soon: light up the sky at the Planetarium with new renovations, plus, show your spirit by supporting the Loyal Blue Spirit Fund – a student organization that supports all things Tech.
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UNIQUE QUARTET HONORS PAST WITH INVESTMENT IN FUTURE FROM LEFT: MELBA SMITH, MARY CUNNINGHAM, FELICIA JACKSON, LAVERNE WILSON
THEY LEFT LOUISIANA TECH DECADES AGO. THEY’VE RETURNED WITH A SPECIAL GIFT FOR A TIMELESS REASON.
The Henderson sisters grew up 20 miles down the road from Ruston in Gibsland, hometown of longtime Louisiana Tech president F. Jay Taylor. Their father had dropped out of school before the 11th grade to help the family financially. He joined the military, earned his GED when his second daughter was graduating from high school, and was an electrician with what was then Louisiana Power and Light. Their mother was a nurses’ aide at Bienville General Hospital. That hardworking couple wanted to give their children the chance at the college education that their father never had. The means were limited; the desire was not. Because of that, and because the sisters ended up wanting it too, that dream became reality at Louisiana Tech. The proof is as close as their Tech diplomas: Melba Henderson Smith (math education ’74, master’s ’80), Mary Henderson Cunningham (music ’75, master’s ’82), Felicia Henderson Jackson (business administration ’78), LaVerne Henderson Wilson (elementary education ’80).
“When I was growing up, my father always told me I was going to college,” LaVerne said. “I didn’t concern myself with how we were going. I just knew he said we were going. Now, looking back, I appreciate my father even more for instilling that message in us at such a young age.” The quartet used their Tech degrees as starting spots toward long and successful, make-a-positive-difference careers. Each sister, because of the inspiration and encouragement from a hardworking mom and dad and from a University that cared for them, found lives filled with opportunity. Something they’d like others to have. And so, they’ve established The Henderson Sisters Scholarship. The quartet will allocate scholarships of $1,000 each - $5,000 per year to be used for five scholarships to pay for books and incidentals - for the next five years. That’s a $25,000 donation to the University they feel gave them a second start – after their parents gave them the original start. “This is a unique family, an unbelievable group of people; they still are,” said Bob Cunningham, who began dating Mary while both were Tech students; they married 41 years ago this past July. Cunningham earned his undergrad, master’s and doctoral degrees
from Tech. “Their dad was an uneducated man who stressed education, who insisted on it,” Cunningham said. “An amazing guy. When we got married, he gave us $1,000. I don’t know how, but he did. He wanted all his girls to have a good start.” “My husband’s a visionary,” Mary said. “Last year, he brought up the idea of giving something back to Tech. He had the thought of how rare it was, that four black girls from the same family from a small town and with hardly any money were able to attend college, have no real problems there, and graduate and have good careers. That was unusual for the time.” “Remember, this was 1969 and 1970 when we started school,” Cunningham said. “The Vietnam War. Civil rights movement. Lots of unrest. But nothing racial of any consequence happened to me or any of the girls. I just wanted to work and make a difference. Tech and the professors there saw that and helped me. “We’ve been blessed with so much,” he said. “We were taught to share. There are a lot of poor kids who need incidentals, books…if they can get $100 here and $500 there, it adds up. And Tech will get you where you want to go.” LA TECH MAGAZINE | 39
A PERFECT PLAN FOR YOU J.N. WALPOLE AND RUTH O’NEAL WALPOLE
A RUSTON FAMILY FINDS JUST THE RIGHT WAY TO HELP AND HONOR THEIR ‘OTHER’ FAMILY – TECH AND THEIR COMMUNITY
They met at what J.N. Walpole calls the “University of Choudrant” in the late 1930s, when seventh-grader Ruth O’Neal from the Sibley community joined J.N. and his classmates at their Choudrant school. After high school, both J.N. and Ruth graduated from Louisiana Tech in 1949, J.N. in business administration and Ruth in arts and sciences. They married in 1951, eventually settled in Ruston, opened Walpole Tire in a rented building in 1956, and this summer celebrated 60 years of business and 65 years of marriage.
