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Spring 2017, Volume 93, Number 1
GABRIELA GONZÁLEZ
TOP 10
SCIENTIST OF THE YEAR
From the
PRESIDENT
Big Plans to Make You Proud It's no stretch to say that 2016 was a rough year for many families in Tiger Nation. Many lost everything in the flooding that inundated parts of South Louisiana and the greater Baton Rouge area. I'd like to thank those of you who supported your fellow Tigers during this crisis. Whether you contributed to our Food Bank, the Student Relief Fund, the LSU Employee Emergency Fund, or any of the other avenues we developed to assist those within our community, it all made a difference in people's lives. With the New Year comes an opportunity to put the past behind us and look forward to the next great thing – and LSU has big plans to make you proud. 2017 will bring the finalization of our strategic plan, which will provide the platform upon which we will elevate LSU's academic reputation throughout the country and beyond. Coinciding with this effort will be a branding initiative to change the way prospective students view our university. LSU is committed to excellence – an excellent academic experience, excellence in research, and excellence in outreach. We believe more students can benefit from the LSU experience, and we are going to extend our reach to make sure that everyone knows we are a world-class university. Our team of LIGO scientists embody this pursuit as they continue to rack up prestigious awards for their role in the measurement of gravitational waves, which proved Einstein's Theory of Relativity. Gabriela González, LIGO spokesperson and LSU professor of physics and astronomy, was even named one of the top 10 thinkers in the world by Nature, a highly respected scientific journal. She is an example of the level of expertise our students have the opportunity to learn from – expertise unique to our university. To enhance the donor experience, we recently announced that priority point credit for philanthropic donations to the LSU Alumni Association and the LSU Foundation is being increased from ¼ point per $1,000 donated, to one point per $1,000 donated. TAF is also working with the LSU Health Sciences Center Foundation in New Orleans and the LSU Health Sciences Foundation in Shreveport to provide priority point credit for donations made to these LSU-affiliated organizations. This spring, the expanded University Recreational complex will be fully opened. It is a magnificent facility resized to provide the healthy lifestyle opportunities our students expect. In the fall, the renovation and expansion of Patrick F. Taylor Hall, which houses the College of Engineering, will be finished. It will be the largest academic engineering complex in the United States and offers the latest advances in engineering education. You will see a difference in the way LSU presents itself to the world in the coming months as part of an effort to increase our ability to compete with peer institutions for the best students, the best faculty, and the best staff – all while continuing to serve the great state of Louisiana and its people. Thank you for supporting LSU along this journey – you are a giant part of what makes our university such a special place.
Geaux Tigers! F. King Alexander LSU President @lsuprez
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Publisher LSU Alumni Association
Contents
Editor Jackie Bartkiewicz Advertising Kelsey David Art Director Chuck Sanchez STUN Design & Interactive
a l u m n i
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Features
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24 A Window Opens to the Universe
Since the beginning of civilization, humans have looked to the sky for guidance, whether charting a destination by the stars, measuring time by the sun, or attempting to determine what lies beyond our planet. On Feb. 11, 2016, the scientific community took another leap forward when researchers announced the first-ever detection of gravitational waves, predicted by Albert Einstein’s 1915 general theory of relativity, ushering in a new era of cosmic observation. In this first-ever physical detection of gravitational waves, scientists were able to conclude that the collision and subsequent merger of two black holes happened approximately 1.3 billion years ago. LSU Department of Physics & Astronomy Professor Gabriela González has played a central role in this groundbreaking discovery. She has served as the spokesperson for the large, international scientific collaboration that detected gravitational waves called the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, or LSC. She is also an experimental physicist whose research involves the reduction of noise to enhance the sensitivity of the gravitational wave detectors at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatories, or LIGO, as well as calibration of the detectors and analyzing the data.
In Each Issue 1 4 6 30 36 38 46
From the President President/CEO Message LSU Alumni Association News Around Campus Focus on Faculty Locker Room Tiger Nation
On the cover: Top 10 Scientist of the Year Gabriela González. González, professor of physics and astronomy, and elected spokesperson of the International LIGO Scientific Collaboration, presented the keynote address at the 2016 SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) National Diversity in STEM Conference in Long Beach, Calif. Photo courtesy SACNAS/Lisa Helfert Photography. Design by STUN Design & Interactive.
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Editorial Assistants Patti Garner, Karla Lemoine, Brenda Macon Contributors Barry Cowan, Ed Cullen, Matt Deville, Jennie Gutierrez, Bud Johnson, Tamara Mizell, Meg Ryan, Alison Satake, Danielle Kelley Tolbird Photography Mark Claesgens, Ray Dry, Steve Franz/LSU Athletics, Johnny Gordon, Larry Hubbard, LSU Sports Information, Andrew Newman, Jenn Ocken Photography, Chris Parent/LSU Athletics, Eddy Perez/ LSU Strategic Communications, Derek Ponomsky, Colby Sterling Printing Baton Rouge Printing NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS Leo C. Hamilton Chair, Baton Rouge, La.
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Susan K. Whitelaw Chair-Elect, Shreveport, La. Jack A. Andonie Director Emeritus, Metairie, La. Lodwrick M. Cook Director Emeritus, Sherman Oaks, Calif. Jon D. “Jay” Babb, Baton Rouge, La. Louis R. Minsky, Baton Rouge, La. Karen G. Brack, San Diego, Calif. Jeffrey M. “Jeff” Mohr, Baton Rouge, La. David B. Braddock, Dallas, Texas A.J.M. “Butch” Oustalet, III, Gulfport, Miss. Stephen T. “Steve” Brown, Sherman Oaks, Calif. Fred G. “Gil” Rew, Mansfield, La. Randy L. Ewing, Quitman, La. Oliver G. “Rick” Richard, III, Lake Charles, La. Kathryn “Kathy” Fives, New Orleans, La. Bart B. Schmolke, Alexandria, La. Mario J. Garner, Pearland, Texas Beverly G. Shea, New Iberia, La. Matthew K. “Matt” Juneau, Baton Rouge, La. John T. Shelton, Jr., Houston, Texas Kevin F. Knobloch, Baton Rouge, La. Van P. Whitfield, Houston, Texas Ted A. Martin, Baton Rouge, La. Stanley L. “Stan” Williams, Fort Worth, Texas LSU ALUMNI MAGAZINE is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the LSU Alumni Association. Annual donations are $50, of which $6 is allocated for a subscription to LSU Alumni Magazine. Approval of Periodicals Postage Paid prices is pending at Baton Rouge, La., and at 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. Editorial and Advertising Office LSU Alumni Association 3838 West Lakeshore Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70808-4686 225-578-3838 • 888-RINGLSU www.lsualumni.org / e-mail: jackie@lsualumni.org © 2017 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 of the author’s viewpoint by the magazine, the Association, or LSU.
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President and CEO
MESSAGE
Ya With Me? Let's Geaux! We are delighted to welcome former Tiger great and Houston Astros infielder Alex Bregman to our team as he puts his All Star skills to work for the LSU Alumni Association and the University as 2017 Honorary National Fund Chair. Without a doubt, Alex embodies our core values pf teamwork, loyalty, and selfless service, and he will certainly attract the attention of LSU Tiger Nation as he helps us invest in Tigers and transform lives.
Hearty congratulations to Professor Gabriela González, named one of the world’s Top 10 scientists by Nature, Scientist of the Year by Great Minds in STEM, and one of the Top 100 Leading Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy magazine. LSU faculty are awardwinning experts. Our future alumni learn from the best, and their success increases the value of an LSU degree for all graduates.
Just as he is making his mark in the major leagues, Alex is going to share his talents, time, resources, and energy to help LSU raise dollars through the Alumni Fund to support scholarships, professorships, awards, and other programs of excellence that touch all areas of University life. “I am excited to be able to share my time and resources to assist my alma mater in this way,” Alex said in accepting the honorary position. “I urge Tigers everywhere to support LSU through the Association. Alumni support is critical to national rankings and definitely impacts the future of the University and the state. And every person’s participation counts. Ya with me? Let’s go!” Indeed, everyone’s participation counts. And, we know Alex’s involvement and leadership will appeal to Tigers of all ages. It is especially important that we attract and engage the next generation of members, supporters, and donors. We first connect with future alumni during recruiting and orientation efforts with our campus partners and continue those relationships through the LSU Collegiate Club and other activities during their LSU years. We strengthen our connections with the “Net” generation after graduation primarily through social media, the online alumni magazine, and monthly email newsletters to encourage participation in Association-sponsored activities. These young alumni may not be in their prime earning years, but their participation early on is critical to the future growth of the Association and the University. Their pride in the Purple & Gold and involvement in service to each other and in their communities on behalf of their alma mater sends a powerful message about their values and puts a positive face on Tiger Nation. Alex Bregman will play a big part in this effort – and so can you! Encourage your young LSU sons, daughters, relatives, and friends to get involved and help us grow. Join us for a year of excitement as we continue to move forward. The Association belongs to you . . . and the possibilities are limitless. Lastly, it is with great sadness that I inform you of the death of our friend and fellow board member Jan Liuzza in January. Jan was elected to the board in 1995 and served as chair in 2016. She was an enthusiastic, loyal Tiger, and we will miss her greatly.
Cliff Vannoy President/CEO @LSUAlumniPrez
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LSU Alumni Association
AlumniLSU
From Our Readers
Tiger Trivia
Flood
There is a mention of the books making the move via the conveyor to the new library (Tiger Trivia, Winter 2016). Does anyone know when books started to return to the Hill Library (nicknamed the Hill stacks)? I certainly know. I began lugging certain identified collections back to the Hill stacks during 1962-1963. George Guidry was the library director at that time, and space in the new library was becoming scarce. The new library was only three floors – a premium. The decision was made to move certain collections back to Hill. The stacks were dusty, unused, and occupied by pigeons on the upper floors. Closing all the west windows (after chasing out the birds) and cleaning out the debris was the first order. I had a small team of student employees that tackled this project. I remember one of the helpers, Carl Baker, the brother of Joseph Baker, a library science student and student library employee. After the cleanup, a few collections had been identified and I began hauling these over on a dolly. Later, as the collections grew, others took over the moving task. Mr. Guidry assigned me the task of adapting wire mesh panels to fit the shelving units in the new library. The section would be for restricted access and under lock and key from sections of the Hill Library. I don't know if these are still in use today, there was one section on each floor. If I ever get back to LSU, I would love to see the two buildings and the changes that have evolved over the years. I was an LSU library student employee from 1959 to early 1964. I worked in every function of the library during my college years. I collected some of the Audubon prints for the library from the local area, and I hung each throughout the building. Are they still there today? It would be neat if any of the students that received our scholarship (Pat and Woody Blanchard Flagship Scholarship) would have worked as a student employee in the libraries. You never know. Thanks for the Tiger Trivia.
The article on Little Rock Rocks looked great - thanks!
Brent Dugas 2008 BACH H&SS Vice President, LSU Little Rock Alumni Chapter
Faithful Reader Another great issue! I do not know how [y’all] do it time after time – but read every word. Thanks!
Sarah Clayton 1967 BACH H&SS
Woody Blanchard 1964 BACH ENGR Editor’s note: Barry Cowan, assistant archivist in LSU Libraries Special Collections and author of Tiger Trivia, responded to Mr. Blanchard’s query about the Audubon prints: That’s correct. The prints, along with Audubon’s four-volume elephant folio, are in Hill. The prints are simply too valuable to leave hanging in the library, and they were in danger of becoming faded by excessive light, so they were moved to Hill for preservation purposes. After Middleton Library opened in 1958, Hill was renovated into office and lab space. It also served as storage for little-used library materials; that’s where you came in, Mr. Blanchard. I can’t imagine clearing out the pigeons before moving the books into Hill! We would be very happy to give you a tour of both Hill and Middleton. Things have changed quite a bit since you were a student.
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LSU Alumni Association
NEWS
Chapter Events
Chapter Director BJ Bellow, President Cliff Vannoy, Kevin Hellman, Senior Vice President Amy Parrino, and Vice President for Advancement Rhett Butler.
Investing in Scholars – Kevin Hellman, chair of the San Diego Chapter annual crawfish boil, dropped off a $137,000 check in October to bolster the chapter’s scholarship fund. The monies are realized through the chapter’s many “Parties with a Purpose” – primarily its crawfish boil – which a few years ago set a record for the “largest crayfish [sic] party at a single venue.”
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LSU Alumni Association News
Chapter Events
Birmingham-area Tigers enjoy Cajun dancing at the Taste of Louisiana event.
Ed Paxtor, Bobby Hamous, Katherine and Caroline Hamous.
Cajun Pete Lapoint, Angela Lapoint, and Gan Osborne cook it up at the Greater Birmingham Chapter’s Taste of Louisiana.
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Taste of Louisiana – The Greater Birmingham Chapter’s inaugural Taste of Louisiana event last fall attracted chefs from Cajun restaurants in the city, as well as chapter members eager to show off their culinary skills. The Birmingham Cajun Zydeco Association provided music for dancing, and Birmingham-area Tigers raised $3,000 for Louisiana flood victims.
DC Chapter Takes Top Awards Tigers in the DC Chapter walked away with two major awards at the Capital Alumni Network (CAN) Awards Night in October 2016. Jill Wilbert, chapter treasurer, won the President’s Award, and the chapter was honored with the Commitment to Education Award. “At Awards Night, we recognize individuals and chapters for their various efforts toward their alumni affiliation and/or CAN, as well as distribute a CAN scholarship to an alumni chapter,” writes newly elected CAN President Alexandra Russell, a DC Chapter board member. The network is an all-volunteer organization composed of more than 250 Washington, D.C.- based college Capital Area Network President Alexandra Russell, right, and Jill Wilbert, CAN President’s Award winner. and university alumni clubs. Through a variety of scholarship, service, social, and sporting events, CAN creates an environment in which alumni clubs can grow, network, and thrive. The President’s Award recognizes an individual who has represented CAN and/or their alumni chapter over several years, embodying the core CAN values: leadership, commitment to education, philanthropy, networking/outreach, and athletics. Wilbert was cited as being “an instrumental part of the success of the LSU DC Chapter [who] has continuously worked to build upon its growth, as well as link the chapter to the Capital Alumni Network. Jill is the type of person who leaves a remarkable impact wherever she goes – LSU and CAN are both incredibly lucky to call her their own.” The Commitment to Education Award recognizes chapters that demonstrate commitment to education through scholarship development and/or hands-on involvement through educational service. Since the DC Chapter was established, its primary objective has been to fund a scholarship to award to a DC-area student bound for LSU. The chapter hosts a variety of scholarship fundraising events, including raffles during football game watches and a springtime reception, and achieved its goal of awarding an inaugural $3,000 scholarship to a student this fall.
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LSU Alumni Association News
Snapshots
Jamie Hanks, executive director of the West Baton Rouge Chamber; Danielle Gueho, sales manager, The Cook Hotel; John Richard, of Turner Industries and chamber board chair; and Lauren Regner, event coordinator, Lod Cook Alumni Center. Danielle Gueho, far right, with West Baton Rouge Chamber guests at The Cook Hotel.
Community Partners – As members
Tammy Brown, Danielle Gueho, and Justin Wilkinson at the ABC Jambalaya & Gumbo Cook-Off.
of numerous Greater Baton Rouge Area organizations, LSU Alumni Association staffers take part in activities sponsored by those groups. The events provide excellent opportunities to network and visit with current and potential supporters of the Association and The Cook Hotel. November found hotel sales manager Danielle Gueho and Lod LSU alum Thomas Hall won the autographed LSU Cook Alumni Center event coordinator football at the cook-off. Lauren Regner at the West Baton Rouge (WBR) Chamber Golf Classic. Later in the month, sales director Tammy Brown and reservationist Justin Wilkinson joined Gueho at the Pelican Chapter Association of Building Contractors Jambalaya & Gumbo Cook-Off. The hotel staff hosted WBR staffers at a holiday luncheon in December.
