ULM Magazine FALL 2024 • VOLUME 26

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Dear Fellow Alumni and Friends of ULM:

It’s Strategic, and It’s Working!

This past year the university community took time to review our ongoing strategic plan to measure our progress and make adjustments as we continue to pursue our mission of changing lives. The holistic plan was created by following a bottom up, inclusive process with faculty, staff, students, community leaders, and alumni and friends. Our review process followed the same approach and included input and reflections from a diverse group of constituents.

One of our bold initiatives included reaching a student body of 10,000, including 8,000 undergraduate students and 2,000 graduate and professional students. During the fall 2024 semester, we welcomed our largest graduate

FROM OUR PRESIDENT

enrollment in the history of the university, increasing the total to nearly 1,900. We also welcomed to ULM, and the United States, our largest international freshman class in the history of the institution, along with the largest honors program freshman class. And finally, the largest number of Presidential Scholars, students who scored a 30 or higher on the ACT, joined the university this year. Overall, our enrollment increased approximately 4% to an estimated 8,700 students. This is a remarkable one-year increase that puts us on pace to achieve our bold goal.

The university continued to make positive strides in our foundation core related to resources as well as our pillars of success focused on students, faculty and staff, intellectual activities, community engagement, and athletics. We continued to focus on meeting students where

they are and helping them get to where they need to be. From new technology solutions to help address mental health and well-being to a completed master plan for the physical layout of our campus, we are boldly implementing a strategic plan that will support our mission of changing lives.

Please enjoy reading about our progress in this edition of the ULM Magazine. Talons Out!

President Dr. Ronald Berry
photo by Paul Ware
Ronald

ON THE COVER

ULM Visual Media Specialist Paul Ware captures the excitement of the enrollment celebration on September 19, 2024. The photo reflects the collective efforts of different departments on ULM's campus. As Lisa Miller, Vice President for Enrollment Management and University Relations, said, “This win will inspire everyone to spread the word that The Best is on the Bayou!”

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IT'S STRATEGIC AND IT'S WORKING NEW PUBLIC ART SCULPTURE INSTALLED ON CAMPUS

LOUISIANA EDUCATORS RISING STATE CONFERENCE HOSTS OVER 700 ATTENDEES

ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE PROGRAM READIES STUDENTS FOR BRIGHT FUTURES

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES EXPANDS HORIZONS WITH NEW OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY DOCTORATE PROGRAM

A FAMILY TRADITION: THE LEBAS FAMILY HAS MADE ULM PART OF THEIR SHARED LEGACY

MAGA ZINE

PRESIDENT

Ronald Berry, D.B.A. (BBA ’88, MBA ’90)

VICE PRESIDENT OF ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT AND UNIVERSITY RELATIONS

Lisa Miller (MS ’94)

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Brice Jones, Ph.D.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MEDIA RELATIONS

Adam McDonald, Editor (BA ’06)

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Srdjan Marjanovic (BFA ’12)

GRAPHIC DESIGN COORDINATOR

Mandy Strickland

DIGITAL CONTENT SPECIALIST

Skylar Henry (BA ’23)

VISUAL MEDIA SPECIALIST

Paul Ware

DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST

Molly Masters (BBA ’17)

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ULM ADVANCEMENT, FOUNDATION AND ALUMNI RELATIONS

Susan Chappell (BBA ’82, MBA ’87) PRESIDENT, ULM ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Maggie Sims Generoso (BA ’09, ME ’13)

DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI AFFAIRS

Medria Taylor Buford (BS ’18) CONTRIBUTORS

Jonathan DeCou, Jamie Hanks, Amaris Harris, Gabrelle McLeod, Jansen Nowell, Jeanette Robinson, Danielle Kelley Tolbird

THE BEST IS ON THE BAYOU

What does it mean to be the best?

It’s about striving for excellence.

It’s the dedication to persevere, to compete, and to triumph.

It’s unleashing your creativity.

It’s about making a difference on the bayou and beyond.

The ULM® Magazine is published for members of the ULM® Alumni Association and friends of the University of Louisiana Monroe® Send letters & comments to: The ULM® Magazine Office of Marketing & Communications 700 University Ave. Monroe, LA 71209–2500

Email: ulmmagazine@ulm.edu

Any letters or comments may be published and edited for length and style.

Contents © 2024 by the University of Louisiana Monroe® and the ULM® Alumni Association. All rights reserved.The University of Louisiana Monroe® is a member of the University of Louisiana System.

It’s the passion for learning and the commitment to grow.

But what makes ULM the best? You.

318.342.5244

buford@ulm.edu

FROM THE ALUMNI DIRECTOR

Dear Alumni and Friends,

As we reflect on the accomplishments of the University of Louisiana Monroe Alumni Association during the 20232024 fiscal year, I am filled with pride and gratitude for the collective efforts of our vibrant alumni community. This past year has been a testament to our commitment to building valuable lifelong relationships and enhancing the experiences of our alumni, students, and the broader community.

Our focus on fostering deeper connections and expanding our reach has yielded remarkable results. This year, we successfully identified and engaged key stakeholders within both the university and the Monroe community, significantly expanding our alumni advocate network. This initiative has strengthened our ties with local organizations, such as the Monroe Chamber of Commerce, and has provided a solid foundation for future collaborations.

