LSU Alumni Magazine Spring 2025

THE MASTER PLAN’S TIGER WALK

connects the campus’ historic first-century quadrangle with planned second-century quadrangle

Behind the Scenes of Scholarship First

“LSU is poised to be the best construction management and engineering science program in the United States, and a top global leader. Improved campus infrastructure provides a platform to seize that opportunity. This is a booming industry in Louisiana and across the Gulf Coast. Many of our alumni are now leading companies that are shaping the future of the construction industry. Their generosity and shared vision have created the momentum that will yield a generational impact for Louisiana, Louisiana-based companies, and Louisianaeducated talent.”

LSU President William F. Tate IV with Art Favre, founder of Performance Contractors at the announcement of the vision for the new $107 million Construction and Advanced Manufacturing Building and the $15 million leadership gift from Favre, who graduated in the first Construction Management Class in 1972.

LSU Head Basketball Coach Matt McMahon, left, and LSU President William F. Tate IV, second from right, with LSU basketball signee Mazi Mosley and his parents, Tamiko and Jerry Mosley. Mazi Mosley is NBA Legend Magic Johnson’s nephew.

President Tate with Brian Gage and Camille Cronin, 2024 LSU Homecoming King and Queen.

Bess Casserleigh and Dixon McMakin with President William F. Tate and his wife, Kim Cash Tate, attending an LSU Football home game.

Fall commencement at LSU, held Dec. 19, boasted a record-setting 2,154 degrees conveyed at the university’s 318th commencement exercises. LSU President William F. Tate IV is seen here at the Summer 2024 commencement.

68 Sharika Mahdi tapped to create paintings for Disney’s ‘Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’

Sharika Madhi, an LSU alum and New Orleans artist, was commissioned by Disney for paintings used as inspiration for “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure,” a new Disney ride based on the movie “The Princess and the Frog” and borrowing from the life of the late Chef Leah Chase.

On the Cover – New Library Learning Commons and Construction and Advanced Manufacturing buildings join the now under-construction Our Lady of the Lake Interdisciplinary Science Building as part of The LSU Master Plan for Baton Rouge’s physical campus. As the center of the physical campus moves south, the new library will form a “knuckle” between the historic quadrangle and a new South Quad, forming beyond it. Take a tour of what’s on the horizon by traveling Tiger Walk.

Publisher LSU Alumni Association

Joe Carvalhido

President & CEO

Sally Stiel

Vice President

Marketing, Travel & Corporate Partnerships

Editor Chris Russo Blackwood

Editor Emerita

Jackie Bartkiewicz

Marketing Manager

Sarah Armstead

Tricia Reed

Advertising Sales

Art Director/Graphic Designer

STUN Strategic Creatives

Kimberly Mackey

Principal/Creative Director

STUN Strategic Creatives

Chuck Sanchez

Student Intern

Kate Beske

Contributors

Michael Bonnette, Barry Cowan, Brian Hudgins, Olivia McClure, V. Todd Miller, Marc Stevens

Photography

Eddy Perez, Katherine Seghers, Sarah Armstead, Aniya Hall, Brandli Greer, Sally Stiel, LSU Athletics, LSU Media Services, Amy Parrino, Chris Russo Blackwood, Mary Clare Trevison

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mark Kent Anderson, Chair Monroe, La.

James G. “Jimmy” Gosslee, Chair-Elect Shreveport, La.

Dr. Mario J. Garner, Immediate Past Chair Spring, Tx.

Dr. Jack A. Andonie, Director Emeritus Metairie, La.

J. Ofori Agboka, Carnation, Wash.

Michael B. Bethea, Madisonville, La.

David Braddock, Dallas, Tx.

Paul Buffone, Baton Rouge, La.

Dr. Corey Foster, Lake Charles, La.

G. Archer Frierson III, Shreveport, La.

Erin Monroe, Baton Rouge, La.

Lauren Olinde Hughes, Houston, Tx. R. Scott Jenkins, New Orleans, La. Dr. Louis Minsky, Baton Rouge, La. Jeffrey M. Mohr, Baton Rouge, La. Jady H. Regard, Lafayette, La. Bart B. Schmolke, Alexandria, La. Ilene Sheldon, West Hills, Ca. Michael Wascom, Naples, Fl. Michael Woods, Shreveport, La.

LSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the LSU Alumni Association. Annual donations are $75, of which $6 is allocated for a subscription to the LSU Alumni Magazine. Periodical postage paid at Baton Rouge LA and additional mailing offices.

The LSU Alumni Association is not liable for any loss that might be incurred by a purchaser responding to an advertisement in this magazine.

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© 2025 by LSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to LSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE, 3838 West Lakeshore Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808-4686

Letters to the editor are encouraged. LSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE reserves the right to edit all materials accepted for publication. Publication of material does not indicate endorsement by the magazine, the Association, or LSU.

LSU Giving Day is Wednesday, March 19

First and foremost, I would like to send congratulations to this year’s LSU Alumni Association Hall of Distinction inductees, including Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Gary M. Jones, our 2025 Alumnus of the Year; Lance Frank, Young Alumnus of the Year; Dr. Brent Bankston; U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy; and Ann Forte Trappey. They have distinguished themselves and the university through their careers, as well as their personal and civic accomplishments, volunteer activities, and loyalty to their alma mater. We are so proud to recognize these true Tigers. Each year, we look forward to hearing the great stories of the path each has taken to leave their tiger paw prints in their communities and beyond.

In this issue, we explore how LSU’s physical campus will evolve over the next decade, according to The LSU Master Plan. Read about the Library Learning Commons building, now in the design phase, which will be located more centrally in a new location. Additionally, there are articles about the Our Lady of the Lake Interdisciplinary Science Building, now under construction, and the recently-announced new Construction and Advanced Manufacturing building.

LSU is growing, physically and literally. This fall’s class of 2028 is recordbreaking. We look forward to working with them throughout their college journeys, through their post-college transition, and beyond.

LSU Giving Day is Wednesday, March 19th and is a day that is vital to the success of the future of LSU. We hope that you will support LSU on Giving Day, and we cannot thank you enough for your continued support!

Geaux Tigers!

Joe Carvalhido President/CEO

LSU Alumni Association AlumniLSU lsualumniassociation

Alumni Chapters LSU Football Watch Parties

Southwest Florida Chapter's First Event – Leona Huff hosted a watch party for the Southwest Florida LSU Alumni Chapter for the LSU vs. Alabama football game. It was the group’s very first gathering and the party was a huge success.

Caddo Bossier Chapter

Karen Peace, Drew Davis, Melissa and Charles Olivier

Teri Tallant Flash, Brad Peace, left to right, front row; and Mary Wright Gallagher, Karen Peace, and Charles Olivier, back row

Brad Peace and Margaret Heirs

Tim and Jamie Davis Kochakian

Kim Shepard Carter and Keith Carter

Chicageaux Chapter

North Carolina Chapter

Carolinas Chapter leaders Daphne Fontenot, Amber Stolpe, Tiara Lanskey, and Shannon O'keefe

Central Florida chapter hosts muliple fall events

The LSU Alumni of Central Florida chapter hosted several fall activities and events. Football Watch Parties were held at Brother Jimmy's BBQ throughout the season. In September the annual Scholarship Golf Tournament was held at Celebration Golf Club, which raised funds to support several scholarships.

The chapter also participated in 'Feast on the 50' in October at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, a one-of-a-kind tailgate on the field at Camping World Stadium featuring a night full of food, family and fun with alumni clubs from multiple colleges promoting their school spirit. Brother Jimmy's BBQ supplied food samples to the thousands of participants at the LSU tent while alumni volunteers promoted the LSU brand.

An LSU vs. Arkansas hosted football watch party was held at the residence of Mike McKenna and Anne Dill at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in October. Local Tiger fans enjoyed the gumbo provided by alumnus Ed Kochan.

The chapter also organized a road trip to the LSU versus the University of Florida football game in Gainesville in November. A private lot was reserved and Chelsea James, an LSU alum and resident of Gainesville, sponsored the Zaxby's tailgate food package along with some great BBQ smoked by her fiance, Boris Ochsenius. Joe and Jacque Ramsey traveled from Graham, Texas, for the football game, providing their custom LSU tailgate trailer with two 75" TVs and sound system. Former LSU Cheerleader Chico Garcia also participated.

Paul West, chapter president, and Debi West, past president, presented a $15,000 scholarship check at the LSU Alumni Association Annual Meeting and Past Presidents & Chair Luncheon in November. Scholarship funds raised over the last ten years now support three LSU Alumni of Central Florida permanent scholarships. The chapter spans 10 counties in Central Florida.

Kelly Nielson, Austin Havekost, Kasey Havekost, Paul West, and Ben Ladouceur

Brother Jimmy’s Watch Party with alumnus Jim Rathmann

Lake Nona Watch Party At the University of Florida game tailgate

Tailgating at the University of Florida game with Chico Garcia, former LSU cheerleader

“Feast on the 50” set up crew

Collegiate Club

Enjoying the LSU Alumni Association Collegiate Club football watch party in November are

Tiernan Dautle and Brittany Ernest, left photo, and Parker Guidry, Brad Miller, Jack Carver, and Tiernan Dautle, right photo.

Tiernan Dautle and Brittany Ernest

Parker Guidry, Brad Miller, Jack Carver, and Tiernan Dautle.

LSU Alumni Association holds annual meeting

The LSU Alumni Association held its Annual Meeting and Past Presidents and Chairs Recognition Luncheon on Nov. 7 at the LSU Lod Cook Conference Center.

Dr. Mario J. Garner, board chair, called the meeting to order. Officers appointed and elected included Mark Kent Anderson, Jr., chair and District 6; James Gosslee, chair-elect and District 5; Joe Carvalhido, president; Shannon McConnell, treasurer; and Christy Mayeux, secretary.

Directors elected for three-year terms were James Gosslee, chair-elect and District 5; Jeff Mohr, District 1; Jady Regard, District 3; Corey Foster, District 4; J. Ofori Agboka, at large; Lauren Hughes, at-large; Ilene Sheldon, at large; Rori Smith, at large; Michael Wascom, at large; and Bowen McCullough, at large.

Frances Grant and Kenneth Driggers were recognized as employees of the year.

Dr. Mario Jr. Garner with Kathy Fives, outgoing board member and former chair

Jean Pierre Chaze presents check from Baton Rouge Chapter to Mary Clare Trevison

John Russell and Stacey Cloud of the DeSoto Parish Chapter present check for scholarship fund to Mary Clare Trevison

Leo Hamilton, outgoing board member, with Dr. Mario J. Garner

Leo Hamilton, Gordon Monk, Cliff Vannoy, Tracy Jones, Dr. Charlie Roberts, and Joe Carvalhido

Frances Grant receives Employee of the Year Award from Dr. Mario J. Garner

LSU Alumni Association announces new board members

Michael Wascom and Ilene Sheldon have been elected to the LSU Alumni Association board of directors as at-large members.

Wascom is the executive vice president of Reputable, a public relations agency. Previously, Wascom served as senior vice president of The Moak Group, a public affairs, marketing, public relations/ strategic communications, digital media, and advocacy firm, and as managing director of government and international affairs at American Airlines. Before that, he was appointed to two senior positions at the U.S. Department of Transportation: counselor (chief of staff) to the under-secretary and deputy assistant secretary for governmental affairs. Wascom was also head of congressional affairs at the national headquarters of the American Red Cross and held two positions at Airlines for America, the nation’s oldest and largest airline trade association.

Ilene Sheldon of West Hills, Ca., is managing shareholder at Hallett, Emerick & Sareen and serves as corporate secretary of the Calabasas office. Previously, she was commodore of the Pacific Corinthian Yacht Club board of directors, having served as vice commodore, rear commodore, and judge advocate.

Michael Wascom

Ilene Sheldon

Looking back at 2024 Our Year In Numbers!

The LSU Alumni Association is proud to reflect on an incredible 2024, filled with milestones, continued growth, and a deepened commitment to connecting Tigers across the globe. With a focus on engagement, networking, and future-focused programming, the association reached new heights in its mission to unite and support LSU alumni and students.

10,000+ ALUMNI REUNITED

These events were more than just numbers on a calendar; they were opportunities to bring people together. More than 10,000 alumni participated in these events, sharing their stories, career journeys, and love for LSU. Whether they graduated decades ago or just last year, these Tigers found common ground and renewed their connection to the purple and gold.

100+ ALUMNI EVENTS ACROSS THE NATION

Throughout the year, the LSU Alumni Association and its affiliated chapters hosted more than 100 networking, chapter, and engagement events. These gatherings brought Tigers together in cities across the country, offering opportunities to reminisce, reconnect, and forge new relationships. From game-day watch parties to professional networking events, the calendar was packed with ways to celebrate and reignite the Tiger spirit.

$1.4m RAISED HERE ARE THE STANDOUT NUMBERS THAT DEFINED THIS YEAR:

Thanks to the generosity of our alumni and supporters, the LSU Alumni Association raised more than $1.4 million in contributions in 2024. These funds are directly reinvested into alumni programming, networking opportunities, and engagement events that ensure the LSU community continues to thrive.

31,000+ JOBS POSTED ON LSUTIGERNATION.COM

The LSU Alumni Association’s online platform, LSUTigerNation. com, remained a powerhouse for professional networking and career advancement. With more than 31,000 job postings added in 2024, the site continues to be a vital resource for alumni seeking to grow their careers and connect with fellow Tigers in the workplace. The platform’s emphasis on “Tigers helping Tigers” embodies the strength of our network.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Behind these impressive numbers is a larger mission: to foster a culture of support, connection, and pride among LSU alumni. Each event hosted, dollar raised, and opportunity provided contributes to a stronger Tiger Nation. By reconnecting alumni, facilitating professional growth, and investing in the next generation, the LSU Alumni Association ensures that the Tiger legacy continues to flourish.

LSU Alumni Association holds Scholarship Banquet

The university’s top scholars – Chancellor’s Alumni Scholars, Flagship Scholars, and Global Leaders – and the donors who funded these scholarship awards, were recognized at the annual Scholars Presentation & Reception last fall at the Lod Cook Alumni Center.

The LSU Alumni Association houses more than 400 undergraduate scholarships, awarded annually at this banquet, where donors have the opportunity to meet their scholarship recipients.

The LSU Graduation Celebration Soirée at the Lod Cook Alumni Center ushered in the holidays. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who came out to network with LSU Alumni and LSU graduating seniors! Among those attending were Joseph Liberto, LSU student body president; other student government officers; and Brian Gage, LSU homecoming king.

For more information about the LSU Recent Grad program, please visit lsualumni.org/recentgrad.

Brian Gage, Joseph Liberto, Nicole Monceaux, and Emma Moore

Scholarship donor Jim Bollinger with Mike the Tiger

Bradley Miller and Dayton White

Scholarship donors Mary and John Boston

Mike the Tiger, Alli Gross, and Dr. Mario J. Garner

Mike the Tiger, Kailah Brooks, and Dr. Mario J. Garner

Joseph Liberto

Mike the Tiger, Sam Dinshaw, and Dr. Mario J. Garner

Traveling Tigers

The LSU Traveling Tigers traveled to Orlando and Gainesville to cheer on the Tigers as they took on the Florida Gators. While the game outcome wasn't what we hoped, travelers made the best of their trips by attending multiple amusement parks over the weekend, a breakfast tailgate in Orlando, and were treated to an exclusive pre and post-game overview with LSU alumnus, and Guaranty Radio Vice President and General Manager Gordy Rush on the bus ride. The LSU Alumni of Central Florida also hosted a tailgate minutes from the stadium for visiting fans to join in the fun once on campus!

The Traveling Tigers shared an incredible experience at the LSU vs. Grambling Women's Basketball game in Bossier City. The passion and energy of our Traveling Tigers no doubt aided in a win for the Tigers!

Elliot Frame (4), Colleen Wesley Frame, Madison Frame (8), Kathy Wesley, Jane Wesley (4), Blake Wesley, and Harper Wesley (5) at DisneyWorld Ryne Smith, Bryan Wesley, and Paul Hattenstein

Gordy Rush

Kathy Smith, Jimmy and Cecile O’Sullivan

Cliff and Judy LeMaire

Sally Rose and Kathy Touchet

Texas Bowl – LSU fans rang in the New Year in Houston as the LSU Tigers Football team beat Baylor to win the Texas Bowl on New Year’s Eve. The celebration began pre-game at the LSU Alumni Association Tailgate Party, where guests enjoyed brunch and libations on a beautiful day outside NRG Stadium.

Young Alumni Advisory Council Engages with young alumni

Bowen McCulloch (BACH SCI 2014, MAST BUS 2017), a Shreveport native, is a managing consultant in the commercial sector financial services practice at Guidehouse Inc.

He has been active in the LSU Alumni Association since his graduation. After being a part of the chapter in Austin, he was excited to join the Young Alumni Advisory Board (YAAC) because he wanted to meet other young alumni and become a voice for them.

In 2019, the LSU Alumni Association established YAAC under its strategic plan to improve engagement with young alumni and guide future initiatives.

Members can connect with their alma mater and network with fellow alumni. They can also work to support young and future alumni in building stronger connections with each other and the university.

McCulloch says he gives a unique perspective because he can cross all streams of the LSU Alumni Association. He is currently serving on the association’s Board of Directors, as chair of the YAAC, and as president of the Austin Chapter.

He says he enjoys getting alumni plugged into activities, networking, and job opportunities. When it comes to being a part of the council, McCulloch says, “You get out what you put in.”

A primary benefit he’s gotten out of his membership in the council and the Alumni Association is that he can meet LSU alumni in new cities.

“Once you graduate and move away, you may know some people in a new town because they went to LSU,” McCulloch says.

McCulloch currently resides in Austin with his wife Sasha, son Daniel, and their German Shepherd, Gumbo.

Council members meet four times a year, three times via conference call and once in person, serving as a group to provide insight and feedback on young alumni's engagement, development, and fundraising.

Bowen McCulloch

EXAMINING LSU’S LIVING MASTER PLAN

BY CHRIS RUSSO BLACKWOOD

TIGER WALK

Imagine a path wide enough for bikes, scooters, and pedestrians to share that cuts a north-south passageway through the LSU campus.

Beginning at the south gates of LSU near Highland Road, across to the Business Education Complex and Patrick Taylor Hall, Tiger Walk will weave through this South Academic and Research District, alongside the newly forming South Quad around the new Library Learning Commons and onto the Historic Core of the campus. From the west side of this “Old Quad,” Tiger Walk will continue past the Campus Mounds, through the Enchanted Forest, and end at LSU’s north residential district.

Tiger Walk is part of LSU’s Master Plan, approved in 2017, and continuing as a “living” plan, constantly refined based on the anticipated needs of the university. Although Tiger Walk will likely be completed in sections as adjacent buildings are built and/or renovated, the path provides a good way to look at the changes and updates underway at LSU’s physical campus.

The Our Lady of the Lake Interdisciplinary Science Building is under construction, and recently, there have been announcements of a new Construction Management and Advanced Manufacturing Building and a new Library and Learning Commons in a new location (which replaces the current library).

While these new buildings are exciting, the renovation of historic and current structures is equally important, along with streetscapes like the recently completed Field House Drive.

THE MASTER PLAN

The current LSU Master Plan, approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors in 2017, followed two years of data collection and analysis to develop this comprehensive and strategic plan.

“At the time, it was the most comprehensive plan (among universities) in the previous decade across the country,” says Roger Husser, Jr., author of The Master Plan, in his previous capacity as LSU assistant vice president for Planning, Design, and Construction. Husser spent 28 years at LSU and is now assistant commissioner and director of Facility, Planning, and Control for the Louisiana Division of Administration.

“I’m still involved with the same projects, just in a different capacity.”

Husser adds that what’s unique about The Master Plan is the Strategic Capital Plan, which prioritizes renovation and new construction. That plan also drives the capital outlay requests every year. Building restorations since the plan was implemented include Memorial Tower, the Huey P. Long Fieldhouse, the Studio Arts Building, the Food Science Building, and Patrick Taylor Hall, which, with the latest addition, became the largest educational building in the United States and the largest engineering building in the world.

