PRESIDENT’S REPORT PRESIDENT
SPRING UPDATE 2019
The following report is testament to God’s faithfulness and blessings, and to an energetic team able to embrace a vision and implement it with enthusiasm. While grateful for measurable achievements, we anticipate the yet immeasurable positive impact that our Vision of Preparing Graduates and Transforming Lives has upon students who enter the marketplaces of the world with a Maturity of Intellect and Maturity of Character. Truly, such alumni can help change the world for God and the good.
- President Rick Brewer, PhD
ADVANCEMENT
• Since Oct. 2018, received $1,700,339 in restricted gifts and $3,368,796 in
unrestricted gifts totaling $5,069,135 given to the College.
• The Board of Visitors includes 176 members, whose $250,000 in annual
support goes wholly and solely to qualified students’ scholarships.
• Alumni groups meeting across the state include, Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Covington, Dallas, Houston, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, and Shreveport. • 2019 Homecoming is October 17-19. • Founders Day honors the legacy of Carroll and Elizabeth Hixson, Oct. 24.
SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES: Cavanaugh Campaign Legacy Society Board of Visitors 20/20 Plan
ENROLLMENT
• Total undergraduate retention Fall to Spring
‘17 to ‘18, 85% ’18 to ‘19, 94%
• Freshman retention from Fall ’18 to Spring ‘19 is 85%. • Freshman retention Fall ’17 to Spring ‘18 was 81%. • Enrollment has increased by 11% since Fall 2015. • Dual Enrollment increased 52% from Spring ’18 to Spring ‘19. • Increase of 12% in 2018 TOPS recipients over previous year. • Personalized campus visits by prospective students continue to increase. • Preview Days continue to set records with 100s of prospective students visiting
the campus annually.
• District Literary Rally drew 450 students from 21 CenLa high schools. • Hosted 2nd Future Business Leaders of America State Leadership Conference.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT ACADEMICS
SPRING UPDATE 2019
• May 4 Commencement, Rapides Parish Coliseum, with keynote speaker Mr. Jonathan Martin: Chairman, Martin Sustainable Resources. Anticipate conferring 250 degrees: AAS, BA, BS, BSN, BSW, BGS, MAT, MEd, and MSW. • LC and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary signed Memorandum of Understanding for 3+2 programs and collaborative curricular development. • Signed articulation partnership with Louisiana Community & Technical College System to offer qualified 2-year transfer students a seamless matriculation to LC for online/hybrid studies in Criminal Justice, Business, and RN to MSN. • Convergence Media students won top honors at 2019 Southeast Journalism Conference: 1st Place, TV News Reporting, Photojournalism, and Features; 2nd Place, Best Op/Ed Writer, Best Press Photographer; 3rd Place, Radio News Reporting; and 9th Place, Best Sports Writer. • Dr. Beth Christian -- Chair, Division of Media, Communication, and Theater -won First Place for podcasts on the National Federation of Press Women professional communication contest. • Wildcats Debate brought home a record 17 trophies in the 44th Annual Red River Swing Tournament held at Louisiana State University, Shreveport. • The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, with campuses in Virginia, the Carolinas, and Alabama, offers qualifed LC students guaranteed admission and early acceptance and will enroll them as Rocovich Scholars. • School of Education accredited by Teacher Education Accreditation Council. • Criminal Justice Program has a 100% pass rate on the Louisiana Municipal Civil Service Police exam. • School of Nursing & Allied Health is accredited by CCNE and by LA State Board of Nursing; is a member of the int’l Sigma Theta Tau nursing honor society. • Division of Allied Health has a 93% first-time pass rate on the NPTE licensure exam, and 100% of graduates are employed within 6 months of graduation. • Division of Business is one of only 19 US schools that earned the “Star” award from the International Business Honor Society. • Division of History & Political Science has a multi-year average of 95% for LC pre-law grads accepted into accredited law schools. • Division of Natural Sciences continues multi-year trend of placing 98% of applicants in medical schools in the US and abroad. • LC is recognized in several college comparison guides: U.S. News and World Report's America's Best Colleges; The Templeton Guide: Colleges that Encourage Character Development; America's Best Christian Colleges; and America's 100 Best College Buys.
PREPARING GRADUATES
PRESIDENT’S REPORT BUSINESS AFFAIRS
SPRING UPDATE 2019
• Hattie B. Strother Cafeteria summer/fall upgrades part of a $420K project, included floor and counter top replacements, painting, parking lot reconstruction, and installation of a new walk-in cooler/freezer. • New campus drive gate was completed at intersection near Tudor Hall to help protect students by limiting on-campus traffic. • Contracted to install a new 12.5-ton air conditioning unit to service two chemistry labs in Cavanaugh Hall; included new duct work and new ceilings for the labs. Funding of $121K from the ongoing Cavanaugh Hall campaign. • The multimillion dollar Guinn Auditorium renovation completed; included a redesigned ceiling, new side wall design and up lighting, new seating, new and modern finishes, front stage modifications, a new catwalk system and lighting upgrades, sound equipment upgrades and major hvac/control system overhaul. • The tornado in November caused extensive damage in the loss of 70 trees with almost no structural damage. The clean-up and minor repairs exceeded $225K. Thankfully, there were no injuries.