40 | LA TECH MAGAZINE
The celebration included a huge party: The Walpoles’ four children were there and almost all of their 10 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. A quick glance at the walls of their Ruston home shows an expanding family: for group photos, the Walpoles burst through too-small 8-by-10 frames a long time ago. A few things have been a family constant during all these years of building a business and building a family. The Walpoles’ four children – Neal, Diane, Mike and Steve – would learn the value of education and work, and right-down-the-road Louisiana Tech would be a part of the family’s inspiration and entertainment. “If we all made straight A’s, mom and dad would take us bowling and to get a barbecue sandwich at Hoods,” said Mike. “There weren’t too many six-week periods that we missed.”
“We went to Tech football games in the old stadium,” Diane Walpole Hennigan said. “We grew up around Tech. I don’t think any of us kids ever considered going to school anywhere else.” Each of the children graduated from Tech: Neal (accounting ’74), Diane (education ’76), Mike (architecture ’79) and Steve (finance ’82). Seven of the 10 grandchildren graduated from Tech. And those 14 great-grands are waiting in the wings. “Tech has been so good to us,” said J.N., who only recently retired from a highly successful business that has and still does employ several members of his family tree. “We wanted to do something that would help the University and the people who have helped us.” “We’ve thought about doing something in the way of giving for a long time,” said Ruth.
They’d decided to leave a planned gift to Tech, then were made aware of other options. They wanted to actually see their money at work for students during their lifetimes. At the suggestion of their son Mike, and with guidance from the Tech Foundation staff, that wish is about to become reality. Mike, who as an architect has had a hand in conceiving or restoring several on-campus buildings, began several years ago contributing to an endowment that, when it reaches $60,000, will be “matched” with a $40,000 check from the state’s Board of Regents. That will create a $100,000 professorship benefiting Tech’s School of Design. While the fund is building, the annual proceeds are being used to award scholarships to architecture students. The gift is named in honor of his parents and his in-laws, Mr. and Mrs. Leamon Best, the parents of Mike’s wife, Pam. “When I started, I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to get there,” Mike said. “Taking a little step at a time enabled me to do it. The Lord really blessed me. Tech gave me the tools and also supported me in my career; that’s the basic reason I wanted to do it.
YOUR PLANNED GIFTS CAN SUPPORT LOUISIANA TECH TODAY, TOMORROW AND FOREVER. WILL YOU SUPPORT LOUISIANA TECH THROUGH A PLANNED GIFT? I WILL...
Some of the most common planned giving vehicles are: • BEQUESTS: You may name Louisiana Tech University Foundation as a beneficiary of your will. You may bequeath specified items, a specified amount or a percentage of your estate to Louisiana Tech University Foundation. • GIFTS OF LIFE INSURANCE: You can name Louisiana Tech University Foundation as a
“Mom and dad made a will several years ago; part of it was to leave $50,000, something like that, to Tech,” Mike said. “I told them about the state’s matching program, how that would work if they could get it to $60,000. Why wait until you die to do it? Do it now so you can see it working and enjoy it.”
$40,000 match of the Walpoles’ $60,000 gift to create scholarships for Lincoln Parish students who are the first in their families to attend college. “These are the children and grandchildren of our customers,” J.N. said. “The support of Lincoln Parish through the years is what’s made it possible for us to do this,” Ruth said.
TECH HAS BEEN SO GOOD TO US, WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING THAT WOULD HELP THE UNIVERSITY AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HELPED US.
“Once Mike became more informed, he got us interested and we made ourselves familiar with that option,” Ruth said. “Then, when we thought we could do that, we pursued it a little more.” “I’ve always told people,” Mike said, “that I’m the product of the smartest woman I know and the hardest-working man I know.” The Board of Regents will now provide a
beneficiary of all or a portion of the policy’s proceeds upon your death or you may give the policy to Louisiana Tech University Foundation, and the Louisiana Tech University Foundation could cash in the policy for its current value. • RETIREMENT PLANS: If you have a retirement plan, whether through your employer or your own IRA, 401(k), 403(b) or pension plan, you can select Louisiana Tech University Foundation as a beneficiary of the remaining balance. • FINANCIAL SERVICE PRODUCTS: If you have certificates of deposit or other accounts at a bank or financial institution, you can select Louisiana Tech University Foundation as the beneficiary of these accounts through a payable-on-death provision.
The Walpoles were hesitant to discuss this transformational gift. “They didn’t want to be commended,” Diane said. “They just wanted other people to know about the different ways to give.” So after talking it over with their children, the Walpoles decided that a personal story from them was the best way to inform and encourage others.