Current master plan, spring 2025

THE LIBRARY LEARNING COMMONS: THE “KNUCKLE”

BETWEEN THE OLD AND THE NEW

As you meander on Tiger Walk along the side of Patrick Taylor Hall, passing its side-arched facade, you will approach the currently under-design Library Learning Commons, which should be under construction by the end of 2026.

“The big story is that this new library is at the intersection of the old quad, approaching 100 years old, and this new, second-century quad (called South Quad). It’s at the knuckle, where it pivots to be on axis with this new quad,” says Greg LaCour, director of LSU Campus Planning. “We want to invite people in. There will be a café there. Passing through, you will walk under a protected arcade as you meet up with Tiger Walk, which takes you across South Campus Drive toward the existing quadrangle."

Read more about the new Library Learning Commons on Page 24.

OUR LADY OF THE LAKE INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE BUILDING (ISB)

Moving toward the “Old Quad” on Tiger Walk, you’ll pass the OLOL ISB, set to be complete by the end of 2025. It is a four-story building housing a 260-seat tiered lecture auditorium, designed to be “turn to teach.”

“There are stepped tiers and two rows of students per tier,” explains LaCour. “Students on the front row will be able to turn around and team with the people behind them at their desktops. Turn to teach is a new form of instruction where you have a stadium-like classroom but you can still allow students to gather in small groups and work on a problem. This will be the first one on campus.”

Additionally, the building will house four active learning physics classrooms and two floors of first-year chemistry and first-year biology classrooms. The fourth floor will have research labs with an “open lab” shared space.

“The bigger idea is that this building will have a Phase 2,” says LaCour. “In order to expand the science building, we need to compensate for classrooms lost if and when current classroom buildings like Tureaud and Lockett are impacted. It could be that Tureaud stays and we build over the top of it. Lockett and Tureaud are the most used for scheduling classes and in order to expand in the future, we need to ensure that appropriately sized classrooms for today’s pedagogy as needed by the Registrar are built to accommodate future changes. Classrooms have to be built in all future buildings to allow the campus to grow and still be effective in teaching students.”

Read more about the OLOL ISB on Page 26.

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING BUILDING

If you veer off Tiger Walk in the soon-to-be-formed South Quad, the Construction Management and Advanced Manufacturing Building will be the first of seven new buildings planned here. This L-shaped building will be near Tiger Stadium and adjacent to the Public Safety Building.

Read more about this building on Page 28.

THE OLD “FIRST CENTURY” QUAD

Once the Library Learning Commons is complete, the old library, built in the late 1950s, will be torn down, returning this area to its original cruciform shape, designed by the Olmsted Brothers in the early 1900s.

“The library’s not only out of place architecturally, it’s not in the middle of the campus anymore,” says Husser. “It’s been a long-standing plan to do this. The 2003 Master Plan showed the demolition of the library and building a new library. What’s new is that it is now happening.”

The Master Plan’s Capital Outlay list also prioritizes addressing deferred maintenance projects, including building renovations.

“Everyone gets excited about new buildings but I know, as an alum, I get excited about renovating buildings I took classes in, like Studio Arts, the Fieldhouse, Pleasant Hall, and Dalrymple Hall,” says Husser. “People are interested in fixing things they have an attachment to.”

Paul Favaloro, interim executive director of LSU Planning, Design, and Construction, is excited about Act 751, which was legislatively established to fully fund deferred maintenance to all higher education institutions, including LSU’s Baton Rouge campus, over the next 10 years.

“The uniqueness of Act 751 is it allows us to look at a facility as a whole. In the past, we allocated deferred maintenance money to specific systems. If an air conditioning system in a building needed repair and/or the roof needed replacing, we addressed those systems specifically and usually independently, we fixed it. Now, under Act 751, we can look at a building as a whole. If there is a significant level of deferred maintenance need in a building with multiple systems needing repair, we can consider performing a complete renovation of the building to bring it up to today’s standards and reset the life cycle of the facility.”

The Historic Quad conceptually returned to its original cruciform design

DOMINOES HAVE TO FALL FIRST

“In order to build a new library, just as with the Interdisciplinary Science Building, a lot of advance work needs to happen to prepare the site,” explains Favaloro. “Currently, six buildings on that site need to be removed in order for the library to be built and utility work to be performed there. We’ll take down two Mass Comm buildings there, and we’ll relocate those students to the east wing of Pleasant Hall,”

Current plans call for the renovation of Pleasant Hall to begin in Fall 2025. “Electrical Engineering will have to be relocated to Jesse Coates Hall, but in order to do that, biology classes in Jesse Coates Hall will have to be relocated to the fifth floor of the Chemistry and Materials Building, which will undergo renovation beginning in 2025.” (Biology will eventually be located in the new ISB Building.)

MILITARY SCIENCE AND CYBER SECURITY

“Another project that is closely following is Military Science and Aerospace Studies, which is eventually moving into the Louisiana Emerging Technology Center (LETC). LSU Continuing Education (now located in LETC) will move offcampus with a presence in the Pleasant Hall annex, which starts renovation in 2025,” explains LaCour.

Military Science will then be connected to the building next door, housing the CyberSecurity Ops Center.

“We will reinforce that connection for those two programs to work together,” says LaCour.

FIELDHOUSE DRIVE

“It’s not only about buildings, it’s also about streets and transit,” explains Husser. “Fieldhouse Drive, finished this fall, includes not only the road, but landscape and lighting. That whole streetscape was a huge concept of The Master Plan.”

Fieldhouse Drive

DIZZY YET?

Constant evolution is a mainstay for those in LSU’s Planning, Design, and Construction. As Favaloro explains: “We’re not just thinking of today; we’re always thinking of tomorrow.”

LSU’S NEW LIBRARY LEARNING COMMONS

A team of architects, contractors, and planners has been selected to design LSU’s Library Learning Commons. This team, led by EskewDumezRipple (EDR) and Coleman Partners, includes the internationally recognized architecture firm Perkins&Will, whose “Libraries: Design for Exploration and Connectivity” lookbook illustrates their library design philosophy and describes a selection of their previous library projects.

This EDR/Coleman partnership completed the Library Learning Commons planning project. It will likely take 12 or 18 months for them to complete the designs for the roughly 200,000 sq. ft. building. Fundraising is underway, and construction is set to begin in 2026.

It's too early to speculate when the doors might "open," but it’s not too early to imagine what students and faculty will experience once they step inside: books and journals, certainly, but also modern technologies with support from expert staff. They will encounter spaces that support

every imaginable form of learning and creation, ranging from intensely quiet individual study environments to dynamic areas ideal for peer tutoring. They will work in state-ofthe-art classrooms and shape-shifting collaborative spaces that will adapt to a constant stream of students from every discipline. They will be able to break into the building’s café.

In September, LSU took to its social media accounts, teasing renderings of a new main library. Users had the option to vote for two looks the new library could have. A third option gave users a protest vote, telling the university to go “back to the drawing board.” More than 5,000 votes were cast.

The new Library Learning Commons will be built between South Campus Drive and South Stadium Drive, forming “the knuckle” between the Old Quad and the newly-forming South Quad.

LSU’s current main library was built in 1959. Its removal and the proposed new library first appeared in LSU’s Master Plan of 2003.

The new Library Learning Commons will be more centrally located

WILDER ELECTED TO ASSOCIATION OF RESEARCH LIBRARIES BOARD

Stanley Wilder, the Kathleen and Joel Ory Dean of LSU Libraries, has been elected to serve on the board of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) from 2025-2027. ARL is a nonprofit organization of 127 research libraries in Canada and the United States, 69 of which are members of the Association of American Universities (AAU).

According to Wilder, “ARL has an invaluable perspective to offer national and international higher education conversations, with an excellent network of partner associations and agencies. ARL’s commitment to advancing the values of research libraries enhances LSU’s ability to tackle both current and emerging challenges in supporting the success of faculty, students, and the open information environment essential for research and learning.”

He will serve as one of eight board members and is an active researcher and speaker. In 1994, he served as a Visiting Program Officer for ARL and has been publishing his research on the demographics of research librarianship ever since. He has also published many papers relating to collections and library technologies, in addition to his controversial critique of the literature on information literacy, which was published in the Chronicle of Higher Education in 2005.

Wilder’s journey in library science began when he earned his MLS at Columbia University, after completing a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin. After graduating from Columbia, he earned an MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he also launched his professional career as the Architecture and Art Library manager.

Later, he joined LSU Libraries and spent a decade serving in various leadership roles. He started as an assistant to the dean for administrative services and later became the assistant dean for technical and financial services. Following this, he spent another ten years at the University of Rochester, initially as an assistant dean and subsequently as an associate dean. During his tenure there, he helped win and lead a series of large-scale software development grant projects.

In 2009, Wilder took on the role of university librarian at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. Then, in 2014, he returned to LSU as Dean of LSU Libraries, bringing his extensive experience and leadership back to the institution.

His new role in ARL promises to enhance LSU’s engagement with cutting-edge developments in the library and information science landscape.

Stanley Wilder

LSU OLOL INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE BUILDING UNDER CONSTRUCTION

$148 MILLION, 4-STORY FACILITY SLATED TO OPEN IN FALL 2025

LSU broke ground in March, 2024, on the Our Lady of the Lake Health Interdisciplinary Science Building, having achieved a $148 million funding goal to expand research and teaching laboratories in science fields.

Once constructed, the new building will be a nearly 150,000-square-foot, four-story epicenter for academics, research, and industry collaboration, able to accommodate as many as 1,150 students, faculty, and researchers at a time. The facility is located at the corner of South Stadium Drive and Tower Drive on LSU’s flagship campus in Baton Rouge, with a projected opening of late fall 2025. The new building was designed by EskewDumezRipple and will be constructed by MAPP.

The premier facility is the university’s top capital priority for catalyzing its vision for the future of STEM education, research, and impact. Led by a $15 million investment from Our Lady of the Lake Health and a $10 million investment from LCMC Health, LSU donors contributed $43 million.

The State of Louisiana directed $105 million in funding to the project.

Amidst the growing national demand for STEM graduates, the LSU College of Science has experienced five consecutive years of enrollment growth. Additionally, the college’s faculty teaches students in every major, accounting for almost one-quarter of all student credit hours at LSU and roughly one-third of total instruction for freshmen and sophomore students.

The Our Lady of the Lake Health Interdisciplinary Science Building will support five focus disciplines: biological sciences, chemistry, geology and geophysics, mathematics, and physics and astronomy. The building will increase the college’s lab space, accelerating the timeline to graduation for students in highly sought-after STEM fields, and will include technology-rich active learning classrooms, formal and informal collaborative workspaces, and a dedicated interdisciplinary research institute.

Crucial to LSU’s bold, solutionsfocused research goals, the Our Lady

Our Lady of the Lake Health Interdisciplinary Science Building groundbreaking, March 2024

Photo credit: Eddy Perez, LSU Office of Communications & University Relations

of the Lake Health Interdisciplinary Science Building will be a central hub for LSU faculty and students across science disciplines to collaborate on nearly $37 million in annual research awards. Every dollar of LSU research produces approximately $2.91 within Louisiana; each year, the College of Science’s research has an economic impact of more than $100 million for Louisiana alone. The economic impact of the college’s research activity will

surpass the cost of construction in just the first 18 months.

The full scope of the project included the demolition of the LSU Dairy Store and its temporary relocation to 118 South Campus Drive until the store makes its final move to the new science building. The nearby LSU AgCenter Animal and Food Sciences Laboratory Building will also be renovated as part of the project.

LSU PRESIDENT TATE ANNOUNCES NEW

CONSTRUCTION AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING BUILDING

LEADERSHIP GIFT

LSU marked the final day of President William F. Tate IV’s statewide fall bus tour by announcing the vision for a new $107 million Construction & Advanced Manufacturing Building and a $15 million leadership gift from Art Favre, founder of Performance Contractors and a graduate of the first LSU construction management class in 1972.

Already recognized as one of the top construction management

programs in the country, LSU’s Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management is on the verge of becoming a world-class leader in the field. The new building will enable LSU to accomplish that goal, providing additional lab and faculty space and increased capacity for advanced manufacturing and machining.

LSU’s construction management program is vital to Louisiana, where the construction industry is projected to grow 14.3% by 2030, and to the

LSU Construction Management Class of 1972, including Art Favre (first row, sixth from left), Eddie Rispone (first row, seventh from left), and Pepper Rutland (second row, fourth from left).

Conceptual drawing: Construction & Advanced Manufacturing Building

LSU MEDIA SERVICES

Gulf Coast, which has a construction backlog estimated between $60-80 billion. Nearly 70% of LSU construction management graduates remain in-state after graduation, and 75% of spring 2024 graduates are now working in the commercial or industrial sectors of the industry.

The Construction & Advanced Manufacturing Building will be located on South Stadium Drive, across the street from Tiger Stadium. It will be the home of construction management, which will relocate from Patrick F. Taylor Hall, and will offer new and enhanced labs for research that will address challenges in construction. The new building will also free up space in existing facilities to accommodate projected growth in allied engineering departments. From 2021-23, the construction industry was the top employer of LSU mechanical and electrical undergraduate engineers among those who participated in a post-graduation employment survey.

The new building is part of a comprehensive vision for intensifying LSU’s construction education and research by seeking approval for a dedicated School of Construction. This critical infrastructure project is pivotal to achieving this vision and expanding LSU’s overall engineering corridor, aiming to ensure Louisiana remains a leader in industrial construction and manufacturing. It will boost the state’s economic future, prepare students to meet the needs of tomorrow’s workforce, and

continuously create innovations that solve industry challenges.

“LSU is poised to be the best construction management and engineering science program in the United States, and a top global leader,” Tate said. “Improved campus infrastructure provides a platform to seize that opportunity. This is a booming industry in Louisiana and across the Gulf Coast. Many of our alumni are now leading companies that are shaping the future of the construction industry. Their generosity and shared vision have created the momentum that will yield a generational impact for Louisiana, Louisiana-based companies, and Louisiana-educated talent.”

LSU seeks to raise $75 million in philanthropic support for the project by spring 2026, with $36.3 million given to date by donors. During the 2024 Legislative Session, the State of Louisiana approved $32 million in capital outlay funds to meet the project cost of $107 million.

Leading donor gifts made to date are Favre’s; a $7.5 million investment by MMR, founded by Pepper Rutland, also a graduate of the first LSU construction management class, and a $5 million investment by Cajun Industries, founded by LSU civil engineering alumnus Lane Grigsby and now led by fellow LSU graduates Todd Grigsby and Mike Moran. Leading gifts of $1 million or more have been made by the LA Contractors’ Educational Trust Fund via the LSU Construction Industry

Advisory Council; S&B Engineers & Constructors, co-founded by the late William A. Brookshire, Ph.D., an LSU chemical engineering alumnus; DSLD Homes, for which LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business alumni Lee Foster and Jeff Purpera Jr. are partners; ISC Constructors, co-founded by Eddie Rispone (graduate of the first LSU construction management class) and Jerry Rispone, an LSU electrical engineering alumnus; Rene (LSU mechanical engineering) and Kay Joyce; and Harry (LSU petroleum engineering) and Norma Longwell. Major contributions have also been made by Boh Bros. Construction and the late Raymond St. Germain.

In addition to relocating construction management spaces from Patrick F. Taylor Hall, the new building will co-locate advanced manufacturing spaces spanning multiple disciplines. This will include state-of-the-art facilities for innovative materials production, as well as the design of transformative threedimensional printing and construction methods that incorporate the latest capabilities in artificial intelligence and integrated sensing.

The LSU Construction & Advanced Manufacturing Building is paced concurrently with LSU’s Library Learning Commons, a similarly transformative capital project. The LSU Library Learning Commons will relocate the library to Field House Drive, just east of Tiger Stadium, and will be competitive with other Research 1-designated universities.

Photo by Katerine Seghers

LSU WINTER 2024 GRADUATES CONGRATULATIONS,

GRADUATES!

On behalf of the LSU Alumni Association and proud LSU alumni across the country and around the globe, congratulations and welcome to Tiger Nation. You have earned it. You have met many challenges and overcome many hurdles, and we are proud of you and all that you have accomplished.

No matter where you live, the LSU spirit is there – and you'll find fellow alumni to support you in your new endeavors and show the world just how awesome LSU graduates are. Our more than 135 alumni chapters around the world provide connection and camaraderie, and we hope you’ll unite with your fellow alums to keep the Tiger spirit alive.

To take advantage of all we have to offer you, visit LSUAlumni.org/recentgrad. Again, congratulations and Geaux Tigers!

President & CEO

JOIN NOW!

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE

Bachelor of Science

Haley Adams

Alana Autumn Aidoo

Hope A Andrews

Cassie Aplin

Cody Alexander Arceneaux

Claire E Babin

Alexis Brook Baltzegar

Jaselyn Ann Berthelot

Travis Bertucci

Jordan A Berube

Hannah M Bienvenu

Sharaysha Boatman

Holly Nicole Boone

Dillon Rochon Borel

Mackenzie Belle Breaux

Jayden Broussard

Gabriel J Byrd

Drake Zachary Cattermole

Ashleigh Patrice Charles

Kitanna Rose Christensen

Camille Annemarie Chustz

Isabella G Cordoba

Matthew Robert deGraauw

Jade Lanei Demps

Ashley Marie Diaz

Morgan Fay Disher

Lauren Domingue

Will Henry Dubecq

William Edward Duda II

Amanda Nicole Dudek

Celeste Eby

Messiah St Jude Farinas

Kourtney Elizabeth Fontaine

Matthew Paul Fontenot

Price D Ford Jr.

Caroline E Franklin

Jada Marie Galliano

COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN

Bachelor of Arts

Taylor Anne Aguillard

Curt Jacob Anderson

Rashi Bacchus

Hannah Carey Beckmann

Sophia Ann Teresa Boehm

Dontrell Evander Carr

Caitlin Desobry

Jabril Douglas

Cassidy Christine Drake

Kenisha Aisha Williams

Violeta Kovalenko

Jason T Lassiter

Trevor J Ledo

Ravynn A Garcia

Kayden Parker Giesbrecht

Holden Charles Glaser

Ridley Graugnard

Maya Madyson Green

Tracy Jade Guidry

Haley Nicole Guzman

John Connor Harbison

Jordan Elizabeth Hebert

Madelyn Rose Helm

Alexandra Stevens Hendrick

Andrew Garrett Hermes

Zayda Charae Johnson

Ashlyn Michel Juneau

Ariyan S Key

Adeline Louise LeDoux

Gwyneth Maeken Lee

Abbie K LeJeune

Fernanda M Leon

Lindsey Elizabeth Long

Eliza R Miller

Mark Ongina Muguga

Tiffany Marie Nunez

Cameron Elio Pineda

Ashten Frances White

Imaja Lemae-Jonte Williams

E. J. OURSO COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

Bachelor of Science

Drew C Adcox

Danny Albagdadi

Keith Underwood Aldrich

Escandar Alebrahim

Abiye Karen Altraide

William A Anguiano

Pryce Theodore Anthony

Michael Maurice Arena

Ethan Tyler Baldwin

Elisabeth Maura Barrett

Noah Phillip Bates

Benjamin W Beard

Lee Clinton Bledsoe

Theo Santino Blume

Isabella C Bonin

Elena Leigh Borne

Casey Boudreaux

Justin E Boudreaux

Robert J Boudreaux IV

Jacqueline A Boyd

Jack Bravos

Aaron M Brock

Nathan James Brooks

John Joseph Buckley Jr.

Jacob G Bush

Emily M Byrd

Christopher Paul Callais

Evan J Camp

John S Campbell IV

Bertha Sherada Campos

Kierce Jellybean Fitzpatrick Canfield

Michael R Cangelosi

Chase Alexander Cannon

Cole Anthony Cantu

Brittney Renea Canzonire

Olivia Eloise Cenac

Elijah C Chambless

Mingtao Chen

Evan Cheney

Charles Cherry

Lindsey Elise Chiasson

Katherine Cibilich

Ashley Michele Clemente

Mckenzie J Cline

Miguel A Clouatre

Daniel Louis Coco

Brayden Philip Cornette

Leah Frances Costanza

Elle F Cowin

Seth J Crowton

Renea Elizabeth Cunningham

Michael K Daigle Jr.

