Summer 2009 Cornerstone by LSU Foundation

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

SUMMER 2009 • Volume 21, Number 2 Charlene Muffoletto Favre as an LSU Golden Girl in 1971.

A Publication Devoted to the Benefactors of the LSU Foundation EDITOR

Scott M. Madere

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Haley Edman

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Mimi LaValle

Damian Foley

National Champion Students LSU ACADEMICS Fills up the Trophy Case in 2009 with National Honors Aplenty

Haley Edman Tammy Abshire CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jim Zietz Eddy Perez Rachel Saltzberg Haley Edman

8 9 10

Mark Rayner

Roger Ogden Establishes Professorship in Business

LSU Petroleum Engineers Unveil New Additions

Charlene Muffoletto Favre Supports LSU College of Education and Tiger Band

to Drilling Education Program

With Gift to the Forever LSU Campaign

Art Favre’s Gift Showcases Engineering Commitment to Campaign

America’s Wetland Foundation Announces $300,000 Donation to Forever LSU to Establish New Coastal Sustainability Studio

ExxonMobil, Employees Set New Record With $1.16 Million Donation to LSU

Page 10: The America’s WETLAND Conservation Corps is a cooperative project with the LSU AgCenter, Louisiana Serves and Americorps, which places volunteers into service to save Louisiana’s valuable wetlands.

Bashore Family Establishes Memorial Scholarship

LSU Law Center Professorship Established

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Endowed Professorship Honors

LSU Foundation Remembers

for Manship School Students

in Memory of Louisiana Judge

LSU Law Professor

Back in the Spotlight LSU’s Venerable Music and Dramatic Arts Building Returns to Life

Jack Overton Colle

ow well do you know the campus? Can you identify where this campus detail resides? The answer appears later in this issue!

CORNERSTONE • SUMMER 2009

Dear Friends,

s we head into the fall semester, it’s a good time to reflect on the success stories of the ’08-’09 academic year and remind ourselves of the impact that we, as supporters of LSU, can have on campus. In every college and department at LSU, there are students and faculty that carry on our strong academic tradition every day. Most of the time we never know about the student who goes above and beyond to achieve excellence. But more than ever, LSU students are gaining national recognition for their hard work and commitment to our university community. On page 6 of this issue of Cornerstone, you will meet some of these students. We call them our “National Champion” students, because that’s exactly what they are. Each of these students received national-level recognition for their outstanding accomplishments here at LSU. Their efforts have been recognized after head-to-head competition with some of the best and brightest college students our nation has to offer. Once again, LSU is proud to have another Truman scholarship winner in our ranks. This particular award is one I consider to be particularly special, as it is an award that recognizes that treasured quality in any person: leadership. This year’s recipient is on the cover, LSU Mass Communication and Honors Student Micaela de Gruy. Micaela plans on pursuing a master’s degree and Ph.D. in social work and says she would like to one day recruit and train volunteers for refugee camps in Africa. She personifies what is becoming a very real tradition here at LSU, generating leaders who are looking to make an impact not just here in Louisiana, but on a national and international scale. This year, three LSU students have been recognized on the USA Today All-USA College Academic Team. Former Truman Scholarship winner Brian Goh, political science student Michael Rhea and biological engineering student John Casey were all recognized by USA Today as three of the very best our nation has to offer. Speaking of newspapers, LSU journalism student Amy Brittain was selected as one of the nation’s 10 best student journalists by Scripps Howard Foundation. Another great LSU biological sciences student, Sarah DeLeo, was a recent winner of a National Science Foundation Graduate

Fellowship. A doctoral student, Sarah intends to be a university professor and researcher. For the 17th time, an LSU student earned the highest student score on the International Certified Internal Auditor Exam. Graduate student Yves Damoiseau is this year’s top-scoring student in the world. Of course, these are only a handful of examples of the great things LSU students accomplish every day. One of the best ideas which can arise from working at a university like LSU is the notion that right now an LSU student or faculty member is working on something that may change the world. Every person at LSU is in pursuit of accomplishing a dream, a vision or a goal. Even if we may have never heard of these labors, these undertakings have the potential to affect us all, whether as members of the LSU community or the global community. Each of you who support LSU through philanthropic donations, volunteer hours and deep loyalty to this university have a share in these successes. Over the next year, we are going to pull together to accomplish our university’s most important goal to date, the completion of the Forever LSU campaign. As of this printing, the Forever LSU campaign has raised more than $643 million of its ultimate $750 million goal by the end of 2010. The support given to this campaign by thousands of LSU friends and alumni has already had a huge effect on the classroom environment and campus life here at LSU. The proof is in the quality of our students and the faculty who inspire them to such great heights. Now, more than ever, is a great time to support LSU’s championship spirit by becoming an LSU Foundation member and by contributing to the Forever LSU Campaign. As always, we are grateful for your leadership and dedication to our university community and its future. Sincerely,

Maj. Gen. William G. Bowdon, USMC Ret. President and CEO, LSU Foundation

t’s a sight that, no matter how frequent, never seems to get old: an LSU athletics team hoisting a championship trophy overhead. Our 2009 LSU baseball team was the latest in a long line of great LSU sports teams to achieve the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics competition: a national championship title. They did so before a national audience of millions on ESPN. Their names, rightfully recorded in campus legend.

For many people outside of Louisiana, this is the image of LSU university committed to excellence in everything it does.” that is most often encountered. Our pursuit of excellence in “I never expected to receive any honor of this caliber. I have athletics is second to none, and the success of our sports teams is proof now that dedication and passion really can get you where no matter of luck. It is born in hard work, vision and a love of you want to be,” de Gruy said. “It has been a truly humbling competition. experience to be around other finalists and hear about their But 2008-09 wasn’t just a banner year for LSU sports. LSU accomplishments. I promise to use this opportunity for the academics had one of the best years ever, with students earning benefit of others; my future is not about me, but about the kind of national recognition from virtually every corner of campus. change I can make in the world.” These “national champions” reveal what we have always known De Gruy plans to attain a master’s degree and Ph.D. in social about our students and the faculty that inspire them here at LSU: work and make an impact on the global scene, specifically by they can compete head-to-head with anyone in the world. aiding in the rehabilitation of trauma victims in Africa’s One of these champions is LSU senior Micaela de Gruy, a mass numerous refugee camps. communications and Honors College student who took home a “In Sudan, there is one counselor for 6 million prestigious Truman Scholarship in 2009. She is the fifth LSU people. The need is great and there is little resource to student to be recognized by the Truman Scholarship Foundation, meet it,” said de Gruy. “I want to learn as much as I which bestows the nationally-competitive designation to the top can about the problem and how to impact change, college student leaders in America. so that I may teach and inspire others to keep the “We are proud of Micaela and all of LSU’s Truman Scholars over change going.” Amy the past few years,” said LSU Chancellor Brittain Michael Martin. “This is proof that LSU students are performing at a very high level nationally, and Michael Rhea LSU is doing its Sarah Micaela DeLeo part as a de Gruy