“There are several ways for people to contribute, including ways for everyday, ordinary people like us,” Ruth said. “And there are different ways to give and to control your gift to help others, but also to keep it most meaningful to you. “Hopefully,” she said, “this will encourage and enable somebody to go to college who otherwise might not have been able to go.”
• CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUSTS: A charitable remainder trust (CRT) benefiting Louisiana Tech University Foundation is an irrevocable trust that generates a potential income stream for you, as the donor to the CRT, or other beneficiaries, with the remainder of the donated assets going to Louisiana Tech University Foundation. • CHARITABLE LEAD TRUSTS: A charitable lead trust (CLT) is a type of irrevocable trust in which the donor sets a fixed annual gift for Louisiana Tech University Foundation. The donor requires the trustee to pay a certain amount of the income (the lead) to Louisiana Tech University Foundation for a specified period. At the termination of that period, the trust property passes to individual (non-charitable) remainder beneficiaries who could be the donor, the donor’s family members or other specified individuals. LA TECH MAGAZINE | 41
LAGNIAPPE
LADIES Lagniappe Ladies, Louisiana Tech’s ladies-only giving society, awarded 22 grants totaling $85,387 for the 2015-16 academic year. The generosity of the society will help faculty, staff and students in a wide range of areas, from South Campus hog pens to security to literacy materials. Athletics was gifted a SMART Board – think of a touchscreen, interactive “chalk” board – that will improve not only the student-athlete experience but also the tutors’ ability to teach; many of the tutors are pursuing careers in academics, so using the SMART Board will allow them to build on their teaching techniques and improve their resumes. “For our incoming freshmen, we’ll be able to hold group sessions and demonstrate for them how to use their Tech webmail, Moodle and our GradesFirst program,” said Thomas Graham, Academic Advisor for Football. “As we build our Life Skills program, we can use the board – it’s able to draw additional resources from the Internet – in small group sessions to cover areas like resume building, interview skills, banking, whatever we need to help prepare these student-athletes for life after Tech.” Professors Kimberly Kimbell-Lopez and Carrice Cummins, along with assistant professor Libby Manning, were granted $5,000 to purchase a number of materials that will be most beneficial to the establishment of The Literacy Center at Louisiana Tech. The College of Education can now “secure some initial diagnostic assessments to help pinpoint areas of concern for struggling readers and writers,” said Manning. “We’ll also be able to order a variety of leveled texts for comprehension instruction and secure hands-on materials and supplies for word study…and we can order literacy professional books that will be available both for circulation and for teacher and teacher candidate book study groups. All these things will be used by our teacher candidates and local teachers to assist those struggling readers and writers in area schools.”
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LEU STRANGE WILDER CLASS OF 1957
JAN O’NEAL MURPHY CLASSES OF 1974 AND 1987
SINCE 2009, LAGNIAPPE LADIES HAS AWARDED 110 GRANTS TOTALING MORE THAN $440,000. AWARDS FOR THE 2015-16 ACADEMIC YEAR:
$3,900
$5,000
$5,000
SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
DIVISION OF NURSING
NEWBORN AND PEDIATRIC NURSING
$4,995
$5,000
$5,000
SCHOOL OF HUMAN ECOLOGY
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTER
CENTER FOR HEALTHY CHILDREN
$4,981 SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND FORESTRY
$85,387
$4,948
TOTAL GRANTS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE ON BLINDNESS
$2,111
$5,000
$5,000
PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES CENTER
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION LITERACY CENTER
DEPT. OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS AND DEPT. OF CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION
$10,000
$3,700
$2,870
SCHOOL OF DESIGN
DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC
TECH CHORAL SOCIETY
$4,299
$5,000
$8,583
LOUISIANA TECH ATHLETIC ACADEMICS
ART AND SCIENCE COLLABORATION FOR MEDICAL ILLUSTRATION
SIX OTHER GIFTS
FACULTY AND STAFF WE LOVE
DR. DONALD
LEMIEUX I received my history degree from Louisiana Tech in 1970. I fondly remember many of my history professors, including Drs. Winters, Peoples, Bush and Monday. But one that I especially recall is Dr. Donald Lemieux. Dr. Lemieux specialized in Latin American history, but I had him for a Western Civilization survey class (History 102, as I recall). Back in
I did not understand until years later what he was doing. It was a form of teaching that harkened back to older times and a truncated version of the Oxford University tutorial system. Or as President James Garfield described his experience with a professor at Williams College, “The ideal college is Mark Hopkins on one end of a log with a student on the
those days, if a history major took a history course, that student was often required to do something extra that other non-majors were not required to do. Usually, it was reading and reporting on an extra book or writing a term paper. But Dr. Lemieux did something different.
other.” Dr. Lemieux must have done something right because I went on to complete my Ph.D. in history and had many great experiences along the way, but I will always remember my semester “on the log” with Dr. Lemieux.