Connecting Generations – In the
Governor John Bel Edwards and LSU Alumni Association President and CEO Cliff Vannoy.
middle of the football season, Cliff Vannoy, president of the LSU Alumni Association, didn’t miss the opportunity to present a piece of the Tigers’ treasured past – a photograph of 1905 LSU football captain Frank M. Edwards – to the grandson of that player, Gov. John Bel Edwards. Frank Edwards was a 1906 graduate of LSU, and Gov. Edwards graduated from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 1999 – attesting the University’s role in developing leaders for the state and nation. (Frank Edwards photo 1905 Gumbo.) Photo by Andrew Newman
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Teeing up for Tiger Scholarships
First place net winners, from left, Chad Chenevert, Kurt Davis, Lathan Han, and Lane Word.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS • Presenting - Triad Electric & Controls First place gross winners, from left, Blaine Patin, Daniel Preston, Layne McDaniel, and Matt Deville.
Sixty-four golfers teed off at the LSU Alumni Association Golf Tournament at University Club in November. Prizes were awarded in first, second, and third place gross and net categories, with Blaine Patin, Daniel Preston, Layne McDaniel, and Matt Deville taking home the first place gross prize – The Suite Experience at The Cook Hotel. Team members received a stay at The Cook Hotel and tickets to the last home football game as guests in the Association’s Tiger Stadium Suite. Other winning teams were Flynn Foster, Scott Lynch, Scott Snyder, and Jared Wilson, second place gross; Richard Daviet, Doug Firmin, Jim Parr, and Steve Tope, third place gross; Chad Chenevert, Kurt Davis, Lathan Hahn, and Lane Word, first place net; Wayne Mitchell, Alan Morgan, Sandy Morgan, and Pat Murphy, second place net; and Doug Allen, Patrick Coogan, Lance Mayeaux, and Will McGuffey, third place net. Photos by Johnny Gordon
• Golf Cart - Lee, Dougherty & Ferrara Investment Management • Suite Experience - The Cook Hotel • Food - Unique Cuisine, Roberto’s, WalkOn’s • Beverage - Coca-Cola Baton Rouge, Mockler Beverage, The Cook Hotel • Hole-in-One - Gerry Lane Chevrolet • Tee Box Sponsor - Liberty Mutual • Putting Contest - Stan Williams • Promotions - Practical Promotions, 104.5 ESPN • Hole - Business First, Chip Claiborne, Hargrove Engineers, Hollywood CasinoBaton Rouge, L’Auberge Casino & HotelBaton Rouge, Lewis Mohr Real Estate, Performance Contractors, Repcon
Special Presentation – Susan Howell Aycock, of Noblesville, Ind., and her husband, Tom, joined the Traveling Tigers for the LSU vs. Wisconsin game at Lambeau Field last fall and took advantage of the opportunity to donate her father’s LSU ring to the permanent ring collection. The late W. Stanley Howell graduated from LSU in 1943 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. To donate a ring, contact jackie@lsualumni.org.
Tom and Susan Aycock at Lambeau Field with LSU Alumni Association President Cliff Vannoy.
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LSU Alumni Association News
Snapshots
Delta Airlines corporate instructor Rori Smith talks to school principals at the Lod Cook Alumni Center.
Talking Customer Service – Rori Smith (1992 BACH MCOM), a corporate instructor on Delta Airlines Brand Strategy and Customer Service team, returned to campus in December to speak to East Baton Rouge Parish school principals about customer service at the school board’s winter conference “Invitation to Collaboration.” According to school Superintendent Warren Drake, customer service is a key element in improving the school district. Smith’s message, “STRIVE for Excellence” focused on the key points of the acronym STRIVE – Smile, Trust, Respect, Image, Visibility, and Empathy. Photo provided by East Baton Rouge Parish School Board.
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Shown with Harriett Shea, seated, are from left, Amy Parrino, Mignon Kastanos, Linda Vannoy, Beverly Shea, and Jean Nelson.
Belles of the Bayou – The staff of the LSU Alumni Association and The Cook Hotel were treated to a special appreciation dinner by hosts Jerry and Beverly Shea at Beau Soleil Restaurant in New Iberia, La., in early January. Special guests joining them in providing the celebration were Jerry Shea, Sr., Harriett Shea, and Jean Nelson. Beverly Shea is a member of the Association’s Global Board of Directors.
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LSU Alumni Association News
LSU Alumni Association President Cliff Vannoy, Robert Lank, LSU Faculty and Staff Club President Joy Bagur, Brandli Roberts, and Rosemary Wilhelm.
Snapshots
Most Festively Dressed – Nona Haynes, Claire Moreau, Dale Pollett, and Robert Courter.
Caroline Daigle and Mary and Roland Dommert.
Doreen Maxcy, Mary Tessier, Marjorie Whitehead, and Jynx Marcel.
Odrie and Jean Ortego.
Heaux, Heaux, Heaux – The LSU Alumni Association hosted nearly 300 retired LSU employees to kick off the holidays at the Retired Faculty-Staff Christmas Celebration on Dec. 6 at the Lod Cook Alumni Center. The luncheon festivities included entertainment by tenor Prentiss Mouton, a senior music major, and a Christmas carol sing-along, and dozens of guests walked away with Barbara Franke and Mary and Carruth McGehee. door prizes. Those attending donated more than $1,300 to benefit the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, a project of the LSU Faculty and Staff Retirees Club. Photos by Johnny Gordon
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Pianist Doug Pacas, tenor Prentiss Mouton, and Association Vice President John Grubb lead a Christmas carol sing-along.
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LSU Alumni Association News
Snapshots
Family, friends (even furry ones!) – and future Tigers – joined seniors to celebrate their upcoming graduation at December commencement ceremonies.
Celebrating Graduation – Graduating seniors celebrated their soon-to-be alumni status at Senior Happy Hour before December commencement ceremonies. Guests were treated to a cocktail buffet, and seniors explored the opportunities available to them as new official members of LSU Tiger Nation and walked away with lots of door prizes. Photos by Johnny Gordon
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LSU Alumni Association News
2016 Annual Meeting Hamilton, Whitelaw to Lead Alumni Board
John Shelton, Steve Whitelaw, Susan Whitelaw, and Steve Tope. The 2016 Global Board of Directors, front, from left, Jan Liuzza, Kathy Fives, Dr. Mary Lou Applewhite, Susan Whitelaw, and Karen Brack; center, President Cliff Vannoy, Dr. Gil Rew, Steve Brown, Rick Oustalet, Beverly Shea, and Van Whitfield; back, Stan Williams, John Shelton, Leo Hamilton, Jay Babb, Dr. Louis Minsky, Butch Oustalet, and Steve Tope.
Chair Jan Liuzza recognizes Steve Whitelaw for his volunteer work.
Jan Liuzza, 2016 board chair, right, congratulates outgoing board member Dr. Mary Lou Applewhite.
Outgoing board member Rick Oustalet is congratulated by his brother, Butch Oustalet.
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Leo Hamilton and Susan Whitelaw were named chair and chairelect, respectively, and four new members were elected to the LSU Alumni Association Global Board of Directors at the Past Presidents & Chairs Luncheon and Annual Meeting on Nov. 18 at the Lod Cook Alumni Center. All candidates were elected unanimously, and their terms of office began on Jan. 1. Hamilton and Whitelaw will serve one-year terms. Serving three-year terms at-large are new members David B. Braddock, of Dallas, cofounder and current board member of Broad Oak Energy II; Mario Julien Garner, the inaugural senior vice president and chief executive officer at Memorial Hermann Pearland Hospital in Pearland, Texas; Jeffrey M. “Jeff ” Mohr, of Baton Rouge, president of Lewis Mohr Real Estate and Insurance Agency; and Bart B. Schmolke, of Alexandria, La., an independent financial advisor with Financial Solutions Group. Susan Whitelaw, of Shreveport, a member of the board since 2010, was elected to represent District 5. Immediate past chair Dr. Gil Rew, a member of the board since 2009, was
elected to fill an at-large position. They were also elected for three-year terms. “Leadership is critical to the success of any organization, and we are fortunate to have these outstanding, dedicated alumni on the board,” said Cliff Vannoy, Association president and CEO. “The Association and the University benefit immensely from their expertise, leadership, and support.” Reappointed for one-year, at-large terms were Jon D. “Jay” Babb and Dr. Louis R. Minsky, both of Baton Rouge, and John T. Shelton, of Houston. Chairelect Leo C. Hamilton, of Baton Rouge, assumed chairmanship and Whitelaw was voted in as chair-elect. Ending terms on the board were Dr. Mary Lou Applewhite of New Orleans, who served for twenty-eight years, including one term as chair, and Richard C. “Rick” Oustalet, of Jennings, La., who served for twenty-five years. They were honored with resolutions attesting to their outstanding devotion, leadership and support. “These individuals were an integral part of the organization for many years, and they played major roles in our success,” said Vannoy. “Their willingness to share their time, talents, and resources was invaluable.”
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW MEMBERS of the LSU Alumni Association Global Board of Directors
David B. Braddock • Mario J. Garner • Jeffrey M. “Jeff ” Mohr • Bart B. Schmolke
They join a prestigious group of visionary leaders dedicated to supporting Louisiana State University through mutually beneficial collaboration with alumni and friends.
Leo C. Hamilton Chair Baton Rouge, La.
Susan K. Whitelaw Chair-Elect Shreveport, La.
David B. Braddock Stephen “Steve” Brown Dallas, Texas Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Kevin F. Knobloch Baton Rouge, La.
Jack A. Andonie Director Emeritus Metairie, La.
Lodwrick M. Cook Director Emeritus Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Randy Ewing Quitman, La.
Kathryn “Kathy” Fives New Orleans, La.
Ted A. Martin Baton Rouge, La.
Louis R. Minsky Baton Rouge, La.
Oliver G.”Rick” Richard III Bart B. Schmolke Lake Charles, La. Alexandria, La.
Beverly G. Shea New Iberia, La.
Jon D. “Jay” Babb Baton Rouge, La.
Karen Brack San Diego, Calif.
Mario J. Garner Matthew K. “Matt” Juneau Pearland, Texas Baton Rouge, La.
Jeffrey M.“Jeff” Mohr A.J.M.“Butch” Oustalet III Fred Gillis “Gil” Rew Baton Rouge, La. Gulfport, Miss. Mansfield, La.
John T. Shelton Houston, Texas
Van P. Whitfield Stanley L. “Stan” Williams Houston, Texas Fort Worth, Texas
THE COOK HOTEL BOARD OF MANAGERS
Michael Valentino Chair New Orleans, La.
Jon D. “Jay” Babb Vice Chair Baton Rouge, La.
Calvin Braxton Natchitoches, La.
Sam Friedman Natchitoches, La.
James W. Moore III Monroe, La.
John T. Shelton Houston, Texas
Stephen M. “Steve” Tope Baton Rouge, La.
Stanley L. “Stan” Williams Fort Worth, Texas
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LSU Alumni Association News
2016 Annual Meeting Past chairs recognized at the luncheon were Applewhite, Babb, Minsky, Rew, and Hals Benhard. Special recognition was given to Rew for his outstanding leadership and to Steve Whitelaw for his volunteer work with the board’s Human Resources Committee.
New Members Steve Brown, Tommy Lejeune, CFO Mike Garner, and Guy Reddick.
Newly elected board members, from left, Bart Schmolke, Jeff Mohr, and Mario Garner.
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Braddock cofounded Broad Oak Energy II in 2012 and currently serves on its board. The company was recognized as No. 1 in the Inaugural LSU 100 – the fastest growing companies led by an LSU alumnus and No. 2 in the Dallas Business Journal as the 2010 fastest growing company in Dallas. He studied geology and business economics at LSU and earned a bachelor’s degree in 1974. Garner is the inaugural senior vice president and chief executive officer at Memorial Hermann Pearland Hospital in Pearland, Texas. He graduated from LSU with a bachelor’s degree in microbiology.
He earned a master’s degree in healthcare administration from Tulane University and a doctor of education degree in administration and supervision from the University of Houston. Mohr is president of Lewis Mohr Real Estate and Insurance Agency in Baton Rouge. He graduated from LSU in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in management and administration and earned a master’s degree in insurance management from Boston University. He is an active member of the LSU Alumni Association and Tiger Athletic Foundation. Schmolke, a thirty-three-year professional in the financial industry, is an independent financial advisor with Financial Solutions Group in Alexandria, La. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance in 1978 and an M.B.A. in 1980. He is a longtime member of the LSU Alumni Association and Tiger Athletic Foundation.
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LSU Alumni Association News
Scholars Banquet LSU’s Best and Brightest Honored
Photos by Johnny Gordon and Larry Hubbard
Jim Parr, president of the Greater Baton Rouge Alumni Chapter, and his wife, Laura, donors to the East Baton Rouge Parish Endowed Flagship Scholarship. President’s Alumni Scholars, from left, Ethan Olsen, Jessica Schaumburg, Tanishq Goribidanur, Taylor Dottley, Zachary Roubein, Bailey Dixon, Bailey Tinsley, Kimberly Cook, and John Robinson. Not pictured, Brooke Justus.
Some of LSU’s best and brightest students – President’s Alumni Scholars and Flagship Scholars – and the donors who funded their scholarships were recognized at the LSU Alumni Association Scholars Banquet in November.
Julianne Dugas, recipient of the Shelton Foundation Flagship Scholarship, and John Dugas.
President’s Alumni Scholarships were awarded to the University’s top ten entering first-year students: Kimberly Cook, of Bossier City; Bailey Dixon, of Zachary; Taylor Dottley, of Baton Rouge; Tanishq Goribidanur, of Hamilton, N.J.; Brook Justus, of Lexington, Ky.; Ethan Olsen, of Belle Chase; John Robinson, of Houston; Zachary Roubein, of Houston; Jessica Schaumburg, of Baton Rouge; and Bailey Tinsley, of Plano, Texas. The President’s Alumni Scholars, also known as Cain Scholars, receive awards funded through the Association from an endowment made in memory of Ola and Ruth Cain by Gordon A. Cain and Mary H. Cain. Resident and nonresident students receive tuition exemption, on-campus room and board, and a one-time $2,000 study abroad stipend. Nonresidents also receive $2,000 per year. Flagship Scholarships, funded by individual donors, organizations, and alumni chapters through the Association, were awarded to 181 students. Residents receive $2,500 per year and nonresidents receive $20,500 per year. All recipients can earn up to an additional $1,500 by participating in the President’s Student Aide program by working in an on-campus job. View event photos at lsualumni.org/photo-gallery/2016-scholarship-banquet
From Our Scholars Thank you for your generous donation. I promise that not a single penny will go to waste as I strive to be the best student possible. –Tyler Nahhas, Class of 1931 Percy Brown memorial Endowed Flagship Scholar Thomas Abrahams, the Lewis C. & Katheryn Price Endowed Flagship Scholarship recipient, and Jefferey Abrahams.
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This scholarship has allowed me not only to live on campus but also afforded me the resources to pursue my studies without financial concern. I have been given the opportunity for research with a professor in my major, and I have [also] found an alternative area of interest in virtual reality development. –Taylor Dottley, President’s Alumni Scholar
Without this scholarship, I would be unable to attend LSU. I am succeeding in all my classes on my journey to becoming a petroleum engineer. –Thaddeus Vingar, Helena Taylor Thorgeson Memorial Endowed Flagship Scholar It would have been impossible for me to attend LSU without this scholarship. I am a chemical engineering major in the Honors College. Thank you for helping me achieve my dreams and have an outstanding college experience. –Sarah Jones, Barry L. Ostrolenk
Abby Ferrell, recipient of the Warren A. Dotty Sevier Memorial Endowed Flagship Scholarship, center, with Richard and Jackie Ferrell.
Memorial Endowed Flagship Scholar You have lightened my financial burden, which allows me to focus on the most important part of school – my studies. I hope to one day give back to the community by providing a scholarship of my own. –Ethan Nguyen, Murray A. Spindel Endowed Flagship Scholar
Taylor Stirling, recipient of the Glenda W. & Carl J. Streva Endowed Flagship Scholarship, center, with Suzanne and Stephen Stirling.