Brian Goh

LSU also placed three students on USA Today’s 20th Annual All-USA College Academic Teams in 2009, the third year in a row that LSU has placed a student on the teams. Brian Goh of Denham Springs was selected to one of the 20 spots on the First Team. John Casey of Mandeville and Michael Rhea of DeRidder also appear on the list as members of the Second Team. This is the first year that LSU has three students selected. All three students are members of the LSU Honors College. Both Goh and Casey are former recipients of the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, which recognizes our nation’s top science students. Goh won the award in 2008, Casey in 2007. “It is truly an honor to be recognized among 20 outstanding college students from around the country,” Goh said. “More importantly, being named to the First Team along with two others from LSU on the Second Team demonstrates what we do here at LSU. We have outstanding students who do outstanding things. These things are not only exceptional here at LSU, but they have impact nationally. That makes me proud to be at LSU and proud to be a Tiger.” Casey was also a recipient of a 2009 National Science Foundation graduate fellowship. His classmate, biomedical engineering and Honors College doctoral student Sarah DeLeo, was also recognized by the National Science Foundation with a graduate fellowship as well. These fellowships are among the most prestigious available to any college researcher on the national level. DeLeo said she intends for her research to contribute greatly to understanding degenerative neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Another LSU Tiger with a national title is recent mass communication graduate Amy Brittain, who was named one of the nation’s 10 best student reporters by the Scripps Howard Foundation in 2009. Brittain, a sportswriter currently on an MLB.com internship in San Diego, said she was shocked to hear the news that she was honored by the Scripps Howard Foundation. “It was an honor just to be the one nominee from LSU. I never imagined I would win the national contest. Needless to say, the recognition was amazing,” she said. Brittain said she plans on getting her master’s degree in journalism at Columbia University, where she hopes to specialize in investigative reporting. “I got my foundation at LSU,” Brittain said. “I had the opportunity to regularly interview the chancellor, system president, head football coach and numerous other prominent individuals. I grew from a shy, timid girl out of high school into a confident reporter who was intimidated by no one. It was a great ride.” LSU graduate student Lauren DeFrank was recently selected as a 2009 Presidential Management Fellow, a prestigious and highly competitive program administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. The program is designed to draw outstanding graduate, law and doctoral students to federal service. Exactly how tough was the competition this year? DeFrank was recognized from a pool of more than 5,000 applicants, the largest number of applicants in the program’s history. DeFrank came to LSU after completing her undergraduate work at Tulane. “LSU has the strongest environmental science graduate program I looked at,” she said “I didn’t even apply elsewhere.”

In many ways, these students represent a new direction for LSU academics, one in which our very best student ambassadors can be recognized on any level, regardless of field of study. It’s an attitude that mimics the best parts of our university’s love for competition, because like our athletics Tigers, these academic Tigers know what it takes to be a champion. For many of these students, the path toward national competition starts in the LSU Honors College’s Office of Fellowship Advising. The Office of Fellowship Advising specializes in helping these outstanding students in applying for prestigious scholarships and fellowships, such as the Rhodes, Marshall, Gates, Mitchell, Udall, Truman and Goldwater awards. Students interested in applying for these and other scholarship opportunities should contact fellowships@lsu.edu.

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LSU’s Department of Media Relations contributed to the content of this report.

LSU Remains in the Top Tier in U.S. News & World Report Rankings or the second year in a row, LSU is ranked in the first tier for “Best National Universities” in U.S. News & World Report’s 2010 edition of America’s Best Colleges. LSU’s business and engineering programs are also ranked by U.S. News & World Report. The LSU E.J. Ourso College of Business moved up from being ranked 74 last year to 57 this year in the Best Undergraduate Business Programs ranking. The LSU College of Engineering moved up from being ranked 86 last year to 85 this year in the Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs ranking. We are excited about being in the top tier of U.S. News & World Report’s rankings,” LSU Chancellor Michael Martin said. “This again proves what the faculty, staff and students here already know, that LSU is one of the top universities in the nation. As Louisiana’s Flagship University, being ranked in the top tier not only brings recognition to our institution but to the state as a whole. We commend our peers and U.S. News for taking note of the great things being accomplished on our campus.” In its report, the magazine ranks LSU 128th among 262 American public and private universities in the United States. LSU ranks 64th overall when compared to public universities only. LSU is the only public university in Louisiana ranked in the top tier. “We are elated but not surprised to find LSU once again in the top tier of American universities, as reported by U.S. News & World Report,” said LSU Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Astrid Merget. “Our national standing among the best universities in the country is not only a tribute to the impressive academic achievements of our faculty, students and staff; it is also a point of pride for our alumni and friends, as our ambassadors championing LSU as among the nation’s best in all its accomplishments.” In the past five years, LSU has seen improvement in a number of areas that the U.S. News & World Report Rankings take into consideration, including LSU’s graduation rate, which has risen from 57.5 percent in 2004 to 60.7 percent in 2008, and incoming freshmen ACT scores, which have increased from 24.5 in 2004 to 25.3 in 2008. • 7

Happy Birthday To Us (Almost) By Damian Foley

olumbia University’s Law School celebrated its in 2008 with events in Hong Kong, Beijing and London. The state of Minnesota celebrated its in 2008 with commemorative license plates and a specially commissioned song. The city of Boulder, Colo., celebrated its in 2009 with a public downtown stroll on July 4, visiting the city’s historic landmarks. The state of Oregon celebrated its in 2009 with a service project that saw 24,000 Oregonians turn out to participate in community cleanup programs. Louisiana State University will officially mark its on January 2, 2010, and will celebrate with an entire year’s worth of festivities.

What is it? A sesquicentennial—or, specifically, a 150-year anniversary. In 1860, LSU began as a small school in Pineville with only 19 students. Now, 149 years later, LSU is one of the largest universities in the nation, with an undergraduate enrollment of more than 26,000 students. The University also employs more than 1,500 faculty members who teach in the 10 senior colleges and schools. The body of work LSU has produced over the years has helped the University move into the U.S. News and World Report’s top tier of universities. That, in and of itself, is worthy of a celebration—not that a state with the unofficial motto laissez le bon temps rouler needs much prompting to celebrate life. So celebrate LSU will, with a list of events that will see the festivities begin in September 2009 and not stop until December 2010. The first sesquicentennial-related event will be the launching of the statewide museum tour, “LSU: Building an American Renaissance,” at the LSU Student Union Art Gallery on Sept. 10. The exhibition, put together by architecture professor Michael Desmond, will take patrons through the physical history of LSU, from its humble beginnings in Pineville to the majestic oaks and arches 150 years and four campuses later in Baton Rouge, and will travel throughout Louisiana during 2010. “LSU Serves the World” will launch in January 2010, and will give Tigers around the world the chance to come together online to learn about the various service projects LSU has been involved in globally for the last 150 years. History of LSU, a documentary LSU put together in conjunction with Louisiana Public Broadcasting, will air on March 14, 2010, and will run on LPB a number of times throughout the year. There will be a book, Treasures of LSU, that will showcase some of the undiscovered gems on campus, an ornament that celebrates LSU’s iconic architecture, and “LSU Day,” an open house for the public on April 24 for a free, fun-filled day of exploration and discovery, highlighted by performing arts showcases, tours and exhibitions showing off LSU’s history in all its purple and gold glory. Join Louisiana State University as it marks its sesquicentennial in 2010 with a year of reflection, celebration and commitment. We invite all former and future students, faculty and staff, as well as friends of LSU worldwide to join us in celebrating the University’s 150 years of excellence.