Julianna G Dardeau

Daysi Leyva

Donna Leanne Long

Seoul Major-Conyers

Blale Adam Marcade

Catherine Rae Marchand

Hannah Gail McCann

Allena K Anderson McKiness

Madison Allwine

Taner Cole Morgan

Jessica L Murrell

Andy Nguyen

Kylie Renee Nicholson

Connor M Pittenger

Jackson Richard Pruden

Emma C Ramsey

Kathryn Alese Ryan

Marcelina Isabel Santa Marina

Miranda N Schaefer

Jacob Daniel Schlierf

Jonathan Simak

Allen W Singletary

Megan Rae Slaton

Noah P Smith

Camron Charnelle Chase

Sneed

Samuel Hugh Summers

Emma Sumpter

Erica Isabel Swanson

Gabriel W Talley

Peyton H Todd

Marlon A Valenzuela-Garcia

Brandon Jasper Wainwright

Raina E Washington

Emily Elizabeth Watson

Gabrielle S Wolfe

Destany Nicole Woods

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Isabella Annalise Badeau

Aaron M Blanchard

Rhonde' Jamal Boutte'

Rebecca L Hutto

Mary Emma Kerwin

Carlee Louise Lanson

Marley Zaire Maxam

Alaina Michelli

Emily Rose Reiners

Kailyn Nicole Sibley

Catherine Denise Davis

Connor Haase Davis

Christopher Andry DeHart

Blake Ryan Denicola

Karlie Elizabeth Derise

Alyssa R Deuter

Olivia Madelyn Dezelan

Kara-lynn R Dillon

Ian Edward Downie

Nick Ducote

Peyton Duncan

Andrew Caden Eagleton

Caden Andrew Eisen

Olivia Marie Elam

Axel Rene Encalada-Arce

Tania Elizabeth Gabrie Fajardo

Eddie Louis Fisher Jr.

Wyatt Kirk Fontenot

Kyara Katherine Forde

Scottie Rahsaan Forman

Melissa V France

Haleigh Brooke Freeman

Faith Mackenzie Fuller

Jacob N Fury

Judit Garcia

William Alexander Gautreaux

Brisa N Gawlikowski

Brandon Christopher Geske

Payton Godchaux

Miranda Emilia Gonzalez

Jake Dalton Gorman

William C Grand

Natalie Grant

Corbin Green

Daniel C Greenwald

Jackson R Greenwald

Joseph Henry Greenwood

Georgia A Griffon

Jacynda Gutiérrez

Jackson Andrew-Everett Hader

Christian Ham

Rania Hamid

Gage Michael Heiserman

Jose Angel Hernandez

David Anthony Hobbs

Richard C Holcombe

Jonathan William Holmes

William Braden Hough

Victoria A Howard

Keely E Hudson

Brock Wellington Hughes

Jaden R Humbyrd

Maggie G Hurdle

Truc T Huynh Jr.

Campbell Kinloch Hyde

Ashley Danielle Hymel

Molly Katherine Inman

William L Jordan

Chanaiyah Akeia King

Aaron Joseph Glenn Kite

Blaine M Klein

William Matthew Knowles

Avery Edward Krautsack

Jorrin LaCour

Austin Michael Lamar

Lela Michele Landry

Anna Thi Le

Tyler Leccese

Logan P Leger

Brenda Leiva

Jewel E Lewis

Jack Irwin Lieux

Bryce D Lipscomb

William Liu

Hynson Luke

Luke Jeffrey Lunsford

Emma Maddox

Phoebe Aurelie Madona

Clarence Cornelius Magee II

Emily Maggio

Sophia Mairena

Victoria J Marks

Mckenzie Noelle Marsales

James C Martin

Anna Kate McArthur

Jacob Matthew McCann

Matthew Evan McCelvey

Jackson Edward McDonald

Cory Michael McGehee

Anthony Daniel McIntyre

Luke William McLeod

Andrew K McMains

Payton McMullen

Madeline Kate McReynolds

Michael Meaux

Julian Harris Meche

Laura Esther Medina Motino

Meredith C Medine

Brenda Men

Hailie L Meyer

Carson Michael

Justin Minor

Courtney Molieri

Beau Thomas Moncla

Jacob I Montalbano

Kayleigh Rachel Montana

Ethan Montgomery

Gabrielle Moreno

Kaydin Ashton Morgan

John B Moss

Joyce Doreen Murugi Munene

Gentry Needham

Presli Cathcart Nelson

Jordan Elizabeth Newman

Anna TL Nguyen

Delaney Kate O'Neill

Jamiu Bolaji Ojulari

Angela Pan

Mario Cacho Pascua Jr.

Kannon Joseph Pastor

Nirali H Patel

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Bachelor of Science

Harrison P Bourg

Noah Alexander Bourque

Brennan J Butler

Nathaniel James Canterbury

Micah Paul Champagne

Christian Anh Khiem Che

Betsy Chen

Dylan Aren Cole

Abby Ena Shinogi

Dalton Diez

Nicholas Alan Domingue

Reese W Edwards

Sterling Avery Foster

Joshua Ijalana

Kyle William Jefferson

Harrison Juneau

Easton J Kling

Coby Robert Knight

Jack Mitchell Legnon

Layton Christopher Lofton

Spencer J Malone

Anthony R Marino

Onyekachukwu Mbamalu

Alex Paul Mensen-Johnson

Connor Joseph Morris

Ashton T Nelson

Daniel Nguyen

MyThuan Tina Nguyen

Keylor Nunez

Riley C Oest

Giovanni Chiagoziem

Ohashiegbula

Bryce A Olivier

Cameron Ashton Olivier

Ethan Cole Palomino

Marvin John F Pamintuan

Malhar Pandya

Shivam K Patel

Manas Shailesh Patel

Drake Thomas Perez

Katelyn M Peterson

Christopher S Pierson Jr.

Eric Francisco Poindexter

Chance Lee Popiel

Danielle Alexis Pounds

Sydni Marie Powell

Tracie Ra'chelle Pujol

Daniel Punkay

Kareem Husam Qaradeh

Nicholas J Quintini

Diego A Reyes Sanchez

Seth Christopher Rousseau

Karsen Elise Sala

Brady A Samson

Alexander Michael Sanders

Brynn Alyse Sanders

Carlos A Sandoval Castellanos

Michael A Scamardo

Reinhard Alberto Perez

Annie Marie Mouton

Joel Rogers

Allee C Rogers

Jacob Michael Rogers

Tyler James Saizan

Vivian San

Matthew Robert Schaff

Justin Christopher Sins

John Edward Slade III

Carltiana Staidum

Seif Sultan

Jingchao Sun

Kenyon Wayne Tiner

Joshua Forrest Villere

Catherine Vu

Duc Vu

Cory A Winfrey

Bachelor of Science in Biological Engineering

Emly Bracey

Andrew T Cagle

Chelsea Thanh Truc Le

Avery Michelle Olinde

Elizabeth Claire Peters

Ricki Marie Hope Pierce

Katelin Lillie Ratcliff

Camille Shorter

Bryan E Solano

Cody Robert Thompson

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

Murtaza Ali

Luke W Bain

Christopher Bourque

Elender Elise Bourque

Clay Edward Bowers

Brooke Riley Schneider

William C Serauskas

Ryan Shee

Owen Michael Simon

Joshua Slaughter

Ashlei Latrice Smith

Kylan David Smith

Jaden Elizabeth Smith

Michelle M Sopan

Ella Gayle Springfield

Madison Alexandra Starkey

Gavyn Tyler Stevens

Cameron Alexander Strait

Matthew A Straubmuller Jr.

Jeniffer Natalia Tamayo Lancheros

Benjamin P Tarantino

Angelle’ Claire Theriot

Aidan Michael Thomas

Ellis Hoyt Tompkins

Ryan Trahan

Brant Joseph Brown

Logan Keith Brown

Taylor Megan Brown

Reese Aaron Brumfield

Danielle Denise Bryant

Gabriel Earl Cox

William Dart

Jacquelyn Renée Dawson

Charles Edward Dowling III

Matthew Fink

Daniel E Hector

Kourtnee D Holzendorf

Dylan Adam Jackson

Eryn Louise Kennedy

Samuel Michael Konur

Sarah Lyons

Paola Valentina Meneses De Faria

Nicholas Joseph Miceli

Megan Grace Miller

Ethan Mixon

Nicole Huynh Nguyen

Kayla Marie Perot

Holt Ragsdale

Harrison Walker Ragsdale

Katelynne Marie Russell

Griffin T Sanders

Emily Elizabeth Steinhagen

David Jerome Thomas III

Tu Vu

Caroline Renée Webre

Samuel J Welch

Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

Mia Hailey Arizmendi

Brian A Balestra III

Roel Barrón

Brennan C Bates

Sean McDonald Trotman

Seth J Trotter

Niana Z Tyner

Norman E Veal IV

Nicholas Ward Vining

Kayla Vo

Noah Waguespack

Shelby N Warner

Chana Zahra Watson

Andrea Elizabeth Weimer

Baylee Rene Whittington

Kandice Wilkinson

Jeane Wong

Madilyn Marie Woosley

Bailey Rose Zehnder Yixing Zhou

Chloë Clare Beals

Tatum Adele Bonura

Nolan Brock

Javien Michaiah Delasbour

Paris J Du Vernay III

Chris Joseph Dufrene Jr.

Bryce Patrick Faucheux

Brayden Patrick Fritsche

Hunter Bradley Giroir

Matthew K Jayne Jr.

Michael Paul Landry

Meghan Elise Mandella

Dillon Thomas Saladino

Ryan Matthew Schexnayder

Colin Joseph Shortess

Brennan Smith

Naaman C Stewart

Nicholas Tracy

Vu Thien Tran

Evan Hollis Venable

George Guidry Zeringue

Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering

Cameron Schultz

Bachelor of Science in Construction

Management

Luke R Althage

Garrett Amick

Hunter Andrus

Samantha P Arnette

Seth Belcher

Nicholas R Bercher

Fredid Bernal

Dylan Jacob Binder

Christian Joseph Blanchard

Tanner Austin Blatnik

Tyler Jonathan Blouin

David Hilton Boh

Tanner John Bonnie

Chazton Antonio Boutte

Anthony De’shon Boyd

Reid S Brasuell

John Michael Breaud II

Lee Joseph Broussard

Shawn M Brown

Matthew John Brunet

Justice Aaron Carter

Matthew Castaño

Luke Windham Cheramie

Hans Cohran

Charles Thomas Coleman

Jack Wayne Wagner Cooksey

Michael John-Francis Culotta

William Gregory Daniel

Nicholas Daquano

Mitchell Mitchell Davies

Daniel Reid Decoteau

George Demopoulos

Ryan Scott Donaldson

Peyton James Ford

Anne M Forrest

Donovan Alexander Fraley

Andrew Dale Gleneck

Benjamin Blaine Gordy

Antonio Antwon Greer

William Lane Grigsby

Calvin Gutheridge

Nicholas Wayne Hagan

John Justin Hall II

Austin Matthew Hardouin

Raymond Bert Harney III

Damion Ricky Harris

John Charles Hebert

Davis Clark Heebe

Brianna Heil

Recent grad Ashten White pays homage to her trailblazing grandfather

Ashten White is an LSU graduate who’s following the legacy of a trailblazing creative family. Her grandfather, Julian T. White, was an architect – the second Black licensed architect in Louisiana and LSU’s first Black professor.

White (2024 BACH A&D) decided to return to LSU to finish her degree after exploring other career opportunities. She was born in New Orleans but spent most of her formative years in Illinois and Texas.

“I decided to finish my undergraduate degree at LSU after taking a five-year break from school to pursue a career in music. When the 2019 pandemic impacted my work, I chose to move from Illinois to Louisiana, to be closer to family and build a sense of community at LSU.”

Before attending LSU, she attended the Art Institute of Houston to pursue a graphic design degree to improve her technical skills.

“I decided to finish my degree at LSU in Art & Design to continue sharpening my skills and to explore new mediums and challenge my creativity.

“I love working with other artists who see the world through their own unique perspectives,” she said. “It creates an environment where ideas can grow, understanding deepens, empathy flourishes, and we can tackle meaningful challenges together.”

White loved the LSU School of Art community events throughout her time on campus.

“One of my favorite memories at LSU was walking in the Intro to 3D Design fashion show. For the show, art students were challenged to create wearable art that allowed us to express ourselves. I made a corset called Unchained Legacies: A Sculptural Reflection of Freedom, made from keys and chains. This piece reflects on the struggles of those who fought for the freedoms we have today, while also addressing the ongoing social challenges that still need our attention.”

In addition to walking across the stage in December 2024, White says, “I was excited to show my friends and family the art I have been working on in the Barnes Ogden Gallery on campus.”

“I feel truly blessed to have had a close, personal relationship with my grandfather, Julian T. White,” she shared. “His guidance continues to shape my life and the choices I make for the future.”

“As LSU’s first Black professor, I know he never sought the recognition he received from the university. Many of his former students have shared how deeply he cared for all of them, regardless of their age, race, or background. His kindness and civility have left a lasting impact on the LSU community. I hope the mural in the art building inspires students who may feel out of place, reminding them that they are exactly where they are meant to be.”

The LSU College of Art & Design commissioned the Julian T. White memorial mural to honor the university’s first African American professor. The college worked with The Walls Project and the White family to design the mural in the LSU Design Building atrium, installed in early 2020. The Design Building was renamed Julian T. White Hall in 2022.

Ashten White in front of the Julian T. White memorial mural

Nicholas Shelby Hills

Elijah D Hilton

Lucky Kaheem James

Hunter Ross Johnson

Samuel Robert Johnson

Stephen Paul Joubert Jr

Bennett Judice

Kush A Karve

Alex R Klimowski

Keleigh Marie Knowles

Zachary Alexander Kraft

Luke Michael LaFleur

Carter Wood Landry

Chase D Lasseigne

Alexander Lawrence

Samuel M Lehde

Jean-Luc Lemoine

Ashton Danielle Littlejohn

Jose Wulfredo Lopez I

Anthony Perez Martinez

David Antonio Martinez

Jasmine Rose White

Matthew Thomas Mayer

Evan M Mayer

Lucas Neeland Mays

Markham Guy McKnight

Jack A McLain III

Dylan Joseph Meaux

Michael Medine Joseph III

Brock Michael Meyer

Caleb Joe Meyers

Christopher Allen Miller

Eric Joseph Milligan Jr.

Harrison Major Millsaps

Benjamin Antonio-James Molesini

Cole Montelaro-Mokry

Alexis LeBlanc Montelius

Cameron F Morris

Chase Nelson

Thomas V Nguyen

Jackson Reid Pabich

Dylan Raymond Pennison

Maxwell C Pesquié

Quentin Lee Phillips Jr.

Walker Daniel Ridge

John A Rios

Luke Jacob Rister

Ashley Maye Roddy

Rhonda J Roe

Gabriella S Santangelo

Marshall Wight Schexnayder

Jacob M Schlatre

Matthew C Shaheen

Samuel Shirley

Alexander Thomas Siwicki

Jamie Allan Stevens

John Edward Story

Nathan Strauss

Danny Suarez

Ryan M Tauer

Austin Taylor

Connor Michael Taylor

Gavin Mathew Thibodeaux

Eric Duane Thuney

Michael Robert Torry Jr.

Dimitri Athanassios Trikas

Delrick Arwin Urquhart Jr.

Brian C Vincent

Jacob Michael Voiselle

Matthew Edward Weir

Tammy L Wilson

COLLEGE OF HUMAN SCIENCES & EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science

Nathan Arthur Ackenhausen

Emma Marie Aguillard

Cebrail Ahmet Akinci

A'Zyrian Marshon Alexander

Raegan Elizabeth Alleman

Christopher O’Toole Angel

Abigail Mae Baroni

Max R Barron

Shaterria Deonja Barrow

Kelly M Bautista

John R Bazar

Joanna Bello Soriano

Bailey A Benoit

Madeline Grace Benoit

Logan Rene Bertot

Carla Bonczewski

Samantha E Boudreaux

Abigail Marie Bouza

Sara Elizabeth Braud

Felice Brightman II

Matthew Stanley Brodowicz

Kate Lynn Brouillette

Courtney Marie Brouwer

Miles Bryant

Isabella Buebendorf

Thomas John Bunch

Cameron Clovis Burkstaller

Luna Burns

Major Delmontzra Burns

Destiny Cameryn Bush

Autumn Reign Bush

Aaron Bustamante

Anna Catherine Caballero

Joseph Troy Cangelosi

Carter Walker Chandler

Christopher M Chinea

Alyssa Marie Clement

Adeline Marie Clements

Bradley Logan Clift

Abigail J Colie

Mary Grace Collins

Jacob Colombo

Madison Paige Cory

Mattie Nicole Cox

Olivia J Craig

Andrew A Culpepper

Bailey Marie Darbonne

Avery Davis

Matthew Christian Del Rio

Bea Joy Tabilos dela Cruz

Garrett Ervin Dellinger

Kori Lynn Deslattes

Myah Nicole DeSousa

Stephen A Diamond

Ashley Dierberger

David Christopher DiMarco Jr.

Kyle Ducote

Brandon Egemo

Elizabeth Theresa Engler

Rein M Evans

Romelius R Fannin Jr.

Trivion Qu’Nae Francis

Kinley Elizabeth Funderburk

Grant M Gautreaux

Cullen Gee

Tyler Michael Gegenheimer

Victoria Elisabeth Gillis

Katarina M Gonzales

Skye-lyn Gonzales

Nick G Goody

Isabelle L Gremillion

Hayley E Grillot

Winifred Christina Grot

Theodore Gerard Wisham

Matthew M Word

Skye R Wormley

Ian C Wyble

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

Gabriel David Brown

Samuel Emmett Chanove

Samuel E Dreuil

Mason R Stephens

Daniel Blaine Tueller

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering

Charles Stuart Barhorst

Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering

Dania Basem Abdulaziz

Blake Arceneaux

Anthony Emeka Arinze Jr.

Hugues R Augustin

Lauryn Paulore Guillory

Sophie Harmon

Frank Walker Harrar Jr.

Dayla Enijah Harris

Cameron Lee Hebert

Aimee Michelle Hebert

Michael Joseph Herbst

Cole Thomas Hernandez

Kaia Nicole Hernandez

Trent Hoang

Jadyn Kay Hodge

Faith Erin Holcomb

William Welsh Hotard

Tristan Blake Huckaby

Carter C Huffman

Kaitlin Anne Jinkins

Lawrence Noel Johnson III

Dustin Duke Jolliff

Dylan James Jones

Nicholas Jones

Jacob A Jordan

Grace Yoko Kato

Kyren Pierre Lacy

Nicholas M Lamendola

Uyen Julie H Le

Jasemine LeBeouf

Madelyn Ann LeDoux

Vincent M LeJeune

Peyton Mikeal Loredo

Sydnee Caroline Louque

Joselyn Lozano

Ajani A Madhere

Stephen Michael Mahtook

Wyatt L Martin

Kameron J Mayes

Cameron Thomas McClendon

Natalie Rose McDermott

Dedrick Lakeith Earls

Tyler Epps

Ibukun Stephen Fadeyibi

Benjamin Joseph French

Caitlin Marie McMahon

Macey Lucero Miller

Andrew Newton

Margaret Godchaux Roos

Sarah Claire Sanborn

Madison F Savarese

Miranda Tai Ann Lee Sheng

Post-baccalaureate

Certificate in Construction Management

Christopher James Barbato

Elizabeth Douglas

Carolyn C Ireland

La'Portia M Lang

Sheldon Walshman Miller

Michael J Rigos

Gregory J Rosenfeld

Eduardo Alexandre

Mercadante Vassyutina

Noah S Mescher

Karlie Madison Middleton

Augustus Patrick Milligan

Gracie Lynn Monteforte

Kyrian De'Shawn Moore

Aiden S Moyers

Bailey Elizabeth Murphy

Johnnah Aahliyah Narcisse

Shamyja C Nash

Sydnie Marie Newton

Laura Thanh Nguyen

Anna Hoa Nguyen

Megan Lee Nye

Michael James O'Shea

Caroline Elizabeth Olenick

Kevankumar Patel

Gregory E Penn III

Julien Penzlin

Christopher Michael Pereira

Collin Joseph Peterson

Jacob Sawyer Pickett

Alin Presmanes

Abby Nicole Reinert

Isabella Kathryn Richard

Baylee Nicole Ridgedell

Kyler Lee Rodriguez

Kyle Rollins

Emma Rae Rome

Matthew Roussel

Brandon James Ledell Russell

Hannah Veronica Ryder

Asia Renee Sampy

Abbey Kathryn Sanford

Vita Katherine Schiavone-Montgomery

Brandon Michael Schnapp

Joseph Michael Sentilles

Adriana J Silva

Brian V Sisson

Jacob Skwira

Emma Smith

Amir Ahad Smith

Andrew K Sontheimer

Zane Alexander Speer

Christopher Michael Springer

Alexandra Cambre Stefanski

Kennedy Belle Streuer

Brionna Anjuane’ Summers

Avery Grace Theriot

Gloria Elizabeth Thomas

Mark Brian Thomas Jr.