FAITH INTEGRATION
• Published 4th Edition of Faith Matters, a collection of essays by LC Faculty on
the value of Faith Integration with a Liberal Arts Education.
• Hosted 2nd Annual Values & Ethics Series, featuring Dr. Paul Nelson,
Senior Fellow, Discovery Instutute; Dr. C. Ben Mitchell, Special Assistant to the President, Union University; Dr. Wade Warren, LC Professor of Biology.
• Hosted 2nd Annual God in the Workplace Conference, featuring Dr. Richard
Blackaby; Dr. Emma Bush, Strategist/Consultant for Planning/Development, formerly of Prison Fellowship Ministries (Chuck Colson); and Mr. Blake Chatelain, President/CEO, Red River Bank.
• Hosted An Evening with Lewis and Tolkien: Of Wardrobes and Rings. • Taught staff and coaches key principles of Faith Integration using Dr. Richard
Blackaby’s book entitled, God in the Marketplace.
• Faculty read Saving Leonardo: A Call to Resist the Secular Assault on Mind,
Morals, and Meaning; discussed the book in monthly cross-disciplinary groups.
• Freshmen Evangelism Seminar during Welcome Week, led by Dr. Jerry Pipes. • Upperclassmen Evangelism Seminar led by Dr. Sean Keith. • The Jenkins Center for Evangelism and Missions sponsored: Fall and Spring
Revival on Campus; Missions Conference; BCM Mission Projects; Go Tell Crusade; E4 Preaching Conference; and LBC Disaster Relief Training.
TRANSFORMING LIVES
PRESIDENT’S REPORT ATHLETICS
SPRING UPDATE 2019
• Basketball, Men: Record 10-game winning streak (on the road). Tied for most regular season wins (19) since joining NCAA. Most wins since full NCAA membership. INDIVIDUAL HONORS: Kae’ron Baker (East Newcomer of the Year, East 2nd Team), Devon Washington (East 1st Team), Jaylen Rhone (East All-defensive), and Travis Schultz (HM* East, East Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year). • Basketball, Women: INDIVIDUAL HONORS: Jayla Landrum (East Freshman of the Year, East HM*, East All-Fresh), Kourtney McGhee (2nd Team East), Janae Smith (HM* East), RyDeja McQuarn (HM* East). • Baseball: Best record (18-5) in first 23 games. Established new winning streak record, ranked 14 (March 27). Deauton Delgado, 2nd no-hitter in program history vs. #11 Concordia. LC swept 3-game series with Concordia. • Football: First winning ASC record since 2014. Set single game record for offense vs. Howard Payne (750 yards). INDIVIDUAL HONORS: Drake Battaglia (1st ASC, 2nd All-Louisiana), Rathvon Williams (2nd ASC), Orel Ledet Jr (2nd ASC, HM* All-Louisiana), Julius Johnson (2nd ASC), Anthony Hargrave (2nd ASC), Matthew Guth (2nd ASC), Joshua Picket (HM* ASC), Terrance Garnett Jr (HM* ASC, 2nd All-Louisiana), Sam Phillips (HM* ASC), Aaron Woods (LC Outstanding Sportsman). • Soccer, Men: most wins since 2014; missed conference tourney by one game. INDIVIDUAL HONORS: Leo Urumovski (3rd ASC), Adam McKinstry (HM* ASC), Leo Osawa (HM* ASC), Gabriel G. Lopes (HM* ASC), Evan Barker (HM* ASC). • Soccer, Women: INDIVIDUAL HONORS: Haley Clark (HM* ASC), Bethal Chibesa (HM* ASC), Molly Edelman (HM* ASC). • Volleyball: More than doubled their wins from inaugural season. Won first home and conference games. Swept first conference opponent. INDIVIDUAL HONORS: Paola Salas Adorno (2nd ASC East, ASC East Newcomer of the Year), Jaslyn Bright (HM* East), Sadi Jones (HM* East), Paris Babino (HM* East). • Softball: Shelby Bergeron broke career stolen base record (77); now 102 (May 2). *Honorable Mention
NEW COACHES • MATT LeBATO, women’s head basketball coach, June 2018. • LaTONYA LOCHE, track & field and cross-country coach, July 2018. University of Tennessee graduate; degrees in sociology and criminal justice. At Lady Vols decorated with 12 All-American selections. • MICHAEL PRATHER, men’s assistant basketball coach, August 2018. • BARRY ROBERTS, softball head coach. Eight seasons as head softball coach, Robertsdale (Ala.) High School; won almost 200 games; 3 times Ala. Coach of the Year Class 6A; won three area championships. Graduate, Troy University and Alabama State University; NCAA official for more than 30 years. • Jeffrey Herr, head tennis coach.