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CORNERSTONE / SUMMER 2009

Roger Ogden Establishes Professorship in Business B

aton Rouge businessman Roger Ogden honored his business partner and friend, Jimmy Maurin, with a professorship established in Maurin’s name at a May 14 luncheon held at the LSU Faculty Club. Maurin is a Louisiana State University alumnus and a long-time E.J. Ourso College of Business supporter. Both Maurin and Ogden are members of the E.J. Ourso College Dean’s Advisory Council and serve on the Louisiana Business Building Oversight Committee, where Maurin currently serves as co-chair. “This is an incredibly touching gesture,” said Eli Jones, dean of the E.J. Ourso College. “Roger and Jimmy’s friendship extends for decades and includes the creation of Stirling Properties. Their mutual respect for one another is self-evident.” The James E. “Jimmy” Maurin Professorship will provide scholastic support to doctoral students in the E.J. Ourso College. Special consideration will be given to doctoral students who specialize in real estate or entrepreneurship research. Maurin received a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from LSU in 1971 and earned an MBA from Tulane University in 1972. He is the chairman of Stirling Properties, founded in 1975. Maurin served as the chairman of the International Council of Shopping Centers and is currently the chairman of the Ochsner Health System Board. He is also a founding trustee of Blueprint Louisiana. In addition to Jones, the event was attended by LSU Chancellor Michael V. Martin, LSU Foundation President William Bowdon and Tiger Athletic Foundation Chief Operating Officer Ron Richard. The LSU Foundation presented Maurin and Ogden framed proclamations to recognize the establishment of the new professorship. For news and information regarding the E.J. Ourso College, visit www.bus.lsu.edu. (L-to-R): Eli Jones, dean of the E.J. Ourso College of Business, Jimmy Maurin, Roger Ogden, Michael V. Martin, LSU Chancellor, Maj. Gen. William G. Bowdon, president and CEO of the LSU Foundation, Maj. Gen. Ron Richard, president and CEO of Tiger Athletic Foundation.

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By Mimi LaValle

lumni leaders are critical to the growth and advancement of every college at LSU, but the LSU College of Engineering boasts a record of involvement and participation that is second to none. This is exemplified by the volunteers serving on the Engineering Campaign Steering Committee, who have reached the 100 percent participation mark, and given 12 percent of the College of Engineering’s $100 million goal. Recently, Art E. Favre pledged $1.2 million to establish an endowed chair for the benefit of the Department of Construction Management and Industrial Engineering (CMIE) at LSU in the College of Engineering. Once matched with state funds of $800,000, the chair will total $2 million. As LSU and the College look to successfully complete the Forever LSU Campaign by 2010, Favre and the Engineering Campaign Steering Committee’s dedication encourages others to focus efforts toward academic excellence. The Art E. Favre Industrial Construction Chair will enhance educational quality and research in the field of industrial construction management. Favre’s leadership gift represents the largest commitment to the department from an individual. Leading comes naturally to him. Favre is a 1972 LSU graduate in construction—the inaugural graduating class. Owner and President of Performance Contractors, Inc., Favre founded the industrial services company, which specializes in construction, maintenance and pipe fabrication for refineries, petrochemical, chemical and power industries. The firm is headquartered in Baton Rouge with offices in Lake Charles, LA; Freeport, TX and Mobile, AL. LSU Chancellor Michael V. Martin acknowledged Favre’s unparalleled support to the construction management program and College of Engineering that has and will continue to make a positive impact on LSU students and research. “Art Favre’s gift supports the education of future leaders in the construction industry to safely build the next generation petrochemical facilities. We must look to the future and take action to keep pace with advancements in industry and technology, to compete with peer institutions, and to advance our position of national prominence,” Martin said. Over the years, LSU has played a major role in providing quality staffing candidates to Performance Contractors, and Favre is active in supporting the University and the College of Engineering. He contributes much of his time as an active member of the Dean’s Advisory Council, the chair of the Forever LSU Campaign Steering Committee for CMIE as well as the recent Dean’s Search Committee. A founding member of the Construction Industry Advisory Council, Favre has served as past

(L-to-R): Tom Ray, chair of Construction Management & Industrial Engineering; Maj. Gen. William G. Bowdon, LSU Foundation president and CEO; LSU Chancellor Michael V. Martin; Art Favre; David Constant, interim dean of the LSU College of Engineering.

president and currently serves on the board of directors. Favre is a member of the LSU Alumni Association, the LSU Foundation and Tiger Athletic Foundation. In 2007, Favre was inducted into the LSU College of Engineering Hall of Distinction. “LSU started the Construction Management curriculum during my sophomore year, and I found a pathway to fulfill my educational objective. The knowledge instilled in me by the dedicated faculty at LSU has served me well throughout my career. My first job opportunity after graduation was with a Baton Rougebased general industrial contractor. The disciplined thought processes toward problem solving taught at LSU, coupled with several great mentors within industry, allowed me to learn the unique characteristics of industrial construction early in my career,” said Favre. Tom Ray, CMIE Chair, said, “Our program’s success has much to do with support from the construction industry and Art Favre has always led the way. Art’s generosity of his time and resources are immeasurable to the department. His gift will enable our faculty to provide the best instruction in industrial construction education and to conduct important research within the industrial sector.” Favre said, “I contribute a significant portion of my professional success to the educational foundation I received at LSU. As our company has grown, we have continued to look toward LSU as a provider of quality personnel to expand our company’s capabilities. The better student product the CMIE Department produces, the easier it becomes for us to reach our corporate goals. Undergraduate education coupled with cutting edge research, yield an excellent return on our contribution dollars.” “LSU has been very fortunate to have Art Favre as the chair of our CMIE campaign steering committee,” said Maj. Gen. William Bowdon, president and CEO of the LSU Foundation. “Having the guidance of a construction business leader like Art is critical to the long-term development of our construction management curriculum at LSU. Our College of Engineering students directly benefit from the involvement 9 and generosity of alumni like Art.”

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he America’s WETLAND Foundation (AWF) announced a $300,000 donation to LSU and the Forever LSU

campaign today. The gift will be used to establish the LSU Coastal Sustainability

Studio, a university-based professional training studio to restore, protect and sustain America’s WETLAND.