Lindsey Tillery Devezin

Kyle Patrick Trammell

Jacob Charles Treigle

Schmiah Turner

Nicholas Norman Veal

Zach G Wade

Tianyu Wang

David West Weeks lll

Rainah Gelisse White

Leah Mykela Wilkinson

Cooper Lee Williamson

Bianca Claire Wilson

Amaya Milan Wilson

Ashleigh Nathalie Zaidain

Bachelor of Social Work

Danieca W Coffey

Tessa M Graves

Jalen A Robertson

COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES

Bachelor of Arts

Hussain Murtaza Abbasi

Elizabeth Ashley Adams

Grace Catherine Adams

Ma. Gedd Isabel Villamor

Adolfo

Yvette Xiomara Aguirre

Rahima Imtiaz Ahmed

Yaszer Alexander Al-sharifi

Ashley Michel Allen

Pratha G Amin

Brennan James Amorello

Allee Blanche Andry

Isabella Grace Ardoin

Sarah Elizabeth Atchley

Camille Marie Avery

Kaleigh Elizabeth Babineaux

Ariana Simone Ball

Patrick J Bandi

Brooke Lisette Banta Hays

Anna Katherine Barnes

Chloe Josephine Bass

Cailin Rachel Bateman

Geoffrey M Belko

Logan Payton Taylor De Monte Bell

Brigette Hannah Benigno

Chance Alexandria Bennett

Lena Rhianne Benoit

Anna K Bergeron

Emily D Bergeron

Ashley Amelia Bertrand

Norbert C Bertrand II

Lamar Ja’Roland Biagase

Hannah M Bienvenu

Jackson Charles Blackmon

Le'Jonne Mikel Blackmon

Kathryn Alexis Bobinchuck

Dawson Tait Bond

Sarah Ann Bonin

Henry W Brown

Conner Luis Bustamante

Jonah Marc Carcabasis

Camila Nieves Lopez

Cespedes

Sydney E Chatelain

Andrew Dwayne Chiasson

Raigen Clark

Michael J Coduti

Kylie Occiano Collins

Jude Michael Comeaux

Ajani NayCarl Connor

Chase Thomas Conroy

Lluvia Camila Cornejo

Regalado

Catherine L Cosgrove

Tyra Antonia Crossley

Katrina Lynn Dalton

Zaria Elyse Davis

Constance D Davis

Cierra Kay de la Garza

Victoria N Dedon

Olivia Rose Deloney

Royal C Dixon III

André F Domengeaux

Dejá Reneé Doublet

Sarah Lucille Ducote

Trevor J Duncan

Ashley Elizabeth Dunn

Miranda Jane Dunn

Nicholas Randall Edmonson

Cederick Louis Ellis II

Stephen R Faulk

Wesley Michael Franatovich

Elise Gaar

Zaria A Gaines

Caroline Maria Gaudin

Myles Kennedy Gordon

Rian Shantell Gray

Zachary Hardy

Bennett Paul Hargis

Kalaya Renee Hawkins

Allison Mary Hedrick

Brennan J Hoffstadt

Milani Naomi Isales

Julianna Rose Jackson

Jordan Ashlee Jacobs

Isabel Jordan

Kathleen L Keen

Maya Kellner

Patrick Dean Kelly

Robert Joseph Kendrick

Kathryn Kernop

Lillian Gray Knipe

Sydney Rhonda Krajczewski

Laban Paul LaGreca

Kaleb John Lambert

Sophie Leigh Lanier

Charles W Layman

Jalen Iverson Lee

Terrance Lee

Natalie A Leija

Hannah Yancy LeJeune

Avery Angelle LeMaire

Tiril Margrethe Søderstrøm

Lindberg

Catherine Gore Lindsey

Samuel Lee Little

Anthony Mandina

Jaxon R Manuel

Allyson Claire Marinello

Grace Elizabeth Marionneaux

Alexandra Juliane Marquez

Juan Manuel Martinez Navarro

Peyton Cade Mauterer

Destiny Qua’Daysia Nicole

McDonald

Eric A McElveen

Sarah Elizabeth McGill

Lane Leigh Hughes

Paige Catherine Melancon

Kyle James Merriman

Amy Claire Miller

Gabriel E Mims

Liliane I Moon

Taylor Regina Morrison

Teresa Marianela Muñóz

Steven Alexander Muñoz

William Mason Murret

Lilian Nguyen

Andrew Christopher Nickel

Christopher Adonis Oliveras

Brennan Grace Owen

Madison Alyse Perri

Nathan Taylor Pesek

Andrew Sterling Peterson

Jalen Omari Pettus

Amelia Meadow Pirrello

J’ani Sani Pitre

Madelyn Marie Plauché

Jayla Renelle Porter Sawyer

Madalynn Nicole Posey

Rocio Ramirez Rodriguez

Chance Alexander Randle

Davison C Rawls

Tyler Jade Michael Reaux

Elise Regard

Elizabeth Rhatican

Ross M Richard

Lauren Faith Rigmaiden

Patrick Gerard Rist

Ty Miguel Robinson

Mia E Robinson

Presley Morgan Roddy

Summer Rogers

Kaitlin Schade

Regan Marie Schaeffer

Clare Keeley Schaft

Savannah Kay Schweitzer

Meredith Shanley

Robyn Ashley Shaw

Rachel Rose Simone Sheppard

Aubrey G Smallhorn

Gabriel Smith

Alexa Isabel Smith

Carson Elizabeth Smith

Olivia Frances Stephens

Ralphel Theron Steptoe Jr.

Isabelle Elise Stinson

Veronica Maria Suazo

Sofia Julia Sudderth

Noah M Susano

Isabella Rose Tabarrini

Priscilla Tartaglione

Phoenix N Tate

Lillian Faith Thibaut

Carson Michael Thornton

Ian Daniel Tokarick

Wallace B Truluck Jr.

Julia Mae Usey

Grayson Kyle Ussery

Ethan Gabriel Vega

Amber Lynn Verdin

Riley D Villarreal

Samuel Danner Waggener

Olivia Danielle Walker

Ayden Akiel Walker

Taylor Ann Walton

Madison Clare Ward

Madison Grace Wascom

Bianca D Washington

Gabrielle Meghan Marie Olivia Watson

Jazmyn Aliese Webster

Fargo Wells

T'leyaha A Wesby

Jackson M White

Briana Alexis White

Sydney Alexis Whitfield

Charles Rayburn Whittenberg

Janae Kyra Wilkinson

Jadyn Emylie Williams

Christiana Ciante Williams

Cameron Bryce Williams

Patrick Williams

Emma K Wright

Brandon Keith Young

Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies

Michael R Apcar

Kiesha Shontae Atkins

Brolando William Broadhead

Ashley Virginia Broussard

Davion K Carraby

Julianna Crane

Brandon Elijah Crear

Clare Faith Davison

Olivia Paige Dunne

Ashanti Rae Estem

Fernando David Flores Ramos

Jacob O Gilbert

Rachel Lynn Graham

Gabrielle Lynn Hall

Anna M Hankosky

Chloe Maria Hoang

Julia Morgan Hollingsworth

Troy Edward Inman

Anthony Jamall Johnson

Lynae Marie Johnson

Kerwin Ken Johnson II

Luke Michael Keogh

Hudson Kelley Kimball

William Thomas Kiteley

Austin Michael Lamm

Skyler Demi Lewis

Arden Alexander Louis

Morgan Douglas MacDougall

Alexandru Negulescu

Richard Kyle Ourso

Peyton Edward Parker

Cole William Quinby

Elise A Rageur

Kyran Nathaniel Reid

Lukas A Riether

Brittney Nicole Robinson

Brandt Thomas Roger

Robert William Sack

Mason Lee Schaap

Leane Marie Scherer

Tyralyn Alissa Simmons

Evan R Smith

Shalion T Smith

Lenita Micaiah Summers

Carla Tejedo Mulet

Ryan Louis Verdugo

Taylor Alexander Walker

Sophia Grace Weinstein

Caden Joseph Wilson

Bachelor of Science

Jenna Stephanie Acosta

Ashleigh Victoria Ainsworth

Jasmine Cecile Anny

Lea Margaret Gayle Arcemont

Jeremy Perrine Babin

Jonah Beals

Luke W Bentley

Andrea La'Nae Nicole Bickley

Tabari Talib Bowser

Maia Jade Brombart

Kara Cacioppo

Chloe Rebecca Clemons

Rosemary Katherine Collins

Laura Elizabeth Cox

Madeline Grace Crawford-Wyatt

Sarah Elizabeth Currie

Kaitlyn Delcambre

Jewel Elaine Doise

Dillon M Dumond

Ryan C Ferguson

Jade Skye Fisher

DaSha’Na D George

Kelvin Dewayne Givens Jr.

Maria Claire Gordon

Chloe Rose Graham

Ashlynn M Guillory

Jamyra Burr-Hammond

Molly Elizabeth Hannie

Stephanie Hartman

Cassandra Lynn Havlinek

Hagen Isabella Rose Haydel

Mary-Catherine Ann Hickman

Ayla Victoria Hoey

Jennie Belle Holder

Mia Hollingsworth

Kayla Antionette Jackson

Kyesia JaNae’ Johnson

Ahryana Soniq Johnson

Rowen Elizabeth Johnson

Siomara Jones

Milton Mohammadian Khonsari

Alexia Marie Kimble

Chakira Antionette King

Kelsey Brianna LaChapelle

Jacob Landry

Kate Elizabeth Langley

Amanda Noelle LeBlanc

Danting Lin

Danielle Haley Markowitz

Atira G McGowan

Madalyn Antoinette McQuillan

Carter H McVean

Maia Jade Moretto

Morgan Elie Nicholas

Kerinna Parker

Maddison Jolie Perino

Kaitlyn Lee Pinegar

Kylee Alexis Ponthieux

Kyle Anthony Raterman

Grace Angeline Rawls

Julianne Lea Riggs

Ana Sofia Rivera

Paulyn Seressie Robinson

Ally Rosegrant

Mary Juliana Sandoval-Sequera

Mia Isabella Sciacchetano

Andrew Parr Sellers III

Loren C Shackleford

Kelsey Nicole Smith

Jamie Lynn Smith

Colette Elise Stafford

Alexis Skye Stephens

Anna Hong Ngoc Ta

Evie Marie Talbot

Holly Alaine Taylor

MANSHIP SCHOOL OF MASS COMMUNICATION

Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication

Jacob W Alberts

Gabriella Lucia Ayasi

Jackson Charles Blackmon

Alysia K Blanco

Dylan Joseph Borel

Pamela Branz

Marcelus Lonnie Burwell

Abigail Marie Button

Brayden Blane Buyas

John Mitchell Buzbee Jr.

Madison Giovanna Cacioppo

Sophia I Cañamar

Branson Patrick Catalanotto

Jariel Diamond Christopher

Colby Jacob Clark

Ella R Clark

Morgan Claybrooks

Gabriella A Cormier

Madelyne Grace Cox

Isabella R Cumberland

Logan Grace Cunningham

Julia Logan Delaney

Jadyn Pauline Devillier

Lillian R Dodge

Luke J Eastman

MacKenzie Renee Ferguson

Crystal Faith Fermin

Sadie Marie Fontenot

Samuel W Forbes

Amber B Goff

Julia Goodwin

Madison E Gray

LeAnn Marie Guerrero

Adam Rosario Guttuso

Edward Hage

Jack Simon Hanks

C.J. Marcellus Harrison Jr.

Lauren LeBlanc Haydel

Jackson A Haydel

Kathryn Davis Heatherly

Brett J Hidalgo

Kee-Vonne Tashinga Hunda

Tori E Ingrassia

Ashley Mary Jackson

Rowen Elizabeth Johnson

Caroline P Lacombe

Courteney Marie Latimer

Jonathan James LeBrun

COLLEGE OF MUSIC & DRAMATIC ARTS

Bachelor of Arts

Madison Elise Antrainer

John Blair IV

Dash Gunn

Jalia M Martin

K'mee Lynn Mayeur

Oreoluwa B Onasanya

Emily Catherine Shain

Hailey Grace Wendelstedt

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Devin B Bordelon

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

Bachelor of Science

Olutoyin Jachimike Abike

Adebamiji

Kelsey Michael Albert

Molly Ann Allen

Narek Bayramyan

Kaelie Christiane Sarah Bernard

Elisabeth Rose Berner

Tanner Cayce Bodron

Fallon Bolton

Kaitlyn Joyce Carlock

Trevor Anthony Caruso

Emma Claire Cascio

Caroline Elizabeth Casey

Kayleigh Alexis Cash

Brittany Ann Cassel

Saylor Ann Chanthavongsy

Ella Brooke Cochran

Zion Elise Cook

Lane Cousens

Dũng Hoàng Đặng

Riley Elizabeth DeHart

Cierra A Desdunes

Angel P Do

Blake Ashleigh Dusang

Sophia Joy Dworak

Debriah A’lyesse Edwards

Hailey Brooke Enamorado

Corey Austin Erickson

Lena Michele Erickson

O.MacKenzi D’Angela Fernandez

Timothy Andrew Ferrell

Ethan Daniel Flake

Cloe Elizabeth Flanagan

Chelsey Marie Fontenot

Siddharth Subbiah Ganesan

Shanmuga

Jack Christopher Garick

Tysen Alexandra Gary

Dylan James Gibbs

Megan Tiffany Gilley

Adam Paul Grissom

Emily Hope Hampshire

Bree Ann Hargrave

Ammarah Yasmeen Thomas

Ally Nicole Tindell

Trevor Dominick Treadway

Braden Ulmer

Lucia Vasco

Isabella Blakely Vega

Kearstyn Kaylei Grace Weathermon

Abby Lee Weller

Alaci Cyra Young

Payton Elise Manuel

Jordan Robert Martin

Kyah Patricia Matthews

Grace Elizabeth McClanahan

Macy Jane McDade

Chandler Hennysarah

McIntosh

Carsen E Morgan

Jessi C Nickens

Mikayla Ann Oleksyk

Morgan G Plumb

Skye L Reynolds

Madeline Rife

Ellie O Robbins

Avery Rome

Corbin John Ross

Sydney G Sclafani

Trissidy Kaye Semien

Allison Faith Simmons

Zechariah A Slade

De'Andre Christion Smith

Zachary Sumrall

Olivia V Swarovski-Piedra

Kali Grace Tate

Aline M Theriot

Mark James Vaughn Jr.

Bridget E Wendelstedt

Kaytlyn D Williams

Ian Robert Seth Williams

Simon B Willie

George William Wood

Brennan Worthington

Alexander Lee Hall

Webb Mallett

Kaya Trinity Merry

Gianna Monae Moore

Bachelor of Music

Alex Michael Ellender

Ethan Gage Ellender

Madison Anne Kavanaugh

Bachelor of Music

Education

Gabriella E Hendricks

Dawson Shane Redd

Katelynn Rain Zelko

Abigail Nicole Harrison

Audri Ana Harrison

Thomas Hodgson

Sydney Grace Hollis

Hailey Logan Holmes

Sylvie Jean-Marie Hunter

Trenette Johnson

Costa Jelagat Kemboi

Maram K Khalaf

Jordan Emad Khoury

Kolt Ryan Killough

Connor Farrell Lambert

Christopher Patrick Landry

Jackson J Landry

Didrik Marthon Aschehoug Larsen

Linh Tu Luu

Alex Manley

Mary Margaret Marchand

Ava M Martin

Sarah Olivia Massey

Josephine Beibhinn Mau

Abigail Grace McCurry

Amiracle Chavon McMillian

Alex Paul Mensen-Johnson

Nyah Brie Moss

Ann Di Nguyen

Madelynn Mylinh Nguyen

Timothy Nguyen

Lucia Claire O’Byrne

Elizabeth Boluwatife Oluwole

Olivia Brooke Pace

Dakota Jaxon Peltzer

Wes Patrick Price

Erginae’ Marie Reese

Grace E Riley

Taylor Rumney

Haden Michael Saint

London M Scott

Dhriti Shastri

Evan Short

Morgan Phaughn Smalls

Ethan Michael Smith

Morgan Noelle Split

Julia Kate Stander

Mireya Thibodeaux

King Tran

Jayden Paige Turner

Luke King Turner

Sarah Elizabeth Upshaw

Mary Claire Usher

Bryan Reed Vignes

Ava Elizabeth Welsh

Stephen Wilkes Wheat II

Bradley Williams

Samantha Anne Wisecarver

Lindsey B Wong

Vanessa Wright Marie

Ava Elizabeth Yoli

Sarah Zirkle

Bachelor of Science in Geology

Gavin Michael Blanchard

Nicole Helen Carithers

John Adam Cunningham

Jacqueline Geneva Curtis

Rorisang Tshiamo Kgoadi

COLLEGE OF THE COAST & ENVIRONMENT

Bachelor of Science in Coastal Environmental Science

Isabella Ann Borgos

Ji’eem Samual Bullock

Tristen Deja' Cain

Alexandra Maria Coco

Victoria Marie Coco

Liberty Crawford

Olivia Grace Doucet

Kennedy Simone Estrada

Josephine E Hill

Jillian Faith Kaiser

Alexis Lea

Nicholas P Lonergan

PINKIE GORDON LANE GRADUATE SCHOOL

GRADUATE CERTIFICATES

Analytics

Brent N Buchtel

Andrew Dominic Cace

Katie Ratsombath Le

André R Watkins Sr.

Lowell B Wilson

Archival Studies

Tomeka Lashan Jackson

Cheryl Marie Morley

Cybersecurity Risk Management

Onesimo Da’Vone Roberts

Educational Technology

Michael A Nelson

Brooke Amber Tussey

Edward Yalley

Education Specialist

Sarah J Rispone

Jasmine Ealy Williams

MASTERʼS DEGREES

Master of Accountancy

Carly Noel Cruise

Amanda Doan Hongan Doan

Meredith Anne Gauldin

Brooks Payton Dever Giardina

Caroline Elizabeth Moses

Maggie Peltier

Haley Rietschel

Bailey T Shattuck

William J Stegemoeller

Peter Allen Vernaci Jr.

Ethan A Wachtel

David J Walker

Abigail Marie Wertz

Darrion Rochell Wiley

Master of Applied Statistics

Jalen Tyrik Amos

Bradley Joel Dorman

Marcellus Donté Lewis

Master of Arts

Janiah Mishael Luarca Cabigting

Ashley Treble Craig

Christina Ruth Jensen Galindo

Lauren Taylor Gonzales

Megan Griffin

Taylor McKay Hathorn

Trace Thomas Hebert

Abby Elisabeth Hernandez

Julianne Elizabeth Hymel

Victoria Lynn Johnson

George Kennedy-Stone

Lora Camryn Kinney

Sophia Gizella Kondilas

Averi Olivia Lambert

Sarah Gresham Maddox

Brennan Victoria Maples

Richard Heath McNeese

Hayleigh Miller

Madison Claire Mistretta

Alison Pisani

Harleen Sandhu

Sadie Elizabeth Seilhan

Samuel M Sharpless

Skylar R Simoneaux

Natalie Brooke Soto

Nikole M Todd

Naomi Tram Tomiyama

David Aaron Tomshe

Skyler Marie Yakes

Xiaoxu Yang

Seunghwan Yoo

Linda Simpson Young

Master of Arts in Liberal Arts

Mollie Marie Baker

Jordan Tyler Edwards

Master of Arts in Teaching

Desiree Thomas Truelove

Juliana K Bowers

Master of Business Administration

Brandon M Anderson Sr.