The introduction of the "Membership Perks Program," in partnership with our Board, volunteers, and local businesses, was a significant milestone. This platform has not only showcased alumni-owned businesses but also provided a space for networking and mutual support, furthering our goal of increasing alumni engagement across various sectors.

Our events this year were more vibrant and inclusive than ever. The Tailgating in the Grove and Wine Over Water events were elevated to new heights, drawing record participation. The Homecoming Brunch, featuring alumni awards from across the campus, was a highlight, celebrating the achievements and contributions of our distinguished alumni.

As we look ahead to the 2024-2025 fiscal year, our aspirations are equally ambitious.

We plan to expand our Business of the Month Program beyond Monroe, ensuring that alumni businesses in other markets receive the recognition they deserve. Our volunteer engagement program will be refined, with the Board of Directors taking the lead in establishing a volunteer engagement and pipeline plan, ensuring that we harness the full potential of our passionate alumni base.

We will also introduce an Annual Sponsorship Program, designed to secure more sustainable funding sources from local and regional communities. This initiative will be crucial in supporting the operational growth and innovation needed to sustain our expanding activities.

Additionally, we aim to refine our digital communications and event management capabilities. This growth will enable us to better serve our alumni and ensure that our programming remains both efficient and impactful.

The University of Louisiana Monroe Alumni Association remains steadfast in its commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and excellence. We are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and are confident that, with your continued support, we will achieve our shared aspirations.

Thank you for being an integral part of our journey. Together, we will continue to strengthen the bonds that unite us and make a lasting impact on our university and communities around the world.

Talons Out,

Medria Taylor
photo by Siddharth Gaulee

IT'S STRATEGIC AND IT'S WORKING

In 2021, the University of Louisiana Monroe undertook the campus-wide project of developing a strategic plan. The strategic planning process involved every sector of the university and was not a top-down exercise, but a truly collaborative effort. Voices of faculty and staff from across the campus were heard and helped craft the living strategic plan document.

The focuses of the ULM Strategic Plan are divided into five pillars – 1) Student Success, 2) Faculty & Staff Distinction, 3) Intellectual Activity, 4) Community Engagement, and 5) Athletic Excellence. It is the belief of ULM President Ron Berry and his administration that striving for excellence in these five areas will yield results that will continue to improve the student and employee experience at ULM. Since the pandemic of 2020, higher education enrollment across the United States dipped as many high school graduates

opted out of pursuing a college degree. ULM was not immune to this national trend, seeing decreased numbers in all areas. This trend made the implementation of an enrollment strategic plan even more important, as steps needed to be taken to ensure the future success of the university.

Excitement was building on the ULM campus at the start of the Fall 2024 semester. As students returned to school, there was a palpable energy in common areas like the HUB and Schulze Dining Hall. You needed to look no further than on-campus housing to know that things were trending upward: ULM Residential Life was reporting 93% capacity in all housing facilities.

In the third week of September, President Berry emailed employees to announce an enrollment celebration. “The numbers are in, and they are worth celebrating!” said Berry. Faculty and staff gathered on the 7th floor of the ULM Library in anticipation of ▶

The focuses of the ULM Strategic Plan are divided into five pillars – 1) Student Success, 2) Faculty & Staff Distinction, 3) Intellectual Activity, 4) Community Engagement, and 5) Athletic Excellence.

ULM PREP staff and first-time freshmen gather in the quad during PREP 2024. ULM's first-time freshman enrollment increased 22% in the fall 2024 semester.
photo by Skylar Henry

learning just how successful their efforts had been.

“Today we are here to celebrate a number, but more importantly than that we’re here to celebrate each one of you,” said Berry. “It is remarkable what can be achieved when people with shared values and a commitment to a common goal and vision come together,” he added.

With that, the number was announced: ULM experienced a 4% enrollment increase over the previous fall semester, one of the largest single year increases in the university’s history. For perspective, the nationwide average enrollment increase from 2022 to 2023 was 1.2% according to a report by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

Additionally, enrollment is up across a number of sectors including first-time freshmen, international students, the ULM Honors Program, and the graduate school.

“I celebrate and offer my sincerest thanks to the incredible ULM community that works diligently each and every day to maintain an environment that is welcoming, supportive, and intentionally and strategically focused on improving lives—at meeting people where they are and helping them get to where they deserve

to be. This shared commitment, from all areas across campus, has led to more students entrusting us to lead and support them on their higher education journey. Thank you to all whose work proves every day that the best is truly on the bayou,” stated Berry.

“It has been very difficult to control the excitement regarding the anticipation of this extraordinary announcement,” said Lisa Miller, ULM Vice President of Enrollment Management and University Relations.

“We often say that ULM is a family and if we have the opportunity to encourage prospective students to visit campus, we know the entire ULM community will win them over. Every day we are honored to share with students and their families about the incredible opportunities we offer both in the classroom and with our extracurricular programs. This is a win for every Warhawk. The entire campus is to be commended for us exceeding our goals!” said Miller.

First-time freshman enrollment jumped 22%, an increase bolstered by the largest international freshman class ever. International freshman enrollment more than doubled, with a 110% increase from 2023 to 2024. There was also significant growth in first-time freshmen from every region of Louisiana.