“We are very proud to be the founding sponsor of this America’s WETLAND Foundation and for all it does daily to initiative, which is really the first of its kind,” said AWF raise awareness of the fight to save Louisiana’s coastal Chairman R. King Milling. “Building capacity in science and ecosystem,” said Twilley. “This gift will allow LSU to develop engineering is critical for the Gulf states, and especially new ways to help our friends and neighbors live near the water Louisiana and its ability to plan and implement large-scale in a sustainable fashion.” ecosystem restoration and protection projects—that’s why this The grant was made possible by generous support from is so important. Through this innovative concept, we will be Chevron, who is a partner in the foundation’s America’s able to gauge the sustainability of projects under Energy Coast initiative. consideration. As part of the foundation’s Climate, Energy & The studio will be supported by an executive committee, the Coast Project, the Coastal Sustainability Studio will help which includes representatives from various disciplines support the development of best practices in coastal including: hurricane research, engineering, art and design, engineering through a multidisciplinary approach to complex landscape architecture, geography, and law, among others. design challenges. Other AWF initiatives, such as America’s The studio will also be supported by an advisory committee Energy Coast and the America’s WETLAND Conservation that includes representatives from: AWF, Chevron, Shell, Corps, allow us to impact policy development and maximize Arcadis, the Shaw Group, the Louisiana Recovery Authority, volunteer efforts on the ‘front lines’ of the battle. Through engineering firms, industry representatives, planning councils, these and other efforts, I have no doubt we can make professional planning firms, Governor’s Office of Coastal significant strides toward saving America’s WETLAND.” Activities, Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and The Coastal Sustainability Studio is also a part of LSU’s new Emergency Preparedness and the Louisiana Office of Coastal Coastal Sustainability Agenda, or CSA, which seeks to integrate Protection and Restoration. knowledge that will create informed policies and promote This project is the second partnership between the America’s environmental and economic sustainability in coastal WETLAND Foundation and LSU. The America’s WETLAND landscapes around the Conservation Corps is a world. cooperative project with the “The Coastal LSU AgCenter, Louisiana Sustainability Studio is a Serves and Americorps, which multidisciplinary effort places volunteers into service that will use the to save Louisiana’s valuable challenges of restoring wetlands. and protecting the America’s WETLAND is one Mississippi River Delta to of the largest and most develop new approaches productive expanses of coastal to building more resilient wetlands in North America. communities,” said Robert This valuable landscape Twilley, associate vice extending along Louisiana’s chancellor of research and coast is disappearing at a rate economic development at of 24 square miles per year. LSU, director of the The America’s WETLAND Coastal Sustainability Foundation manages the Agenda and professor in largest, most comprehensive the LSU Department of public education campaign in Oceanography and Coastal (L-to-R): Warner Williams, Chevron North America Exploration and Production Louisiana’s history. The Company, Michael V. Martin, LSU Chancellor, Robert Twilley, Associate Vice Sciences. “The physical campaign is raising public Chancellor, Research and Economic Development, R. King Milling, Chairman, studio will be situated on awareness of the impact of America’s WETLAND Foundation, Sidney Coffee, Senior Advisor, America’s LSU’s campus, but the Louisiana’s wetland loss on WETLAND Foundation, Maj. Gen. William G. Bowdon, President & CEO, LSU Foundation expertise will be drawn the state, nation and world. not only from LSU faculty The initiative is supported by but from coastal experts around the world.” a growing coalition of world, national and state conservation Twilley will head the effort, which will focus its restoration and environmental organizations and has drawn private efforts on parishes in the delta plain as a test case in the support from businesses that see wetlands protection as a key coming months. Lynne Carter serves as Associate Director with to economic growth. For more information, visit expertise in developing resilient communities. www.americaswetland.com. “We are truly grateful for the generous support of the

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CORNERSTONE / SUMMER 2009

Representatives from ExxonMobil present LSU with a donation of $1.16 million from ExxonMobil’s Educational Matching Gift Program. This is the second year in a row that LSU has received more than $1 million from the ExxonMobil Foundation in matching gifts.

xxonMobil employees and retirees achieved a new level of giving with another record gift to LSU academics. On May 8, the LSU Foundation received a gift of $1,163,585 from the ExxonMobil Foundation. This total represents the matching of 210 gifts to LSU which were eligible for ExxonMobil’s Educational Matching Gift Program in 2008. This is the second year in a row in which LSU received more than $1 million in matching funds from ExxonMobil. In 2008, LSU became the first university in the world to receive more than $1 million in matching funds from ExxonMobil in one calendar year. ExxonMobil’s Educational Matching Gift Program is a leader in private industry, having donated more than $36 million to more than 900 colleges and universities across the United States in 2008. In the past year, LSU alumni and supporters within the ExxonMobil Corporation gave $533,775 to LSU academics, $387,861 of which was matched on a 3-to-1 basis by ExxonMobil’s Educational Matching Gift Program ($1,163,585). Historically, LSU is one of the top universities in the world for attracting support from this program. “When you think of the world’s great companies, ExxonMobil is certainly at the top of any list. Their leadership and positive influence can be felt in every corner of the globe,” said Maj. Gen. William Bowdon, president and CEO of the LSU Foundation. “For LSU to have the support and cooperation of a company like ExxonMobil is a true honor and a gift for which we are very grateful. We thank all the employees, retirees and annuitants of ExxonMobil for their continued support of LSU students, faculty and staff,” said Bowdon. Participants in the ExxonMobil Educational Matching Gift Program include current employees, retirees, annuitants and surviving spouses of former employees and company directors. Since its inception in 1962, the program has provided more than $400 million to higher education in the United States. “These donations are a remarkable testament to the value ExxonMobil employees and retirees place on higher education,” said George Pietrogallo, ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Area Public Affairs Manager. ExxonMobil Foundation is the primary philanthropic arm of the Exxon Mobil Corporation in the United States. The Foundation and the Corporation engage in a range of philanthropic activities that advance education, health and science in the communities where ExxonMobil has significant operations. In the United States, ExxonMobil supports initiatives to improve math and science education at the K-12 and higher education levels. Globally, ExxonMobil provides funding to improve basic education and combat malaria and other infectious diseases in developing countries. Additional information on ExxonMobil’s community partnerships and contributions programs is available at http://www.exxonmobil.com/community.

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CORNERSTONE / SUMMER 2009

recent contribution of cutting-edge technology to the LSU College of Engineering will help students gain valuable practical experience in petroleum engineering. On May 7, the Craft & Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering (PETE) and NOV M/D Totco® unveiled a RigSense system and a Physical Drilling model at LSU’s Petroleum Engineering Research Technology Transfer Laboratory (PERTT Lab) facility. The ceremony recognizes the relationship developed between PETE and NOV’s IndustryConnect Program and gifts, valued at $225,000, of physical drilling model and RigSense system to benefit PETE students, faculty and industry training. This contribution helps secure LSU’s long-standing status as a leader among universities developing and transferring technologies to enhance drilling performance and safety. John Rogers Smith, Ph.D., PE and PETE associate professor, explained, “LSU’s PERTT Lab is unique in utilizing a full-scale rig circulation system, multiple wells and the ability to inject natural gas into the wells to support undergraduate and graduate education, university research and industry activities to develop and transfer new technologies.” In 2008, NOV M/D Totco® established the IndustryConnect Program with the Craft & Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering (PETE) at LSU for the purpose of developing industry relevant skills and solutions in universities by exposing, educating and developing PETE students with NOV technologies. NOV made two contributions to the LSU PERTT Lab. The first contribution is a RigSense system, which gives students the ability to train with new and modern instrumentation technology. The second is financial assistance to develop a physical drilling model. The model is a fully functional small scale rig with a circulation system, current RigSense instrumentation and performance drilling enhancement using the e-Wildcat Auto-Drilling System. “Through NOV’s gift, LSU will enable our professors and staff to advance their research efforts and provide one-of-a-kind experiential learning opportunities for our students” said Stephen O. Sears, Ph.D. and PETE Department Chair. “Using this equipment and model will enable our students to become even better prepared for successful careers in the industry.”

LSU’s PERTT Lab provides a versatile teaching, system development and research environment for performing multiphase flow experiments on field scale tubulars at high pressures. It represents nearly $2 million in industry and government capital investment since the early 1980s. Much of the equipment was assembled to support research and training activities in the area of blowout prevention. The facility has subsequently supported research and development for a much broader range of technologies including pipeline leak detection, mud pulse telemetry, solids and environmental control for drilling fluids, and managed pressure drilling. It continues to be used for undergraduate and graduate classes as well as industry schools in well control and blowout prevention. National Oilwell Varco (NOV) is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and sale of comprehensive systems and components used in oil and gas drilling and production, the provision of oilfield tubular inspection, internal tubular coatings and other services, as well as in providing supply chain integration services to the upstream oil and gas industry. NOV M/D Totco® provides technological leadership, innovation and response to the needs of the industries it serves. The foundation products of drilling instrumentation, sensors, data acquisition and controls have made NOV M/D Totco® the acknowledged leader in drilling activity information gathering and now provide the platform to be the premier solution provider of integrated reporting and information services to the back offices of both operators and contractors alike.