Lezlie Clerc Bertrand

Kandyce Yvette Blackwell

Emerging Information Technologies for Business

Michael J Graffeo

Financial Analytics

Ryan Michael Madden

Geographic Information Science

Michael George Henin Attia Khalil

Healthcare Systems Engineering

Mercy A Ohiaeriaku

Materials Science and Engineering

Elise Mansour

Preparing Future Faculty

Dwayne N Hinton Jr.

Nicole Huynh Nguyen

Kevin Gregory Quinet

Abigail Paige Rehagen

Trent Bolton

Richard Thomas Bone

Bryce Kane Bryan

Nicholas Capasso

Kristen M Chedville

Michael James Chick

Garrett Conn

Bethany Rae Cuiksa

Lindsey Grace Daniels

Gianni DiSanto

Camryn Grace Donahue

Adam M Doud

Michael David Formby

Seth Brian Gray

Erika Robinson Harris

Enrique Hidalgo

Emily Hobbs

Jessica Dorothy Hocuk

John Barclay Jessup

Katie E Johnson

Macie Hebert Landry

John Edward Legge

Alizae Xai Lounnarath

Celeste Antoinette Marquez

Morgan Miller

Sarah Elizabeth Moore

Thomas Michael Mouton

Baylee A Nesson

Argelie Makachukwu

Nwokorie

Kai Ortega-Taitearii

Jacob Parker

Jessica R Price

Mandy L Rose

Shannon Madeleine Schweser

Blake Austin Silvio

Amanda Shonnel Thomas Farhan Zaman

Master of Education

Whitney Jean Berteau

Charon B Davenport

Katie Babin Donovan

Nicole Jawhari

Gabrielle A Kendrew

Jessica Erin McCumsey

Kelsey LeeAnn Prichard

Taylor Ashley Stroy

Master of Fine Arts

Matalin Mary Carville

Master of Library and Information Science

Zoe Elizabeth Altaras

Bodeene Amyot Cairdeas

Tanya Lynn Arant

Elizabeth M Becker

Hailey Elizabeth Beliew

Rikki Elizabeth Bergeron

Samantha Lee Bonnette

Kimberly Breaux

Cynthia Marie Brecka

Page Matthew Brooks

Ashtyn Broom

Meghan Angelle Broussard

William D Buckingham

Caroline Builta

Cassidy L Bunyard

Jenigh Alena Coleman

Guerline Altagrace Calixte

Sherry A Castle

Records and Information Management

Michelle B LeBlanc

Urban and Community Education

Silent Marie McCarthy

Workforce Development

Michelle Renee’ Turner

Lucas Tanner Chadwick

Roselia Angelica Chavez

Naomi E Checote Trevino

Emily Louise Cissell

Hannah N Crowder

Candice Victoria Daniel-Smith

Antone Dolezal

Lynn A Dougan

Marie Allen Duke

Wayne Patrick Edgar

Kemi Elufiede Wallace

Georgia Grace Evans

Jennifer Kate Evans

Madeline E Fulton

Angela Desha Greer

Melanie Rose Griguts

Hailey Christine Harrison

Jennifer Hawkins

JoAnn Margaret Helland

Caltlin Leda Henderson

Jordan Victoria Herbert

Illyana Victoria Hernandez

Hannah Ireland

Troyneisha Maurie James

Jesse Lloyd Javillonar

Sarah M Juneau

Kaley Kane Kennedy

Noelle Y Kesner

Matthew J Knox

Nicholas Richard Kunka

Lauren Michelle Lantz

Michaela Lavelle

Taylor Alyssa Lawson

Mary Victoria Pauley Leonard

Alexandra Anne Martin

Jaime McSkimming

Catherine Mejia

Daniel Melucci

Laura Keely Middleton

Jacqueline M Miller

Sonia A A Nelson

Roberto Olguin Jr.

Amanda LeAnn Pennington

Anastasia M Peratopoulos

Darby Porter

Brian C Powell

Baillie Michelle Pretzer

Alexandra S Ramsey-Carver

Daniel Scott Rheingrover

Sydney Michele Rhodes

Symonne Russell

Danielle Falgout Sallean

Elena S Samokhval

Keely Sanders

Kimberly Ann Seaman

Margaret Linnea Shannon

Kayla Pepper Shirley

Katelyn Katarina Bella Taylor

Kristyne Ivy Thieme

Hillary B Destouet

Melissa Wills

Franchesca Taylor Witzak

Amanda Wolcott

Drew Parker Womack Sr.

Katelyn Elyse Youmans

Master of Mass Communication

Bria Cherise Cade

Maria Lee DeRoche

Denetria Nicole Lee

Daylan Simone Paige

Moumita Roy

Master of Music

MaryKate F Core

Anna Kristina Stanley

Master of Public Administration

Jack Joseph Adamo

Monica B Aguilera Perez

Marcus Garvey Amanatey Ashiangmor

Gakeria Jerrial Barnes

John Clay Braud

Kerry J Cullen

Jessica Marie Deveraux

Caleigh E Gauthier

Seth Micah Holton

Darby Brooks McIntosh

Madeline May Nassif

Anna Claire Pousson

Kassi Lee Samson

Devin J Scott

Nelofar Wafa

Kathryn Elizabeth Welty

Master of Science

Rejina Adhikari

Lisa Rene Adkins

Iris Mercedes Aguilar Arévalo

Ashley Ann Ahart

Ehsan Ahmadi

David Akorede Akinpelu

Sai Tejaswini Alluru

Brett Berndt Alsid

Safeyya Alyahia

Diana Marisol Amaya Discua

Eugene Annorbah

Chase M Anselmo

Priscilla Osemhenon Aroboi

Kenya Nicole Artis

Jaivairia Aalia Bacote

Abbey Ball

Jada N Ballard

Ambica Banchode

David J Barbera III

Simeon Lloyd Benjamin

Jordan A Bennett

Amanda Lynn Pearsall

Tanner Wayne Blatt

Cole Blodgett

Angela Boateng T Yevuyibor

Sindhu Priya Bobbili

Hope Claire Bourg

Angelo Dennis Bowens

Kevin Scott Branton

Natalie Isabella Brown

Tre' Jamison Brown

Alec J Bulat

Kayla Alisha Avielle Charles

Monazil Hoque Chowdhury

Amanda Natalie Corado

Melanie Cotton

Jennifer Joy Cristina

Charles Denton Darnall

Evan Daniel Davies

Sumit Dhungana

Killian Dumont

Dulis Duron

Ogochukwu Daniel Ekufu

Evan Douglas Fanguy

Timothy Quinn Farina

Whitney Leigh Folan

Kirstin Nahbila Foncham

Peiman Fotouhi

Angelique L Kirk

Brandon Javier Freire Alvarez

Ana Pamela Fuller

Alyssa Futrell

Grace Lucille Gandy

Lavanya Garikapati

Taha Gharaibeh

Luis Fernando Gomez Jr.

Esmeralda Gonzalez

Kiara Loretta Graham

Ryan Nathanial Gray

Elisa Margarita Guardado

Servellon

Ashli Ja Kee' Hall

Triana Harris

Daisy Hernandez-Lopez

Keilon Hill

Kodi Lea Hillman

Hayden A Hollingsworth

Warren A Hovis

Wiley N Hulsey

Connor P Hummel

Anissa Janae Hyde

Elaina Ruth Browder

Kristi Ann Ingram

Ogheneofega Irhirhi

MohammadAli Izadifar

Makayla Victoria James

Carla Jeffcoat

Dillon Jewett

Benjamin Robert Kallam

Joseph Kankam

Joshua Hanju Kim

David Kircus

Brooke Wasano Klimek

Caliea Koehler

Lakshmi Prasanna Kunku

Jordan Tyler La Ceste

Emma Grace Laughlin

Kristen E Lee

Tyler James Legnon

Tarah B Lehman

Matthew Scott Lemoine

Amber Nicole Lewis

Hannah Smith Long

Mukseet Mahmood

Lena Jane Mannino

Linda Leanne Maples

Demetrius D McDonald

Shahrzad Mellat

Kasey I Merlo

Marcy Miller

Amanda Nicole Mizell-Badon

Kenyon DeAndre Morgan

Stephanie Ann Murray

Chamyria Lynnaja Muse

Janifer Nahar

Mbouo Rayaul Nimpa

Leah Wangari Njeri

Thomas Leland Daniil O'Driscoll

Shannon Mary O'Meara Cawthon

Alyssa Raye Okada

Nur Orak

Roderick LaShawn Orr Sr.

Bailey Ann Ortega

Ujunwa Rita Ozioko

Timothy Pagones

Johanny Perez

Maria De Los Angeles Perez

Ashley Jerome Peters

Katelyn Rains

Stephanie Karen Ramos

Aysja Jenae Rochon

Brennan Louis Ruppert

LaSean Alexis Salmon

Gary Drew Sanchez

Cristopher J Scheurenbrand

Isabella Schmitt

Binaya Sharma

Yelena Shchennikova

Colton Shirley

Morgan E Shiver

Bandana Shrestha

Cindy J West

Srinivas Yadav Singanaboina

Natalie M Spatola

Michael St. Blanc

Adriana Stahl

Victorya Mattice Stallworth

Mollee Madonna Swift

Hayley K Vierling

Emily Ann Vitek

Bennett James Wagner

Sheridan Jane Whalen

Macy Virginia Williams

Jonathan E Wills

Master of Science in Civil Engineering

Husam Issa Ibrahim AlShannaq

Saif Issa Alwan

Cyrus David Bahman

Md Afif Rahman Chowdhury

Anish K C

Nischal Khadka

Youssef R Mousa

Manjula Ramancha

S M Tanvir

Noah Christian Taylor

Master of Science in Construction Management

Mohamed Ayman

Abdelmageed

Osama Al-Maabreh

Rafael A Angulo

Kirkland D Dayberry

William Ross Dunham

John Henry Hebert

Jadyn L Khommanyvong

Charles William Mitchell

Juan Ramon Nunez

Jacob D Potts

Johnathan E Stephens

Joshua Waddell

Joshua Stephen Wheeler

Rashida S Wilson

Master of Science in Industrial Engineering

William A Alber

Blake A Barbay

Devin A Gray

Luke A Guillory

Andrew Hardee

Abhiram Maddula

David Bryan Myers

Ifeoluwa Ruth Solaru

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Emmanuel Nduka Igbokwe

Abhishek Paudel

Md Asmat A Ullah

Peyton Joseph Wilson

Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering

Gerardo Sepulveda

Master of Social Work

Amanda Abrams

Makisha Alexander-Johnson

Gabriel Sebastian Amar

Petronila Amaya

Alexandra Olivia Armstrong

Leigh Barbato Kean

Ivy Davis Barnes

Likeba Ishae Bentley

Jon Hamilton Berry

Telia Victoria Blake-Workman

Maryori C Ampuero

James Andrew Cannon

Kymberlee Carrier

Bridget Nicole Clark

LuCretia Lynette Coleman

Samantha Lee Cuneo

Kallie Slater Daniels

Bradley Joseph Day Jr.

Esperanza Dixon

Jennifer Elizabeth Donnelly

Alyssa Brynn Fasola

Christine Marie Fields

Erin Meisje Freeman

Shaniya Janeé Fuselier

Samantha Lynn Gomez

Matthew Thomas Gould

Catherine Hardy Eichhorn

Raeghen A Henry

Mckenzie Holmes

Adria Rose Horrocks

Alec B Hummel

Isabella M Ianncelli

Carissa Hope Jachcinski

Tatiana Breshaun Jones

Daniel Adam Kasriel

Shannon C Laviguer

Bobbi Leah Lehman

Jillique Marche` Logan

Mary E Lowens

Sarah Beth Lyons

Ra'Quell D Yarbrough

Kathiria Michelle Maunez

Mendoza

Christopher Evans McCormac

Katie Margene McDonald

Corbin Burr McGehee

Anna P Mullins

Sara Alexandra Passon

Austin Peters

Monétlicia Janaé Pettway

Sarah Ann Sanner

Jessica Santello

Evie Breedlove Sutton

Tracey Powell Werner

London Blair Vidrine

Hannah Hood Vines

Margie Williams

DOCTORAL DEGREES

Design

Daena Jean Carrillo

Musical Arts

Ty Dalton Ellender

Melanie Tess Mallard

Sarah Caitlin Rohner-Rees

Philosophy

Mohamed Elnoby Mokhtar Abdelaal

Tricia Leigh Adams

Meisam Adibifard

Syed Monjur Ahmed

Edris Akbari

Suliat Adeola Alli

Aswathy Anakkathil Pradeep

Daoyang Bao

Jasmine Hope Bekkaye

Mitzi Morgan Berryhill

Adam Russell Bess

Ashley R Booth

Andrea Tory Broussard

Felicia Marie Chaisson

Alexandra Lee Chenevert

James Charles Coleman III

Rachel Marie Correll

Kristopher Stephen Criscione

Nicholas Taylor Culligan

Richelle Marie DeCuir

Marla L Dickerson

Quynh Do

Adam S Dohrenwend

Robert Keenan Forney

Kristoffer C Fowler

David Moises Galo Espinal

Lauren N Gatenby

Emily S Girka

Chelsie Davis

Alan Clifford Gurt

Nicholas Bratton Hardy

Jacob Andrew Harvey

Kirsten Nicole Hickingbottom

Mohammad Delwar Hosen

Shahid Hussain

David Esosa Imuetinyan

Amit Kumar

Myron L Lard Jr.

Cy'Rus La'el Laugand

SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

DOCTORAL DEGREE

Sabrina Magdalena Camille Valdes

Alexander Kuan Kuoi Lee

Cehong Luo

Reza MAhrooBakhtiari

Elise Mansour

Brian William Matherne

Joy Ngelor Watchese

Nduka Dennis Ogbonna

Andrew Nduka Okafor

Olumide O Omotere

Jacqueline Oquendo

Shova Pandey

Jeffrey Powers

Emily J Ray

Kami Rutherford

Martha A Schwall

Rishikesh Shetty

Sumaiya Tul Siddique

Kyra Rose Smith

Abby Lyons South

Tanner Cleveland Sparks

Lucas Kyle Stamper

Michael Stanley Stone

Taniya Sultana

Oded Tal

Sajila Riman Tanha

Manish Thapaliya

Victoria Zana Valley

Elio Ramon Villasmil Gonzalez

Bernard Whajah

Jessica Nicole White

Jinpu Zhou

LSU Alumni Dallas Chapter long-time volunteer fills lifelong dream

Linda Young, a mainstay of the LSU Alumni Association’s Dallas Chapter and a member of the E.J. Ourso College of Business Dean’s Advisory Board, received her master’s degree in December from the College of Human Sciences and Education.

During her junior year at LSU, Linda and her husband, Ron, moved to Texas in the 1970s, where she completed a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas at Arlington, which was near his first Army assignment. Despite this detour, her dream of earning an LSU degree never faded.

“After cheering through LSU graduations for my husband, both of our children and several other family members, I decided it was my turn,” she says. “I told my husband, ‘Before I die, I want a degree from LSU.’ He laughed and said, ‘You’d better hurry…time is running out!’”

Together with her husband, she has spent more than 35 years as an alumni volunteer in the DFW area, recruiting students to LSU and raising scholarship funds. Their efforts have significantly increased the number of DFW students attending LSU, from an entering freshmen class of just 14 in 1990 to 240 in recent years.

Linda credits the LSU Online program with making her own LSU educational dream a reality.

“Having been out of the classroom for more than 50 years, my professors were very helpful and encouraging,” she says. “Interaction between students was promoted, and I was able to meet several classmates who have become good friends.”

Linda’s passion for student success is reflected in her and Ron’s endowment of scholarships in the E. J. Ourso College of Business and the College of Engineering. Her journey to graduation culminated in an emotional moment in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

“My heart has always been at LSU, but now it’s official,” she says. “I’ve been singing the LSU Alma Mater in Tiger Stadium for years, but singing it in the PMAC at graduation brought tears of joy to my eyes.”

Looking ahead, Linda plans to continue her work with the LSU Admissions Office and the DFW LSU Alumni Association. The Dallas chapter hosts send-off parties for incoming freshmen and their parents, fostering a sense of community before students even step onto campus.

LSU Graduate Linda Young

Linda Young with family

graduates

Former LSU athletes graduate under Academic Center program

By Michael Bonnette

Three former LSU football standouts – Eddie Kennison, Michael Ford, and Damien Lewis - earned their college degree in August after participating in the Academic Center for Student-Athletes Project Graduation program.

The mission of Project Graduation is to assist former LSU student-athletes with completing graduation requirements by providing counseling and information. The commitment to assist former student-athletes in obtaining a degree is always honored, no matter the length of time since they last attended LSU.

“It's an honor and truly humbling to be the first person in my family to earn a college degree.” - Damien Lewis

Lewis graduated with a degree in sports administration, while Kennison and Ford both earned their degrees in interdisciplinary studies.

Kennison was a two-sport standout for the Tigers, starring as a wide receiver and return specialist for the football team from 1993-95 and an All-America sprinter on the track and field squad. He earned six all-America honors and was a four-time SEC Champion as a sprinter for the Tigers from 1994-96.

In the spring of 1994, Kennison anchored LSU’s 4 x 100-meter relay team that won the outdoor national championship.

He was selected in the first round (No. 18 overall) by the St. Louis Rams in the 1996 NFL Draft. During his 13-year NFL career, he appeared in 179 games with 548 receptions for 8,345 yards and 42 touchdowns.

Kennison is currently a senior account executive with LSU Sports Properties.

“When I left LSU in 1996 for the NFL after my junior year, the administration extended an invitation to come back and get my degree any time,” Kennison said. “One of my first questions when I was hired by LSU Football in 2020 was, ‘Is the invitation still available?’ Thanks to Scott Woodward, Verge Ausberry, and the Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes, here I am today: Eddie Kennison III, a proud graduate of our beautiful Louisiana State University. The memory I will cherish most is that my mother (Gwen Thomas) and sons (Karrington, Jisiah and Griffin) were there to see me walk across that stage and finish what I started.”

Eddie Kennison

Michael Ford

Ford spent four years with the Tigers, helping LSU to the 2011 SEC Championship and an appearance in the BCS National Championship game that year. He capped his career with 1,392 rushing yards and 14 total touchdowns.

Ford spent time in the NFL with the Chicago Bears (2013-14) and the Atlanta Falcons (2015).

“Earning my degree represents a significant achievement and milestone in my journey,” Ford said. “It reflects years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance in the pursuit of knowledge and personal growth. Committing to complete a degree, particularly at a prestigious institution like LSU, demands both determination and resilience.

“Graduating from LSU marked a pivotal moment in my life, representing my journey of resilience, perseverance, and strength. It reinforced the notion that our light is meant to be shared, not concealed; it serves as a source of inspiration for individuals across all ages and generations. This experience has motivated me to engage with others

and support them in illuminating their own paths.

Lewis, a starter on the offensive line for LSU’s 2019 national championship team, became the first member of his family to earn a college degree.

“It’s an honor and truly humbling to be the first person in my family to earn a college degree,” Lewis said.

“The Project Graduation Program allowed me to be able to focus on my career and finish my degree with ease. I hope this achievement serves as motivation to our younger generation of student athletes.”

Lewis was drafted in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He spent four years as a starter on the offensive line for Seattle, before signing a four-year contract with the Carolina Panthers in the offseason.

Lewis, who earned All-SEC honors in 2019, has started all 61 NFL games in which he’s appeared.

LSU now has 104 former studentathletes earning their college degree through the Project Graduation Program, established in 2010.

LSU Football Great Kennison talks about graduating – There were many reasons LSU football great Eddie Kennison returned to LSU to pursue his degree, but one of the most important reasons was that he promised his mother he would.

“It means the world,” he says, describing the day in August when his degree was conferred. In addition to his position as a senior account executive with LSU Sports Properties, Kennison owns Geaux2Coffee and hosts the “Geaux2Legends” podcast, where he brings to life stories of LSU sports legends and what they’re doing now.

“It’s my responsibility to share my experience with the younger generation,” says the new LSU alumnus. “I think that’s one of the greatest gifts God gives.”