The ULM Graduate School is boasting

“I celebrate and offer my sincerest thanks to the incredible ULM community that works diligently each and every day to maintain an environment that is welcoming, supportive, and intentionally and strategically focused on improving lives—at meeting people where they are and helping them get to where they deserve to be.”
– PRESIDENT RON BERRY

its largest-ever enrollment, with an increase of 9% over Fall 2023. “We have the right ecosystem – a great mix of programs, hardworking Graduate School staff, retention assistance, and the support of the faculty and administration,” said Dr. Sushma Krishnamurthy, Dean of the ULM Graduate School. “Our enrollment speaks to the value of a graduate degree at ULM,” she added.

The ULM Honors program enrollment has increased 35% since Fall 2023, including its largest-ever freshman class of 212 students this year. Honors freshman enrollment increased by 61%. International students comprise 33% of the Honors Program freshman class.

“The ULM Honors Program is excellent at scale, and we are delivering on that statement now more than ever,” said Dr. Joshua Stockley, director of the ULM Honors Program. “Our growth is an affirmation of the spirit of collaboration at ULM, a success story of what happens when Recruitment, Admissions, Scholarships, Financial Aid, International Student Programs, Student Life, and our Academic Deans and school directors and program coordinators and faculty come together to practice ULM’s mission of changing lives,” added Stockley. ▶

“We have the right ecosystem – a great mix of programs, hardworking Graduate School staff, retention assistance, and the support of the faculty and administration. Our enrollment speaks to the value of a graduate degree at ULM.”
– DR. SUSHMA

KRISHNAMURTHY

ULM freshman made the traditional walk across the bridge during Convocation on August 28, 2024. The walk symbolizes their college journey to graduation.
ULM faculty and staff gathered to celebrate the news of a 4% overall enrollment increase, one of the largest single-year increases ever.
photo by Skylar Henry
photo by Paul Ware
“I chose ULM because it was close to home, affordable, but, most importantly, the best option to get the best education.”
– BRANDON BELL, ULM FRESHMAN

OVERALL ENROLLMENT

FIRST-TIME FRESHMAN ENROLLMENT

4% 22% 110% 9% 35%

INTERNATIONAL FRESHMAN ENROLLMENT

Brandon Bell is part of the ULM Honors Program freshman class. “I chose ULM because it was close to home, affordable, but, most importantly, the best option to get the best education. I joined the ULM Honors Program because I knew it would provide me with additional opportunities to be successful in the future and accomplish my goals,” he said.

The Fall 2024 semester also marks a record high for President’s Distinguished students, with a 52% increase over Fall 2023. These are students who scored 30 or above on the ACT. Additionally, the Dual Enrollment program increased 4%, with one of its highest-ever enrollments this semester, while transfer students increased by 12%.

Miller says this growth helps ULM achieve a right-sized balance. “We feel like we are not too small that we have many opportunities for our students that allow them to have the feel of a larger university,

GRADUATE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT UP 9% FOR LARGEST GRADUATE ENROLLMENT EVER

HONORS PROGRAM ENROLLMENT UP 35%, INCLUDING LARGEST-EVER FRESHMAN CLASS

ULM celebrated increases in several key areas including an all-time high in the graduate school and the largest-ever Honors Program freshman class.

yet we are not so large that you don’t get that personalized feel,” she said.

Miller credits all areas of the university for playing their part to assist with recruitment, orientation, and setting students up for success. The process begins in recruitment season in the fall, with visits to high schools and hosting on-campus events like Browse on the Bayou and various programspecific recruitment events. In the summer, upcoming first-time freshmen attend PREP, where the PREP staff and the rest of the campus community help instill the excitement of becoming a Warhawk.

The Student Success Center advises the majority of the freshman class during PREP sessions and they continue to build relationships with students through University Seminar and advising throughout their freshman year. “We believe that creating meaningful relationships with students helps them feel a sense of belonging and

Every
PREP, a fast-paced, fun-filled, two-day experience where they learn their way around campus, get advised and register for classes, and prepare to take flight as the next
of Warhawks.
“The historical numbers that were achieved this year can be directly related back to the initiatives outlined in the strategic plan. This win will inspire everyone to spread the word that The Best is on the Bayou!”
– LISA MILLER

that makes ULM a home away from home for them,” said Sara Webb, Advising Services Coordinator at the Student Success Center. In University Seminar, first-year students are taught time management and study skills. “Everything we do is with the goal of helping ULM students to be successful and also happy to graduate as a Warhawk,” addedWebb.

“The historical numbers that were achieved this year can be directly related back to the initiatives outlined in the strategic plan,” said Miller. “This win will inspire everyone to spread the word that The Best is on the Bayou!”

In his first year as president, Dr. Ron Berry stated that “We have to own who we are, where we are, and what we must do.” This enrollment increase is evidence that the ULM community has bought into the university’s vision statement: “ULM will change lives by bringing true equality, inclusiveness, and opportunity for all individuals in our region and beyond.”■

summer, incoming freshmen participate in
generation
All areas of campus contributed to the enrollment increase through their implementation of the strategic plan. Pictured L-R: Gina White, Lisa Miller, Danielle Kelley Tolbird, Cody Lewis.
photos by Paul Ware

LOUISIANA EDUCATORS RISING STATE CONFERENCE HOSTS OVER 700 ATTENDEES

The University of Louisiana Monroe hosted the annual Louisiana Educators Rising State Conference on Thursday, February 29, 2024. The conference brought together over 700 participants including middle and high school students, current teachers and volunteers. The theme of the 2024 conference was “Discover Your Legacy.”