Thank you for generously donating your time and resources to help students like myself attend such an amazing school. My first semester has been full of new friends, exciting classes, and lifechanging experiences. I hope to make the most of every day on this beautiful campus. –Caitlin Huettemann, Murray A. Spindel Endowed Flagship Scholar
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A WINDOW OPENS TO THE UNIVERSE LSU PHYSICIST INSTRUMENTAL IN ONE OF THE LARGEST SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES OF OUR TIME
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SINCE THE BEGINNING OF CIVILIZATION, HUMANS HAVE LOOKED TO THE SKY FOR guidance, whether charting a destination by the stars, measuring time by the sun, or attempting to determine what lies beyond our planet. On Feb. 11, 2016, the scientific community took another leap forward when researchers announced the first-ever detection of gravitational waves, predicted by Albert Einstein’s 1915 general theory of relativity, ushering in a new era of cosmic observation.
BY TAMARA MIZELL AND ALISON SATAKE | PHOTOS BY LSU STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
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instein hypothesized that massive objects could warp or bend spacetime. So, for example, a pair of black holes orbiting near one another would eventually collide, forming a single, more massive black hole. Part of their combined mass is converted to energy, following Einstein’s formula, E=mc2. This energy is emitted as a burst of gravitational radiation, which travels outward like ripples on a pond. These ripples, or gravitational waves, are what researchers hoped to measure – and they succeeded. In this first-ever physical detection of gravitational waves, scientists were able to conclude that the collision and subsequent merger of two black holes happened approximately 1.3 billion years ago. LSU Department of Physics & Astronomy Professor Gabriela González has played a central role in this groundbreaking discovery. She has served as the spokesperson for the large, international scientific collaboration that detected gravitational waves called the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, or LSC. She is also an experimental physicist whose research involves the reduction of noise to enhance the sensitivity of the gravitational wave detectors at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatories, or LIGO, as well as calibration of the detectors and analyzing the data. The U.S. has two LIGO detectors. One is in Livingston, La. and the other is in Hanford, Wash. LIGO Livingston is the only detector within driving distance to a major research university – LSU. “LSU has had a very unique partnership with LIGO because
we are so close to the Livingston observatory. I’m a professor at LSU, but my work became very important for the field because of the work that I do at LIGO Livingston. That’s how I became spokesperson, eventually. And that’s true of our students who are also considered critical pieces of this enterprise. They’ve been able to have that kind of contribution much better and more efficiently than students at other institutions, because they’re here,” González said. She has served as spokesperson of the 1,000 member international LIGO Scientific Collaboration, or LSC, for the past five years and is the longest serving elected LSC spokesperson. She has received accolades for her work from around the world including being named as one of the top 10 scientists in the world by the scientific journal Nature, Scientist of the Year by Great Minds in STEM, and one of the top 100 Leading Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy magazine for the LSC. On behalf of the LSC, she received the 2016 Breakthrough of the Year from Physics World for “their revolutionary, firstever direct observations of gravitational waves.” González was born and raised in Córdoba, Argentina. She studied physics at the University of Córdoba, where she earned her undergraduate college degree. She recently was awarded the highest distinction from the Senate of Argentina, the Honorable Domingo Faustino Sarmiento award. She came to the U.S. to pursue and attain her Ph.D. from Syracuse University. Her doctorate focused on Brownian motion and gravitational waves. Her work took her to universities across the U.S. including MIT, Penn State, and LSU.
France Cordova, director of the National Science Foundation, left, with Gabriela González at LIGO-Livingston. NSF has invested about $1.1 billion in this project over the past forty years to cover research and development, student education, facilities construction, and staffing. It provides about $50 million per year for research. LIGO Livingston’s annual budget is $6-9 million per year and is fully funded by NSF.
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Top photo: LSU Physics & Astronomy graduate students celebrate the detection of gravitational waves at LIGO-Livingston. LSU student researchers have been a part of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration work. Bottom photo: With other leaders and founders of the LIGO effort, Gabriela González made the official statements and took questions starting at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., before gathered national science press. The announcement was also live-streamed online. "This detection is the beginning of a new era. The field of gravitational wave astronomy is now a reality," González said.
WHAT’S MORE EXCITING IS THAT THE FUTURE IS NOW HERE. WE NOW KNOW THAT WE’LL BE DETECTING MORE OF THESE, AND WE REALLY HAVE AN OBSERVATORY. THE GOAL WAS NOT TO DETECT THE FIRST GRAVITATIONAL WAVE; IT WAS TO DETECT GRAVITATIONAL WAVES – PLURAL.
Gabriela González, left with College of Science Dean Cynthia Peterson and Joseph Giaime, professor of physics & astronomy and head of LIGO-Livingston.
THE LIGO SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATION A century after Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves, representatives from the National Science Foundation, or NSF, which funds LIGO, along with researchers from Caltech, MIT, LSU, and the LSC took to the podium in Washington, D.C., to announce their findings at a National Press Club press conference. NSF has invested about $1.1 billion in this project over the past 40 years to cover research and development, student education, facilities construction, and staffing. It provides about $50 million per year for research. LIGO Livingston’s annual budget is $6-9 million per year and is fully funded by NSF. The LIGO Livingston observatory is located on LSU property, and LSU faculty, students, and research staff are major contributors to the fifteennation, international LSC. More than 1,000 scientists from universities across the U.S. and fourteen other countries conduct LIGO research as members of the LSC. More than ninety universities and research institutions in the LSC develop detector technology and analyze data; about 250 students are contributing members of the collaboration.
LSU’s investment in gravitational wave detection spans more than four decades, and is among the longest of the institutions contributing to the present discovery. LSU faculty, students, and scholars have had leading roles in the development of several generations of gravitational wave detectors, in their commissioning and operation as well as the collaborations formed. This achievement is in part an outcome of LSU’s long-term vision and commitment to high-risk, high-potential scientific research.
PICKING UP THE SIGNAL: GW150914 While the announcement came in February, the waves were actually detected on Sept. 14, 2015, at 4:51 a.m. CST by both of the twin LIGO detectors in Louisiana and Washington state. González and other top LIGO researchers woke up to text messages and emails from scientists who were analyzing data from an engineering run, during which systems were being tested prior to the planned observational run. Since the universe never sleeps, researchers got an early wakeup call that day. “Even in the beginning, for the first few hours, I thought somebody had made
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a mistake and that this was a test. So it took some time – a few hours for me, a few weeks for others – to convince ourselves that this was not a test, that this was a candidate,” González said. Once the suspected waves were detected, teams sprang into action to execute detection procedures: first, more data had to be taken and analyzed; then it had to be reviewed for errors or inconsistencies; and a paper had to be written and submitted for review to outside referees who would further analyze the findings. Once the results were confirmed by outside referees, the LSC team announced them to the world. The analysis of the full data taken with LIGO detectors between September 2015 and January 2016 revealed another detection of gravitational waves on Dec. 26, also from the merger of a different pair of smaller black holes. When announced in June, it proved the beginning of a new era for gravitational wave astronomy.
A WINDOW OPENS TO THE UNIVERSE From this breakthrough, we will be able to learn more about gravity near a black hole, where spacetime is warped, but that’s only the beginning. LSC scientists continue to conduct research on the existing data and expect to detect more astronomical events as the LIGO detectors and technology become more sensitive, and the European gravitational wave detector, VIRGO, located in Cascina, Italy, begins to collect data. They anticipate detecting other events, including neutron stars in our galaxy, other black holes, and supernova explosions. “I actually have been saying for a long time that I wasn’t looking forward to the first detection, I was looking to get past the first detection,” González said. “What’s more exciting is that the future is now here. We now know that we’ll be detecting more of these, and we really have an observatory. The goal was not to detect the first gravitational wave; it was to detect gravitational waves – plural.” Tamara Mizell is a writer/editor in the Office of Strategic Communicatons, Marketing & Creative Services; Alison Satake, a research writer/editor in Strategic Communications, Media Relations, is editor of LSU Research magazine.
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Q&A WITH GABRIELA GONZÁLEZ What has been the most exciting moment, for you, through this process from the first detection until now?
It was seeing the reactions of people, the questions we had, how everybody was watching and reacting to this so favorably after the announcement. I was kind of expecting some more skeptical questions and people saying, “Well, we should wait and see.” But everybody was so excited about this, and the general public wanted to know more. And it’s been like that since then; it hasn’t died down. It’s been a steady stream of excitement.
Average Americans may not understand what this discovery means to their everyday lives. How would you simplify this accomplishment in a way that makes it relevant and understandable?
Well, we have no idea—and, in general, scientists have no idea—which discoveries will later turn out to be useful for technology. So we have to keep making them. But I think that there are two aspects of this that gets everybody inspired: one is that this proves, not just with math equations from Einstein but from measurements, that the spacetime in which we all live is moving around. We measured this here on Earth. It’s moving around; it’s not static. You think that the distance between you and me, if we don’t move, is set, but it’s not. And that just changes the way you think about the universe. The universe is a very, very dynamic place. The other thing that I have learned that inspires everybody, more than I thought, is that we are always looking at the sky, and we want to understand what’s out there. So, in this instance, you’re looking at the sky and these ripples are coming to you from so, so long ago. So it’s like we’re beginning to hear the universe, instead of just seeing it. We all know that we need lasers for everything now – in medicine, in movies, and so on – but when lasers were invented, people didn’t believe they had any application and said, “Oh, this is a solution looking for a problem.” And even with relativity, we tend to think about this as a mathematical way of describing the universe, but it’s more real than that; you have to use relativity to get GPS right. So now, relativity is essential to our lives; we all use GPS.
What do you say to people who believe this discovery indicates that time travel is now possible?
This doesn’t have anything to do with time travel. It does have to do with time being part of spacetime. When we say that distances get stretched and squeezed, it’s actually spacetime—so time gets stretched and squeezed too. We knew that, but now we’ve measured it. But that’s not the same as time travel. You can go faster or slower towards the future, but not back in time…yet.
What advice would you give to young people, particularly to young women, who want to go into scientific fields?
Ask questions! Ask questions of everybody. And when people say they don’t know—because you have to ask questions to people who know the answers, and sometimes you don’t know who knows the answers—keep asking. Now, with social media, with the Internet, you can email anybody. We receive questions from lots of people all the time, and we love them. So, ask questions; that’s how you learn.
KEY TERMS What is spacetime ? In its simplest form, spacetime is the combination of the three-dimensional world of space, which we see all around us, plus time. This gives us the four-dimensional spacetime, a warped fabric that tells how masses move.
What are gravitational waves ? Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of spacetime that radiate outward from a cataclysmic astronomical event.
How does the interferometer work ? Both the Livingston and Hanford observatories have L-shaped arms that are 2.5 miles, or 4 kilometers, long and 4 feet in diameter. Lasers are sent in two beams down the arms under a near-perfect vacuum. The beams of light are used to monitor the distance between mirrors at the end of the arms, carefully isolated from the ground motion. According to Einstein’s theory, the distance between the mirrors would change by an infinitesimal amount when a gravitational wave passes by the detector. A change in the lengths of the arms smaller than one-tenthousandth the diameter of a proton can be detected. The near-simultaneous detection by the two observatories is necessary to confirm that an event is real.
From top: 1. Gabriela GonzĂĄlez was invited to testify before the U.S. Congress on the 2015 detection of gravitational waves, and the role of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration she leads. She and colleagues presented a full committee hearing titled "Unlocking the Secrets of the Universe: Gravitational Waves to the Committee on Science, Space & Technology." 2. This illustration shows the dates for two confirmed gravitational wave detections by LIGO, plus one candidate detection, which was too weak to unambiguously confirm. All three events occurred during the first fourmonth run of Advanced LIGO, the upgraded, more sensitive version of the observatories. The three events are GW150914 (Sept. 14, 2015), LVT 151012 (Oct. 12, 2015), and GW151226 (Dec. 26, 2015). 3. Years of research and hard work came to fruition with the detection of a single ripple in the fabric of space-time on Sept. 14, 2015. At 4:50:45 a.m., the LIGO Livingston Observatory in Livingston, La., detected a signal of a gravitational wave. Nearly seven milliseconds later, another identical signal reached the LIGO Hanford facility in Hanford, Wash., confirming the signal and the presence of gravitational waves in the universe.
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Around
CAMPUS
In Focus
From left, Richard Barbalace, Parent Advisory Council vice president; Jennifer Parfait, Parent Advisory Council president; Lakisha Banks, lead teacher; President F. King Alexander; Gov. John Bel Edwards; Cynthia DiCarlo, executive director, Early Childhood Education Lab Preschool; Angela Barnes, director, ECE Lab Preschool; School of Education Director Neil Mathews; and College of Human Sciences & Education Dean Damon Andrew.
ECE Ribbon Cutting – Governor John Bel Edward joined faculty, staff, parents, teachers, and toddlers at the launch of the Early Childhood Education Laboratory Lab Preschool in October. The preschool, aligned with the early childhood program in the School of Education, increases opportunities to conduct research in a model demonstration school involving young children, early childhood educators, students, and faculty researchers. It is designed on the Reggio Emilia approach, an educational philosophy focused on exploration and discovery in a supportive and enriching environment based on the interests of the children through a self-guided curriculum. The facility has thirty-five staff members and 175 children. Photo by Eddy Perez
LSU Retirees – Rebecca
LSU Retirees Club officers, from left, Joy Bagur, president; Ken Koonce, vice president; Donna Day, secretary; and Judy Lithgoe, treasurer
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Rebecca Christofferson, center, with Bill Brown and Ken Koonce.
Christofferson, a pathobiological scientist at the School Veterinary Medicine, spoke to the LSU Faculty and Staff Retirees Club in October 2016 about arboviruses (short forARthropod BOrne) viruses, such as Zika and West Nile, which are transmitted by mosquitoes. Talk show host and political observer Jim Engster was guest speaker at the November meeting, and the group’s annual Christmas luncheon took place in December. Photos by Mark Claesgens
Cuba Delegation – Chris D’Elia, dean of the College of the Coast & Environment; Kalliat Valsaraj, vice president for Research & Economic Development; and Jonathan Earle, dean of the Ogden Honors College, joined Gov. John Bel Edwards on a trade mission to Cuba in October 2016. The governor and Cuban leaders signed a series of “memoranda of understanding,” pledging to do business and work closely with each other once the U.S. Congress lifts the embargo, which remains in place even as relations are thawing. The LSU contingent also held high-level meetings with academic leaders at the University of Havana and the Cuban Institute of Cultural Research Juan Marinello, where Ogden Honors students take classes during the LSU/Honors in Cuba summer study abroad program, now in its fourth year.
From left, Gov. John Bel Edwards, Chris D’Elia, Kalliat Valsaraj, and Jonathan Earle.
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Noteworthy
Around Campus
Jerry Draayer
Sam Bentley
Marwa Hassan
Nancy Isenberg
J. Gerald Kennedy
Andrea Beauchamp Carroll
Richard L. Kurtz
Mandi J. Lopez
Andrea Miller
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Isiah Warner
Sam Bentley, professor of geology and director of the Coastal Studies Institute, was selected by the Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College for the Erich and Lea Sternberg Honors Professorship, the college’s highest faculty award. The Sternberg Professor participates in teaching and the general life of the Ogden Honors College during the tenure of the award. Jerry Draayer, the Roy P. Daniels Professor of Physics and an LSU Distinguished Research Master, was designated a Fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest scientific organization. Draayer was recognized for his distinguished contributions to the field of Nuclear Theory and Computational Physics, particularly for work in the area of the structure of atomic nuclei from a first-principle perspective through modeling and testing the role special symmetries play in these systems on some of the world’s most powerful supercomputers. Marwa Hassan, the Bert S. Turner Professor of Construction Management, will lead the Transportation Consortium of South-Central States (Tran-SET) that will focus on improving transportation infrastructure through the use of innovative materials and technology. The consortium was awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to establish the regional research center, one of thirty-five recipients awarded a five-year grant from the Transportation Department’s University Transportation Centers. Tran-SET will receive $2,470,600 for the current fiscal year. Nancy Isenberg, the T. Harry Williams Professor of History, was named one of Politico Magazine’s top fifty thinkers, doers, and visionaries transforming American politics. Since the fall 2016 election, she has been a go-to source for analysis by national media.