Part of that “younger generation” are Kennison’s three sons, who often hear him “talk the talk” about the importance of education and proudly saw him “walk the walk” literally.

Eddie Kennison

Damien Lewis

Around CAMPUS

The LSU Museum of Art received two Gold Awards in the 2024 Southeastern Museums Conference Publication Competition. Awards went to the Art Talk newsletter and the museum’s annual report. Sarah Amacker, a marketing and communications specialist, designed both projects.

Kinesiology’s Amanda Benson was recognized as a Bob and Lynn Caruthers Service Award winner by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). She’s the program director for the Athletic Training Education Program and professor of professional practice at the LSU School of Kinesiology.

Qi Cai, LSU biological and agricultural engineering assistant professor, and a team of LSU researchers are creating an eyedrop gel that will be more accessible to retinoblastoma patients, thanks to a $75,000 Provost Grant Award.

Retinoblastoma is a rare, malignant tumor in the retina that mostly affects children under five and can lead to blindness or death. Many of these patients are unable to access current treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery.

“The mortality rate for retinoblastoma patients in lower- and middle-income countries is as high as 70%,” Cai said. “This is due to noncompliance and limited access to treatment approaches.”

Retinoblastoma affects 200-300 children in the U.S. each year and is the most common type of eye cancer in children, according to the American Cancer Society. About 75%

Noteworthy

of children with retinoblastoma have a tumor in just one eye, known as unilateral retinoblastoma, whereas 25% have it in both eyes, called bilateral retinoblastoma. More than 90% of children in the U.S. with this type of eye cancer are cured, but the prognosis is not good if the cancer spreads outside of the eye.

Sean Courtney will join LSU as associate vice president for research compliance, integrity, and analytics. After an extensive career in cancer research, he most recently served as a senior compliance officer at Purdue University. In his dual role as LSU associate research integrity officer and LSU research security officer, Courtney will promote a culture of scholarly integrity and ensure all research is conducted ethically in a safe and compliant environment.

Vinson P. Doyle, LSU AgCenter mycologist, and Brant C. Faircloth, LSU Department of Biological Sciences professor, lent their combined expertise to a study led by Smithsonian Institution entomologist Ted Schultz to demonstrate that ants began farming fungi after the asteroid struck Earth 66 million years ago.

LSU Science/STEM education associate professor Joshua Ellis received a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for $101,264. The “Collaborative Research: Investigating the Impact of Video-Based Analysis of Classroom Teaching on STEM Teacher Preparation,

Effectiveness, and Retention” project aims to equip teachers and teacher candidates with skills and inclusive approaches to STEM teaching. The grant complements the recently publicized NSF grant awarded to the GeauxTech STEM program at LSU.

Mantas Gartia, an LSU engineering professor, has been elected a National Academy of Inventors fellow. Among many other achievements, Gartia holds seven U.S. patents and focuses his research on tools to improve healthcare for heart and lung tissues.

M.P. Hayes (PHD SCI 2020), an AgCenter and Sea Grant water quality specialist who worked with a team of Louisiana researchers, has received a federal grant worth more than $100,000 for the first step of a study that aims to use wastewater from aquaculture ponds, seafood processors, and farms as fertilizer. The team will use the grant to purchase a scientific instrument that can identify organic matter in bodies of water to determine if the properties have a beneficial use.

Two Baton Rouge researchers at Pennington Biomedical Research Center were named "most influential researchers in the world" by Clarivate Analytics’ 2024 List of Highly Cited Researchers. Both Dr. Steven Heymsfield and Dr. Peter Katzmarzyk are internationally recognized researchers for their groundbreaking contributions to obesity research, physical activity, and public health.

The annual Highly Cited Researchers list identifies scientists among the top 1% of researchers in their field, as measured by citations in the Web of Science database over the past decade.

Heather McKillop, LSU alumni professor, and her key collaborator, Elizabeth Sills, at the University of Texas at Tyler, began working together when Sills came to LSU for her master’s degree in anthropology and doctorate in geography with a concentration in anthropology. With funding from the National Science Foundation, McKillop, Sills, and their team excavated the earliest known ancient Maya salt works in Southern Belize.

David Shepherd, associate computer science professor at LSU, led a team of researchers that discovered an effective new way to manage ADHD symptoms in immersive Virtual Reality technology. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, VR is an artificial environment experienced through sensory stimuli provided by a computer. Shepherds’ research shows that using VR to treat ADHD symptoms has the possibility of having a significant impact on the affected lives.

The LSU Healthy Aging Research Center’s (HARC) Scott Wilks, PhD, received and will be the principal investigator of a five-year, $5 million Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) grant to use toward educating and training primary care and geriatrics workforces in rural and underserved areas in dementia-friendly care with a specific focus on Alzheimer’s Disease for their project titled “LouisianaMississippi Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Project” (LAMS-GWEP). This is the second round of funding Wilks and his team received for this project, which began in July.

TIGER TRIVIA

1. When was the first building constructed on the present campus?

1860 1922 1958 1971

2. What was the first building constructed on the present campus?

Tiger Stadium The Parker Coliseum

The dairy barn The Dairy Store

3. When was the first game played in Tiger Stadium?

Thanksgiving Day, 1924 July 4th, 1924

Christmas Day, 1924 Labor Day, 1924

4. Which architect designed the first buildings on campus?

Frederick Olmsted John Desmond

Victor Wogan

Theodore Link

5. For what purpose were Hatcher, Hodges, and Johnston halls originally built?

Dormitories Offices

Classrooms Storage

6. What were the buildings on the west side of the quad originally called?

The quad buildings The agriculture group

The academic group Prescott, Stubbs, Dodson, and Audubon halls

7. What was Patrick F. Taylor Hall called when it first opened in 1979?

The Engineering Shops The Business Complex

The Center for Engineering The Gulf South Research Institute and Business Administration

8. What is Patrick F. Taylor known for?

He was president of LSU He was dean of the College of Engineering

He was President of the He developed the Taylor LSU Foundation Opportunity Program for Student

9. Which campus building was originally designed for livestock judging?

Prescott Hall Swine Palace Theater

Martin Woodin Hall Charles Coates Hall

10. Which band used the Pete Maravich Assembly Center for two warm-up shows for its 1975 tour?

The Rolling Stones Foghat

The Doobie Brothers Steely Dan

11. When completed in 1937, which campus building had the largest copper dome roof in the world?

The Memorial Tower The Pete Maravich Assembly Center

The John M. Parker Coliseum St. Albans Episcopal Chapel

12. What was the first religious center on campus?

Christ the King St. Albans Episcopal Chapel

The Christian Student Center Baptist Collegiate Ministry

Tiger Trivia is compiled by Barry Cowan, assistant archivist, Hill Memorial Library.

LSU AgCenter Health Communities Initiative Assists Young Philanthropist with Big Idea

The College of Human Sciences & Education honored three alumni at its Hall of Distinction Program, including Diane Toups Goyette, Philanthropist Award; Shelly Mullenix, Alumna of Distinction Award; and Collis B. Temple Jr., Alumnus of Distinction Award.

By V. Todd Miller

Ethan Jeffus had a big idea but knew he had to start small - small as in the size of a modest mini fridge. The big idea was combatting rural food insecurity with limited resources, and thus Little Free Pantry Louisiana was born.

Jeffus, an Ignatius Law Scholar at Loyola University, has dedicated much of his life to helping others, a trait he inherited from his grandmother. The lack of access to nearby food banks in her hometown of Sibley sprouted the idea of creating small spaces for neighbors to donate nonperishable goods to share with those in need.

“When people unite with a selfless desire to make a difference, remarkable things can be achieved,” Jeffus says. “The collective efforts of communities across the state have been instrumental in turning this idea into a sustained success.”

The LSU AgCenter Healthy Communities Initiative heard of Jeffus’ efforts, and agents hopped on board to offer help in planning, installing, and promoting little free pantries across the state. There are now 26 locations statewide.

Unlike traditional food pantries, little free pantries, also known as blessing boxes, are always open and offer a limited variety of items to meet basic needs. They typically include canned and boxed foods; household goods like foil and paper towels; personal hygiene items like toothpaste and deodorant; and baby needs such as diapers and formula. The LSU AgCenter has created a guide with all the details on how to get started at https://tinyurl.com/5ybxfhz4.

“It's inspiring to see the progress that Ethan has made across the state,” says Shakera Williams, AgCenter agent in Webster and Claiborne parishes. “Raising awareness and expanding food access through little free pantries is such a great way to directly support communities suffering from food insecurity. I’m excited to see how the initiative grows and the positive impact it will continue to make. Together, we can all make a meaningful difference in addressing food insecurity.”

For more information on Little Free Pantries and how to get involved, visit littlefreepantry.org.

Diane Toups Goyette; Collis B. Temple, Jr.; Roland Mitchell, College of Human Sciences & Education dean; and Shelly Mullenix

Ethan Jeffus with Little Free Pantry in Ruston, La

LSU Healthy Aging Research Center Secures Education and Training Grant

The LSU Healthy Aging Research Center’s Scott Wilks received and will be the principal investigator for a five-year, $5 million Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) grant to use toward educating and training primary care and geriatrics workforces in rural and underserved areas in dementia-friendly care with a specific focus on Alzheimer’s Disease for their project titled “Louisiana-Mississippi Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Project.”

In the United States, approximately 6.5 million older adults, 65 years of age or older, are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, or ADRD.

Louisiana and Mississippi are ranked among the top five states for the highest occurrence of ADRD per person aged 65 years and older, and ADRD is ranked as the seventh leading cause of death in these states.

“There are approximately 95,000 people aged 65 and older living with Alzheimer’s disease in Louisiana, and around 168,000 family members dutifully serve as their care partners,” said Dr. Wilks. “Funding for this program will enable us to provide resources in communities with little to nothing available for Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers.”

The project brings together teams from multiple institutions, including the University of Southern Mississippi, Ochsner Health, Chamberlain College of Nursing, and Alzheimer’s Services of the Capital Area.

Investigators of the Health Resources & Services Administration grant received by the LSU Healthy Aging Research Center

Around

Campus

By Kate Beske

Alum Chris Cummings’ cutting-edge business Creates digital experience for artists, museums

After graduating from law school and working as a clerk, Chris Cummings (2010 BACH H&SS, 2013 JD) realized he felt burnt out and wanted to pursue something else.

“You can’t live in South Louisiana without connecting to culture.”

As he witnessed his mother battle dementia, Cummings decided to create a company to help families in similar situations. In 2015, he launched Pass It Down, a digital storytelling platform that allows people, brands, and institutions to collect, organize, and share their history and content worldwide.

Pass It Down became globally recognized as a pioneer in experimental media by companies such as Coca-Cola and the Consumer Technology Association.

With his company’s success, Cummings evolved his business to focus more on culture. He’s passionate about culture primarily because of where he grew up.

“You can’t live in South Louisiana without connecting to culture,” he says.

Cummings noticed museums and cultural institutions were struggling to connect with audiences in an increasingly digital world. Combined with his passion for culture, he was inspired to branch off from Pass It Down. In 2020, Cummings created Iconic Moments, a marketplace for digital artwork and NFTs, the first of its kind in the museum industry, and a 3D storytelling platform.

An NFT is a non-fungible token, a unique digital item that can’t be replaced, comparable to a one-ofa-kind work of art. Most NFTs are part of the Ethereum blockchain, a cryptocurrency or digital currency. Ethereum’s blockchain keeps track of who owns and trades NFTs.

Cummings sees the importance of “bringing awareness to the history of digital art.” He says digital art is today’s medium, noting that most people spend their day in front of a screen. Iconic worked with the Museum of Art + Light, the first museum in the world to dedicate a permanent wing to digital art, and their work was featured in Forbes magazine. The museum opened on Nov. 8, in Manhattan, Kansas. The museum and Iconic are working with some of the world’s leading digital artists. Their collaborations with Grant Yun sold out in 10 seconds and generated over $120,000 in sales.

Iconic aims to build culture and art models for museums and government agencies to help them expand their digital audience. Cummings’ work creates 3D and digital museum experiences that allow anyone to experience the museum without physically being there. This is cuttingedge in the museum industry, which historically relied on people visiting the museum; Iconic’s work helps to break down physical and geographic boundaries.

Iconic has supplied new revenue streams by helping these organizations reach a global audience, which was necessary after COVID-19 left many museums struggling to survive.

Cummings is also working with the Tiger Athletic Foundation (TAF) to digitize and publish LSU Athletics’ records by analyzing millions of archives, identifying anything at risk of being lost, and prioritizing digitizing them.

“The LSU Athletic Department has an incredible athletic, and even campus history, that dates back well over one hundred years,” he says.

The archives he is working to digitize include trophies, plaques, and memorabilia from LSU. When discussing archives being lost due to time or damage, Cummings says, “That’s the worst thing that could happen.”

Considering the global impact of his work, Cummings has received many honors; most prominently, Iconic received the United Nations World Summit Innovation in Culture and Tourism Award in 2022. He says it’s a testament to the cutting-edge quality of their work.

Cummings recently announced Iconic’s collaboration with Art Basel,

launching a limited-edition print and poster series at Art Basel Miami Beach 2024. Art Basel was founded by gallerists in 1970, and according to Cummings, it’s the most prestigious art fair organization. The collaboration was announced the same day Art Basel released its app, which makes visiting its locations easier.

Cummings explained that the series they launched featured the work of Tyler Hobbs, a top generative artist worldwide. Cummings said the campaign sold out in less than two hours, with purchases from over 27 countries worldwide.

“This collaboration not only elevated Iconic’s global brand visibility but also highlighted our ability to merge highend culture with innovative distribution models,” he says.

Cummings enjoys working with institutions and nonprofits mainly because he wants to help small but important institutions survive, and he feels that it gives them a “microphone.”

He says his time at LSU and living in South Louisiana impacted his career because it is one of the most cultural places in the country, and everything Iconic does has deep cultural roots.

Artwork by Tyler Hobbs

LSU Phi Mu Chapter preserves composite photographs in Digital Library

By Kate Beske

Phi Mu’s Alpha Eta chapter at LSU realized they needed a way to preserve older composite photographs and display them without taking up so much space.

Some of the chapter’s composites weren’t aging well. Some were being glued, others were exposed to sunlight and temperature changes, and some had pictures that fell off inside the frames, according to June Byrd (1971 BACH H&SS), president of Phi Mu Alpha Eta’s house corporation board and Phi Mu national vice-president.

She says the group knew they needed to balance honoring the chapter’s past and having more space for new composites. So, she proposed they budget for a project to preserve composites digitally since the chapter had maxed out display space and didn’t want to risk unsafely storing older composites. They decided to have HistoryIT digitally preserve its composites in 2022 and successfully preserved more than 50.

Digital preservation is making information and documents digital to prevent their loss over time. As life has become increasingly digital, this process allows people to access digitally preserved information from anywhere at any time. Physical copies of historical documents must be digitized before they’re lost or become unrecognizable; in a world where most things are accessible online, hard copies are dying.

Kristen Gwinn-Becker, armed with a doctorate in history from George Washington University, founded HistoryIT 14 years ago. The company’s mission is to save history by digitally preserving items to protect against the loss of knowledge.

“More importantly, we help keep history relevant,” she says. Gwinn-Becker’s team is always looking for more ways to share the past. She says HistoryIT has had many partnerships nationwide, ranging from the NFL to Greek Life.

This project was completed for a Phi Mu Alpha Eta alumnae reunion in the fall of 2023. Byrd says alumnae who attended were excited to access the composites on the Odyssey Prevention account set up by HistoryIT. She says it’s also a fun tool for recruitment.

Along with the website where you can view all the digital composites, Phi Mu’s Alpha Eta chapter installed a display touchscreen on the wall in the common area of their sorority house. Byrd says the chapter has many alumnae who visit the house and love to look at their pictures. She adds that the chapter hopes to digitize more special events, such as bid days, philanthropic events, formals, etc.

By preserving composites for Greek life, Gwinn-Becker says it preserves the history of the organizations and student life on those campuses. She says digitizing composites also shows women's history in higher education and preserves each member’s history.

HistoryIT is also working with LSU’s Delta Zeta Sigma chapter. Byrd says she believes it’s essential to maintain this type of historical information. This digital museum, including digitized composites of Delta Zeta’s Sigma chapter, is set to open in the summer of 2025.

Gwinn-Becker encourages other Greek organizations at LSU and nationwide to consider digitizing their composites or all their assets. When discussing the processes of digitizing the two LSU sororities composites and Greek life nationwide, Gwinn-Becker says, “There are certainly similarities, but the stories are unique.”

June Byrd’s Phi Mu composite photo

Kristen Gwinn-Becker

LSU 2025 Football Schedule

Coach Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers Football team enter 2025 with a high-powered offense and reloaded roster ready to compete for a championship. Their schedule is poised to be an exciting mix of marquee matchups and challenging road tests as the team aims to solidify its position among college football's elite.

The Tigers will begin their campaign with a blockbuster season opener on August 30, traveling to Clemson for the first-ever regular-season meeting between the two programs. However, they have faced off four times in postseason play, including LSU’s dominant 42-25 victory in the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship.

LSU will open its home schedule on September 6 against Louisiana Tech to kick off a slate of games in Tiger Stadium that will be crucial for the team’s postseason aspirations. The Tigers will try to set the tone early in their SEC opener on September 13 with a highly anticipated showdown against rival Florida.

As the season progresses, LSU’s home conference schedule will include matchups against South Carolina on October 11, Texas A&M on October 25, and Arkansas on November 15. The road portion of LSU’s SEC schedule is no less daunting. The Tigers will travel to Ole Miss on September 27, Vanderbilt on October 18, Alabama on November 8, and Oklahoma on November 29. The visit to Norman will mark the team’s first-ever road game at Oklahoma.

The 2025 schedule includes two key bye weeks dates. The first, on October 4, provides a valuable break before hosting South Carolina, while the second, on November 1, allows for additional preparation ahead of the critical road game against Alabama. Both breaks will give the team and coaches time to regroup and refine their game plan during the grueling SEC schedule.

Beyond the opener against Clemson, LSU’s non-conference schedule also features home matchups against Southeastern Louisiana on September 20 and Western Kentucky on November 22. The 2025 football season presents a balanced mix of challenges and opportunities for LSU.

With marquee matchups, critical conference showdowns, and historic firsts, the Tigers are poised to take advantage of their tough schedule and impact the national landscape. If LSU can live up to the hype, the Tiger faithful can expect a season filled with intrigue as LSU looks to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff and compete for championships.

Locker Room is curated and edited by sports writer and LSU Manship School of Mass Communication alumnus Marc Stevens. Marc is an avid sports fan, and Locker Room combines his passion for storytelling with LSU athletics.

LSU Beach Volleyball Legends Clinch

Second World Tour Finals Title

Kristen Nuss (2020 BACH HS&E) and Taryn Kloth (2020 MAST BUS) were one of the greatest duos in LSU beach volleyball history.

They reaffirmed their position as one of the top beach volleyball pairs in the world by claiming their second-straight World Tour Finals Championship on December 6. Their latest triumph capped off an incredible year following an impressive run on the AVP Tour after competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“So excited for Taryn and Kristen to defend their World Tour Finals Championship,” said LSU Beach Volleyball head coach Russell Brock. “For the first major international tournament after the Olympics, I couldn’t be prouder of how they performed. Being on the top step of those podiums is where they deserve to be!”

The former Tigers pair, known as TKN, has been on a remarkable journey since their collegiate days at LSU. This season, they demonstrated their dominance by winning the Manhattan Beach Open, finishing second at the AVP Chicago Main Draw, and becoming one of only eight U.S. pairs to qualify for the inaugural AVP League.

Nuss’ and Kloth’s chemistry on the sand has been evident since their time at LSU, where they established themselves as one of the top collegiate beach pairs in the nation. During their final season, they posted an undefeated 36-0 record on Court 1, often winning in dominant fashion. Nuss concluded her college career with a record-setting 139 victories, becoming the all-time winningest collegiate beach volleyball player. Meanwhile, Kloth ended her collegiate journey with an incredible 49-match win streak.

After graduating, the pair transitioned to professional beach volleyball, launching their TKN partnership and quickly making waves on the AVP Tour.