Attendees began and ended the day with keynote presentations at Bayou Pointe, while venturing all over the ULM campus for presentations, panels, interactive workshops, poster showcases, and competitions. Competition categories included Children’s Literature, Interactive Bulletin Boards, Public Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, and more.

Assistant Professor of Education and Director of the ULM Educators Rising Program Dr. Amy Weems says the Louisiana pre-educator network has grown exponentially over the past six years. “We are one of the leading states in the country

in program enrollment and innovative initiatives to grow our own future educators,” said Weems.

After a morning welcome from ULM ▶

Brandon Henderson of KTVE/KARD (left) interviews Dr. Amy Weems, Assistant Professor of Education and Director of the ULM Educators Rising Program.
Over 700 participants from middle and high schools across Louisiana gathered in Bayou Pointe Event Center for the kick off of the Louisiana Educators Rising State Conference on February 29, 2024. The theme of the 2024 conference was "Discover Your Legacy."
photos by Paul Ware
“We are one of the leading states in the country in program enrollment and innovative initiatives to grow our own future educators.”

– DR. AMY WEEMS

Kaleb Blaylock, a junior Music Business major from Monroe, performs with the Sound of Today at the conference.

President Dr. Ron Berry and Monroe Mayor Friday Ellis, attendees heard a keynote address from 2024 Louisiana Teacher of the Year Kylie Altier. Altier is first grade teacher at McKinley Elementary School in Baton Rouge. Altier shared about her early childhood struggles with reading and how her own first grade teacher inspired her to pursue teaching. In keeping with the theme of “Discover Your Legacy,” Altier shared, “My legacy isn't mine at all. It lives in the hearts of the students I have the honor of teaching and it grows every year that I stay in the classroom.” She said her message to future educators is the same message she gives to her students: “You are enough. You don’t have to be everything to every child, you just have to see every child for everything they are.”

The closing session in the afternoon included keynotes from Louisiana New Teacher of the Year Phoenix LeBlanc from Albany Middle School in Livingston

Students viewed poster presentations and interacted with local businesses and school systems at The Hangar during the conference.
Justin Overacker, Pre-Educator Teacher Leader at Wossman High School, presents in Sandel Hall during the state conference. Attendees participated in breakout groups across the ULM campus.
photos by Paul Ware

LOUISIANA EDUCATORS RISING

“Leading with L.O.V.E., Listen, Observe, Value, and Empower. These four actions foster a bond, building strong relationships, among educational leaders, teachers, and students.”
– Tia Trahan

Parish and Louisiana Principal of the Year Tia Trahan, Principal of Lafayette Middle School in Lafayette Parish. Trahan shared her philosophy of “Leading with L.O.V.E.,” which she defines as “Listen, Observe, Value, and Empower.” “These four actions foster a bond, building strong relationships, among educational leaders, teachers, and students,” said Trahan.

Dr. Weems says she hopes the Educators Rising Program will shine a light on the profession of teaching and the future of education in the state. “I want citizens of Louisiana to know that there are programs out there where people are on fire about teaching. Even though we may have struggles now, if we continue to invest in these future educators, the future for Louisiana education is going to be pretty bright,” she said.

For more information about the ULM chapter of Educators Rising, visit www.ulm. edu/edulead. ■

A team of University of Louisiana Lafayette Educators Rising Collegiate Co-Advisors present during the conference. Pictured L-R: Dr. Marietta Adams, Dr. Aimee Barber, K-Lynn McKey.

ULM GERO INSTITUTE

WINS BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU TORCH AWARD FOR ETHICS

The ULM Gerontology Education, Research, and Outreach (GERO) Institute was recently the recipient of the Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Ethics. The GERO Institute focuses on enhancing the quality of life of older adults through proactive education, professional training, applied research, and community outreach. The BBB Torch Award for Ethics celebrates businesses and nonprofits that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to ethics and integrity.

“Receiving this award has been a very humbling experience for me,” said Dr. Anita Sharma, Director of the ULM GERO Institute and Professor of Gerontology.

“This award made me realize the extent of the impact the GERO Institute has on our community and has motivated me to work even harder to develop more outreach programs in our region,” she added.

With an exponential increase in the older population of Northeast Louisiana, The GERO Institute serves as a crucial resource for the community. The primary goals of the institute include providing communitybased education programs for older adults and their caregivers, providing training to professionals working with older adults, and developing and implementing community outreach programs. The GERO Institute also provides workforce training to students interested in working with older adults and addresses issues related to ageism and ableism.

Sharma says the GERO Institute was born out of her personal history of working with older adults, which led to her growing understanding of the challenges of aging.

“Creating the GERO Institute at ULM was a

dream for which I worked very hard,” she said, noting the support of ULM President Dr. Ron Berry, who was the Dean of the College of Business and Social Sciences when Sharma began the process of creating the Institute.

“Dr. Berry’s openness and encouragement of innovative projects inspired me to try out new ideas and take new initiatives. I was able to develop and implement various community outreach programs with his support and guidance,” said Sharma.

“I also want to thank Dr. Michelle McEacharn, current Dean of the College of Business and Social Sciences, for her support in the establishment of the GERO Institute. I am quite grateful for the administrative support I received in creating a new platform for geriatric education, research, and outreach,” Sharma stated.