J. Gerald Kennedy, Boyd Professor of English, was named a Bellagio Writing Residency Fellow after recently publishing his book, Strange Nation: Literary Nationalism and Cultural Conflict in the Age of Poe. He will spend four weeks working at the Bellagio Center on Lake Como in Italy working on a new book project. The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Residency Program offers academics, artists, thought leaders, policymakers, and practitioners a serene setting conducive to focused, goal-oriented work and the unparalleled opportunity to establish new connections with fellow residents from a wide array of backgrounds, disciplines, and geographies. Andrea Beauchamp Carroll, interim associate dean for student and academic affairs and the Donna W. Lee Professor of Family Law at the LSU Law Center; Richard L. Kurtz, associate dean of the College of Science and professor of physics and astronomy; Mandi J. Lopez, professor and director of the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine Laboratory for Equine & Comparative Orthopedic Research; and Andrea Miller, associate dean for undergraduate studies and administration and professor in the Manship School of Mass Communication were selected to participate in the 20162017 Southeastern Conference Academic Leadership Development Program. The program is a professional growth initiative that seeks to identify, prepare, and advance academic leaders for roles within SEC institutions and beyond. LSU Boyd Professor of Chemistry and SEC Professor of the Year Isiah Warner and Professor of Veterinary Surgery Mandi Lopez were named Fellows to the National Academy of Inventors. They are two of the 757 NAI Fellows representing 229 research universities, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations.
LSU was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the tenth year in a row by the Corporation for National & Community Service. The award recognizes community-engaged work in the areas of education, economic opportunity, and general community service completed during the 2013-2014 school year.
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a $1.3 million research grant to an interdisciplinary team of scholars headed up by the Center for Energy Studies. The multi-year project will examine the technical and economic feasibility of developing a commercialscale carbon capture and storage project in Louisiana’s industrial corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
The LSU Mixon Lycaeum Speech and Debate Team competed in the 2016 Crimson Classic Tournament in Alabama and the Hub City Swing Tournament in Mississippi and took home awards from both events. Taking part in the Crimson Classic, hosted by the University of Alabama and including universities from across the nation, were students Dena Winegeart, of Alexandria, La.; Tanishq Sai Goribidanur, of Trenton, N.J.; Alex Rader, of Dallas, Texas; and Russell Wilder, of Knoxville, Tenn.
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Authority awarded a grant to the LSU Industrial Innovation Center to support technological advances in the chemical manufacturing industry. LSU was one of thirty-four organizations across the country to receive this competitive award. More than 215 institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and entrepreneurshipfocused organizations applied.
The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) at LSU received first place in the National Organ Donor Awareness Competition at the PRSSA National Conference in October 2016. Student-run public relations firm 225 Communications partnered with the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency to design and execute a semesterlong educational campaign for Public Relations Campaigns, a Manship School of Mass Communication capstone.
The League of American Bicyclists has recognized the LSU campus as a silver Bicycle Friendly University, making it one of only 164 bicycle friendly colleges and universities in the country. The U.S. News & World Report’s 2017 Best Online MBA Program rankings place the LSU Online Flores MBA Program T-38 among public colleges and universities and T-47 overall on its list of 239 ranked programs. In 2016, the online track was ranked T-75 among public institutions and T-105 overall.
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LSU Food Pantry: Feeding Hungry Tigers
Around Campus
By Danielle Kelley Tolbird Photo by Colby Sterling
“School is stressful enough . . . this helps level the playing field.”
Natacha Rivera-Ruiz, a graduate assistant, front, and Josh Dean, assistant director of Campus Life, stock the shelves for shoppers.
There are many LSU students who do not know where they will find their next meal. And LSU Campus Life is helping them. The LSU Food Pantry is open five days a week during the regular semester, and students may visit twice a week – no questions asked – to supplement their meals with a variety of food options. HOW TO DONATE • Drop off food items at 455 Student Union, or call 578-5160 to arrange a pick-up of food items. • Shop the LSU Food Pantry Amazon Wish List. • Make a monetary donation specifying the LSU Food Pantry via the LSU Foundation. • LSU faculty and staff can create a payroll deduction.
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The usual nonperishable and canned foods are available, along with deli meats, cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables, and other perishable foods, thanks to a refrigerator and freezer donated by Student Government and the Olinde Career Center. In November, the Food Pantry even received donated hams and Cornish hens to give students a Thanksgiving meal. “It’s good to offer protein that’s not tuna. While tuna is great, we like to offer as much choice as we can,” said Margo Jolet, associate director of Campus Life. “We also try to be cognizant of ethnic and cultural needs.” Jennie Stewart, now LSU’s Title IX Coordinator, was assistant dean of students and associate director of student advocacy and accountability when the Food Pantry opened.
Our Core Values
TEAMWORK SELFLESS SERVICE RESPECT COMMUNICATION
TIGER TRIVIA
Danielle Kelley Tolbird earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Manship School of Mass Communication in 2014 and 2016, respectively. She now resides in West Monroe, La., and is a proposal manager for Oracle.
1. During World War I, what temporarily replaced ROTC on campus? The Corps of Cadets The Students’ Army Training Corps The Flag Corps The Pershing Rifles 2. Which alumnus rose to the rank of major general to command the Second Division of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I? John Archer Lejeune Troy Middleton Campbell Hodges John J. Pershing 3. For what purpose was the Memorial Tower constructed? A s a memorial to LSU alumni As a memorial to Huey Long who died in the Civil War As a memorial to Louisianans As a memorial to Louisianans who died in World War I who died in World War II 4. How did LSU students help during the Great Flood of 1927? They piloted small boats to rescue Home Economics students made people stranded on rooftops baby clothes and bandages Sororities held fundraisers and All of the above collected toys 5. Who did the Tigers play in their first intercollegiate baseball game in 1893? Tulane Mississippi A & M Alabama Auburn 6. What was the first athletic conference of which the Tigers were a member? The Southeastern Conference The Southern Conference The Southern Intercollegiate The Sunbelt Conference Athletic Association 7. What event delayed the start of the 1897 football season? A yellow fever epidemic Not enough players No uniforms No cheerleaders 8. When was the LSU Foundation established? 1926 1960 1969 1988 9. What was Patrick Taylor Hall called when it opened in 1979? Thomas Boyd Hall Thomas Atkinson Hall Center for Coastal, Energy, Center for Engineering and and Environmental Resources Business Administration 10. Where was the Panhellenion located? On Chimes Street Near the Memorial Tower East of Evangeline Hall South of the Parker Coliseum 11. What was the Panhellenion’s purpose? It was a center for sorority activities It was a center for fraternity activities It was a cafeteria It served as the infirmary 12. What was the original purpose of the Agnes Morris and Helen Carter houses? Women’s dormitories Demonstration houses for who died in the Civil War construction management classes Sorority houses Demonstration houses for home economics classes Tiger Trivia is compiled by Barry Cowan, assistant archivist of Special Collections, Hill Memorial Library. Answers: 1:b 2:a 3:c 4:d 5:a 6:c 7:a 8:b 9:d 10:c 11:a 12:d
“There was an identified need,” Stewart explained. “Many [students] had financial needs that we could help ease by providing food, and the need was great enough that a regular food pantry was opened. You can’t study when you’re feeling ill from hunger. [Now] students have another resource to ease the many financial demands.They don’t have to choose between gas, books, and food.” The pantry moved to Campus Life in Summer 2016 for administrative and logistical reasons. The new space on the third floor of the Student Union is four times larger than the original closet. That same week, Baton Rouge was hit with devastating floods. The pantry is normally available only to students, but as the flood directly affected one in six staff members, it was decided to open it to faculty and staff for two months, “It’s always been a student resource, but because so many faculty and staff were impacted and because the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank was flooded, we weren’t able to refer them,” Jolet said. “We had some great alumni chapters step up and [take on] the Food Pantry as their project.” “We had so many donors sending items from our Amazon Wish List that we had five to seven huge packages every day,” Jolet said. “We couldn’t even fit it all in – and had to have two overflow spaces. We’ve been lucky to have people who see the mission behind the Food Pantry and want to make a difference.” The Food Pantry received 7,097 pounds of donated food and $11,125 in direct donations in the weeks following the flood. An average of 106 individuals visited the pantry weekly – a total of 797 times from mid-August through the end of September. The pantry had fewer visits as recovery began, but a need remains to help food insecure students on campus. Last fall, the Food Pantry was visited no less than fifty times per week and, according to Jolet, and more students are expected this semester. “School is stressful enough. We don’t want any barriers to keep them from being successful,” Jolet said. “There is more need now than before. Some students have higher fees and are losing TOPS. It’s a double whammy, and this helps level the playing field.”
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Focus on
Jenna Kuttruff Teaches ‘All Things Costume’
FACULTY By Meg Ryan Photo by Johnny Gordon
Jenna Kutttruff, the Beverly Griffin Shea Departmental Alumni Professor of Human Ecology.
“It’s important to base our . . . contemporary fashion world on what has happened in the past.”
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Jenna Kuttruff calls herself a textile and costume historian – and rightfully so. She has a well-trained eye for all things costume and nearly thirty years of teaching and research under her belt, just at LSU. Kuttruff holds the Beverly Griffin Shea Departmental Alumni Professorship in Human Ecology and is department head of the Textiles, Apparel Design, and Merchandising Program. She received bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Southern Illinois University and a Ph.D. at Ohio State University and taught textiles and apparel at Tennessee State University in Nashville. She arrived at LSU in 1988, drawn by both her teaching and research assignments and her husband’s family’s proximity to campus – he was born in Baton Rouge and graduated from LSU. It was exactly what she wanted. She initially taught two history of costume courses, a history of textiles course, and a comparative studies in the world costume class. She also curated what is now called the LSU Textile and Costume Museum. Kuttruff says that, when she arrived the museum had a large collection donated by faculty members, who brought in items to use as teaching aids. Donors also added pieces to the collection. Once Kuttruff arrived, the collection really began to grow. The museum received a Louisiana Board of Regents grant to build and design a new exhibition space with climate-controlled storage space for garments. Today, the museum is gaining more space in the Human Ecology Building that formerly housed a preschool. The new space, which is currently being renovated, will give the collection about three times the size it is in now. Kuttruff was named department head in 2014, after serving as interim head when the newly established
unit was formed in Fall 2013. Prior to that, Textiles, Apparel Design, and Merchandising was a division in the School of Human Ecology. “The one important advantage is we are not lost in the layers of names . . . so that prospective students can find us much more readily,” she explains. Kuttruff ’s research covers three areas – mid-nineteenth-century burial dress, handwoven Louisiana textiles and the tools used to construct those textiles, and prehistoric archaeological textiles from the southeastern United States. After spending several summers in Mexico, Kuttruff learned to weave. And, she started collecting weaved garments such as the huipil, a handmade women’s upper-body garment from Central America, she explains. She now has fifty huipils, donated by Travis Doering, to help students learn about the museum curating process. When the larger museum space is open, the garments will be on display in their own exhibit. Kuttruff continues to teach. Her favorite class is the history of textiles, which she teaches every other spring. She holds a doctoral seminar each fall as well as the occasional independent study, and advises graduate students – who, she says, “inspire me with their hard work and drive.” The program is one that offers students a diverse study of all things related to fashion, Kuttruff says, and its students are well rounded, with education on all segments of the industry – design, merchandising, and textiles. “It’s important for students to understand all of these aspects to become successful once they graduate,” she explains. “It’s important to base our contemporary life and our contemporary fashion world on what has happened in the past.” Meg Ryan, a graduating senior in the Manship School of Mass Communication, is editor-in-chief of Legacy, a student-produced quarterly magazine.
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37
Locker
Tiger Baseball Promotes From Within
ROOM
It all started when former Tiger assistant coach Andy Cannizzaro became the head coach at Mississippi State last fall.
Alan Dunn, associate head coach.
Nolan Cain, recruiting coordinator.
Micah Gibbs, hitting coach.
Nate Fury, coordinator of operations.
• Coach Paul Mainieri promoted pitching coach Alan Dunn to associate head coach, recognizing Dunn for his contributions.
• To replace Cannizzaro as hitting coach and recruiting coordinator, Mainieri promoted two of his assistants, naming Nolan Cain, the former volunteer assistant coach, as the recruiting coordinator and Micah Gibbs, the former coordinator of operations, becomes the new hitting coach. • Nate Fury was named coordinator of operations, replacing Gibbs. • Sean Ochinko will join the staff as an undergraduate assistant coach. Dunn ranks as one of college baseball’s best. He was named National Pitching Coach of the Year in 2015. He has coached four major league pitchers at LSU — Kevin Gausman of the Baltimore Orioles and Aaron Nola of the Philadelphia Phillies - both first-round draft choices. Nick Rumbelow and Nick Goody — two other Dunn protégés — were relief pitchers for the New York Yankees. Cain, Gibbs, Fury, and Ochinko were all members of the 2009 national championship team, giving the current baseball a decided LSU flavor.
Welcome Addition – The LSU basketball roster lists the hometown of forward Duop Reath as Perth, Australia. That may be currently correct. But the origin of the 6-foot, 10-inch junior is wartorn Sudan. His family fled the region when he was nine years old and found sanctuary in Australia. Reath came to this country to play basketball at Lee College in Baytown, Texas, where he captured the attention of Coach Johnny Jones and his staff. Reath currently leads the Tigers in rebounding and shot-blocking and has been one of the team’s leading scorers. Photo by LSU Athletics
Duop Reath.
38 LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
Baseball: Once It Was A Pastime By Bud Johnson
Remember when baseball was just a fun game? A place to go chill out after class? A time to discuss important matters with your friends. Like the final exam your fraternity brother recently “found.” Or the cute freshman girl you met at a party last night. When you first started going to baseball games do you ever remember discussing the earned run average of a junior college pitcher? Or run differentials? Or why the batting order needed to be revised? Or how long has it been since we’ve been to Omaha? I miss the laid back atmosphere. Today the game is serious business. You have tickets to worry about. Not just for your family. There are friends who need tickets. Business associates who need tickets. Seat locations to juggle for important games. Another parking permit. The conversations are strategic and stressful. Stat-heads spouting mathematical measurements for every facet of the game. Do they have classes for that stuff now? And there are coaches seated in every section? Why don’t we bunt more? I really don’t have a clue why we don’t bunt more. I am not sure I would be wiser if I knew. I thought we had some well-paid expert in charge of matters such as that. But you can bet the guy in the next row knows why we don’t bunt more. I will be responsible for the refreshments.
2017 BASEBALL SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT LOCATION Fri, Feb 17 Air Force Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Sat, Feb 18 Army Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Sun, Feb 19 Air Force Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Tue, Feb 21 New Orleans at New Orleans, La. (Maestri Field) Wed, Feb 22 Hofstra Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Fri, Feb 24 Maryland Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Sat, Feb 25 Maryland Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Sun, Feb 26 Maryland Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Tue, Feb 28 Nicholls Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN COLLEGE CLASSIC Fri, Mar 3 TCU at Houston, Texas (Minute Maid Park) Sat, Mar 4 Baylor at Houston, Texas (Minute Maid Park) Sun, Mar 5 Texas Tech at Houston, Texas (Minute Maid Park)
TIME (CT) 7:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m. 6:30 p.m.
Tue, Mar 7 San Diego Wed, Mar 8 McNeese St. Fri, Mar 10 Wichita St. Sat, Mar 11 Wichita St. Sun, Mar 12 Wichita St. Wed, Mar 15 New Orleans Fri, Mar 17 Georgia * Sat, Mar 18 Georgia * Sun, Mar 19 Georgia * Wed, Mar 22 Southeastern Louisiana Fri, Mar 24 Florida * Sat, Mar 25 Florida * Sun, Mar 26 Florida * Tue, Mar 28 Tulane Thu, Mar 30 Texas A&M * Fri, Mar 31 Texas A&M * Sat, Apr 1 Texas A&M * Tue, Apr 4 Grambling Fri, Apr 7 Arkansas * Sat, Apr 8 Arkansas * Sun, Apr 9 Arkansas * WALLY PONTIFF JR. CLASSIC Tue, Apr 11 UL-Lafayette Thu, Apr 13 Ole Miss * Fri, Apr 14 Ole Miss * Sat, Apr 15 Ole Miss * Tue, Apr 18 Lamar Fri, Apr 21 Kentucky * Sat, Apr 22 Kentucky * Sun, Apr 23 Kentucky * Tue, Apr 25 Tulane Thu, Apr 27 Alabama * Fri, Apr 28 Alabama * Sat, Apr 29 Alabama * Fri, May 5 South Carolina * Sat, May 6 South Carolina * Sun, May 7 South Carolina * Tue, May 9 South Alabama Thu, May 11 Auburn * Fri, May 12 Auburn * Sat, May 13 Auburn * Tue, May 16 Northwestern St. Thu, May 18 Mississippi St. * Fri, May 19 Mississippi St. * Sat, May 20 Mississippi St. * SEC TOURNAMENT May 23 - May 28 SEC Tournament NCAA REGIONAL Jun 2 - Jun 5 NCAA Regional NCAA SUPER REGIONAL Jun 9 - Jun 12 NCAA Super Regional COLLEGE WORLD SERIES Jun 17 - Jun 28 College World Series
6:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m.
Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) at Lake Charles, La. (Joe Miller Ballpark) Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) at Gainesville, Fla. (Alfred A. McKethan Stadium) at Gainesville, Fla. (Alfred A. McKethan Stadium) at Gainesville, Fla. (Alfred A. McKethan Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) at Fayetteville, Ark. (Baum Stadium) at Fayetteville, Ark. (Baum Stadium) at Fayetteville, Ark. (Baum Stadium)
7:00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. 10:00 a.m.
at Metairie, La. (Zephyr Field) 7:00 p.m. Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) 6:30 p.m. Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) 7:00 p.m. Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) 2:00 p.m. Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) 6:30 p.m. at Lexington, Ky. (Cliff Hagan Stadium) 5:30 p.m. at Lexington, Ky. (Cliff Hagan Stadium) 5:30 p.m. at Lexington, Ky. (Cliff Hagan Stadium) 12:00 p.m. at New Orleans, La. (Turchin Stadium) 7:00 p.m. at Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Sewell-Thomas Stadium) 6:30 p.m. at Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Sewell-Thomas Stadium) 6:00 p.m. at Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Sewell-Thomas Stadium) 2:00 p.m. Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) 7:00 p.m. Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) 7:00 p.m. Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) 2:00 p.m. Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) 6:30 p.m. Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) 6:30 p.m. Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) 7:00 p.m. Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) 12:00 p.m. Baton Rouge, La. (Alex Box Stadium) 6:30 p.m. at Starkville, Miss. (Dudy Noble Field, Polk-DeMent Stadium) 6:30 p.m. at Starkville, Miss. (Dudy Noble Field, Polk-DeMent Stadium) 6:30 p.m. at Starkville, Miss. (Dudy Noble Field, Polk-DeMent Stadium) 3:30 p.m. at Hoover, Ala. (Hoover Metropolitan Stadium)
TBA
at Campus Site (TBD)
TBA
at Campus Site (TBD)
TBA
at Omaha, Neb. (TD Ameritrade Park Omaha)
TBA
LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
39
Pitching Prospects Cause for Optimism
Locker Room
By Bud Johnson Photos by LSU Athletics
All-America shortstop Kramer Robertson.
Senior left-hander Jared Poche.
40 LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
What will it take for LSU to get back to Omaha? 1. Dynamic starting pitching. 2. Consistent power arms for late inning relief. 3. Better hitting up-and-down the lineup. 4. Quality depth. Check. Check. Check and check. LSU’s two ace pitchers – senior lefty Jared Poche and junior right-hander Alex Lange – are back. Poche, who passed up an opportunity to play pro baseball, posted a 9-4 record with a 3.35 earned run average a year ago. Lange was LSU’s strikeout leader, fanning 125 batters last spring. He had an 8-4 record and a 3.74 ERA To complete the weekend starting pitching trio, Coach Paul Mainieri will choose from two freshmen pitching sensations – Zach Hess and Eric Walker. Beginning his eleventh campaign in Tigertown, Mainieri exudes optimism. He believes, with Poche and Lange moving on to the pros next year, the two freshmen will be in his weekend rotation of the future. For late inning relief, Mainieri can turn to the promising twosome of senior Hunter Newman (2.13, 40K) and hard-throwing junior college transfer Hunter Kiel. If they live up to expectations, LSU will be armed with closing heat. “We believe Kiel can follow in the footsteps of former power arms like Will LaMarche and Jesse Stallings,” Mainieri said. For solid hitting, three of last year’s most reliable bats return: Cole Freeman, Kramer Robertson, and Greg Deichmann. They also decided to forgo professional baseball. On paper, Freeman, Robertson and Deichmann would be expected to take over starting positions at second, shortstop, and first. Freeman (.329, 27 RBI) and Robertson (.324, 39) were two of the Tigers’ top hitters in 2016, as well as two of the team’s best all-around players. Freeman sustained a knee injury in fall ball but should be ready to start the 2017 season. Deichmann (.288), the team leader in
RBIs (57) and home runs (11) last season, is now playing right field. So, who’s on first? Freshman Jake Slaughter is a strong contender to start at first. Like the other candidates, Slaughter is versatile; enough to also play third or the outfield. Bryce Adams is another possibility. Adams had a good summer hitting in the Northwoods League. Another option is JC All-America Nick Coomes who contends for playing time at first, third and catcher. A fourth alternative is veteran Bryce Jordan (.293, 33 RBI), who can catch, play first and second. Twin brother Beau Jordan (.286, 39 RBI), another steady hitter, returns in left field. Junior Michael Papierski (.242, 20 RBI) and senior Jordan Romero (.297, 41 RBI) return to solidify the catcher position. Romero is also a steady hitter at DH. Antoine Duplantis (.327, 39 RBI) was a huge success in right field as a freshman. His bat was a weapon in the clutch last season. His speed will make him an asset in center this spring. Another swift sophomore, Brennan Breaux, adds to the athleticism of the outfield.
Quality Depth? Mainieri has dependable returning lettermen and eye-catching talent in the recruiting class – all fighting for a role on this year’s team. Lettermen Doug Norman and Caleb Gilbert and freshmen Hess and Walker will bid for mid-week starting pitching jobs. There are some experienced arms for depth – senior right handers Russell Reynolds and Collin Strall; junior righthanders Doug Norman and Austin Bain; sophomore right-handers Caleb Gilbert and Cole McKay; and red-shirt freshmen lefty Nick Bush, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery last fall. Freshmen Todd Peterson and Will Reese will add to the depth. Pitching isn’t the only reason for optimism. And versatility is not limited to returnees. Another stellar crop of recruits is on hand to compete for playing time. Mainieri seeks numerous options for the long season, and depth
for the injuries and slumps that are an inevitable part of the game. Freshman Josh Smith could make an immediate impact in the infield. He will likely play third base this season. Freshmen Mason Templet and Rankin Woley have had trials at several infield positions. Athletic freshmen Zach Watson has the speed to be an asset as an infielder or an outfielder. Don’t forget about returning third baseman Chris Reid. He won’t go quietly to the dugout. Bud Johnson, a former LSU Sports Information director, is author of The Perfect Season: LSU’s Magic Year – 1958. All-America pitcher Alex Lange.
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LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
41
Locker Room
By Bud Johnson Photo courtesy LSU Sports Information
Creative Leadership Lifts LSU Gymnastics Not everyone is qualified for building a program. It takes enthusiasm, patience, time and the support of leadership from the top. D-D Breaux, now in her fortieth season as LSU gymnastics coach, has experienced the growing pains but has never lost her enthusiasm. Her long-term devotion to gymnastics has been rewarded. Gifted athletes, successful teams, talented coaches and recognition have come her way. In her first year, D-D had a spartan training area and a support staff that consisted mostly of students. Today, she points with pride to professionals in marketing, sports information, a team trainer, a TV show for gymnastics and a state-of-the-art training facility. “We had a corner in the Field House,” Breaux recalls of her training area in 1977. “Now we have the finest training facility in the world,” she says. “Joe Alleva recognized that need and got behind the program. It was a real commitment to excellence.” The $12.5 million training facility identifies LSU gymnastics as one of the top programs in the nation. It is an essential beacon for those that value their sport above all others. “It’s not my facility,” she says. “It’s LSU’s facility. We invite other sports to use it for recruiting. The upstairs area is phenomenal for the Tiger Walk. When you are up on that deck on (football) game day and you see everything happening on campus … it’s second to none.” Some folks say that this could be the year for Breaux’s team to win the NCAA championship. Honors shower upon her regularly. Breaux was the 2014 national Coach of the Year. She was inducted into the USA Gymnastics Region 8 Hall of Fame in 2015. She has been chosen SEC Coach of the Year seven times. She has been chosen Central Region Coach of the Year eight times. D-D will be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches in June.
Building the Team
Ashleigh Gnat, one of the nation’s outstanding gymnasts, leads the way for the talent Tigers of 2017. She is one of six All-America performers on the LSU team this season. The others include Sydney Ewing, Sarah Finnegan, Lexie Priessman, Myla Hambrick, and Shae Zamardi.
“Our best years have been the most recent and most competitive years in our sport. I would like to believe we can continue that forward motion.”
42 LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
Breaux will be the first to tell you that she hasn’t done it alone. She hired Bob Moore, former assistant at Auburn and Florida, as an assistant coach in 2000, and he has proven to be one of the nation’s best vault coaches. He begins his nineteenth season in 2017. Breaux will tell you that Moore’s coaching contributed greatly to the stability and growth of LSU gymnastics. In 2012, D-D hired the multi-talented Jay Clark, a former Georgia head coach, who is regarded as one of the nation’s best recruiters. ESPN the Magazine named Clark the ninth-best recruiter in all of college athletics in 2011. “He had a tremendous amount of experience as an assistant coach and as a head coach,” Breaux said. “He has recruiting contacts and recruiting skills that I think are second to none. His strengths are in areas that I felt were our absolute weakest. He just stepped in and learned the people and culture here. It was just phenomenal the difference he has made. Having an associate head coach is like having a peer, someone that you can really knock ideas off of and challenge each other.” She believes that her staff — Clark, Moore and Ashleigh Clare-Kearney — is one of the best, and functions well as a team. Clark assists in coaching every event, excels as coach of the uneven bars, and serves as the Tigers’ recruiting coordinator. Long before becoming head coach at Georgia in 2009, Clark was celebrated for his recruiting success. He spent twenty years at Georgia coaching gymnastics before joining Breaux. What moved Clark to come LSU? “D-D is very persistent,” Clark said. “She doesn’t take no for an answer. And I’m glad she didn’t. It was a big decision for us. Georgia was the only place I had ever lived. We decided that this was a pretty special place too. We wanted to see if the things that we had done and at another place could work somewhere else and if we could be a part of it somewhere else. We made the decision to come and it was the right one.” Clark has been a part of recruiting success at both Georgia and LSU. “Recruiting is about believing in the place you are in,” he said. “It’s part of the reason I think that
Ed Orgeron is the right hire for LSU. It’s because sincerity and genuineness comes across when you are in the recruiting process. People can tell if you’re selling them something or if you’re talking about something that you love. “ … in recruiting you cannot be focused on one aspect of the university. Recruits are looking for a balance of experiences, and I think we provide that for them at LSU.” D-D is proud of what her team has been able to achieve in the past six seasons. “Our best years have been the most recent and most competitive years in our sport,” Breaux says. “I would like to believe we can continue that forward motion.” Administrative support. A firstrate staff. A beautiful training facility. Another top drawer recruiting class. For D-D Breaux, it doesn’t get any better than that.
From left, Assistant Coach Bob Moore, Associate Head Coach Jay Clark, and Head Coach D-D Breaux. Photo by Ray Dry
LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
43
Coach O Is a Bayou Bengal
Locker Room
He’s known as one of the best recruiters in America. He’s acknowledged as one of the best motivators in the game.
By Bud Johnson
Coach O’s Motto — “One team, one heartbeat."
At his final interview with athletics director Joe Alleva and the selection committee, interim coach Ed Orgeron presented a plan for building a championship program. Compiled by general manager Austin Thomas and special assistant Derek Ponamsky, Building a Championship Program contained the philosophies and highlights of the great programs where Orgeron had served as an assistant coach. “It was just the things I learned from championship programs,” Orgeron said. “I believe LSU ought to be and will be a championship program.” Photo by Derek Ponamsky
“Orgeron is above all a “heartbeat” coach.”
At his final interview for LSU’s job as head football coach, Ed Orgeron unveiled a plan to build a winning program for the Tigers, which included hiring the nation’s best coaching staff. Add vision, planning, and organization to his list of strengths. The fiery, fifty-five-year old Orgeron’s blueprint for program building was developed over three decades – Citrus Bowl MVP DerriusGuice. Photo by Chris Parent highlighted by his years as an assistant coach on national championship teams at Miami and Southern Cal. In the end, Coach O’s binder was one of the elements that made a huge impression on LSU athletics Director Joe Alleva. Alleva had the opportunity to observe and evaluate Orgeron as LSU’s 5-2 interim coach. He was moved by the leadership skills of the veteran from Larose, La. What else impressed Alleva? “I’ve seen how he has changed the culture of this program,” Alleva said. Some of the best coaches in football – Jimmy Johnson and Dennis Erickson at Miami and Pete Carroll at Southern California – were some of Orgeron’s major influences. He has more than the national championship rings to prove it. And he kept good records. Orgeron absorbed the philosophies of a number of football coaching superstars. All the while he made notes in a binder. He developed a plan of how to build and sustain a program using the techniques of masters he had worked for. “Pete Carroll made me a complete coach,” he said. That was at USC back in 2010-2012 when he was the defensive coordinator/defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator for the Trojans. After serving as an interim coach at USC and LSU he knew he was ready. When it came time for the biggest job interview of his life, he had a plan in hand. “I just know this: I’m trained, ready to do this. … I’ve learned from my mistakes,” he told the media. “I’m ready to build a championship program.” He has the tools to build such a program. Recruiter. At every major job – Miami, Syracuse, USC, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and LSU– he landed highly recruited players. Motivator. Look no further than his recent role as the interim coach at LSU. His players actively campaigned for him to get the job on a permanent basis. Leader. He revitalized a program that was headed nowhere. He quickly won over the team and the staff. He reached out to former players for support. Football coaching legend Paul “Bear” Bryant won six national championships and thirteen SEC titles. The media repeatedly tried to get him to define his strength as a coach. One day Bryant stopped the questioning to clarify the matter. “I don’t coach the offense,” Bryant said. “I don’t coach the defense. It’s my job to get ’em to beat with one heartbeat.” Orgeron is above all a “heart beat” coach. He understands the role of the head coach better than most. The job is to build unity and to constantly sell the team concept. The target audience is an age group that can be easily distracted. In his latest audition, he demonstrated an ability to quickly develop a staff, delegate responsibility and continually administer to the team’s heartbeat.
Is Coach O ready? At Orgeron’s introductory press conference, Alleva summed it up this way: “He knows what his strengths are and he knows what his weaknesses are. He highlights those strengths and he will fortify his weaknesses with the people he hires.”
44 LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
45
Tiger
NATION
1930s
Julia Hawkins (1938 BACH HS&E), 100, who won her age group in the cycling 5K and the 50-meter dash at the Louisiana Senior Games last year, was featured in “Faces in the Crowd” in the November 2016 issue of Sports Illustrated. According to writer Alexandra Fenwick, Hawkins was mentioned in the column when, at age 81, she won gold medals in two cycling events at the Senior Olympics. She is now training for bike races and runs at the next Senior Olympics, to be held in June in Birmingham, Ala. According to Fenwick, she bikes three miles every day, and has lines painted on her street marking both sprint distances. "She's often the only competitor in her age group, but it's a victory just lining up, she says, 'It's proving something to myself,'" Fenwick writes.
Degrees BACH Bachelor’s Degree MAST Master’s Degree PHD Doctorate SPEC Specialist DVM Doctor of Veterinary Medicine JD Juris Doctorate (LSU Law School) 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
46 LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
1960s
Coral A. Lamartiniere (1966 BACH SCI, 1969 PHD SCI) retired from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical School (Professor Emeritus) and the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center (Senior Scientist) in 2016. Lamartiniere trained at Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Columbia University in New York, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in North Carolina, and University of Gottingen in Germany. At UAB, he served as director of graduate training programs in pharmacology and toxicology, breast cancer, and integrative health sciences. Engaged in teaching and research, he received numerous basic and translational research grants related to breast and prostate cancers from NIH, DOD, and the Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and had more than 200 scientific publications. He was a nationally recognized scientist, lecturing in Europe, South America, Australia, and New Zealand. He now resides in Marksville, La., and he and his wife, D.D., are involved in church and community activities.