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(L-to-R): Jeff McLain, Vice President for Development, LSU Foundation, Steve Sears, Chair for the Craft & Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering (PETE), David Constant, Interim Dean for the College of Engineering, John R. Smith, Associate Professor in PETE, Bill Koederitz, Principal Engineer in the Applied Research Incubator of NOV’s Rig Solutions division, Bob Bloom, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for NOV, based in Houston, Texas, Greg Martin, Vice President and General Manager of the M/D Totco product line, Dave Murray, Director of Engineering at NOV M/D Totco

he Forever LSU Campaign announced a gift to the LSU College of Education and the LSU Tiger Band from alumna Charlene Muffoletto Favre, of Baton Rouge. This gift will create a scholarship program within the College of Education that benefits Tiger Band members, and help the LSU Tiger Band achieve its goal of building a new state-of-the-art band hall on the LSU campus. “Charlene’s passion to provide opportunities for students pursuing teaching as a profession and who are active in the Tiger Band is both commendable and praiseworthy,” said Dean Jayne Fleener of the LSU College of Education. “The College of Education is extremely grateful for her generosity and commitment to our college and our students. This scholarship presents a unique opportunity to combine her love for teaching and her love for the Tiger Band in a way that typifies Charlene’s broad involvement with LSU. Her gift will greatly benefit our students who share her passion and will have a far-reaching impact upon sustaining LSU as a top Tier University.” The Charlene Muffoletto Favre Scholarship will provide a yearly scholarship to students in the College of Education who are members of the LSU Tiger Band, Drum or Flag Corps and are in good standing. Favre said her motive for establishing the scholarship is rooted in her student experience at LSU. “I know that the students who make up the Golden Band from Tigerland are some of the hardestworking and dedicated students on campus,” she said. “I know, because I’ve been in their shoes as a student. As a band alum, I have watched for many years as our Golden Band has captivated

the imagination of (L-to-R): LSU Foundation President and CEO, Maj. thousands of Tiger Gen. William G. Bowdon, Charlene Muffoletto Favre, fans, both young LSU Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Astrid and old. They Merget and LSU Chancellor Michael V. Martin. inspire us all with their relentless pursuit of excellence, and they spread happiness and joy wherever they perform.” Charlene Muffoletto Favre’s gift to the Forever LSU campaign also includes direct support for the construction of the new LSU Band Hall, which will serve as the home of the entire LSU Band Department. “We’re delighted that Mrs. Favre reflects upon her time in the Tiger Band with such fondness,” said Steven Covington, director of development for the LSU College of Music and Dramatic Arts. “When she speaks about the experience, it’s clear it was a wonderful influence in her life.” “We’re drawing closer every day to our ultimate goal of $14 million to fund the Band Hall project thanks to her contribution,” Covington added. “Mrs. Favre’s enthusiasm and commitment surely will encourage others to join her in supporting the Tiger Band Hall.” Mrs. Favre said, “I view this gift as an opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to those who have given so much to represent LSU with their considerable talent. It is also an opportunity to re-affirm my commitment to the future of the LSU College of Education, which has had a significant influence on my life, and the lives of countless students statewide, in more than a century of service.”

Luke Bashore

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LSU Honors Generosity of Qatar with Student Union Sculpture Display

ouisiana’s recovery from multiple hurricane strikes this decade has been aided by many national and international sources. But few have had the impact of the Middle Eastern nation of Qatar. The citizens of Qatar donated more than $100 million to entities all along the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina, with $3.3 million aiding the LSU Hurricane Student Relief Fund. This fund helped approximately 1,400 LSU students affected by the storm with tuition and living expenses. On May 8, LSU honored the nation of Qatar with the unveiling of a memorial sculpture at the LSU Student Union, recognizing and thanking the citizens of Qatar for their generosity in a time of great need. A senior Qatari diplomat Hamad Al-Dosari was on hand for the unveiling, and was thanked in person by many LSU students who were recipients of aid sent by the citizens of Qatar. The sculpture will permanently reside in the LSU Union, near the second floor entrance to the facility.

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CORNERSTONE • SUMMER 2009

Manship School of Mass Communication Associate Dean David Kurpius (left) presents a memorial LSU flag to (l. to r.) Gail, Kate and Randy Bashore at the Manship School’s commencement exercise on May 15, 2009. The flag honors Luke Bashore, an LSU student who died in an automobile accident in 2008. The Bashore family recently established a scholarship in Luke’s name within the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication. (L-to-R): LSU Chancellor Michael V. Martin, Qatari senior diplomat Hamad Al-Dosari, and Maj. Gen. William G. Bowdon, president and CEO of the LSU Foundation attend the unveiling of a sculpture recognizing the generosity of the nation of Qatar on May 8, 2009.

andy and Gail Bashore of Fork Union, Va. recently pledged $100,000 for the establishment of a scholarship in memory of their son, Luke, an LSU Manship School of Mass Communication junior, who died in an automobile accident in 2008. A promising fall 2009 student at the Manship School will soon become the first recipient of the Luke S. Bashore Memorial Scholarship. “Randy and I thought creating a scholarship in Luke’s name would be an appropriate way to remember his passion and pride for LSU,” said Gail Bashore, Luke’s mother. “He truly loved being a part of the Manship School, and he would be pleased to know that many students are going to benefit in the future from this scholarship. We have truly appreciated the heartfelt compassion and sensitivity of all the LSU administration, faculty, and staff that we have worked with this past year while creating the scholarship. Luke’s scholarship creates a bond between our family and the LSU family that will only strengthen over time.” “Luke was a passionate LSU football fan who wanted to become a broadcast sports journalist,” said Manship School Dean John Maxwell Hamilton. “His professors and fellow students were deeply saddened by the accident that kept him from returning to us for his senior year. The Bashore family is creating an exceptional legacy by helping other students like Luke achieve their dreams of a degree from the school.” “Luke loved all LSU sports, and would have been especially thrilled with the Tigers’ College World Series win,” Gail Bashore said. “During the title game, all of Luke’s friends were thinking of him, and his high school coach even wore an LSU hat that day in Luke’s honor. That means a lot, considering he’s an Auburn alum!” The Luke S. Bashore Memorial Scholarship at the Manship School is a four-year scholarship for out-ofstate students interested in broadcast journalism, new media communication, visual communication or other electronic media. The Bashore Scholarship eventually will provide funds for four students per year. Bashore’s family and friends returned to LSU for graduation in May, where they accepted Bashore’s posthumous degree. Chancellor Michael Martin initiated a new LSU tradition during the ceremony with the presentation of an LSU flag that flew over campus to the Bashore family. Gail Bashore said that coming to LSU was the fulfillment of a childhood dream for Luke. “Luke often said, especially during his last year at LSU, he was ‘living the dream,’ and he truly was. He envisioned the dream of attending LSU as an eight-year-old with absolutely no personal or family connection to the school, and he was able to see that dream come to fruition during his senior year of high school when he received his acceptance letter. I remember coming with him to the campus in the spring when he needed to make his decision whether to come to LSU or attend a school closer to home, and I knew when he stepped on that campus, proudly wearing the purple and gold, that he was ‘home!’” “That phrase, ‘living the dream,’ has become a mantra for many of his friends and family,” Gail said. “It is on the commemorative plaque at the base of Luke’s oak tree at Tiger Stadium, and I get many texts, emails and Facebook messages from Luke’s friends that just say ‘I’m living the dream today,’ and I know that would make Luke happy.” Those interested in contributing to the Luke S. Bashore Memorial Scholarship may contact the LSU Foundation at (225) 578-3811, or visit www.lsufoundation.org.