Sharma says she has bold hopes for the future of the GERO Institute and believes that with proper support, it can become not only a statewide resource but a national asset.

“The BBB Torch Award is a very significant recognition that has established the expertise and credibility of the GERO Institute in our region. This award will allow the Institute to be perceived as an organization committed to meeting the needs of older adults with integrity and competence,” said Sharma.

The community-based educational programs provided through the GERO Institute are free of charge and open to the public. Usually, information about various events is provided through social media and announcements on 90.3 KEDM Public Radio. Announcements for the 2024-25 events will also be posted on the webpage of the Institute at www.ulm.edu/gero.■

“The BBB Torch Award is a very significant recognition that has established the expertise and credibility of the GERO Institute in our region. This award will allow the Institute to be perceived as an organization committed to meeting the needs of older adults with integrity and competence.”

– DR. ANITA SHARMA

photo by Paul Ware
Dr. Anita Sharma, Director of the ULM GERO Institute.

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES EXPANDS HORIZONS

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY DOCTORATE PROGRAM

WITH NEW

THERAPY PROGRAM

The ULM Occupational Therapy Clinic, located in Caldwell

is a free service to the community, providing care to pediatric and adult patients.

Helping patients regain their independence, mobility, and functionality is all in a day’s work for an occupational therapist. These healthcare professionals change lives every day, and soon, ULM’s College of Health Sciences will be able to provide students with the life-changing opportunity to earn an Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD).

The new OTD program is set to launch with its first cohort of 30 students in May 2025. This three-year program will be only the second of its kind in Louisiana. The program includes two years of face-to-face classes followed by six months of fieldwork in a clinical setting. The program culminates with a 14-week capstone experience that can be tailored to a student’s specific interests, such as research or program development. An evidence-based capstone project is designed to enhance a facility/organization based on its identified needs.

The Occupational Therapy program began the process of transitioning to an OTD offering in 2018, but in 2019,the ULM administration put the transition on hold. In 2023, at the request of President Berry and ULM Provost Dr. Mark Arant, the process began again, and the transition has been approved by the UL System Board of Supervisors and the Board of Regents. The program has also submitted its candidacy application to the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) and has opened applications to prospective students.

The new OTD degree path comes at a time when occupational therapists are needed in Northeast Louisiana more than ever. “There is a huge shortage of occupational therapists in the area,” said Dr. Patti Calk, Director of ULM’s OTD and MOT programs. “We are receiving job requests daily from local facilities that we pass along to our graduates and master’s program students,” she added.

ULM’s current Occupational Therapy degree offerings include a Bachelor of Science Occupational Therapy Assistant (BS OTA), which prepares graduates to become a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), as well as the Master of Occupational Therapy Program (MOT), which prepares graduates to become an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR).

The current MOT program is a bridge program that allows students with an OTA degree to obtain their master’s degree. This unique program is one of only 18 bridge ▶

Hall,
photo by Paul Ware

programs in the U.S. The hybrid model of the program requires only limited on-campus time and allows students to continue working as a COTA while earning their master’s. This program currently accommodates students not only from Louisiana, but across the country from California to New Jersey.

Calk says that because the MOT bridge program includes students from across the country, they are typically working in other areas. She hopes the new OTD offering and face-to-face course requirements will result in more homegrown students who stay in the area after graduation.

Perhaps one of the more appealing aspects of the OTD degree for prospective students is that it only requires a bachelor’s degree and no previous clinical experience. The OTD program does require some undergraduate prerequisites, but these are typically classes that would already be taken while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in fields such as kinesiology, psychology, or health studies. Calk says she advises undergraduates who know they want to pursue occupational therapy to get a bachelor’s degree in something they love, being mindful of the prerequisites, and then apply to the OTD program. The OTD also widens ULM’s field of applicants because the current MOT program can only accept students with an OTA degree.

The growth of ULM’s Occupational Therapy program has necessitated the addition of a new Doctoral Capstone

Coordinator, a role that has been filled by Dr. Kristen Hill. Hill recently returned to ULM after previously serving as the ULM OTA Fieldwork Coordinator and then working as the Doctoral Capstone Coordinator at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Miss.

“I returned to ULM for the unique opportunity to be a part of a developing OTD program and to learn from Dr. Patti Calk and her team,” said Hill. “You have a deeper appreciation of a program’s curriculum if you are able to build it from the ground up. Of course, having this program in northeast Louisiana is a dream and I am excited for the growth it will have on our community,” she added.

Calk says most of the current ULM OT faculty are doctorally prepared and will be qualified to teach in the OTD program. Due to the increase in students, Calk foresees needing to hire two new faculty members for the Fall 2025 semester and beyond. The program plans to add a new cohort of 30 each year, so a full doctoral program will include 90 students and with that growth will come additional faculty members.

The new OTD students will gain hands-on experience in the on-campus occupational therapy clinic located in Caldwell Hall. The clinic is a free service to the community. Patients are referred by their doctors for a variety of needs, from infants and children with developmental delays or having trouble

Doctoral Captstone Coordinator Dr. Kristen Hill (left) and Director of OTD and MOT Programs Dr. Patti Calk (right) have been working to prepare the program to accept its first cohort of 30 students beginning in May 2025.

feeding to adults who are recovering from spinal cord injuries or strokes.