1970s
David R. Cassidy (1972 H&SS, 1975 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson in Baton Rouge, was named to the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers in the area of Tax. Vicki M. Crochet (1977 BACH H&SS, 1980 JD), an attorney with Taylor Porter in Baton Rouge, was named to the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers in the area of Labor and Employment.
Scott N. Hensgens (1978 BACH BUS, 1980 MAST BUS, 1987 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson in Baton Rouge, was named to the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers in the area of Business Litigation. Vickie Moritz Mayeux (1977 BACH AGR), of Cottonport, La., was named the 2016 Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year for the State of Louisiana by Farm Bureau. A pre-k teacher at Cottonport Elementary School, Mayeux teaches academic skills by incorporating agriculture activities in the classroom. Some of these lessons include incubating and raising chickens through the entire life cycle from egg hatching to those chicks becoming laying hens; planting and harvesting a garden; and using local farm crops in her curriculum. Eve B. Masinter (1979 BACH H&SS, 1982 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson in New Orleans was named to the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers in the area of Employment & Labor. Van R. Mayhall, Jr. (1971 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson in Baton Rouge, was named to the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers in the area of Business & Corporate.
Nell McAnelly (1972 BACH HS&E, 1979 MAST HS&E), codirector emeritus of the Gordon A. Cain Center for STEM Literacy, received the Lifetime Service to Mathematics Education Award from the Louisiana Association of the Teachers of Mathematics. McAnelly chairs the Board of Trustees of Great Minds, a nonprofit that creates and distributes standards-based, knowledgerich curricula for grades PK-12 and developed Eureka Math, the most widely used math curriculum in the country. During her thirty years of teaching at LSU, she helped to transform the Cain Center into a major education research and outreach hub. Her awards include the BP Amoco Award for Outstanding Teaching and the George H. Deer Distinguished Teaching Award. In
Louisiana, McAnelly played a central role in establishing the Elementary Math Specialist certification and Instructional Coaching Leadership Endorsement. She also helped develop the Pilot Professional Development Program funded by the Louisiana Board of Regents. Harry J. “Skip� Philips (1972 BACH H&SS, 1983 JD), an attorney with Taylor Porter in Baton Rouge, was named to the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers in the area of General Litigation. Fred Tulley (1970 BACH H&SS), an attorney with Taylor Porter in Baton Rouge, was named to the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers in the area of Business Litigation.
Michael Walsh (1979 BACH H&SS, 1983 JD), an attorney with Taylor Porter in Baton Rouge, was named to the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers in the area of Criminal Defense.
1980s
Robert L. Atkinson (1980 BACH H&SS, 1983 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson in Baton Rouge, was named to the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers in the area of Health Care.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
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Tiger Nation
Amanda Brock (1984 JD), chief executive officer of Water Standard, received a Houston Business Journal 2016 Women in Energy Leadership Award in the Innovator category. A twenty-five-year veteran in the energy industry, Brock is a board member of the Texas Business Hall of Fame and the Harte Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies; an advisory board member of Amane Water, Accelerate H2O, Houston Self Foundation, and Texas Executive Women; and a member of the American Membrane Technology Association.
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Brett P. Furr (1983 BACH BUS, 1986 JD), an attorney with Taylor Porter in Baton Rouge, was named to the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers in the area of Banking. Liz McDaniel (1981 BACH ENGR), vice president of Huntsman Corp, received a Houston Business Journal 2016 Women in Energy Leadership Award in the Innovator category. McDaniel has worked in the energy industry for thirty-three years. She is chair of the Texas A&M Mary K O’Connor Process Safety Steering Committee and the founding member of the Americas Region EHS Leadership Team.
1990s
Alan Dabdoub (1994 BACH H&SS, 1997 JD), an attorney with Lynn Pinker Cox & Hurst has been listed as a Texas Super Lawyer in business litigation and employment litigation in Texas Monthly and was recognized by his peers in D Magazine as one of the 2016 Best Lawyers in Dallas. He is married to Michelle Ackal Dabdoub and they have a son, Grant, and two daughters, Ava and Sloane. Adonica Pelichet Duggan (1998 BACH MCOM), chief of communications and public relations for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System, was named to Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2017 Forty Under 40 class.
USE YOUR LOUDEST ROAR
JOIN TIGER ADVOCATES Get involved now to protect LSU and higher education in Louisiana. We want LSU TIGER NATION – alumni, friends, fans, future alumni, faculty, and staff – to be well informed on legislation that might impact your university. You can do that by joining TIGER ADVOCATES to make your voice heard! Thousands are participating in Tiger Advocates campaigns and we want you to join us. There is NO COST to join the network of Tigers committed to keeping LSU strong. Signing up is easy and taking part requires a minimal investment of your time. Visit wwwlsualumni.org/tigeradvocates.
WHY SHOULD YOU BECOME A TIGER ADVOCATE? > Help support the future of our state’s most gifted future alumni.
> Support university parish extension offices throughout the state that spread the wealth of LSU research.
> Keep vital research going to address our state’s most pressing problems.
> Help LSU continue to produce alumni community leaders across the state.
SHOW YOUR LOVE FOR LSU.
WHAT DOES BECOMING A TIGER ADVOCATE MEAN? > You will receive email notifications at critical times when your voice needs to be heard in the Louisiana Legislature.
> Your legislators represent YOU. Show them you are for LSU.
> With just a click or call, your legislators will know LSU TIGER NATION is closely monitoring legislative decisions that impact LSU.
x Geau ! s r e g Ti
Let us hear you ROAR! Visit wwwlsualumni.org/tigeradvocates.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
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Errin Flynn (1999 BACH H&SS), executive director of the Capital Region Legislative Delegation, was named to Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2017 Forty Under 40 class. Beth Wagener Gutweiler (1994 BACH ENGR), global supply chain leader of Halliburton, received a Houston Business Journal 2016 Women in Energy Leadership Award in the Innovator category. McDaniel has worked in the energy industry for twenty-one years. She is a member of the University of Houston, Bauer College of Business, Sourcing and Procurement Organization’s Executive Partner Council and the LSU Industrial Engineering Industry Advisory Committee. H. Paul LeBlanc III (1992 MAST H&SS), professor and chair of the Department of Communication at the University of Texas at San Antonio, was elected by his peers to serve as vice-chair of the University Department Chairs Council. Marco Moran (1993 BACH SCI), chief executive officer of Dewmar International Brand Management Company in Clinton, Miss., was chosen to participate in the White House Business Council and Business Forward. As a member, he offers feedback on job creation and other efforts to stimulate the economy through the growth of small businesses and has the opportunity to invite other CEOs and industry leaders to attend council meetings on a variety of issues concerning commerce, public health, and economic policies. He also serves as chair of the Mississippi District Export Council. Moran was a 2013, 2015, and 2016 LSU 100 honoree.
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Casey Stansbury (1998 BACH H&SS), a partner in Mazanec, Raskin & Ryder, Lexington, Ky., was named to the 2017 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers. Greg Trahan (1999 BACH BUS), director of Economic Development, was named to Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2017 Forty Under 40 class. Mark A. Ventress (1994 BACH H&SS, 1998 DDS DENT), owner of Cosmetic Dentistry in Baton Rouge, is a member of the Louisiana Dental and American Dental associations, American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Dawson Academy Alumni, and Pankey Institute Alumni. Ventress volunteers with the Greater Baton Rouge Community Clinic, which offers dental care to the underserved in the community. He and his wife, Eva, have two daughters, Ava and Vivian. Richard B. Wilderman (1996 BACH ENGR), commanding officer of the Helicopter Sea Combat Support Squadron 85 (Firehawks), San Diego, Calif., turned over command of the unit on January 28. Wilderman assumed command in June 2015; his next duty will be shore duty in the San Diego area. Wilderman holds a master’s degree from the Naval War College. He was commissioned through Officer Candidate School in May 1997 and received his wings in October 1998. He has logged more than 3,500 hours of flight, and among his military awards are the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (with thirteen strike/flight and three single actions with Combat V), and Commendation Medal (three awards). He and his wife, Jennifer, have two children, Tre and Samantha.
2000s
Cindy Amedee (2001 BACH H&SS), an attorney with Taylor Porter in Baton Rouge, was named a Rising Star in the area of Health Care Law in the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers. Rebecca Burdette (2000 BACH MCOM, 2007 MAST H&SS), director of LSU Communication Across the Curriculum, was named to Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2017 Forty Under 40 class. Joseph J. Cefalu, III (2009 BACH BUS, 2012 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson in Baton Rouge, was named a Rising Star in the area of Civil Litigation in the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers. Amy Boyle Collins (2001 MAST MCOM) was promoted to vice president of Gambel Communication, New Orleans. She joined Gambel in 2014 and most recently held the position of director of strategy. Collins began Beignet Fest to raise money and awareness for children with developmental delays through the Tres Doux Foundation; is involved with the Morris Jeff Community School and serves on the board of Lafitte Greenway; and is a former board member for New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA), Committee for a Better New Orleans, Dress for Success, International Association of Business Communicators, Ad Club of New Orleans, YLC, and the Catholic Youth Ministry Office of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. She is immediate past-president of American Fundraising Professionals and incoming chair of the Women’s Professional Council. She has served as an adjunct faculty member at Loyola University in
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New Orleans and Tulane University School of Continuing Studies. Collins received a bachelor’s degree in communication from Loyola University New Orleans, and she graduated from the Institute of Politics at Loyola University in 2010 and New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute in 2015. Tupac De La Cruz (2003 BACH BUS), operations manager at Roofing Solutions, was named to Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2017 Forty Under 40 class. Jordan L. Faircloth (2005 BACH H&SS, 2008 JD) was named a partner in Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, practicing casualty litigation out of the Baton Rouge office. Christopher Ferrari (2007 BACH A&D), principal in CSRS, Inc., was named to Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2017 Forty Under 40 class. Lauren Fitch (2005 BACH BUS), chief operating officer at Faulk & Winkler, was named to Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2017 Forty Under 40 class. Ryan French (2009 BACH BUS, 2012 JD), an attorney with Taylor Porter in Baton Rouge, was named a Rising Star in the area of Business Litigation in the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers. Christen Losey Gregg (2002 BACH BUS), principal in Losey Insurance and Financial Services, was named to Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2017 Forty Under 40 class. Druit G. Gremillion, Jr. (2007 BACH H&SS, 2011 JD) was named a partner in Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, practicing casualty litigation out of the Baton Rouge office.
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Jamie Hanks (2003 BACH BUS), executive director of the West Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce, was named to Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2017 Forty Under 40 class. Rebecca S. Helveston (2008 BACH BUS, 2013 MBA, 2013 JD) has joined Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson’s Baton Rouge office in the healthcare section. She was previously with Adams and Reese and prior to attending law school worked as an auditor at Postlethwaite & Netterville in New Orleans. She was selected for the Louisiana State Bar Association’s 20162017 Leadership Class in 2016. Chris Hester (2005 BACH H&SS, 2008 JD), chief homicide prosecutor and Violent Crimes Unit section chief with the East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney’s Office, was named to Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2017 Forty Under 40 class. Josh Howard (2009 BACH MCOM), production manager of NewAperio and associate director of Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge, was named to Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2017 Forty Under 40 class. Rachael Jeanfreau (2007 BACH H&SS), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson in New Olreans, was named a Rising Star in the area of Employment & Labor in the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers. Erin Sayes Kenny (2007 BACH MCOM, 2011 JD) was elected a partner in the Taylor Porter law firm in Baton Rouge. Kenny joined the firm in 2011, and she serves on the Strategic Planning Committee and
Recruiting Committee. An active member of the Baton Rouge legal community, Kenny is an elected council member of the Baton Rouge Bar Association Young Lawyers Section and serves as a board member for the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel. She is also a board member of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Baton Rouge. Brandon LaGarde (2001 BACH BUS, 2004 JD), director at Postlethwaite & Netterville, was named to Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2017 Forty Under 40 class. LSU grads Jacob Landry (2006 BACH MCOM) and Kyle Huling (2005 BACH H&SS) will celebrate the one-year anniversary of their business, Urban South Brewery in New Orleans, on March 17. “We’re the fastest-growing brewery in the state, and we'll expand to the Baton Rouge market after Mardi Gras,” writes Landry. “We have a popular taproom in the heart of New Orleans [on Tchoupitoulas St.], and we’re known for our Holy Roller IPA and Charming Wit brews.” Christopher A. Mason (2001 BACH H&SS, 2004 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson in Baton Rouge, was named a Rising Star in the area of Civil Litigation in the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers. Michael Mathews (2006 BACH BUS), president of The Backpacker, was named to Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2017 Forty Under 40 class.
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Christopher K. “Chris” Odinet (2007 BACH H&SS, 2010 JD), assistant professor of law and the Horatio C. Thompson Endowed Professor at the Southern University Law Center, was appointed as one of Louisiana’s four representatives to the National Conference of Commissioners for Uniform Laws (Uniform Law Commission).The commission provides states with nonpartisan, well-conceived, and well-drafted legislation that brings clarity and stability to critical areas of state law. Odinet serves on the council of the Louisiana State Law Institute, which is the Louisiana State Legislature’s official law reform body. Wesley M. Plaisance (2004 BACH ENGR), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson in New Orleans, was named a Rising Star in the area of Real Estate in the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers. Jennifer Sims (2004 BACH BUS, 2007 JD), an attorney with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson in Baton Rouge, was named a Rising Star in the area of State, Local & Municipal Law in the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers.
L. Adam Thames (2006 BACH H&SS), an attorney with Taylor Porter in Baton Rouge, was named a Rising Star in the area of Personal Injury in the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers. Robin Toups (2002 BACH ENGR, 2006 JD), an attorney with Taylor Porter in Baton Rouge, was named a Rising Star in the area of Environmental Law in the 2017 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers.
BABY
BENGALS Future Tiger Hayden James Hester was born on Sept. 6, 2016, at 1:04 p.m. to Chris Hester (2005 BACH H&SS, 2008 JD) and Emily Burris Hester (2006 BACH MCOM, 2009 MAST HS&E). Hayden weighed 9 pounds, 20 inches. The family resides in Baton Rouge.
Sunny Mayhall West (2008 BACH MCOM), an associate in the law office of Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson will be honored at the inaugural CLUB BLUE Great Futures Gala in April as one of fifteen outstanding young professionals in Greater Baton Rouge who are on the path to achieve a great future while giving back to the community. CLUB BLUE is a social and philanthropic network of young professionals who are dedicated to developing awareness of and providing volunteer opportunities for the Boys & Girls Club.
2010s
Alissa Jenkins (2011 BACH BUS) with CJ Brown Realtors, was named to Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2017 Forty Under 40 class.
SHARE YOUR NEWS Share news of your new job or promotion, your wedding, honors, awards, new babies, and other
celebrations with fellow alumni. To submit an item and photos for publication, e-mail jackie@lsualumni.org or call 225-578-3370.
54 LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
WEDDING
BELLS
Investing in Tigers, Transforming Lives In high school, I developed a love for writing, film production, and all areas of media. The President’s Alumni
Scholarship gives me the opportunity to study mass communication and film at LSU. My classes at the Manship School are allowing me to grow in ways I never imagined, learning from professors who know what it takes to succeed. I know that once I have graduated I will be able to go into the world, make a difference, and achieve my dreams. In addition, I am able to work alongside the director of the film and media arts program, assisting him with his documentary film, as well as creating multiple video projects for the film department. Receiving the President’s Alumni Scholarship has opened up a new world of experiences, opportunities, and friendships that I never would have thought possible. For that, I am forever grateful.
Nathaniel D. Hunter (2006 MAST A&D) and Carolyn Josie McKinney were married on Oct. 22, 2016, in Townsend, Tenn. Nathan is an associate with CRJA Landscape Architects, and Josie, who earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences from the University of North Carolina in 2011, is the interior architect for Marble Alley Development. The couple resides in Knoxville, Tenn.