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LSU Law Center Professorship Established in Memory of Louisiana Judge

T “

he 2009 University College Summer Scholars Program, an eight-week summer program that aids high school students’ transition to college life, came to a close on July 30. The Summer Scholars Program gives high-achieving minority students across the country the opportunity to enroll in summer courses; reside in oncampus housing; participate in social and cultural activities; and attend academic, selfimprovement and leadership workshops.

By Haley Edman The Summer Scholars Program produces students with higher retention and graduation rates than all other LSU students combined. The program maintains a 72 percent graduation rate within six years, compared to 58.9 percent for all LSU students. Donations such as a recent gift of $15,000 from the Entergy Charitable Foundation to University College make programs like the Summer Scholars Program possible. Gary Huntley, University College advisory board member and Entergy employee, was instrumental for the acquisition of the Entergy grant. “I am a supporter of the LSU Summer Scholars Program because it is a nationally recognized successful program for the recruitment and retention of qualified minority students. The entire staff’s planning and execution has made this program a running success each year for the past 18 years. The Summer Scholars Program is aligned with LSU’s Flagship Agenda and is one of the first of its kind for minority recruitment and retention,” said Huntley. The Summer Scholars Program aims to provide selected, under-represented minority students with a structured environment, encouraging the building of essential skills necessary to obtain a

CORNERSTONE • SUMMER 2009

bachelor’s degree. Students selected as LSU Summer Scholars receive a summer scholarship, which covers tuition, housing and meal plans. With extensive academic, career and personal counseling, the program offers students the opportunity to adjust to the academic, personal and social challenges that accompany a transition to college life. Summer Scholars are also provided with on-campus job opportunities for the summer, which can last throughout their period of study at LSU. Former 1995 Summer Scholar Melissa Dillon Dotson had a wonderful experience with the program. Her experience translated into a desire to promote and give back to the program, which she fondly remembers as a critical element in her academic career. Dotson is an Engineer with Shell Oil, and in 2000, she began providing book awards for Summer Scholar students, majoring in Engineering. After Ms. Dotson married Attorney Anderson Dotson, they established the Dillon-Dotson Book Award for multiple outstanding Summer Scholars Program participants who are pursuing degrees in Engineering or Political Science. Ms. Dotson’s contribution is matched by her company. “The Summer Scholars program provided the foundation for me to hit the

ground running my freshmen year. After finishing LSU in Chemical Engineering, I immediately began Book Scholarships for pre-engineering students in the program with the support of Shell's Matching Gift Program. After getting married, we now incorporate pre-law students as well. The choice to give to the program has always been an easy one. It’s about sustainable development of our future. Everyone can make a difference,” said Ms. Dotson. Fellow 1995 Summer Scholar and New England Patriots professional football player Kevin Faulk is also among the many outstanding alumni of the Summer Scholars Program. “The Summer Scholars Program helped me to discover what college life was really like in a time where I was new to campus and had many responsibilities. I was grateful for the opportunity to participate in this program and feel that this experience assisted me in adjusting to college and maturing as a student,” said Faulk. The Summer Scholars Program provides a unique experience that helps generate many success stories for alumni like Melissa Dotson and Kevin Faulk. If you are interested in donating to this program, visit the LSU Foundation website at www.lsufoundation.org.

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Order yours today! All proceeds go toward the LSU Campus Beautification Fund. Visit www.lsuornament.com.

Forever LSU Reaches $643 Million

he Forever LSU Campaign is closing in on its ultimate goal of $750 million of support for our university. The campaign’s donors have given $611,611,225 in support of LSU, consisting of cash, pledges, in-kind gifts and planned giving. These private gifts have generated another $32 million in state matching funds as of June 2009, bringing the total from all funding sources to $643,611,225. The Forever LSU Campaign runs through 2010, LSU’s 150th Anniversary. To find out how you can join the campaign for LSU’s future, visit www.foreverlsu.org.

n May 2009, the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center received funding for a new law professorship established in memory of the late Judge Earl E. Veron by his wife, Verdy Veron, and son, J. Michael Veron. Judge Veron graduated from the LSU Law Center in 1959 and became a widely respected jurist from Lake Charles. LSU Law Chancellor Jack M. Weiss remembered Judge Veron as, “a friend who earned his reputation as a dedicated, thorough and conscientious judge.” The Veron professorship provides support for the recently expanded Clinical Legal Education Program, where law students represent actual clients in the community or serve as externs in the judiciary and legal divisions of state agencies. The gift will qualify for a double match of funds by the Louisiana Education Trust Fund (LEQSF). The Fund, administered by the Louisiana Board of Regents, sustains excellence in health sciences, research and education in Louisiana. Veron left the small family grocery business in Lake Charles to enter McNeese State University, becoming the first person in his family to attend college. After completing the necessary course work, Veron entered LSU’s law school at the age of 32. At 37, Veron proudly became a lawyer. Nine years after receiving his law degree, Veron became a state district judge in Lake Charles. In 1977, he was appointed to the federal bench for the U.S. Western District of Louisiana by President Jimmy Carter. Veron held this position until his death in 1990. “Those of us who were law school classmates of Earl Veron remember him fondly as one who combined the best traits—discipline, enthusiasm, warmth, a love for the law and empathy for the people upon whom the law impacts,” said Professor Frank Maraist of the LSU Law center. “We were not surprised when he became a successful lawyer and an even more successful judge, both at the state and federal levels. It is fitting that Judge Veron will be formally remembered by the Law Center, its alumni and its future students as one of our finest.” Professor Maraist was a former classmate, peer and friend of Judge Veron. Judge Veron married Verdy Veron in 1948. Mrs. Veron and son, J. Michael, recently attended a swearing-in ceremony for LSU Law students participating in the Center’s Clinical Legal Education Program. Michael recalled discussions he held with his father while Michael contemplated following his father’s footsteps. “There is always room for another good lawyer,” said Judge Veron to his son. J. Michael is now a Lake Charles area attorney at Veron, Bice, Palermo & Wilson, LLC. The Veron family gift supports the LSU Law Center’s Forever LSU campaign aimed at increasing private support for the benefit of the Law Center’s students, faculty and programs. For more information, visit the Law Center’s website at www.law.lsu.edu or call LSU Law Center Chancellor Jack M. Weiss (center) is joined by (225) 578-8645. members of the Judge Earl E. Veron family at an event

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commemorating the establishment of the Judge Earl E. Veron Endowed Professorship for support of the Law Center's Clinical Legal Education program. Joining the Chancellor (L-to-R) are family members Louis Veron, brother; Mrs. Verdy Veron, wife; J. Michael Veron, son; and Michael's wife, Melinda Veron.