“As educators we know there is a need for occupational therapists in our area. This program will recruit local and transfer students to earn their degree from ULM and meet the local need for OTs postgraduation.”
– DR. KRISTEN HILL

Because the clinic does not bill patients, they are able to see patients with no insurance or who have exhausted their insurance. The clinic allows some patients to continue their therapy for an extended period so they can continue to make progress in their recovery. Calk says they receive many referrals from local facilities for patients who need more time in therapy and do not want to lose the progress they have made.

Currently ULM’s OTA students and OT faculty practice in the clinic, but due to the fact that the OTD cohort will begin in the summer, there will be plenty of capacity for the new students to practice as well.

The future hope for the Occupational Therapy program at ULM is that it will move into an updated facility in the soonto-be-renovated Sugar Hall. The Sugar Hall renovation will greatly benefit the College of Health Sciences and provide students with access to state-of-the-art facilities and equipment.

Calk adds that ACOTE has indicated that it will eventually require a doctoral offering as the entry-level into the occupational therapy field. The implementation of the new OTD program in 2025 poises ULM to be ahead of the curve, giving students a high level of employability upon graduation.

“As educators we know there is a need for occupational therapists in our area. This program will recruit local and transfer students to earn their degree from ULM and meet the local need for OTs postgraduation,” said Hill. ■

Wendy Antley Chey (above), a first-year MOT student, and Addisyn Dartez (left), a second-year MOT student, work with patients in the on-campus Occupational Therapy Clinic. Both are practicing certified occupational therapy assistants who work in pediatric settings in the community.
photos by Paul Ware

SAMPOGNARO COMPLETES ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP FELLOWS PROGRAM

Dr. Laurel Sampognaro, Director of Student Success and Clinical Professor in the ULM College of Pharmacy, recently completed the year-long Academic Leadership Fellows Program (ALFP) with the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP).

Sampognaro received her Pharm. D. from ULM in 2004 and has worked for the College of Pharmacy since 2005. In her current role as Director of Student Success, she manages the admissions process for all College of Pharmacy Students and helps ensure their academic success as they move through the professional program.

Sampognaro was selected to participate in the ALFP after an application process that included a letter of recommendation from Dean of the ULM College of Pharmacy Dr. Glenn Anderson, who also mentored Sampognaro throughout the fellowship.

“Dr. Sampognaro was a strong candidate for the fellowship program because of her commitment to our university and college, the faculty’s belief in her current leadership, and due to her potential for leadership growth within our college,” said Anderson.

Objectives of the ALFP include the development of leadership skills through

“It meant a lot to me that Dean Anderson and the other members of the administrative team believed in me enough to support me through this journey.”
– DR. LAUREL SAMPOGNARO

the process of self-discovery and reflection, cultivating a network of colleagues for support and mentorship, applying leadership concepts and theories within academic pharmacy, enhancing leadership and management skills to build an executive presence, and creating a leadership philosophy that guides participants’ leadership journeys.

Sampognaro was one of only 35 members of the 20th cohort of the program. She says she drew close to the other members of her eight-person team and her team’s dean mentor. The fellows program ran from September 2023 to July 2024 and included four in-person meetings with her team and the cohort throughout that time, as well as several online trainings and interactions.

One of the key takeaways for Sampognaro came from an in-depth study of the book Crucial Conversations, which helped prepare the participants for how to approach conflict. “It really has instilled in me a solid approach and allowed me to be prepared and assertive in my ability to communicate in situations where I might not have been as comfortable in the past,” said Sampognaro.

As part of the final project of the program, Sampognaro and her cohort participated in a formal debate, an experience that she said was a first for her. Her team was assigned a topic and a position for the debate. After the debate, her team presented a poster at the AACP annual meeting and is in the process of writing a manuscript for inclusion in the organization’s journal.

Another important facet of the ALFP experience for Sampognaro was the relationships and connections that she made. “Now, when we face challenges, I have a group of people that I can easily call. So many of the speakers and people who partnered with the program have been in pharmacy education for years and have a wealth of knowledge and experience. They have been so transparent and open,” said Sampognaro.

Sampognaro says that being selected for the ALFP meant a great deal to her personally. “It meant a lot to me that Dean Anderson and the other members of the administrative team believed in me enough to support me through this journey,” she said.

Dr. Anderson says the benefits of the program have been obvious. “Dr. Sampognaro has expanded her self-awareness and the strength of her leadership skills. As a result, she has taken on leadership roles in our college’s efforts to initiate culture change. These efforts are appreciated and expected to continue to expand as new opportunities arise,” said Anderson.

“I feel like I grew a lot as a professional, as a person, and as an educator,” said Sampognaro. “I’ll be able to utilize the knowledge and the experiences that I gained moving forward, both in day-to-day interactions with colleagues and with leadership challenges. I’ll be able to walk through challenging times better equipped to handle them.” ■

photo by Paul Ware
Dr. Laurel Sampognaro represented the ULM College of Pharmacy in the Academic Leadership Fellows Program. She was one of 35 members of the 2023-2024 cohort and spent a year developing leadership skills and learning from mentors in pharmacy education.