Turns out I was the only history major in that survey class. He handed me his copy of John Herman Randall, Jr.’s “The Making of the Modern Mind.” Randall’s book had already become a classic 40 years before Dr. Lemieux introduced me to it in 1967. It is an intellectual history and a synthesis of the main currents in western thought from its Judeo-Christian beginnings to the Industrial Age, heavy lifting for a freshman.
I LEARNED A GREAT DEAL ... MORE THAN I EVER DREAMED I COULD LEARN OVER COFFEE AND A GREASY DOUGHNUT.
Every week for the remainder of the semester, Dr. Lemieux would assign me a specific chapter to read, and then after class one day a week, we would walk from Lomax Hall to the Tonk, get coffee and discuss the chapter for an hour. I was way out of my comfort zone as he often employed the Socratic Method. He was always probing, probing, probing. My anxiety aside, I learned a great deal from Dr. Lemieux that semester, far more than I ever dreamed I could learn over coffee and a greasy doughnut.
ABOUT DONALD LEMIEUX
Besides Dennis, among the other students Lemieux greatly impacted was former Tech vice president Dr. Ken Rea, who was influenced by Dr. Lemieux and Dr. John Winters to continue his education in graduate school. “I had so many excellent teachers when I was a student here that I wanted to continue that tradition,” Rea said.
About the author: Dennis Shockley (history ’70) is executive director of the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency. He holds a Ph.D. in history from Kansas State University. 44 | LA TECH MAGAZINE
THE INAUGURAL RING CEREMONY PRESENTS
THE LOUISIANA TECH RING We look forward to bringing this experience to campus as the University supports a more meaningful ring tradition for Bulldogs everywhere!
Grad-To-Be or Class of ‘66, find one that fits! To view the complete line of rings, visit balfour.com/latech or call 866.225.3687 for more details.
WHAT’S NEW WITH YOU? Do you have news to share in the What’s New With You section? We want to share the stories of your accomplishments and milestones. Photos are always welcome, too. Submit your information for What’s New With You at News@LaTechAlumni.org.
1968 Jack E. Byrd Jr., accounting, of Minden was honored as the Minden-South Webster Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year. He has served as a director of a bank for more than 40 years and has served as a bank president for the last 29 years. Byrd is currently president of MBL Bank in Minden.
1971 Robert M. “Bob” Thornton, mechanical engineering, of Albuquerque, NM, recently became the potentate of the Shriners in New Mexico, with oversight of the 850 members and Shrine Hospital for Children support for New Mexico. Bob retired from Intel Corporation in 2011.
1977 Jack Dailey, animal science, of Extension was winner of the 2015 Distinguished Service to North Louisiana Agriculture Award. He manages Boeuf Prairie Farm in Extension which has been in the Dailey family since the 1800s.
1979 Ray Scott Crawford, English (master’s English 1981, master’s speech 1982), of Bossier City received the Distinguished Director of a Play award and shared the Distinguished Sound Design award at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. He is the dean of Communication and Performing Arts at Bossier Parish Community College, and the theatre program received a total of seven awards recognizing their contributions to the school’s production of The Turn of the Screw. Floyd B. Sterling, electrical engineering technology, of Haughton recently received the Fellowship to the Institute for the Construction Specifications Institute award during the Construct Show and CSI Annual Meeting. Sterling works as a senior estimator for Shreve Land Constructors LLC in Shreveport.
1980 Joseph E. Doughty Jr., agricultural education (master’s botany), of Vidalia recently retired as a career service professional with AIG Financial Network.
1973 Jack T Taylor Jr. Accounting
Murphy USA Inc. Director Jack T. Taylor, a dedicated supporter of Tech’s College of Business, has been named to the National Association of Corporate Directors’ 2016 Directorship 100 list, which honors the most influential leaders in the boardroom and corporate-governance community.
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Robert “Bob” Terrell, business administration, of Houston recently joined Aquatic Engineering & Construction as regional manager. He has more than 30 years of experience in the onshore and offshore oil and gas industry.