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“We are grateful to Jerry and Gloria for honoring Professor Yiannopoulous with this gift,” said Weiss. “The professor is a part of the rich history of the Law Center, and his work on the Louisiana Civil Code has contributed to both legal education and practice. The Dodsons’ gift will make a lasting impact on the lives of our faculty and students, while also recognizing the professor’s contributions to our program and the broader legal community.” The Chancellor presented Jerry Dodson with a plaque commemorating the new professorship, and Professor Yiannopoulous received a small replica of the bronze plaque that is now in the permanent collection at LSU Law. Dodson is a 1966 graduate of the LSU Law Center. “It’s a wonderful feeling to be recognized and to have this occasion to be together,” said Yiannopoulous upon receiving the award from Dodson and the Chancellor. “The civil law of Louisiana is a torch that we should keep alive. LSU Law was my first professorship, and in a very significant way, was important to my life.” In 1958, Colonel John H. Tucker, the President of the Louisiana Law Institute, and LSU Law Dean Paul M. Hebert collaborated to bring Yiannopoulous from Greece to the LSU

Endowed Professorship Honors LSU Law Professor L

SU Law never had a better friend,” said Richard J.

“Jerry” Dodson, about former LSU Professor A.N.

Yiannopoulous. Dodson and his wife, Gloria, recently established the A.N. Yiannopoulous Endowed Professorship at the LSU Law Center in honor of the former Law Center faculty member. Chancellor Jack M. Weiss, Yiannopoulous and his family, friends and colleagues, gathered at the Law Center on May 29 to commemorate the gift.

Alumni Make Anniversary Gift to Support Students

Benefiting College of Basic Sciences, Honors College—Forever LSU Campaign

By Tammy Abshire

oel Ocmand, Jr. (ECE ’02) and Jennifer Welshons (JD ’04) dated, fell in love and even married at LSU. So when they approached how to honor their second anniversary, LSU was, once again, not far from their mind. Ocmand earned his degree from the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department in 2002, and Welshons received her juris doctorate from LSU in 2004. Her desire to give back and support their alma mater is what motivated Jennifer Welshons to contact the Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) Department. “We’ve talked so long about getting actively involved in support of the school; for him, the ECE Department, and the Law School for myself. I am so happy take the first step for us. I know he's going to be so excited that this is going to become an annual gift for us,” exclaimed Welshons. After inquiring about ECE's recent initiatives and funding opportunities, Jennifer Welshons was able to tailor her honorary gift to her husband by choosing a funding program that closely aligned with his professional interests. Ocmand’s gift is specifically dedicated to the “Electric Power Support Fund,” since he specializes in the area of electric power. Established earlier this year, the ECE Power Program Support fund is dedicated to support all ECE activities that benefit teaching and research in the technical area of electric power. This includes, but

CORNERSTONE • FALL 2008

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Scott and Susan Brodie Donate $200,000

is not limited to, equipment purchases, laboratory upgrades, and recruitment and retention of undergraduate and graduate students. Joel Ocmand’s position with Shell leverages their gift to LSU even further. He is employed with Shell, one of hundreds of employers that provide matching funds for employee contributions to eligible education institutions. Jennifer Welshons included Shell’s matching gift form with her donation and tripled the impact of her gift. Jennifer Welshons is currently an attorney and member of the Legal Department of Oceaneering International, Inc. Joel Ocmand serves as an electrical engineer with Shell at the Deer Park facility. The couple married on March 24, 2007, and currently reside in Houston. Their gift to LSU is another way in which the Ocmands can show their support and gratitude to the institution that first brought them together.

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Debbie Medlock Photography

(L-to-R): Jerry Dodson, A.N. Yiannopoulous and Paul M. Hebert Law School Chancellor Jack M. Weiss

Law School. He joined LSU as a research assistant in civil law property and was quickly brought in to the revision of the state’s civil code by the Louisiana Law Institute. He was asked to join the Law Center on a permanent basis, eventually teaching courses in property and maritime law. His scholarship added to the growing national reputation of the LSU Law Center, according to his long time friend, Professor Bill Crawford, director of the Louisiana Law Institute. After leaving LSU, Yiannopoulous joined the faculty of Tulane Law School. Now semi-retired, he continues to teach and run a summer program on comparative law in Greece. He resides in Baton Rouge. Dodson is in private law practice with Dodson Hooks & Fredericks, PLC in Baton Rouge. He teaches International Admiralty and Maritime Personal Injury law at the Southern University Law School and is part of the Tulane Summer School Program in Greece. He lectures frequently on topics of international shipping interests and foreign seaman claims and has published extensively in these areas. He and his wife, Gloria Middleton Dodson, have a 20-year-old son, Richard. They reside in Baton Rouge.

and we are delighted that they are so generously supporting the SU and the Forever LSU campaign have announced a gift of College of Basic Sciences’ Forever LSU initiatives,” said Kevin R. $200,000 to the College of Basic Sciences from Scott and Carman, dean of the LSU College of Basic Sciences. Susan Brodie of Spring, Texas. The gift will provide support to Originally from Kenton, Ohio, Scott Brodie earned a bachelor’s the Department of Physics and Astronomy, the College of Basic degree in geology from LSU in 1982. He is currently a Sciences, and the LSU Honors College. geophysicist with Castex Energy, who specializes in 3D seismic The Brodie gift provides $140,000 in endowed funds to the operations, creating subsurface maps, and discovering potential Science Honors Scholars Program, which attracts top drilling sites for hydrocarbon resources. He has held similar undergraduate students from Louisiana and around the U.S. to positions with Superior Oil/Mobil Oil and Denbury Resources. LSU. Participants in the program are dually enrolled in the Scott and Susan Brodie have been married since 1979. They College of Basic Sciences and the Honors College. The have three children, Matthew, Meredith, and Eric. remaining $60,000 of the gift establishes the Scott and Susan “We donate to LSU as a way to give Brodie Professorship in the Department back to the University for providing us of Physics and Astronomy. The with a great education,” said Scott professorship donation will be Brodie. “We hope to help attract the complemented by an anticipated best and brightest students from within $40,000 match from the Louisiana Louisiana and around the country, and Board of Regents Support Fund, to bring provide them with the same the total gift to $240,000. educational opportunities we had. “Scott and Susan’s gift will help us Through this effort, we hope LSU will attract outstanding students and faculty continue its growth of academic to LSU. This donation represents their excellence and be recognized excitement about LSU’s academic nationally, as it was recently, with its achievements and their strong new top tier status.” (L-to-R): Kevin Carman, dean of the LSU College of Basic commitment to helping us better Sciences, Dr. Mary Lou Applewhite, Forever LSU campaign The Brodies are also members of the compete on a national level. They cabinet member for the College of Basic Sciences, Susan LSU Foundation and Alumni believe in the sustainability that Brodie, Scott Brodie, and Nancy Clark, dean of the LSU 19 Association. endowment provides to our programs, Honors College.

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LSU’s Venerable Music and Dramatic Arts Building Returns to Life After more than Four Years of Renovation

t’s been a fixture on the LSU campus since 1930, the setting for hundreds of productions and thousands of classes for LSU students eager to experience live performance. The College of Music and Dramatic Arts building, featuring the Claude L. Shaver Theatre, is back in operation after 4½ years and $22 million in repairs, retooling and expansion. Here’s a look at some of the new, and better-than-new additions and improvements to the facility.

(1) (2)

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(8) (9)

Exterior of the College of Music and Dramatic Arts Building A modern control room has been added to allow for professional-quality lighting and sound. The restored building also features a number of “smart” classrooms with full multimedia capability. A beautiful new dance and opera studio offers a large, open space to students and teachers this fall. The centerpiece of the renovation is a fully restored and improved Shaver Theatre. This stage will serve as the primary home of LSU’s student theatre productions. The Shaver stage is now vibrant and well-lit, an inspirational backdrop to the Theatre Department’s tradition of excellence. and (7) The auditorium’s art deco inspired details have been fully restored to their original glory. Side detail of a theatre seat, restored to original specifications. Seating in the theatre has actually been reduced, to provide more space for a control room and enhance the quality of seating available.