ULM SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH CARROLL JR. HIGH

TO CREATE EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS FOR STUDENTS

“This collaborative approach helps to ensure that children receive a diverse range of experiences.”
– CARROLL JR. HIGH PRINCIPAL MONTRELL MARSHALL

The University of Louisiana Monroe and Carroll Jr. High signed a memorandum of understanding at a ceremony at Carroll Jr. High on Monday, August 12. The education partnership agreement ensures that each institution serves the needs of students by providing them with opportunities to fully explore and realize their academic potential. The agreement addresses the areas of academic support, student support services, career exploration, leadership development, and community engagement. The agreement is effective immediately.

“Every individual deserves the best life possible, and that’s what this program is all about. It’s working together, it’s meeting each other where we are and helping accomplish amazing things for each individual and this community,” said ULM President Dr. Ron Berry.

The agreement will allow ULM and Carroll Jr. High to develop launching points for students interested in health sciences, including pharmacy, nursing, and dental hygiene, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles and entrepreneurship.

“This collaborative approach helps to

ensure that children receive a diverse range of experiences. They learn important social values and, ultimately, they have a network of mentors and role models to guide them as they grow,” said Carroll Jr. High Principal Montrell Marshall.

ULM and Carroll Jr. High will establish a joint leadership committee to oversee the activities of the agreement. The committee will meet regularly to review accomplishments, plan events, and consider new opportunities. Additionally, both institutions will conduct surveys and meetings to identify the needs and interests of middle school students, teachers, and administrators and develop academic, career, and community engagement activities based on those assessment findings.

To the Carroll Jr. High students in attendance at the signing, ULM Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Valerie Fields said, “As you forge into the relationships that are forthcoming with the faculty and staff members of ULM, please take full advantage of those. They will be relationships that will carry you for a lifetime and will be important as you frame yourself to develop into the person you strive to become.” ■

photo by Paul Ware
Adminstrators from ULM, Carroll Jr. High and Monroe City Schools gathered to make the agreement official. Pictured L-R: Carroll Jr. High Principal Montrell Marshall, ULM Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Valerie Fields, Monroe City Schools Superintendent Sam Moore III, ULM President Dr. Ron Berry, ULM Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Mark Arant

OPPORTUNITY FUND AWARDS $50K TO NINE PROJECTS

THE SECOND COMMITTEE-BASED ROUND OF RECIPIENTS FROM THE ULM OPPORTUNITY FUND WERE NAMED IN NOVEMBER 2023. NINE PROJECTS WERE FUNDED WITH A TOTAL OF $50,000 AFTER A REVIEW PROCESS CONDUCTED BY THE OPPORTUNITY FUND COMMITTEE.

The ULM Opportunity Fund, founded in 2020, assists students, faculty, and staff in generating positive change in the University and regional communities.

ULM President Dr. Ronald Berry, joined by First Lady Dr. Christine Berry, started the fund with a personal commitment of $100,000. Due to the fundraising efforts of the ULM Foundation, the Opportunity Fund has grown to over $500,000.

The 2023-2024 ULM Opportunity Fund recipients:

KAITLIN ARNETT, former Director of Recruitment, and ERICK BURTON, Senior

Enrollment Services Specialist, received $6,000 to conduct ACT Prep Workshops for local high school students. The ULM Office of Recruitment partnered with local high schools to ensure that students have the resources they need to succeed, which aligns directly with the University’s mission to change lives. Seventy students attended the workshop, 65 of which will be first-generation college students.

DR. JESSICA DOLECHECK, Director of the Health Studies Program, received $5,000 for the College of Health Sciences Professional Business Luncheon. The 2024 Luncheon utilized the budget for the Bayou Pointe Event

Center, catering, and table décor, creating a high-quality environment for attendees. The event successfully attracted 366 participants, including students, faculty, and over 75 local and regional business professionals. Feedback highlights its significant impact on students' professional development and networking opportunities, reinforcing its importance in their educational journey.

MS. DONNA GLAZE, Director of Nursing Technology and DR. CAROLINE CARPENTER, Associate Professor of Nursing, received $1,385 for the Kitty DeGree School of Nursing Virtual Dementia Tour. They were able to use the funds to expand the Virtual

Recipients of the Opportunity Fund pose with President Berry. Pictured L-R: Paul Ware, Dr. Brice Jones, Molly Masters, Dr. Eric Siereveld, Heather Kennedy, Dr. Allison Wiedemeier, Krishna Patel, Dr. Kim Marie Tolson, President Ron Berry, Erick Burton, Dr. Jessica Dolecheck, Dr. Caroline Carpenter, Donna Glaze, Dr. Emilee Sasser, Dr. Joellen Showers
photo by Skylar Henry

Dementia Tour in 2023-2024. Dr. Victoria Hamby completed facilitator training through Second Wind Dreams in February and March of 2024. This has allowed for the expansion of the VDT offering within the College of Health Sciences. A total of 503 students, faculty, and staff have completed the tour. 2023-2024 VDT tour dates included 31 ULM Masters of Occupational Therapy students as well as five other spring tour dates. A new copyrighted VDT kit was purchased from Second Wind Dreams to allow the tour to be facilitated in more than one room allowing larger student groups to participate with minimal wait times. Donna Glaze and Caroline Carpenter presented VDT research findings at the Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners Conference on September 12, 2024. They hope to continue to expand the VDT across ULM and in Northeast Louisiana.