1981 Suzanne Harper Stinson, secretarial science (business 1988, master’s business administration 1992, master’s industrial/ organizational psychology 1994), of Benton has been appointed to the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana. She was employed with the 26th Judicial District Court of Bossier and Webster parishes for 33 years before retiring.
1981 Kyle McDonald Finance
Kyle McDonald, founder and CEO of Argent Financial Group, one of the largest independent southern wealth management firms in America, received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in the Business Services category in the Gulf Coast Area.
1982 Ronda Jennings Taylor, elementary education (master’s elementary education 1989), of Springhill has been selected to serve as chamber manager for the Springhill-North Webster Chamber of Commerce. She recently retired after 33 years in the field of education.
1984 William G. “Bill” Campbell, journalism, has been hired as communications director for the City of Jonesboro, AR. He has worked for the Dallas Morning News, the News Star (Monroe) and the Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, MS.). He most recently served as information technology, business and entrepreneurial reporter and editor for the Tennessee Valley Publishing Company.
Blakely C. Dunn, general studies (architecture 1985), of El Dorado, AR, has been elevated to the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) College of Fellows, an honor awarded to members who have made significant contributions to the profession. Blake is president of CADM Architecture, Inc. in El Dorado. Carroll Rogé, journalism, of Tyler, TX, has been promoted to vice president of marketing and planning for the East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System.
1986 Edward “Skip” Santos, accounting, of Gretna has joined Churchill Stateside Group as senior vice president. He began his banking career at Hibernia National Bank in 1989.
1987 David Wallace, civil engineering (master’s civil engineering 1990), of Vicksburg was recently selected as chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Vicksburg District Design Branch of Engineering Division. He began his career with the District in 1990.
1989 Dr. James W. McGuffee, computer science, has been named dean of the School of Sciences at Christian Brothers University in Memphis, TN.
1990 Jason D. Smith, finance (master’s business administration 1995), of Bossier City has been named president and CEO of Citizens National Bank. Jason began his banking career in 1990 and joined Citizens National Bank in 1994.
David D. Stanford, finance, of Bossier City has joined LSU-Shreveport as Director of Admissions. Prior to joining LSU-S, he served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve for 30 years.
1991 Kyle E. Keller, master’s industrial/ organizational psychology, has been named head coach of Stephen F. Austin’s men’s basketball team. Kyle, who has 25 years of coaching experience, most recently spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Texas A&M.
Robert Vinet, mechanical engineering (master’s mechanical engineering 1999, civil engineering 2003), of Shreveport has been named AT&T’s regional director of external affairs for the north Louisiana region. He will play a key role in collaborating with community leaders, legislators and business leaders on new technology deployment and infrastructure investment.
1998 Ken James, master’s industrial/organizational psychology, of Tullahoma,
1996 Dr. Elaine Fontenot Molaison, master’s nutrition and dietetics, of Hattiesburg, MS, received The University of Southern Mississippi’s annual Higher Education Appreciation Day, Working for Academic Excellence Outstanding Faculty Award. She is professor and chair of USM’s Department of Nutrition and Food Systems. Eric Parnell, architecture, of Baton Rouge has been named building inspector for the city of St. Francisville. Eric owns ArchBoutant LLC, which specializes in building environments, code consultation and legal investigation. Dr. Lawrence Silver, master’s industrial/ organizational psychology (master’s business administration 1999, doctorate business administration 2000), of Melissa, TX, was recently named president of the Southwest Case Research Association. Dr. Silver is currently the John Massey Endowed Chair and professor of marketing at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
1997 Tom G. Russell, agricultural business, of Pineville was appointed as the 2016 president of the Louisiana Agriculture Industries Association (LAIA). Tom has served on the association’s board for the past two years.
TN, has been named chief executive officer of Tennova Healthcare-Harton. Ken has over 20 years of healthcare experience, and he last served as CEO of Poplar Bluff (MO) Regional Medical Center. Gwen Moseley Perkins, business education, of Southlake, TX, has been named an area superintendent of academic programs with the Denton Independent School District. She has been the executive director of human resources at Denton ISD for the past three years, and has also served as a principal and teacher for 12 years at schools in Keller and Denton.
1999 Reagan Roberts Smith, accounting (master’s accounting 2000), of Houston was promoted to chief financial officer at Murex Petroleum in January 2016.