In their 2021 rookie campaign, Nuss and Kloth burst onto the scene by winning the AVP Gold Series Atlanta Open, after fighting their way through the qualifying tournament to reach the main draw. Their immediate success earned them the title of AVP Co-Rookies of the Year, with Nuss also being named AVP Defender of the Year.

The success continued in 2022 as TKN claimed three AVP event titles, the only team to achieve multiple wins that year. In 2023, they continued to elevate their game, earning the AVP Women’s Team of the Year award. Nuss also received the AVP Most Valuable Player and Defender honors, solidifying her status as one of the sport’s elite players.

Whether in purple and gold, representing the United States, or dominating on the AVP tour, Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth continue to raise the bar for excellence in beach volleyball. With their relentless defense and offensive approach, the dynamic pair remains a dominant force and the world’s best.

LSU linemen well represented at 2025 Reese's Senior Bowl

This is the first time in Tiger history that the program sends three offensive linemen to the game.

Five LSU football players showcased their skills at one of college football’s biggest talent showcases – the Reese’s Senior Bowl. The invites highlighted the Tigers’ legacy of producing NFL-ready talent while giving the athletes another opportunity to showcase their talents and impress professional scouts as they prepare for the NFL draft.

The five participating Tigers included defensive end Sai’vion Jones and four players from LSU’s high-powered offense. The standouts representing the purple and gold included three offensive linemen –Emery Jones, Garrett Dellinger, and Miles Frazier. The trio of blockers is the first time in Tiger history that the program will send three offensive linemen to the game.

Also representing the Tigers was standout tight end Mason Taylor. The Plantation, Fl. native, was a key blocker throughout the season

and contributed to the Tigers fierce passing attack as a receiving target. He hauled in 55 catches for 546 yards and two touchdowns during his final campaign.

The 2025 LSU contingent at the Senior Bowl continues a strong tradition of the program sending players to the annual all-star matchup. Since the game's inception in 1950, 140 LSU players have participated, with two former Tigers earning MVP honors for their performances, with fullbacks Jimmy Taylor and Earl Gros being recognized in 1958 and 1962, respectively.

The five LSU players heading to the Reese’s Senior Bowl have a prime opportunity to solidify their NFL draft stock and demonstrate their readiness for the next level. With the eyes of professional scouts and executives on them, this group of Tigers has the chance to make a lasting impression and take the next step in their football careers.

Ermery Jones and Miles Frazier

Trailblazer and LSU Tennis Icon Kay McDaniel Leaves Lasting Legacy

The LSU sports world lost a trailblazer and a legend of the women’s tennis program. Former Tiger standout Kay McDaniel died January 5. The Shreveport native’s remarkable career and her dedication to the community leave a lasting legacy.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Kay and her family,” said LSU Tennis Head Coach Taylor Fogleman. “She was one of the most outstanding players in this program’s history. She will be dearly missed.”

McDaniel joined the LSU Women’s Tennis team in 1975 and quickly established herself as one of the program’s elite athletes. In 1978, she and teammate Ebie Taylor became LSU’s first women’s tennis All-Americans. That season, she led the Tigers to a 19-5 record, the Louisiana AIAW Championship, and a 10th-place finish at the National AIAW Championships. The 1978 team set the current program record with 12 consecutive wins.

By the end of her collegiate career in 1979, McDaniel had notched 92 match wins, placing her 13th in LSU history. Her 43 victories in the 1977-78 season rank as the second most for a single season in program history.

After graduating, McDaniel turned professional, competing from 1980 to 1986 on tennis’s grandest stages. She appeared at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open six times, the French Open three times, and the Tournament of Champions once. McDaniel earned a singles title in Atlanta in 1985 and a doubles title in Las Vegas in 1984.

In 1983, she achieved a career-high ranking of No. 30 in singles and climbed to No. 20 in doubles during the 1986 season. Known for her powerful game, she received the Concord British Airways Award for having the “Fastest Serve in Women’s Tennis” during the 1986 season.

She competed against some of the sport’s most iconic players, including Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and Steffi Graf. Her achievements earned her induction into the USTA Tennessee Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame in 2019.

Beyond tennis, McDaniel was a contributing writer for the Chattanooga TimesFree Press, and she was a professor of health science at Lee University. She also hosted a free annual summer youth tennis camp at the university.

McDaniel built the foundation for the women’s tennis program and remains as one of the program’s best. Her legacy is one of excellence, resilience, and service.

Photos: LSU Athletics

“She was one of the most outstanding players in this program’s history.”

Tiger NATION

1970s

Ralph Brookner Bender (1976 BACH BUS), CPA/CGMA and CFO of Manship Media was elected secretary of the Television Music License Committee (TVMLC). TVMLC licenses music for all local commercial television stations in the United States, except for the ION Group, with ASCAP, SESAC, and BMI.

1990s

Stem cell researcher

Dr. Teresa Bowman (1997 BACH SCI) has been appointed chair of the Department of Development & Molecular Biology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in The Bronx, N.Y., after a comprehensive national search. Dr. Bowman began her new role on Dec. 1.

DEGREES

BACH Bachelor’s Degree

MAST Master’s Degree

PHD Doctorate

SPEC Specialist

DVM Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

MLIS Master of Library & Information Science

JD Juris Doctorate (LSU Law School)

LLM Master of Laws

MD Medical Doctor (LSU School of Medicine)

DDS Doctor of Dental Science (LSU School of Dentistry)

COLLEGES/SCHOOLS

AGR Agriculture

A&D Art & Design

C&E Coast & Environment

H&SS Humanities & Social Sciences

SCI Science

BUS Business

HS&E Human Sciences & Education

ENGR Engineering

M&DA Music & Dramatic Arts

MCOM Mass Communication

SCE School of the Coast & Environment

SVM School of Veterinary Medicine

SW Social Work

Sergio Waldeck (1997 BACH BUS) was named senior vice president in technology at Citi in Tampa. Waldeck works with operational transformation, regulatory consent orders, and data and analytics. Prior to recently returning to Citi, Sergio worked with some of the largest financial institutions including the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, JPMorgan Chase in New York City, and Wells Fargo in Dallas.

2000s

Jarrett Cohen, CEO and chief investment officer of JECohen, was named a "Rising Star" by Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans. This distinguished honor is awarded to leaders under 40 who demonstrate excellence in business leadership, innovation, and mentoring young talent across the Greater New Orleans area.

Drew Haro (2007 BACH H&SS), Brother Martin High School's head cross country coach and former LSU cross country runner, has been recognized by the Louisiana High School Coaches Association as the 2023-2024 NFHS Coach of the Year for Louisiana in the sport of boys' cross country.

Brandon Landry (2001 BACH BUS), 2022 LSU Alumni Hall of Distinction honoree, spoke with students in “Commercial Transactions for Accountants” (BLAW 4203), which is taught by Lee and Cynthia Bloch distinguished professor James Fargason. Best known as a co-founder and former CEO of Walk On’s Sports Bistreaux, Landry outlined his journey as a restaurant entrepreneur, discussing the intricacies of commercial transactions and the merits of using LLCs to achieve success.

Cathy Reich (2004 BACH BUS) joined The Signorelli Company as senior vice president of accounting. The Signorelli Company, one of Texas’ largest privately held real estate development companies, is located in The Woodlands.

2010s

Leah Neupert Bullock (2013 BACH BUS, 2016 JD) is one of eight attorneys elected to Phelps’ new council class. She helps developers, operators, and investors build businesses across the Southeast and nationally.

Will DuBos (2019 JD, 2016 BACH H&SS) was promoted to Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) managing director of governmental affairs. He will continue to lead the LRA’s advocacy efforts, including monitoring legislative and regulatory developments, representing the association before government bodies, and advising leadership on policy impacts.

Logan McCaughey (2017 BACH H&SS) was named “Forty Under Forty” by the Northshore Media Group. McCaughey, a Mandeville resident, founded Evercharge LLC, which focuses on providing turnkey solutions for entities looking to purchase and install electric vehicle charging stations and infrastructure. The company now serves Louisiana and 13 other states

Brittni Bell Warshaw (BACH 2014 A&D) was selected for the International Art Prize 2024, launched by the Paul Smith’s Foundation and Winsor & Newton. Warshaw is a Tokyo, Japan-based artist. She was recently honored in London along with five other artists. Paul Smith’s Foundation and Winsor & Newton have partnered to launch this new art prize in painting and drawing. Six winning artists were selected from a free-to-enter open call, chosen by a notable local industry representative. For this first year, the selections took place in London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Hong Kong. A winning artist was selected for each city.

2020s

John M. Blackwell III (2021 BACH H&SS) joined Hahn Loeser & Parks’ Fort Myers office as an associate in the firm’s Litigation Practice Area.

Emily Fitkin (2022 BACH H&SS) joined the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) as a law clerk in the Office of the General Council at Alexandria, Va. headquarters. IDA is a nonprofit corporation that operates three federally funded research and development centers answering the most challenging U.S. security and science policy questions with objective analysis leveraging extraordinary scientific, technical, and analytic expertise.

Adam Guarisco (2018 BACH BUS, 2024 JD) has joined the staff of Breazeale, Sachs and Wilson as an associate in the Corporate and Tax sections.

Rob Hinyub (2020 MCOM) has joined the staff of Breazeale, Sachse and Wilson as an associate in the Healthcare section.

Chris Szeszycki (2021 BACH H&SS) has joined the staff of Breazeale, Sachse and Wilson as an associate in the Casualty Litigation practice group.

In Memoriam

Bill Bankhead (1959 BACH H&SE, 1975 PHD HS&E), an LSU athlete, pioneering administrator, and LSU cheerleader, died Jan. 8 in Baton Rouge. He was the first director of the Pete Maravich Assembly Center and a driving force behind LSU’s women’s athletics in the 1970s. He also brought several major sporting events to Baton Rouge, including the 1983 Special Olympics World Games, the 1985 National Sports Festival, and the 2001 National Senior Olympic Games.

He was coach of the now-defunct LSU Men’s Gymnastics program and revived LSU’s first swimming and diving program since World War II. Bankhead became LSU director of Intramural Sports and Director of Minor Sports, including gymnastics, golf, tennis, wrestling, and swimming and diving. He held the position of director of the then-LSU Assembly Center from 1971-1982. He then became director for the 1983 and 1987 Special Olympics (hosted by LSU) and executive director for the 1985 National Sports Festival. In 2001, he helped bring the USA Masters Track and Field Championship and the Senior Olympics to Baton Rouge. Bankhead was inducted into the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021.

Julia Welles Hawkins, 108, of Baton Rouge, died Tuesday, Oct. 22. She was predeceased by her husband of 70 years, Murray F. “Buddy” Hawkins, Jr., who died in 2013, at the age of 95.

The Hawkinses helped organize the Friends of Hilltop Arboretum shortly after it was dedicated to LSU in 1981. Murray served as the first board president.

Julia, along with June Gonce, another charter member of the Friends group, chaired Hilltop’s first plant sale. Buddy and Julia would offer their home for Hilltop Garden Tours.

Mr. Hawkins served as long-time chair of the LSU Petroleum Engineering Department. LSU remained a key focus for the Hawkins family. All four children are LSU graduates, and one of

the old live oak trees on the campus is named in their memory.

In her last decades, Julia became passionate about cycling in the Senior Olympics. After winning numerous state gold medals, she began competing in National Senior Olympics. When she turned 100, her family encouraged her to switch sports to running, as a safer alternative to biking. In her first track event at the Birmingham National Senior Olympics in 2017, she set a world record in the 100-104 age group. Her gogetter attitude and forceful personality earned her the nickname “Hurricane Hawkins,” and she always ran with her hallmark flower behind her ear.

Also that year, she became the oldest woman to compete in the USA Track and Field Outdoors Masters Championships. She set American records in the over-100 categories in the indoor shot-put, the indoor 60-meter dash, and the outdoor 100-meter dash, according to USA Track & Field Masters. Her achievements were documented in Sports Illustrated, Runners World, NPR, and major newspapers and TV outlets.

She published her memoir, It's Been Wondrous: The Memoirs of Julia Welles Hawkins, in 2016. She also co-authored a history of University Acres, and a “Magic Moments” journal, which is available at the Hilltop Arboretum.

At 105, as her eyesight was failing, she ran her last race in Hammond, just miles from her childhood home at Ponchatoula Beach. She set a new record — as the only person in the 105-109 age group in the world to run a 100-meter dash.

John Sherman Scarle, Jr. (1974 BACH H&SS) passed away Jan. 2 in Baton Rouge. As a student at LSU, he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and LSU Football athletic manager under the guidance of the late Coach Charlie McClendon. In 2003, he received the Outstanding Football Manager Award from the All-American Football Association. He was also past president of the LSU “L” Club.

Remembering Carlos Fandal

A decade after his death, Dr. Carlos Fandal (1960 BACH HS&E, 1962 MAST H&SS, 1968 PHD H&SS), one of the driving forces behind the development of the Council of Development of French in Louisiana, leaves behind a legacy of a foreign language department at the University of Louisiana Monroe thriving in teaching languages from all over the world.

Under the guidance of former ULM President Dr. George T. Walker, Fandal was urged to start the foreign language department in 1967.

“This was a challenging assignment because the new department had no operating budget. Everything needed had to be begged, borrowed, or rescued from the surplus truck, “ said Fandal in a 2009 interview.

In 1993, he became Dean of the ULM College of Liberal Arts, where he served for 13 years before returning to the classroom and his passion for teaching foreign languages. He passed away in 2014 in Monroe.

The French government recognized his contributions to the study of French and the Francophile culture by knighting him as a Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Academiques in 1977 and as an Officer dans l’Ordre des Palmes Academiques in 1987.

1940s

Charles Rupert Holloway, 1947 BACH BUS, Oct. 25, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Frances Merrelle Grice McGehee, 1949 BACH HS&E, Nov. 25, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

1950s

Jared William Bradley, 1955 BACH, 1960 MAST HIST, Nov. 7, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

David McQuown Ellison, Jr., 1956 JD, Dec. 15, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Judge Carl Anthony Guidry, 1956 BACH BUS, 1960 JD, Dec. 8, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Don Paul Hidalgo, 1951 BACH HS&E, Dec. 2, 2024, Baton Rouge, La

Melba Lee Clark Johnston, 1950 HS&E, Dec. 15, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Marion F. “Frank” Keegan, 1957 BACH BUS, Nov. 4, 2024, Alexandria, La.

Dr. Conrad “Curt” Richard Kinard, 1958 MAST HS&E, 1968 PHD HS&E, Oct. 24, 2024, Natchitoches, La.

Gerald Sylvester Montgomery, 1956 BACH BUS, Nov. 12, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Carolyn Cangelosi Perrault, 1958 BACH H&SE, Dec. 6, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Gerard Thomas “Jerry” Scallan, 1956 BACH HS&E, 1960 MAST HS&E, Oct. 23, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

1960s

Julius “Jay” Aronstein, Jr., 1960 BACH A&D, Dec. 11, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Sylvia Lynn Burris Bourgoyne, 1969 BACH HS&E, 1998 MAST HS&E, Sept. 8, 2024, Clinton, La.

Dr. Sharon Cecile Davis Phillips Faulk, 1968 BACH HS&E, 1974 MAST SCI, Nov. 4, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Joseph R. Ferguson, 1965 BACH BUS, Dec. 15, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Patricia “Patti” Funk Hubbs, 1966 BACH HS&S, Dec. 11, 2024, Kemah, Tx.

Ruth Eileen Eberhardt Kean, 1966 BACH SCI, 1971 MAST SCI, Oct. 23, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Susan Franks Leake, 1965 BACH HS&E, Oct. 28, 2024, St. Francisville, La.

Ardith J. Lechey, 1969 BACH M&DA, Nov. 28, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

John Terry Mayo, 1969 BACH H&SS, Dec. 1, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Mary Sunshine Hebert McCowan, 1965 BACH H&SS, Oct. 24, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Harlan Brooks McElveen, 1962 BACH HS&S, Nov. 3, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Dennis Albert “Denny” Neyland, 1968 BACH, Oct. 28, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Daniel Kent “Danny” Rester, 1969 BACH BUS, Dec. 1, 2024, Baton Rouge, La

Gordon Robertson Jr., 1968 BACH BUS, Sept. 30, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Dr. Joel Jarrett Safer, 1963 SCI, Oct. 9, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Charles Scott Schoenbrodt, 1964 BACH BUS, Sept. 21, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

John Richard “Jack” Shortess, 1964 BACH ENGR, Nov. 22, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Mildred Whitney Taylor,1966 BACH H&SS, 1967 MAST H&SS, Oct. 21, 2024, Houston, Tx.

1970s

Janet “Jan” Richardson Arst, 1979 BACH H&SS, Oct. 20, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Paul Gerard Aucoin

Former member

LSU System Board of Supervisors

Oct. 28, 2024

Vacherie, La.

Dorothy Parker Bassett, 1979 MAST HS&E, Nov. 29, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Francis Boudreaux, 1974 BACH BUS, Oct. 21, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Dale D. Cangelosi, 1974 BACH BUS, Nov. 29, 2024, Hot Springs, Ark.

Ira Stephen “Steve” George, 1970 JD, Oct. 27, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

LaAudrey Frances Gipson, 1978 BACH HS&E, 1981 MAST HS&E, Oct. 10, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

William K. “Bill” Gremillion, Jr., 1973 BACH BUS, Sept. 25, 2024, Baton Rouge, La. Lt. Col. Thompson Tal Lanius (Ret.), 1975 DDS, Dec. 3, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Samuel Alton “Buddy” Millican, 1971 BACH AG, Nov. 2, 2024, Deerford, La.

John Harrison Parnell, 1978 BACH BUS, Nov. 2, 2024, Baton Rouge, La

Carolyn Pokorney “Blue” Reeves, 1971 BACH HS&E, Sept. 30, 2024, Starkville, Ms.

David ‘Kent’ Riddle, 1979 BACH H&SS, 1983 BACH EGR, Oct. 11, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Julie Evelyn Ruckstuhl, 1976 BACH A&D, 1980 MAST A&D, Oct. 25, 2024, Baton Rouge La.

Allen Ambrose Sanders, 1975 BACH BUS, 1978 MAST ENGR, Dec. 4, 2024, Baton Rouge, La

Prentiss Stevens, Jr., 1971 BACH H&SS, Dec. 8, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

1980s

Janet “Jan” Daly, 1981 MAST H&SS, Oct. 27, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Cathy Lynn Gill, 1980 BACH BUS, Nov. 4, 2024, Bossier City, La.

David Wayne Guelfo, 1987 BACH EGR, Sept. 20, 2024, Baton Rouge La.

William Oxley “Bill” Humphreys, Jr., 1984 BACH H&SS, Dec. 2, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Robert Jule Hutchinson, 1984 BACH HS&S, Nov. 8, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Joy Michelle “Schelle” Cook Maclean, 1985 BACH MCOM, Sept. 26, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Susan Michelle Moniotte, 1984 BACH A&D, 1988 MAST BUS, Oct. 9, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Brent Joel Ramirez, 1983 BACH ENGR, Nov. 12, 2024, New Orleans, La.

Dr. Janice May Stein, 1989 MAST H&SS, 1994 PHD HS&S, Oct. 31, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Kelli Waddelow Stout, 1983 BACH A&D, Nov. 22, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Sherryl J. Tucker, 1982 JD; Oct. 15, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

1990s

Charles R. “Trey” Albright III, 1997 BACH HS&S, Baton Rouge, La.

Travis Rolling Amar, 1990 BACH H&SS, Nov. 14, 2024, Hammond, La.

Symil Jackson LeDoux, 1997 BACH HS&E, 1999 MAST HS&E, Dec. 7, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Dr. Maxwell Hayden Edward Mayeaux, 1994 PHD SCI, Oct. 3, 2024, Abbeville, La.

Val Jeanne Phillips, 1997 PHD M&DA; July 26, 2024, Eagle, Idaho

Angela Tullier Haydel, 1990 BACH H&SS, 1993 MAST H&SS, Nov. 9, 2024, Baton Rouge, La.

Charles Vincent Baglio, Jr.

Former Dir. External Relations

LSU Football

Oct. 23, 2024

Hammond, La.

Lillie Major Thibaut 1943 BACH HS&E 1942 Homecoming Queen

Dec. 10, 2024

Oscar, La.