Because of your contributions to the LSU Alumni Association, LSU is able to attract more future alumni like Bailey every year. This doesn’t just make a difference now – it makes a difference for the future. And you make that possible.
BAILEY TINSLEY President’s Alumni Scholar Plano, Texas
You’re Not Just Writing a Check ...
YOU’RE WRITING THE FUTURE. To donate to or endow a scholarship, visit www.lsualumni.org or call 1-888-RING LSU.
LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
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Tigers in Print Guy W. Carwile (1982 BACH A&D) The Modernist Architecture of Samuel G. and William B. Wiener (LSU Press) Authors Karen Kingsley and Guy W. Carwile examine an internationally significant yet little known architectural legacy of Louisiana. In 1933, William Wiener collaborated with his halfbrother Samuel to design a weekend home for his family on the shore of Cross Lake, just outside Shreveport, La. A year later the house appeared in the pages of Architectural Forum, the leading architectural journal of its day, as a foremost example of the new modernist style yet to take hold in the United States. The featured home would mark the first in a series of buildings designed by the brothers that incorporated the forms and materials found in the new architecture of Europe, later known as the International Style. These buildings composed one of the largest and earliest clusters of modernist buildings by American-born architects and placed the unexpected area of northern Louisiana in the forefront of architectural innovation in the mid-twentieth century. Caroline Gerdes (2012 BACH MCOM) An Oral History of the New Orleans Ninth Ward (Pelican Publishing) Steeped in musical influence, racial dynamics, and culinary significance, the Ninth Ward has distinguished itself as one of New Orleans’ most influential communities – so why is its history so often overlooked? While many have heard of Ruby Bridges, most don’t
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know about the McDonogh Three, who desegregated another Ninth Ward school on the same day. And when Hurricane Katrina threatened to displace its notable musicians, the Ninth Ward provided sanctuary with its modern Musicians’ Village. Explore the community’s changing population, from its inception as an immigrant borough that welcomed a majority African-American community – and the stigmas it faced for doing so – to the encroaching gentrification by the hipster population. With each chapter chronicling one of the metaphorical and actual storms the area has weathered, this volume is a comprehensive record of history and folklore from the people who know the Ninth Ward best. Van R. Mayhall, Jr. (1971 JD) 7 (IUniverse) It has been four years since ancient languages expert Cloe LeJeune, her son, and the Monsignor nearly lost their lives while defeating the Karik’s forces at Masada in The Last Sicarius. Cloe maintains her passion for translating old texts and, while trying to decipher digitalized scraps culled from a jar left to her by the Sicarii, realizes something terrible is about to happen. As she prepares to race to the Vatican to tell the Pope of her discovery, a giant man delivers cryptic cards to seven unsuspecting strangers who find themselves heading toward New Orleans with no reason why. Violence and disease rock the world, the Vatican is destroyed,
the Pope is forced into hiding, and the United States implements marshal law. One man emerges from the shadows to subtly pit people against each other, and Cloe and her cohorts must find and assemble the mysterious seven in order to stop his evil mission. As the pale horse of Revelation is loosed upon Earth, a fierce battle ensues between good and evil, leaving Cloe betrayed by someone close to her and the future of humanity resting in the hands of seven innocent souls. Bruce Case (Sean Mikell) (1962 BACH ENGR) Ladybug (Infinity Publishing) It’s 1956. President Eisenhower is sending advisers to South Vietnam to help defeat Ho Chi Minh’s Northern Army. Air Force Lt. Myles Garrison, an analyst with the 21st Radio Group near Tokyo, analyzes North Vietnam radio intercepts for intel on the Viet Cong. As the Vietnam situation escalates, Myles is recruited by the National Security Agency to join Operation Beehive, a top-secret, dangerous plan to place radio intercept vans in the midst of enemy territory. Before Myles deploys to Saigon, he falls in love with Yoshiko, a beautiful young fashion model in Tokyo. Meanwhile, a fellow officer turns traitor and passes along Beehive secrets to a North Vietnamese agent, which puts the operation in serious peril. The story takes many twists and turns as Myle’s love affair with Yoshiko flourishes and his NSA assignment becomes deadly.
Michael Pasquier (2002 BACH H&SS) Religion in American: The Basics (Routledge) Religion in America is an invitation to explore the complex tapestry of religious beliefs and practices that shaped life in North America from the colonial encounters of the fifteenth century to the culture wars of the twenty-first century. Far from a people unified around a common understanding of Christianity, the book tracks the steady diversification of the American religious landscape and the many religious conflicts that changed American society. At the same time, it explores how Americans from a variety of religious backgrounds worked together to face the challenges of racism, poverty, war, and other social concerns. Because no single survey can ever satisfy the need to know more and think differently, Religion in America prepares readers to continue studying American religions with their own questions and perspectives in mind. Lara Seven Phillips (1991 BACH H&SS, 1994 MLS) Taking Your MLIS Abroad (Libraries Unlimited/ABC-CLIO) This book explains how and why to get an international library job, what to expect when you arrive in your host country, and how to overcome challenges in your new home. This guide answers all the questions that a librarian considering a position abroad would have and covers subjects and concerns that might not be as obvious. Based on direct experiences as well as anecdotal accounts from librarians who have worked around the world, the book informs readers about
common cultural differences with the application and interview process; explains how workplaces and working assumptions can be different from American expectations; profiles the different procedures, collection scope, curricular support, and intellectual freedom policies of libraries outside the United States and Canada; and describes the unique experience of moving to another country and living as an expat. Randy Roberts (1978 PHD H&SS) The Road to Madness: How the 1973-1974 Season Transformed College Basketball (University of North Carolina Press) The NCAA men’s basketball tournament is one of the iconic events in American sports. In this fast-paced, in-depth account, J. Samuel Walker and Randy Roberts identify the 197374 season as pivotal in the making of this now legendary postseason tournament. In an era when only one team per conference could compete, the dramatic defeat of Coach John Wooden’s UCLA Bruins by the North Carolina State Wolfpack ended a decade of the Bruins’ dominance, fueled unprecedented national attention, and prompted the NCAA to expand the tournament field to a wider range of teams. The authors provide a detailed chronicle of the games that made the season so memorable and uncover the behind-the-scenes maneuvering that set the stage for the celebrated spectacle that now fixes the nation’s attention every March. Kathleen Schrenk (1969 BACH HS&E) A Dog Steals Home (Pelican Press) Nothing in Zach Stewart’s life has ever
been as complicated as the sixth grade. Between preparing for the arrival of his new baby brother and keeping up with the baseball team, Zach is being pulled in more directions than he can handle. The only thing he really wants is to adopt a new puppy, but his parents insist the timing isn’t right. Zach decides to do his final research project on the community animal shelter to prove how responsible he is with animals. He also wants to prove to his team that he’s the best choice for first pitcher. Everything seems to be going perfectly – until Audrey, a girl in his class with a secret past, disappears from her home without a trace. Zach knows he is the only one who can find Audrey and convince her to come home. He might have to put his new puppy and his baseball career on the line – but he might just learn something along the way. Thomas Woltz (Alumnus-By-Choice) Finding My Road (Run Train Write LLC) Finding My Road is the story of Ino Cantu. This wiry, Hispanic high school athlete was offered a scholarship to run track for a small, two-year college in Victoria, Texas. Here he was, this skinny boy, the product of two generations of sharecroppers. Little did he know this event would open many previously locked doors. With faith instilled in him from his mother and his own positive belief system, the sky was his limit. The real story is how he maneuvered around life's many roadblocks to become an All-American and finish eleventh in the NCAA National Cross Country Championships.
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In Memoriam Jan Marie Kurz Liuzza, the 2016 chair of the LSU Alumni Association Global Board of Directors, passed away on Jan. 30. Liuzza graduated from LSU in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. A die-hard LSU fan, she was an active member and longtime board member of the Crescent City Tigers and was elected to the Association’s board in 1995. She is survived by her husband, Ronald; daughters Grace Liuzza, Ann Liuzza, and Stacey Stein; grandchildren Bryson and Sydney Stein; sister Judy Kurz Dahl; and brother Gary M. Kurz.
1930s
Janith Latil Garon, 1938 BACH H&SS, Nov. 29, 2016, Baton Rouge, La.
1940s
Walter Patterson “Pat” Anderson, 1941 BACH ENGR, Dec. 30, 2016, Charlottesville, Va. Miriam Graeber Cohn, 1948 BACH BUS, Nov. 20, 2016, Alexandria, La. Jerome Boyum Hopkins, 1949 BACH BADM, Nov. 14, 2016, Baton Rouge, La. Herman Edward McFatter, 1941 BACH AGR, 1958 MAST AGR, Dec. 2, 2016, DeQuincy, La. Edwin “Burt” McNeil, 1946 BACH ENGR, Nov. 26, 2016, Baton Rouge, La. DeEtte Wells McKeithen Williams, 1949 BACH H&SS, Dec. 16, 2016 Baton Rouge, La. Frankie Stevens Smith, 1949 BACH H&SS, Dec. 11, 2016, Tyler, Texas
1950s
Shirley Katherine D’Angelo Blackwell, 1958 BACH HS&E, 1968 MAST HS&E, Nov. 5, 2016, Baton Rouge, La. Mary Laura Broussard Capozzoli, 1955 BACH AGR, Oct. 25, 2016, Baton Rouge, La John Michael Daigle, III, 1956 BACH ENGR, Dec. 27, 2016, Baton Rouge, La. Thomas Jerry Daigle, 1958 MAST H&SS, Dec. 14, 2016, Baton Rouge, La. Carole Ford, 1959 BACH HS&E, Oct. 18, 2016, Alexandria, La. William C. Hinkel, Jr., 1963 BACH H&SS, May 30, 2016, Gretna, La. Henrietta “Boots” McArdle, 1955 MAST H&SE, Nov. 20, 2016, Baton Rouge, La. Elise Brown Turner, 1952 BACH H&SS, Dec. 15, 2016, Fort Worth, Texas
1960s
Anna Vera Douglas Black, 1967 BACH HS&E, Nov. 9, 2016, Baton Rouge, La. Murray A. Forman, 1960 BACH BUS, 1964 MAST BUS, Sept. 3, 2016, Baton Rouge, La. Lynn Charpentier Graybar, 1969 BACH H&SS, Oct. 17, 2016, Tallahassee, Fla. John N. Hubbell, 1961 MAST SCI, 1971 PhD AGR, Nov. 6, 2016, Baton Rouge, La. Oneil Joseph Landry, 1966 BACH ENGR, Dec. 30, 2016, Baton Rouge, La. Raymond Paul Landry, 1962 BACH BUS, Nov. 28, 2016, St. Gabriel, La. Gene Joseph Ponthieux, 1965 MAST H&SS, Nov. 16, 2016, Metairie, La. Jackie Kroll Reine, 1969 BACH AGR, Dec. 14, 2016, Baton Rouge, La. Larry Jean Wilson, 1966 BACH BUS, Dec. 2, 2016, Baton Rouge, La.
1970s
Alan Blaine Causey, 1977 BACH AGR, Dec. 26, 2016, Baton Rouge, La. Albert Foster Fritchie, III, 1973 BACH H&SS, Dec. 22, 2016, Los Angeles, Calif. Dorothy Howell Gibbens, 1971 BACH H&SS, Dec. 17, 2016, Fairhope, Ala. David Robertson Haymon, 1973 BACH H&SS, 1977 JD, Dec. 19, 2016, New Orleans, La. Michael Patrick McLindon, 1977 BACH H&SS, Dec. 22, 2016, Baton Rouge, La. Robert Dale Nickens, 1971 BACH AGR, Dec. 17, 2016, St. Amant, La. Gary M. O’Neill, 1973 BACH BUS, 1976, Nov. 10, 2016, Seattle, Wash.
1980s
Ramona Robichaux, 1980 BACH H&SS, Dec. 23, 2016, Baton Rouge, La. June Rose Martin Rudd, 1983 BACH H&SS, Nov. 7, 2016, Baton Rouge, La.
1990s
Elizabeth Ann “LiAnn” Larguier, 1992 BACH H&SS, Jan. 8, 2017, Baton Rouge, La.
Barry Burns Belanger, 1963 BACH H&SS, 1972 MBA, Dec. 5, 2016, Valdosta, Ga. Mary Lou Hutchinson Docent, Lod Cook Alumni Center Jan. 5, 2016 Nashville, Tenn.
Leon C. Standifer, Jr. Professor Emeritus of Horticulture Nov. 8, 2016 Baton Rouge, La.
James Atkins Wittenberg, Sr. Alumnus-By-Choice Dec. 4, 2016 Memphis, Tenn.
Correction: The In Memoriam listing for Sydney Cecile “Shu Shu” Minvielle in the Fall 2106 issue incorrectly indicated that she graduated from LSU in 1957. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from LSU in 1967. She died on June 27, 2016, in New Iberia, La. The magazine regrets the error. If you would like to make a gift to the LSU Alumni Association in memory of a family member, friend or classmate, please contact our office for additional information at 225-578-3838 or 1-888-746-4578.
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GEAUX
V I N E YA R D S Proudly Celebrates Receiving SILVER MEDALS and BEST BUY Ratings! -TASTINGS MAGAZINE
GEAUX VINEYARDS 2015 CHARDONNAY, CENTRAL COAST 87 POINTS; SILVER MEDAL WINNER
“Light golden yellow color. Aromas and flavors of roasted apples and pears, nut brittle, and oak spice with a silky, bright, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a smooth, refreshing, medium-length clementine finish with fine, well-integrated, fruit tannins and a suggestion of oak. A snappy, well rounded chardonnay sipper” – tastings.com
GEAUX VINEYARDS 2014 CABERNET SAUVIGNON, CENTRAL COAST 87 POINTS, SILVER MEDAL WINNER
“Dark dusty garnet color. Toasty, fruity aromas and flavors of honeyed raisin toast and nut brittle with a silky, tangy, fruity medium-to-full body and a smooth, interesting, medium-length craisin, sour cherry, nuts, and hint of molasses finish with soft, chewy tannins and light oak. A rock solid cabernet with nice tangy fruit and balanced oak” – tastings.com
HELP US GEAUX FOR THE GOLD IN SALES! Visit lsualumni.org and click on the Geaux Vineyards Wine banner to find a retailer near you
Distributed by Republic National Distributing Company LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017 59
Profile
Tiger Nation
The Call By Jennie Gutierrez
Father Tom Shuler (1968 BACH HS&E) didn’t realize his calling to the priesthood until he was sixty-nine years old. “This is what I’ve wanted to do all of my life. I’m shocked. I’m almost embarrassed about it,” Shuler shared.
A Natchitoches, La., native, Shuler traces his journey to LSU back to his playing the tuba in seventh grade. His respect for his high school band director, L. Bruce Jones, former LSU faculty member and director of the LSU Tiger Marching Band, motivated him to attend LSU. Shuler played five seasons in the Golden Band from Tigerland and four years in the Symphonic Band. “My time at LSU resonates with me even now, fifty years later,” Shuler said. “Marching into Tiger Stadium that first Saturday night still gives me chills up and down my entire body.” It was at LSU that Shuler converted to Catholicism. Born “more or less nominally Baptist,” his devotion reached as far as Sunday morning worship and watching Billy Graham on television with his grandmother. His college roommate invited him to attend Mass at Christ the King Catholic Church. “I told him, ‘You’re looking at one of the most antiCatholics you’ve ever seen! My family would shoot me if they knew I went to a Catholic Mass.’ But we went anyway,” Shuler remembers. “It blew me away. That was in late 1963, and in January of 1965, I became Catholic.” A self-proclaimed “lousy student,” Shuler was nonetheless inspired by his instructors and band directors and earned his bachelor’s in music education. He directed an Alabama high school band, bringing home the top prize for the band’s first-ever marching competition. He received a Director of Bands Damen Talley and Father Tom Shuler meet at Tiger Band Hall to master’s degree in counseling at the University of Louisiana celebrate Shuler’s recent gift, an endowed tuba scholarship. at Monroe and moved to Dallas to work as a marketing consultant. That’s where he met his wife, Sandra. They married a little over a year later and have a daughter, Ashley. Later, Shuler again made a change in his trajectory. He was ordained as a permanent “Take your experiences, learn deacon in 1995 and began working as a full-time staff member at Holy Spirit Church from them, live them, and just in Atlanta, Ga. For the first time, Shuler felt truly fulfilled in his career. Sandra grow through them.” Shuler was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 and passed away in 2007. After thirty-five years of marriage, Shuler wasn’t sure what to do next. After some time and some encouragement from his peers, he agreed to visit Blessed John XXIII National Seminary. “I thought, ‘A free trip to Boston, frequent flyer miles, three days at the seminary, probably some good food … I have nothing to lose,’” Shuler said. After a few interviews, Shuler was committed and, he recalls, relieved. “They said I could stay two years in seminary and be ordained a priest. It washed over me. It was like somebody poured Gatorade all over me, and I said, ‘Yes, I’ll do that.’” Shuler believes that his entire life was preparation for the priesthood. His other passions include his “hero,” daughter Ashley; son-in-law, Adriaan; granddaughter, Sophia; Les Miles; and LSU. He began donating to LSU after witnessing the University’s relief efforts following Katrina, which Shuler said were “second to none,” and now gives monthly. For anyone who’s having trouble finding their own calling, Shuler gave this advice: “Take your experiences, learn from them, live them, and just grow through them.” Jennie Gutierrez is assistant director of communications at the LSU Foundation.
