CAMPUS & COMMUNITY

Caddo Career & Technology Students Visit LSUHS

Fifty students from Caddo Career & Technology Center Health Sciences Career Cluster visited our campus on Wednesday, September 28 to learn about allied health professions. The group of students attended an “Allied Health Fair” where they were able to visit booths from each of our LSU Health Shreveport School of Allied Health Professions programs. School of Allied Health Professions staff and students visited with the high school students about their degree programs and what a career in allied health could look like for them.

Office for Diversity Affairs Holds Annual HBCU Conference

The 2022 HBCU Education Conference was held November 4-6 at LSU Health Shreveport. The event, put on by the LSU Health Shreveport Office for Diversity Affairs, had 67 students in attendance representing 12 universities. The conference provides an opportunity for LSU Health Shreveport administrators, faculty, and staff to engage with students who are enrolled at a 4-year HBCU and discuss the pathway to become a medical doctor, allied health professional or researcher. The event provides insight on medical curriculum, learning environment, admissions processes, financial aid, student groups, summer research, mentoring programs, campus culture and climate, and student experiences.

Tennis Interest Group Gives Back

The LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine Tennis Interest Group students have become “coaches” to many students at Stoner Hill Elementary School. Once a month, our medical school students host a tennis clinic, thanks to Caddo Magnet High School volunteering their courts. Each clinic allows participants to learn and improve tennis skills, and the clinics are well attended at 40-90 participants for each event!

Additionally, the Tennis Interest Group has small fundraisers throughout the year to provide Gatorade and snacks for students. These clinics encourage Stoner Hill students to stay engaged and have good attendance in school (a criteria to attend) and provide an opportunity for the Tennis Interest Group to give back to their community in a fun, meaningful way.

Community Connections

The LSU Health Shreveport Internal Residency Program established a new committee, Community Connections, to foster philanthropic work in the community. Their first project was to provide supplies for one residential room at Providence House. Money was raised to purchase sheets, bedding, pillows, bed-side tables, décor, lamps, a mirror, cleaning supplies, a fan, and personal care items. Providence House is a residential treatment facility for homeless families with children, providing comprehensive support services for improving the family structure.

A Week of Wellness

The Office for Institutional Wellness held an engaging, educational Wellness Week for students, faculty, and staff in August. The week promoted the health and wellness of our LSUHS community through education and efforts that encourage habits of wellness and inspire and empower individuals to take responsibility for their own health. Each day had a different wellness concentration:

MINDFUL MONDAY taught participants to be mindful of their internal and external senses and to remain present in the moment. TAKE CHARGE TUESDAY was a masterclass led by Office for Institutional Advancement Program Coordinator, M’Lissa Smith. She emphasized the importance of having a healthy work-life balance and gave attainable tips on how to do so. WHOOP IT UP WEDNESDAY was an afternoon of physical health inspired fun. A local DJ kept spirits up while participants visited vendors such as LSU Ag Center for a smoothie tasting, Title Boxing Club to get their sweat on, and Run Wild for an athletic shoe fitting. THINKING FINANCIALLY THURSDAY was all about tips for creating and managing one’s budget presented by Campus Federal Credit Union. FULFILLED FRIDAY emphasized the importance of digital wellness at work, on the go, and at home. Dr. Johnette Magner gave a great, informative presentation.

Sophia Nelson visits LSUHS

LSU Health Shreveport was thrilled to have Sophia Nelson at our campus on Monday, July 18. Sophia Nelson gave a presentation on the importance of self-care to staff and students and held a book signing of her newest nonfiction book, Be the One You Need, which was selected as People magazine’s Best Self-Help Book.

Sophia Nelson is a noted TV and radio personality, highly soughtafter motivational speaker and a corporate leadership trainer for Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits and major universities. Nelson also contributes as a legal analyst regularly on MSNBC, CNN, and PBS. She is a former investigative counsel to the US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform, and senior counsel with the international law firm of Holland & Knight, LLP.

Girls Puberty Workshop

Over 60 young girls participated in a Girls Puberty Workshop on Saturday, October 8 presented by the LSU Health Shreveport American Medical Women’s Association Chapter. Participants were provided breakfast followed by an engaging lineup of rotations about Body, Self-Care and Mind. For those who opted in, a special presentation on sexual education was provided. Approximately 30 local schools were represented by participants.

Promoting Wellness in Local Neighborhoods

Students in the School of Allied Health Professions Physical Therapy program and School of Medicine Growing for Good student interest group participated in a wellness event located in the Stoner Hill neighborhood in Shreveport on Sunday, October 16. The community festival provided health information and screenings to the Stoner Hill community. Physical Therapy students performed blood pressure, leg strength, and balance checks as well as BMI screenings for participants. Growing for Good provided nutrition information and assisted with planting and providing education for the community garden. The Stoner Hill Community Festival was a great opportunity to promote wellness in our community.

Pars for Peds Invests in Pediatric Spaces

The LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine Pediatric Interest Group is committed to making the Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport—St. Mary Medical Center a pediatric and teen friendly space. The group spent one Saturday in July painting what is now the “Teen Room”. Funds from the first Pars for Peds equipped the space.

A successful second annual Pars for Peds Golf Tournament on Saturday, August 13. The student-led philanthropy project raised more than $30,000 to transform a vacant atrium at St. Mary Medical Center into a multi-purpose space that will give pediatric patients a more enjoyable stay. Over 100 community members “Golfed for Good” in support of the cause.

Campus & Community

Clays for Camp Tiger

Community members and LSU Health Shreveport faculty, residents, staff and students came together on Saturday, October 1 to raise money for Camp Tiger, a free, week-long day camp for children with disabilities. Eighteen teams with 90 individuals total participated in a clay shoot contest, raising over $45,600.

Shreveport Leadership Class Campus Visit

LSU Health Shreveport hosted Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce Greater Shreveport Leadership Class of 2022 as a part of their community healthcare tour. The class was given a chance to hear from Interim Chancellor, Dr. David Lewis and Dr. Chris Kevil, Vice Chair of Research, about LSU Health Shreveport and research happening on our campus. The group toured Center for Emerging Viral Threats (CEVT) labs and learned more about viral sequencing, testing and more thanks to Dr. Krista Queen, Director of Viral Genomics and Surveillance and Dr. Jennifer Carroll, Associate Director of EVT Lab.

Women in Healthcare & Science

Women in Healthcare and Science hosted a movie night at Robinson Film Center on Thursday, September 29. Attendees watched Picture a Scientist followed by refreshments and discussion among the participants.

Guise Medical LLC Enters SEC Student Pitch Competition

LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine students and cofounders of Guise Medical LLC, Evan Falgoust and Ross Rieger, competed in the 2022 SEC Student Pitch Competition. Guise Medical LLC was one of 12 entries into the competition that was held at LSU on Tuesday, October 4. Rieger, Falgoust, and another co-founder, Zachary Connelly, previously won first place in the 2022 J Terrell Brown Venture Challenge.