Tigers in Print

Samuel C. Hyde, Jr. (1992 PHD H&SS), Robert Mann (2001 MAST H&SS), John A, Lopez (1976 BACH SCI) et al

Bayou Dilemma: Louisiana in Crisis and Change University of Mississippi Press

Contributions by Janet Allured, Craig E. Colten, Marcus S. Cox, Pearson Cross, John Bel Edwards, Adam Fairclough, Keith M. Finley,

Samuel C. Hyde Jr., John A. Lopez, and Robert Mann

In the fall of 2022, a diverse group of scholars, including scientists, historians, political scientists, geographers, journalists, and Gov. John Bel Edwards, gathered to present views on the challenges that define life in Louisiana. Born out of this symposium, Bayou Dilemma: Louisiana in Crisis and Change is an unprecedented compilation that examines the social, political, environmental, and economic hurdles pervasive to the Gulf South and especially the Bayou State.

The essays collected in the volume illuminate pressing problems confronting Louisiana and its surrounding environs, as well as some of the least known and most frequently misunderstood issues that have affected the state in the past. Topics include the problems of flood control, unequal treatment for African Americans and women, political corruption, endemic violence, and partisan applications of justice, as well as the crisis of coastal erosion, the dilemma of special interests shaping legislation, and the corresponding drain of talent from the state to regions offering improved opportunities. The anthology is a provocative and essential guide that reveals

how such trials emerged, how they were overcome or managed, and how they continue to shape the Gulf South’s regional identity. Concentrating on the state's future well-being and its occupants, the volume suggests fresh pathways for addressing these lingering concerns.

Glynn Young (1973 BACH MCOM)

Brookhaven

Brookhaven, an historical novel, was published in December.

In 1915, young reporter Elizabeth Putnam of the New York World is assigned a story on the Gray Wisp. New information has come to light about this Confederate spy in the Civil War, a figure of legend, myth, and wildly competing claims.

What no one knows is the man’s identity.

The reporter follows leads, which eventually bring her to the small Mississippi town of Brookhaven. The Wisp agrees to tell his story, a tale of North and South, loss in wartime, narrow escapes from death in battles, family survival, the poetry of Longfellow, and love. And Elizabeth soon finds her own story has forever become part of the Gray Wisps.

Sarah Laborde (2011 BACH

AG) The Farmers of Our World

Sarah Laborde recently published her first children's book, The Farmers of Our World. Laborde grew up on a farm. The book celebrates the important role farmers play in our lives. It highlights their hard work and dedication, from producing food and clothing to managing diverse tasks on the farm. The book explains how farmers use STEM knowledge to handle

crops, livestock, and equipment while adapting to changing seasons and weather. It encourages young readers to appreciate the commitment and contribution of farmers to our society. It is available in paperback and hardcover on Amazon and IngramSpark.

Jason P.

Theriot (1998 BACH MCOM)

Frenchie: The Story of the FrenchSpeaking Cajuns of World War II University of Louisiana Press

As soon as American forces landed on the beaches of Normandy in June 1944, military commanders called for “Frenchies” to interpret the local population. Like their Acadian ancestors, these young Cajun soldiers from Louisiana had grown up speaking French as their first language. Cajuns represented the largest group of French-speaking Americans in the military, and their linguistic abilities proved invaluable to operations around the world.

Ironically, this same generation experienced discrimination in a state-sanctioned English-only school system that sought to “Americanize” them. Often punished for speaking French at school, many young Cajuns grew up ashamed of their language and culture. Yet, during World War II, when these same Cajuns arrived in the francophone territories of North Africa and Europe, where their bilingual abilities became a vital resource, Frenchies bridged the language gap. What emerged from this unique wartime experience was a long-lost pride in Cajun heritage, creating a profound impact on their sense of identity.

‘Louisiana Saturday Night’ at the Rose Bowl

Making its fourth consecutive appearance, Louisiana shone again in the 136th Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Ca. Former LSU and NFL football great Eddie Kennison (2024 BACH H&SS) was a special guest float rider.

LSU Alumni SoCal chapter volunteer and Louisiana Ambassador Charles Favors was involved in the festivities as well. In the week leading up to the parade, volunteers, LSU and Southern University alumni, entertainers, Louisiana Convention and Tourism Bureaus, and more volunteered to put the final touches on the incredible Explore Louisiana float. This year’s theme, “Best Day Ever,” inspired the float design, featuring a rendition of a “Louisiana Saturday Night.” The float was given the Director Award for most outstanding artistic design and use of floral and non-floral materials!

Explore Louisiana’s fourth consecutive Rose Bowl float themed a ‘Louisiana Saturday Night.’

Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser and Louisiana Ambassador Charles Favors

Louisiana Ambassador Charles Favors and Laura Cating (2005 BACH MCOM), senior vice president of marketing & communications for Visit Baton Rouge.

Eddie Kennison (2024 BACH H&SS) served as a guest rider representing Visit Baton Rouge in the 2025 Rose Bowl Parade. He had an outstanding football career as a wide receiver playing for teams like the St. Louis Rams, the New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, and Kansas City Chiefs where he retired after 13 years in 2010. He is the former director of player development for LSU Football and now serves as a senior account executive for LSU Sports Properties.

By Olivia McClure

Growing up on a farm in St. Martinville, Brayden Blanchard knew he wanted to make a living doing something related to sugarcane — the crop his family has cultivated for five generations.

As a senior in high school, Blanchard tagged along with his father to a grower meeting at the local sugar mill, where he met LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist Kenneth Gravois. Intrigued as he listened to Gravois talk about his background in breeding new crop varieties, Blanchard’s future began to come into focus.

“I decided I wasn't going to be a farmer,” Blanchard recalled. “But I was still very, very close and attached to the industry — and so it was about, ‘How do I make kind of a different type of an impact?’ I decided I wanted to be a sugarcane breeder then, and I just stuck with that throughout.”

Today, Blanchard is doing his part to help develop improved sugarcane varieties, having joined the AgCenter Sugar Research Station in St. Gabriel as an assistant professor this summer. He specializes in quantitative genetics — a field of study that involves using technology to better understand how individual genes combine to influence traits like sucrose content or disease susceptibility. He hopes to use his skills to make the lengthy, rigorous breeding process more efficient.

Blanchard is no stranger to the Sugar Research Station. He worked there for

Blanchard follows legacy in sugar cane by specializing in quantitative genetics

several years, first as a student worker and later as a research associate, while pursuing bachelor’s and doctoral degrees at LSU.

It was at the station that Blanchard learned about the many years of work that go into creating a single new variety. When he saw farmers flock to the facility for field days, eager to hear the latest updates from the breeding program, he came to understand that a new variety offers the promise not just of improved yields — but also improved profits and livelihoods for farming families like his own. He was sure he had chosen the right career path.

“When I learned exactly what a new variety means to our growers, that was probably the biggest draw — because the impact that a new variety can have is astronomical when it comes to the productivity of the industry,” he said.

It takes about 12 years for a new sugarcane variety to be released to the public. The process begins with scientists crossing “parent” plants, generating thousands of genetically unique seedlings every year.

The varieties developed from these crosses are evaluated and whittled down through years of testing. The vast majority do not make the cut to become the next commercial variety.

Many factors go into deciding whether a variety is good enough to be released. It has proven a challenge to come up with something better than L 01299, a consistent performer that has been popular with farmers for several years.

But it’s crucial to bring new genetics into the industry, Blanchard said. Growing a variety for a long time or on a lot of acreage gives diseases a chance to adapt to it. Quantitative genetics can make a difference.

Blanchard is the first to admit that his field of expertise can be hard to understand.

“Quantitative genetics is very abstract, and sometimes I even struggle with that,” he said. “But it’s all about dealing with error and increasing the efficiency of the breeding pipeline.”

Modern researchers like Blanchard have huge amounts of data at their fingertips thanks to drone imagery, sensors and DNA taken from plant samples. Computer tools enable scientists to make sense of all this information: Which genes are associated with a positive trait like disease resistance? Which plant flaws might be the result of environmental conditions, and which ones are due to genetic characteristics?

“We are becoming better and better at understanding what’s there and what we can manipulate,” Blanchard said. “Meanwhile, we’re getting better and better at identifying which crosses are more likely going to be high performing.”

Blanchard’s training in quantitative genetics adds a new element to the AgCenter sugarcane breeding program, building on an existing molecular genetics component.

“We can use these tools to know that something is a good parent and recycle that particular clone back into the crossing program,” said Collins Kimbeng, AgCenter sugarcane breeder. “If the genes that we need to make progress are absent in our population pool, we would know about that earlier, and then that will help us to go somewhere to find those genes. Efficiencies are going to be improved with the new program that we have.”

The addition of quantitative genetics to the breeding program could even speed up the timeline for releasing a new variety, Blanchard said.

“Developing a new variety is one of the only things that a farmer can’t do. It’s out of their hands. All they can do is test and see what they like about a variety,” Blanchard said. “So my dad and I have certainly gotten closer, and I lean on him for a ton of knowledge. But now, he also leans on me for the new information that we are generating.”

Brayden Blanchard

By Brian Hudgins

When Drew Ann Long (1991 BACH BUS) went to grocery stores and big-box retailers 15 years ago, she often saw carts for toddlers and kids – carts with fire truck or police car themes – waiting to be used by shoppers.

The absence of shopping carts for children and adults with disabilities prompted a question: Where are those carts?

Long realized they did not exist.

“My daughter, Caroline, has special needs (Rett syndrome),” Long said. “Certainly, there has to be a special needs cart.”

Long started from square one in 2009 with a drawing of a prototype cart. Then Long began discussing the need with managers at local grocery stores.

Tiger Mom Forges Path for Caroline’s Cart To Reach Children with Disabilities

“What an underserved market,” Long said. “I went to companies and shopping cart manufacturers and told them, ‘This is what we need. The special needs population is the world’s largest minority group.’”

The initial conversations between Long and retail executives went nowhere. She pursued the plan further by doing a few things: Long created a social media presence, asked people for input, and continued to address the issue with retailers.

“I wanted to do this, but didn’t know how to do it,” Long said. “We used our own retirement money, went back to retailers, and kept on and on.”

About a year later, Long started to receive feedback from manufacturers that their customers were calling and inquiring about shopping carts for people with disabilities.

“Consumers were beginning to create the demand,” Long said.

In 2012, Long was able to get a Georgia manufacturer to make 88 carts. The plan was to make 100 carts, but 12 burned in a fire. She got those carts into Sunset Foods in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.

“That kind of kicked off the demand, but I had to tell people I only had 88 carts,” Long said.

Wanzl, a German company that is the world’s largest shopping cart maker, later supplied a manufacturing contract. The ongoing battle to penetrate the retail market meant Long had to continue stressing the need for Caroline’s Cart in stores.

It took years of struggle before Caroline’s Cart eventually found a place in Target, Lowe’s, Wegmans, Kroger, and Publix. July marked a major turning point. Walmart executives invited Long to fly out to Bentonville, Ark. Gaining traction with the world’s largest retailer took Caroline’s Cart to a new demand level.

“Equipping our stores with Caroline’s Cart(s) provides some relief to parents and caregivers who need this tool and know it’s available at their Walmart,” said Cedric Clark, Walmart executive vice president of store operations. “Whether they’re caring for someone with a disability or a temporary injury, the carts support our customers when and how they need it every time they come through our doors.”

Caroline’s Carts are now in every WalMart and Sam’s Club in the United States.

Before Caroline’s Cart existed, Long was a childhood Ohio transplant to Louisiana who became a student at Slidell High School. She applied to one university—LSU—and later focused on a business administration degree track. Long valued the broad knowledge the degree would provide for an entrepreneur.

“It’s not just finance or accounting, but a blend of all things in the business world,” Long said. “My accounting professor was also a certified public accountant. They (the faculty members) did other things professionally. I loved the value and work ethic they brought to the table. It taught us to never give up and take those hard classes.”

Long moved to Birmingham, Alabama, in 1994 – where she lives today. She did in-house accounting for a firm before becoming Director of Finance for a private boarding school. “I’m glad I had it (the business administration degree),” Long said. “I’m glad I had all the different disciplines within that.”

Long has embraced the lessons she learned at LSU while she navigated a journey that began in 2009 with a cart Long drew on a napkin during dinner.

“The buy-in from retailers and manufacturers was terrible at first,” Long said. “Was I going to accept that? LSU taught me the value of hard work. Caroline’s Cart is the hardest and most rewarding thing I have done.”

For more information, go to drewannspeaks.com or carolinescart.com

Caroline's Cart

Drew Ann Long

By Kate Beske

Sharika Mahdi tapped to create paintings For Disney’s ‘Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’

When Disney Imagineers began planning a new ride, “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure,” based on the 2009 movie, “The Princess and the Frog,” they embraced New Orleans since the story is loosely based on the late Chef Leah Chase. To authentically reflect Tiana’s story, they consulted and collaborated with academics, musicians, and artists from the New Orleans area, including Sharika Mahdi.

Chase, known as the “Queen of Creole Cuisine,” worked to uplift her community through her management at Dooky Chase’s, a renowned Louisiana restaurant, and active involvement in social justice activities that fostered civil liberties and equality. One of her most prized contributions was advocating for the Civil Rights Movement by feeding those on the front lines of the fight.

Chase inspired Tiana’s character, shown as a hardworking and ambitious chef from New Orleans. In the movie, Tiana dreams of owning a restaurant, but after kissing a frog prince, they are led on an adventure through the bayous of Louisiana.

Disney commissioned Sharika Mahdi, a New Orleans artist, to paint four paintings with themes including Mardi Gras, family tradition, Mama Odie (a voodoo priestess from the movie), and frogs in the bayou. Mahdi was given creative control, and her paintings inspired the Imagineers responsible for bringing the ride to life.

Mahdi notes that the process of being commissioned by Disney was unique because, at first, she was only asked to produce conceptual sketches.

“To be asked to create paintings was a surprise, and I am thrilled to have created artwork that represents a great Disney film and also captures the essence of my hometown,” she says.

Mahdi says the project meant a lot to her, especially since it exposed her art on a national scale. She says, “I can also be an inspiration for others to never give up on your gift.”

Sharika Mahdi grew up in a large family bathed in New Orleans culture. She began drawing as a kid, and by tenth grade, she was invited to participate in a group show at a local art gallery. She received a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in the arts from LSU and later a master’s in public relations. Mahdi describes her experience at LSU as wonderful.

“I made a lot of lifelong friends and as a communication major, I found ways to be creative participating in student committees and organizations on campus,” she says. Mahdi explains that her classes motivated her to explore her creativity and artistic ability.

After receiving her degrees, she joined the corporate world, working in fashion and event management. She now works as a talented art teacher at Albert Cammon Middle School in St. Charles Parish.

Sharika Madhi with her painting for ‘Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’

Sharika Madhi, left, with Charita Carter, a Disney Imagineer

Sharikia Madhi

Sid O’Bryant grandmother’s plight drives his passion for Alzheimer’s research

Dr. Sid O’Bryant (1998 BACH H&SS) is the principal investigator of the Health and Aging Brain Study–Health Disparities (HABS-HD), the most comprehensive study of Alzheimer’s among diverse communities ever conducted.

He’s also the executive director of the Institute for Translational Research at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, which received this five-year grant in 2022. According to O’Bryant, it was the largest Alzheimer’s research grant in history, almost $150 million.

Dr. O’Bryant grew up in Gonzales, La., considering LSU a place his family went for football games and tailgates.

Becoming a student was a whole new experience. He says his time at LSU was highly impactful because it was the first time he was around people who attended college.

“It was just kind of a new world even though it was 20 miles from my hometown,” O’Bryant says.

While attending LSU, O’Bryant worked with several faculty members in their labs to determine his career goals and conducted research studies. He says he was given opportunities and mentorship that changed his path and that he would never have had the drive he does without the time faculty spent with him and the general feel of the LSU community.

The course of O’Bryant’s work changed during his graduate work at the University of Albany when his father’s mother got sick. O’Bryant used his LSU connections to get his grandmother to the right people, but it still took up to 15 months for her to get a diagnosis.

This made him notice the lack of accessibility; he says he didn’t come from a wealthy family, so they couldn’t afford to pay up to $1,500 to get a diagnosis. O’Bryant found these accessibility issues problematic and believes the medical field failed his

grandma. When his grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, O’Bryant decided this would be his purpose.

“My personal vision statement is a world of optimal brain health for all, and that’s the vision statement of my institute, and why I’m here,” he says O’Bryant aims to scale his work globally and bring cutting-edge standards of care and science research to all walks of life. He wants brain aging and brain disease as heavily discussed as heart disease and cancer, since he says brain disease costs more for the medical community than the other two combined.

O’Bryant takes the most pride, believing he and his team have already changed the world of Alzheimer’s. He’s proud of their work building and making them publicly available, sharing almost 500 databases in the last 36 months.

He has also been mentoring the next generation of scientists to set long-term goals and develop a strategy, which is rewarding. O’Bryant says the grant he received supported more than twenty additional grants, many of which were training grants.

O’Bryant has been a competitive athlete since age six. He participated in martial arts, owned a studio for about 15 years, and power-lifted through graduate school until back surgery for a desiccated disc. After surgery, O’Bryant fell in love with bodybuilding and says he doesn’t compete for trophies but practices because he’s passionate about it. Knowing that diet and exercise are probably the most significant factors in the risk reduction of Alzheimer’s makes him see the importance of living that as an example.

O’Bryant says an important lesson for early-career students and even established scientists is never to quit and to pursue one’s dreams, not funding.

“Find what it is you truly love and what you’re passionate about, and once you do, go,” he says.

By Kate Beske

He says remembering your roots is important because your work should be about helping people, not funding or publications. Approaching his work with this attitude and framework allows him to have a team of friends who love their work. He would rather have an amazing friend than the best colleague any day.

Finally, O’Bryant explains the shock many people display when he informs them he went to LSU, not Harvard, Yale, or Columbia. “The only limit you have is you; LSU is a blessing to you; it’s something that will open doors, and don’t let someone tell you you can’t do something.”

Dr. Sid O’Bryant

Inside the Institute for Translational Research lab

MRI scan from the Healthy and Aging Brain Study

BABY BENGALS

Haley Duke Babb (2015 BACH SCI) and J.D. Babb announce the birth of their third daughter, Summer Babb.

Barbara Dewey (1981 BACH BUS) and Mike Dewey announce the birth of their grandson, John Hutcheson Bauman, born Oct. 5 in Fort Worth, Tx. The parents are Elizabeth and John Bauman.

Hope Babin Grandy (2018 BACH SCI) and Ben Grandy (2018 BACH ENGR) of Baton Rouge welcomed their daughter, Josie Mae Grandy, on Oct. 27. Hope was an LSU Golden Girl. Her fellow Golden Girl, Ada Bankston Whalen, was born the same week as Hope. These two friends had baby girls born the same week as well.

Ada and her husband, Greg Whalen (2019 BACH ENGR), are the parents of newborn Virginia Louisa Whalen, born Oct. 21 in Baton Rouge.

Lauren Regner Smith (2007 BACH HS&E) and Micah Smith (2007 BACH H&SS) welcomed their second baby boy, Beckett James, on May 8.

WEDDING BELLS

Kennedy Achord and Ashton Berret

Kennedy Achord (2020 BACH HS&E) and Ashton Berret (2021 BACH HS&E) married at St. George Catholic Church in Baton Rouge, with a reception following at Lod Cook Alumni Center. The couple resides in Baton Rouge, where Kennedy is an optometrist at Achord Eye Clinic, and Ashton is finishing his second degree in computer science at LSU.

Kyle Bouman (2015 BACH HS&E) married Natalie Shatro on Sept.21 in St. Louis. Kyle was a part of the LSU baseball team, which won the 2014 SEC Championship, and participated in the 2015 College World Series. The couple resides in St. Charles, Mo., where Kyle works for Marucci Sports Midwest Region and Natalie works in data analytics at Digitas.

Major Hebert, son of Elizabeth McCollister Hebert (2005 BACH BUS) and Kyle Hebert (2008 BACH ENGR), gets up close and personal with LSU Mascot Mike the Tiger. Photo taken by his grandfather, Rolfe McCollister, Jr. (1978 BACH H&SS).