The Music and Dramatic Arts Building will be rededicated on Sept. 20. For more information on the College of Music and Dramatic Arts, and future events at the newly restored building, visit www.cmda.lsu.edu.

CORNERSTONE • FALL 2008

“W HERE STATELY OAKS AND BROAD MAGNOLIAS SHADE INSPIRING HALLS , T HERE STANDS OUR DEAR O LD A LMA M ATER , WHO TO US RECALLS ...” - LSU A LMA M ATER More than 1,200 stunning live oak trees garnish the LSU campus. Each oak symbolizes the many decades of care and pride of LSU students, alumni, donors, faculty and staff. The LSU Foundation’s “Endow an Oak” program gives you the opportunity to preserve the legacy of the LSU oak. By giving to the Endow an Oak program, you will ensure the continued care and protection of one of LSU’s most valuable campus assets. Your endowment includes a customized, permanent bronze plaque installed near the base of your selected tree. An endowed oak is a unique gift for a family member, friend or organization.

Oak

Endow an

Oaks currently available include: Quad Oaks: $50,000 Parade Ground Oaks: $10,000 Campus Oaks: $4,000 For more information, visit www.lsufoundation.org or contact the LSU Foundation: P. (225) 578-3811 or (800) 452-7928 E. oaks@lsufoundation.org

L SU

Staff News

F OUN DATION

Jane Henslee was selected as the 2009 Outstanding

Meet Monica Derozan…

Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).

LSU Foundation Employee of the Second Quarter, 2009

For almost 50 years, AFP has been the standard-bearer for

Professional Fundraiser of the Year by the Greater Baton Rouge

professionalism in fundraising. She will be recognized in

he LSU Foundation’s gift processing supervisor, Monica Derozan, holds a critical position on our staff. Among her many responsibilities at the Foundation, Monica receives gifts and ensures they are applied according to donor intent. Monica joined the Foundation in January 2004 as a temporary employee but transitioned to full-time status in March 2004. She credits her hard work and intense drive to helping her achieve the position of gift processing supervisor. Monica’s fellow employees sparked her interest in the Foundation. “The LSU Foundation staff is the best group of people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. There is indeed a spirit of family and oneness among the staff,” she said. Currently an LSU student, Monica loves the Tiger Spirit and its presence in athletics, academics and the community. She will graduate in December 2010 with a degree in general studies, concentrating on business, leadership development, communications and sociology. She dreams of seeing LSU become the top university in the country. When asked if she could be anyone at LSU for one day who would she be, Monica answered Gina Dugas, CFO of the LSU Foundation. “During the five years I have been employed at the LSU Foundation, I have been inspired by her charismatic leadership style. Gina is fair to all and maintains a professional by-the-book quality that I admire greatly. She has a passion for the University, the LSU Foundation and her employees,” said Monica. When she’s not working with the Foundation, Monica enjoys traveling “tremendously” and spending time with family, friends and her poodle, Coco.

November during the Baton Rouge National Philanthropy Day ceremonies. Jane serves as the Associate Director of Planned Giving for the LSU Foundation.

Courtney Hart joined the LSU Foundation in April as the Special Projects Manager for Corporate and Foundation Relations. Courtney earned her B.A. at LSU in 2003 and her MBA from Johnson and Wales University in 2005. Prior to joining the Foundation, Courtney worked at both the Boston and New Orleans convention centers as an event planner from 2003 to 2008.

Laura Gilder became a part of the LSU Foundation in May as an Accounting Manager. Laura has a B.S. and M.S. from LSU. She completed her studies in 2005 and recently earned her CPA license. Before joining the Foundation, Laura worked with Georgia Pacific at their paper mill in Zachary, La.

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Bonnie Radley joined the LSU Foundation in March as

Meet James Harris…

an Information Services Analyst. Bonnie graduated from

LSU Foundation Employee of the Third Quarter, 2009

worked for Wink Companies, LLC in Baton Rouge, La. as a

Southeastern Louisiana University in 2006 with a B.A. in Liberal Arts Studies. Prior to joining the Foundation, Bonnie Training Coordinator.

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mong the many positions here at the LSU Foundation, the business analyst is the grease on the wheels that keeps the Foundation running. That’s the job of our Employee of the Third Quarter, James Harris. James joined the Foundation in June 1996. Currently, he handles accounting and gift processing needs, including but not limited to setting up new Foundation accounts, working with pledges, distributing monthly pledge reminders and preparing monthly reports and reconciliations. James’ favorite aspect of the LSU Foundation is the staff. “We are all distinct individuals who come together as a strong team with the common goal of supporting LSU,” he said. James is also an alumnus of LSU, earning both his accounting degree in 1991 and his MBA in 1993. James holds high aspirations for LSU’s future. “I would like to see LSU get the national and international recognition it deserves for its academics, including research accomplishments and the quality of our graduates,” said James. When he isn’t punching numbers and writing reports, James enjoys hiking, camping, reading, watching movies and doing work around the house. For many years, James, along with a friend, has aspired to reach every geographic highpoint of each state. “I took a hiatus from traveling when my dog, Whitey, got too old for strenuous activity, but he passed away in January. Twenty-four states have been visited so far,” said James. Whitey climbed right by his side for 20 of those peaks. In the long term, James hopes to reach each high point of the remaining states. “The states remaining to be visited are far away and some are big mountains, so this will take a while,” he said.

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f you guessed the Alex Box Stadium, home of the 2009 NCAA Baseball National Champions, you’re right! Look for your next “Where Am I?” challenge in the next issue of Cornerstone!

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CORNERSTONE • SUMMER 2009

he LSU Foundation board of directors, staff and

membership would like to extend its condolences to the

family of former LSU Foundation President Jack Overton Colle, who died this summer at the age of 93. Colle, a 1938 Geology graduate of LSU, was a U.S. Army Air Corps officer and World War II veteran, having served in the Pacific theatre as a reconnaissance specialist. Colle’s final rank upon discharge in 1946 was that of Major, and he was awarded New Guinea, Bismarck, Archipelago, Philippine and Luzon Campaign medals for his service in the Pacific. He also earned the Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal with four bronze stars, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with a bronze star and the American Campaign medal of victory. Following the war, Colle settled in Houston and founded Jack Colle and Associates in 1949. He later founded Lynbrook Oil Company in 1960, the company from which he retired in March 2009. Colle was a founding member of the Houston chapter of the LSU Alumni Association, and was the first fundraising chairman in the Houston area. Colle was a longtime member of the LSU Foundation and served as director and president of our organization. He is a member of the LSU Alumni Hall of Distinction and was a recipient of the LSU Foundation President’s award for his lifetime of support for the LSU university community. Jack Colle is survived by his wife, Grace Chambers Colle, who he married in 1995. His first wife, Olga Treigle Colle, passed away in 1991. Jack Colle leaves behind two children, one grandchild and two great-grandchildren, among many cousins, nephews, nieces and stepchildren. The Colle family has asked for those who wish to make contributions to LSU in memory of Jack Colle to do so for the benefit of the LSU Department of Geology and Geophysics, which is part of the LSU College of Basic Sciences. Interested parties can donate by visiting the LSU Foundation’s online 23 giving page can be at www.lsufoundation.org.

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A Publication Devoted to the Benefactors of the LSU Foundation

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