2000 Gladys Adams Rhodes, computer information systems, of Dallas was recently promoted to director, mobile product management, with Hilton Worldwide. Gladys started her career at Hilton Worldwide in 2000 and has extensive experience developing award-winning websites and mobile apps for renowned global brands in the hospitality industry.
LA TECH MAGAZINE | 47
2001 Dr. Vince A. Miller, marketing (master’s industrial/organizational psychology 2004), of Statesboro, GA, has been named vice president of the Division of Student Affairs at Valdosta State University. Vince has more than 15 years of experience in higher education and most recently served as associate vice president for the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Georgia Southern University.
2002 Michelle Reed, journalism, of Lawrence, KS, has been named the 2016 winner of the American Library Association (ALA) Carroll Preston Baber Research Grant for her project entitled “Undergraduates Speak: Our Rights & Access.” Michelle is the undergraduate learning specialist for the University of Kansas Libraries.
Tracy L. Campbell, information assurance certificate, of Minden has been named vice president of business and technology at MBL Bank. He joined MBL Bank in 2013 as its information technology officer.
2010 Kyle Stadtlander, economics, of Shreveport has been named a 2016 Fellow by the Louisiana Chapter of New Leaders Council. Kyle currently serves as a commercial banking officer at Campus Federal.
2012 Chad D. Miller, civil engineering, of Beebe, AR, won the design contest for the new mascot for Arkansas State University-Beebe. Chad is the adviser of the Baptist Collegiate Ministries organization at ASU-Beebe. His artwork can be found on the Facebook page “Chad Miller Art.” Matt Nelson, finance (master’s business administration 2013), of Ruston has joined Husted Kicking as director of the South. Matt, who is the owner of Matt Nelson Kicking Academy, was a four-year starter at Tech and is currently a top free agent prospect for the NFL.
RETIREES Kathy Atkins – Food Service Specialist 2, Aramark Food Service – 27 years
Olevia McDonald – Project Coordinator, Human Ecology – 5 years
Larry Brister – Maintenance Foreman, Physical Plant – 33 years
Perry Wayne McNabb – Electrician Specialist Foreman, Physical Plant – 36 years
Kris Gililland, mechanical engineering, of Fort Worth, TX, has been promoted to the position of director of engineered products for KWS Manufacturing Co. Gililland has more than 10 years of experience in sales, engineering and management.
Ricardo Cerna – Rehabilitation Technologist Specialist, CREST – 14 years
David Lyle Merchant – Professional & Workforce Development Coordinator, Continuing Education – 7 years
Roody Herold, electrical engineering technology, of Brockton, MA, has been appointed chief information officer at JRI, a provider of trauma-informed care to children and families in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Debbie Forney – Administrative Program Specialist A, Property & Purchasing – 33 years
2003
2005 Matt K. Kubik, finance, has joined the University of Louisiana at Monroe as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Kubik is a former quarterback at Louisiana Tech.
2009 Daniel D. Browne, forestry, has been named state forest manager of Poison Springs State Forest by the Arkansas Forestry Commission. Browne has experience in forestry industry management, planning and procurement. 48 | LA TECH MAGAZINE
Susan Eller – Instructor, English – 14 years Robbin Evans – Food Service Specialist 5, Aramark Food Service – 34 years
Michael Forney – Administrative Supervisor 1, Physical Plant – 28 years Bonnie Frasier – Administrative Assistant 3, Admissions – 15 years Linda Kimble – Custodian Supervisor 2, Physical Plant – 33 years Henry Lawrence Gibbs, III – Associate Professor, Music – 27 years Mark Gibson – Director and Professor, School of Forestry – 35 years Janice Girouard – Rehabilitation Technologist Specialist, CREST – 5 years Kathleen Johnston – Professor, Physics – 24 years Eleanor Martin – Custodian 2, Recreation – 19 years
Jerry Donnie Owens – Director, Telecommunications Systems – 30 years Reginald Lee Owens – Associate Professor, Journalism – 19 years June Shaw – Accounting Supervisor 2, Comptroller’s Office – 31 years Jewelritt Sims – Custodian 2, Physical Plant – 15 years Donald Tatum – Specialized Lab Technician, IfM – 14 years Toni Troiano – Administrative Coordinator 2, Band Office – 5 years Sarah Webb – Administrative Assistant 2, School of Communication – 11 years Rosalind Williams – Custodian Supervisor 2, Residential Life – 29 years Peggy Carter Woodard – Assistant Professor/Museum Coordinator, Library – 21 years
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