60 LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
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Help us keep #LSUTigerNation Trending! LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
61
Tiger Nation
By Ed Cullen Photo by Jenn Ocken Photography
Jay Ducote, blogger, entrepreneur, and radio show host.
“What I do comes from a love of eating rather than a love of cooking.”
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Profile
Jay Ducote aka ‘Chef Tailgate’ Is Devoted to Food The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Jay Ducote, food blogger, food products entrepreneur, and food radio show host, was in the Baton Rouge airport to catch a flight to College Station for the LSUTexas A&M game. It was a trip he described as business and pleasure, but every waking moment of Ducote’s life is devoted to the preparation, celebration, and consumption of food. “I’m going over there on behalf of the Bryan-College Station tourism commission,” Ducote said, airport sounds in the background. “I’m judging some tailgate food and making appearances. I’ll go to the Aggie midnight Yell and experience their culture to use on the radio show and podcast.” Ducote (2004 BACH BUS, 2007 MAST H&SS) lets other celebrity cooks call themselves chefs. He’s the guy grilling for hungry tailgaters. “I have great respect for everything Chef John Folse has done” as cook and entrepreneur, Ducote said when asked if Folse was something of a model for him. “If someone put me in the same sentence with him, I’d be flattered.” Ducote’s more comfortable working from a tailgate than a stainless steel counter. Since 2011, Ducote’s “Bite and Booze” radio show has aired on radio station 107.3 in Baton Rouge from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays (re-airing Sundays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.). Ducote’s blog, biteandbooze.com appeared in 2009. “It chronicles what I eat and drink, it spreads the positive word of the food scene in Baton Rouge, primarily, but I travel the state a lot.” The son of Phyllis and Jere Ducote, Ducote grew up watching his dad cook in hunting and fishing camps in Louisiana and Texas. He taught high school math, coached baseball, and worked for the state before he was a
famous foodie. “What I do comes from a love of eating rather than a love of cooking,” Ducote said. “I started writing about food out of boredom while I was at DHH [Department of Health & Hospitals]. I wrote about what I’d had for lunch in downtown Baton Rouge.” He and friends began organizing tailgate parties. People chipped in and paid dues, which bought food and T-shirts. “The idea was to break even,” Ducote said. The cooking was a la tailgate, “big party-style, grill pits, huge cast iron pots, gumbos, jambalaya.” Ducote left DHH in 2009 for a job as a grant writer and health forum administrator. By 2011, sponsors and advertisers had the radio show making money and meshing nicely with a blog that helped promote products made by a contractor. Today, Ducote’s company numbers six, including him, three fulltime employees, and two interns. Blair Loup (2013 BACH BUS), whom Ducote calls “Chief Confusion Coordinator and Spin Doctor,” became the first full-time employee three years ago. Ducote got a big boost with appearances on the Food Network’s “Cutthroat Kitchen,” which pitted four chefs against each other with $25,000 they could spend on themselves or to sabotage their competitors. Ducote lost in the second round – but with 200 people in a Baton Rouge bar cheering him on. The next day, Ducote said, “I am pretty overwhelmed by the amount of support. It was interesting to watch the show. It was pretty surreal to see myself get that much face time.” “I couldn’t have asked for more,” he said. “Even after I got kicked off the show, the crowd gave me a round of applause and congratulated me for being on the show and representing Baton Rouge and Louisiana well.” If Ducote comes across as a friendly guy you might meet in a cloud of succulent meat smoke in the shadow of Tiger Stadium, it’s because he is that guy. With $250,000 a year from Bite and
Booze, advertising from the radio show, speaking events, and his product line, Hug Jay D, Jay Ducote Incorporated is in the appetizer phase of a potential fullcourse business spread. And it’s not been done sitting around chewing the fat. “Every waking moment, pretty much non-stop,” he said. “I have trouble taking a day off. From when I wake up until I go to bed. Distribution, getting into stores” and launching Gov’t Taco inside the White Star Market, 4646 Government St. in Baton Rouge. Bite and Booze is in Baton Rouge’s Garden District in “essentially a house,” Ducote said.
“I don’t want to get to the point I have to manufacture my own food products,” he said. “As long as I can stay filling orders with co-packers.” Looking ahead to an afternoon of tailgating Texas style in College Station, someone suggested that Ducote could expect a lot of beef before bedtime. “I hope so,” said Chef Tailgate. Ed Cullen, an LSU journalism graduate, is author of Letter in a Woodpile, a collection of his essays for National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered.” He is retired from the Baton Rouge Advocate where he wrote the Sunday column “Attic Salt.”
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Profile
Tiger Nation
Sagström Battles Obstacles En Route to Record-Breaking Season, LPGA Tour Card By Matt DeVille
Symetra Tour sensation and former LSU Lady Tiger Madelene Sagström.
“Madelene is definitely doing the right things and the sky is the limit.”
64 LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
When you think of who is the most dominant player in pro golf, who comes to mind? Obvious names, of course, like Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy. And even on the LPGA, one might immediately say Lydia Ko. While you wouldn’t be wrong to assume it’s the world’s most talented players, there is a legitimate argument for Symetra Tour sensation and former LSU Lady Tiger Madelene Sagström. The twenty-four-year-old took the Symetra Tour by storm in her rookie season. In fourteen starts on the LPGA-owned developmental tour, Sagström won three times and logged an astounding eleven Top 10 finishes. She swept Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors and became the first player in Symetra Tour history to break the $100,000 and $150,000 marks on the money list. “It was a pretty amazing year,” Sagström said. “I had a really strong game plan, and I was able to stick to my routine every tournament. I’m really proud to have reached the record. I’m thankful the Symetra Tour has improved so much during the last several years so that we’re able to beat all kinds of records.” By nearly lapping the field in earnings, Sagström finished first on the Volvik Race for the Card money list and earned her LPGA Tour card for the 2017 season. In 2016, she logged wins at the Chico's Patty Berg Memorial on April 17 by one stroke and enjoyed a two-stroke win at Murphy’s El Dorado on Oct. 2. But her most dominating performance came on May 8 when she rolled to a six-stroke victory at the Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Classic. Sagström finished as the only player under par in the field.
W h i t e - K a zu s ky N u p t i a l s
Considering her immediate success on the Symetra Tour and her All-American career at LSU, including 2015 SEC Player of the Year honors, Sagström admits to her ongoing battle with one major obstacle with her game. One might assume she might struggle hitting her long irons or an inconsistent mid-range putting stroke. But Sagström’s issue isn’t technical at all. Sagström admits she struggles with anxiety, which can be debilitating to her confidence as a golfer. “I was so unsure of myself,” she said. “I was like, ‘can I do this?’ I didn’t feel like I belonged out here. I was so scared. I wasn’t sure I could go out there and even get the ball off the tee.” The day before the first event of the Symetra Tour season, Sagström was in Beaumont, Calif., preparing to play in the IOC Championship presented by Morongo Casino and Resort. It was there she received a phone call that changed her life. Fellow countryman and European Tour star Robert Karlsson called the young Swede Sagström to offer some words of encouragement and advice. “He [Karlsson] just called me up and was talking to me like a regular adult,” Sagström said of the European Ryder Cup veteran. “He was asking me how I was doing and was I okay. He urged me to breathe and enjoy the moment. It was mind blowing. I went out the next day and played the best golf of my life.” Whatever else Karlsson told Sagström, she definitely listened. In the first round of the IOC Championship, Sagström shot an 8-under-par 64, which was her lowest single round score of the year. She went on to finish third overall in the tournament, two strokes back of winner Erynne Lee. But the stage was set for Sagström’s recordbreaking year and eventual promotion to the LPGA Tour. “I wasn’t surprised at all,” said LSU Lady Tiger Golf Coach Karen Bahnsen. “She has an amazing work ethic and strives so hard to improve. As she matures, she just going to get better and better. Confidence is one of those things that can jump up and bite you. That voice in your head can say the wrong thing at the wrong time. But Madelene is definitely doing the right things and the sky is the limit.” In December 2016, Sagström won the Ladies European Tour's Q-School in Morocco, securing membership of the Ladies European Tour for 2017, a requirement to make her eligible for selection in the 2017 Solheim Cup. Matt DeVille, an independent marketing consultant in Baton Rouge and owner of Practical Promotions, LLC, is a regular contributor to LSU Alumni Magazine.
Wedding Dreams Do Come True
“This could be perfect for the wedding reception,” I thought, while looking at a magazine photo advertisement for the Lod Cook Alumni Center reception hall. My daughter agreed. Event coordinator Lauren Regner listened to our ideas and, using her professional expertise, built upon our ideas to help us envision the perfect event. Unique Cuisine was my caterer of choice, so learning that Unique Cuisine is the exclusive caterer for the Lod Cook Alumni Center was perfect. We knew we would have a lot of out-of-town guests, so having The Cook Hotel as part of the wedding venue was great. The hotel is beautiful and the staff was so accommodating – it was great to have one complete package! The wedding reception was amazing and beyond all expectations in every way. I remember walking into the lobby and stopping a moment to take it all in ... the reception hall was breathtaking and the food smelled so good! The Lod Cook Alumni Center truly was the perfect place, the perfect night, for the perfect event and one that our family will remember forever. -Mary White
LET US MAKE YOUR WEDDING DREAMS COME TRUE! Contact Lauren Regner to schedule a tour of the venue for your special day. 225.578.3829 • lauren@lsualumni.org
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Remembering
Tiger Nation
Sparky Wade: A Legend of His Era
By Shawn Fury Photo from 1934 Gumbo
Malcolm “Sparky” Wade.
“For a little man, he was the greatest.”
66 LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
As I researched my 2016 book Rise and Fire: The Origins, Science, and Evolution of the Jump Shot—And How It Transformed Basketball Forever, I discovered an old quote from former University of Kentucky basketball coach Adolph Rupp, praising LSU star Malcolm “Sparky” Wade. In a 1935 newspaper story, Rupp said, “Louisiana State University, led by the diminutive ‘Sparky Wade,’ was the colorful team of the year. Spectators came hundreds of miles to see this lad perform. Weighing but 135 pounds, fast as a streak, and using a sensational jump shot, he clowns through the game.” I never found more evidence that indicated Wade took jump shots, back when almost no one executed that maneuver. But the player everyone called Sparky was still a legend of his era. Yet because of the time during which Wade played – media coverage was regional and the NCAA title game didn’t exist – his exploits are unknown to many. But during the 1930s, few had a bigger impact than one of the smallest men on the court. Wade stood approximately 5 feet, 8 inches tall and hailed from Jena, La., a town that consisted of about 1,000 people during his youth. Multiple theories emerged about the origin of his nickname Sparky. One newspaper speculated it was “for his ability to ‘spark’ the girls, or the fact that he whisked up and down a basketball court like so many sparks flying.” Following an outstanding high school career, Wade first attended LSU but clashed with coach Harry Rabenhorst. Wade then fled his home
state for Southern Methodist University in Texas. His time in Dallas didn’t last long. No one knew for sure why he returned to Louisiana. One legend? Governor Huey Long called Wade and told him he had thirty-six hours to get back to LSU or he’d bulldoze Jena. Whether the Kingfish’s threats played any role or not, once the star came back he turned LSU into a powerhouse. And he did it with flair, delighting fans and frustrating opponents with his behind-the-back passing, sharp vision, and fancy dribbling. He also let everyone know how good he was on the court. A trash talker, Wade would, according to one report, make “very disparaging remarks about [an opponent’s] heritage, particularly his mother.” He also anonymously called newspapers in opposing cities and told them to check out a sensational player named Sparky Wade. In 1935, Wade led the Tigers to a 14-1 record, 12-0 in the SEC. At the end of the season, LSU defeated Pittsburgh in the American Legion Bowl, and the school claimed a mythical national title, though there was no actual champion crowned. But with Wade, there was no doubt LSU could compete against anyone. Wade, who became an airline pilot, died on Feb. 25, 1983, on his seventy-third birthday. No films exist of Wade on the court, and in the 1930s basketball hardly made an impression on the national landscape. Yet few Tigers exceeded his legacy. In the words of his old coach, Rabenhorst, “Sure he was cocky, but then he could do anything he said he could. For a little man, he was the greatest.” Shawn Fury is a writer in New York City.
The Lod Cook Alumni Center at Louisiana State University
WHERE WORK AND PLAY MEET STATELY OAKS AND BROAD MAGNOLIAS
Whether it’s business luncheons or wedding receptions, company meetings or class reunions, the Lod Cook Alumni Center can fulfill all of your needs with first-class service and accommodations. The Cook Alumni Center has nine meeting rooms totaling more than 12,300 square feet, and the Andonie Sports Museum, a stand-alone facility featuring LSU sports history, to fit your event requirements. With award-winning Unique Cuisine catering on site, as well as The Cook Hotel steps away, we have everything you need for a comfortably arranged event.
Look no further than the Lod Cook Alumni Center To book rental space, contact Lauren Regner, Director of Event Rentals, at 225-578-3829 or email at lauren@lsualumni.org
LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
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Tiger Nation
Tigers Around the World Great Wall – Kirsten Petersen Subjeck (2008 BACH H&SS) shares a photo taken while visiting the Great Wall in China. Subjeck is the daughter of LSU alums Glen R. Petersen (1973 BACH BUS, 1977 JD) and Melinda Petersen (1974 BACH H&SS).
Memories – Maureen Martin Hayter (1983 BACH BUS) shares a photograph of her mom and a friend sunning at the Huey P. Long Pool in the early 1940s. “My mother (now ninety-four), graduated with a degree in home economics in 1943,” writes Hayter. “Her sisters Marie, Virginia, and late brother Leland (1947 BACH ENGR), a 2010 Purple & Gold Award recipient, are also grads from that era. I followed forty years later!”
A Mardi Gras Story Elsie B. Meaux, of Breaux Bridge, La., a Tiger fan since childhood and season football ticket holder for twenty-five years, has been a member of the Krewe of Iris in New Orleans for nineteen years. This past year, she was a member of the court.
Elsie Meaux and Chuck Galligan.
“Our parade theme was ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun,’ and when I saw the list of floats and one of the them was ‘Iris Goes to an LSU Game,’ I told our captain, ‘I have two passions in life – Mardi Gras and LSU football, and if I could marry both and be the LSU maid, it would be a dream come true,” she writes. “On Feb. 25, I rode through the streets of New Orleans in my LSU splendor,” she continues. “I had the costumer put t #18 on my football player to honor the tradition Coach Miles had in selecting the player for that number.” Meaux attended LSU from 1972-1975 and earned a nursing degree from LSU at Alexandria in 1977.
WHAT’S YOUR VOLUNTEER PASSION? Send a photo of yourself “in action” and tell Tigers Around the World how and why you share your time and talents with others.
68 LSU Alumni Magazine | Spring 2017
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