DR. BRICE JONES, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, and the Office of Marketing and Communications staff received $6,900 to enhance the office's visual communications. The ULM Office of Marketing and Communications used the award to purchase additional equipment to allow the staff to improve visual communications that tell the story that is ULM, reinforcing our mission and vision, and providing an inside look at the ways in which we are changing people’s lives every day on the bayou. The new photo and video equipment was used to create the official ULM commercial that airs nationally during all televised athletic events and was also used to capture many of the photos in this edition of the ULM Magazine.

DR. HEATHER KENNEDY, Field Experience and Residency Coordinator for the School of Education, received $7,990 to assist in the creation of an Interactive Model Classroom used by teacher candidates preparing for field experiences and residency. The funds were used to purchase an interactive smartboard for teacher candidates to practice teaching methods while preparing for their field experiences each semester. Currently, Teacher Education methods courses are being taught in the new classroom and all teacher candidates are able to reserve time to conduct lesson rehearsals and receive feedback from their peers prior to teaching in the schools. The School of Education hosted an Open House event for the new classroom on October 9, 2024.

KRISHNA PATEL, a senior Health Studies student, received $4,000 for her Feminine Hygiene Accessibility Initiative. This initiative assists ULM students in meeting their basic needs by providing feminine hygiene products in select restrooms on campus. Students can focus more on success in their courses and less on the financial hardships they may incur by buying basic necessities.

The ULM Opportunity Fund, founded in 2020, assists students, faculty, and staff in generating positive change in the University and regional communities. ULM President Dr. Ronald Berry, joined by his wife, Dr. Christine Berry, started the fund with a personal commitment of $100,000. Due to the fundraising efforts of the ULM Foundation, the Opportunity Fund has grown to over $500,000.

DR. JOELLEN SHOWERS, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, and DR. EMILEE SASSER, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, received $10,375 for Enhancing OT Services for Feeding Difficulties. This project will enhance services provided by the ULM Pediatric Occupational Therapy Clinic to children and adolescents with feeding difficulties as well as educate their caregivers/ families. With the funds awarded, they were able to purchase positioning devices and therapeutic feeding equipment and supplies, such as oral motor tools, feeding-themed activities and games, and books and training materials for both therapists and caregivers. Dr. Showers and Dr. Sasser have also been able to complete specialized continuing education courses to enhance their knowledge and skills in this area of practice. The equipment and training are being used to implement the project currently and will continue to be used in the future in the ULM OT clinic.

DR. ERIC SIEREVELD, Assistant Professor of Music, received $3,750 for the ULM Jazz Clinic and Festival. The event draws in students and jazz ensembles from surrounding areas and states to provide educational and culturally significant jazz experiences as well as an opportunity to perform in front of internationally acclaimed jazz musicians.

DR. KIM MARIE TOLSON, Professor of Biology and Director of the ULM Museum of Natural History, and DR. ALLISON WIEDEMEIER, Associate Professor of Biology, received $4,100 for the ULM Museum of Natural History K-8 STEM Discovery Boxes. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The funds were used to create “Discovery Boxes” containing materials needed to instruct inclass STEM activities. Dr. Tolson and Dr. Wiedemeier were able to create 24 boxes that are free to be checked out by local teachers. Each box contains materials and instructions for a classroom of 30 students to complete a science experiment that aligns with the state science standards. The STEM Discovery Boxes became available to local teachers during the Fall 2024 semester.

The ULM Opportunity Fund awards funds for projects each year. The funded projects are selected by the Opportunity Fund committee after a review process.

The 2023-2024 Opportunity Fund Committee is Allison Thompson, Chair, Director of Institutional Effectiveness; Seth Hall, Chief Strategy Officer; Dr. Ashanti Jones, Associate Program Director, Physical Therapy; Dr. Kioh Kim, Professor, School of Education; Carmen Wright, Director of Student Athlete Success; James Beinkemper, Benefits Specialist, Human Resources; Dr. Gina Craft, Associate Dean for Administrative Affairs and Assessment, College of Pharmacy; and Brandon Wilder, Financial Aid Counselor.■

3RD ANNUAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP PELICAN CUP AWARDS $96,000 IN PRIZES

The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup hosted its third annual awards luncheon on April 19, 2024, at ULM’s Bayou Pointe Event Center. The luncheon was the culmination of the entrepreneurship competition, with $96,000 in prize money awarded to the three top teams, including their faculty advisors, and the winner of the live elevator pitch competition, voted on by attendees of the luncheon.

Cantaloupe, a team comprised of students from Tulane University and Southeastern Louisiana University, took home the firstplace prize of $50,000. Their business plan is a software solution to aid businesses in the food service and hospitality industry with hiring and help reduce turnover. Cantaloupe features team leader Rich Simmerman, team members Joshua Anderson and Lane Degenhardt, and advisor Jane Cooper.

The second-place prize of $25,000 was awarded to Tipzy, a team from Tulane

University. Tipzy is a software platform designed to simplify the process of receiving and managing song requests in bars, catering to both bar owners and patrons. Tipzy features team leader Josh McCoy, team members Jake Marzullo and Tenley Gorman, and advisor Rob Lalka.

Third place and a prize of $10,000 went to Trigworks, a team from ULM. Trigworks is a device that aims to revolutionize muscle care with eco-friendly, heat equipped massage tools. Trigworks features team leader Janet Stopka, team members Mackenzie King, Viktor Motov, and Valeryia Trubskaya, and advisor Veronkia Humphries.

The advisors from each of the top three teams also each received a $3,000 prize.

The winner of the live elevator pitch competition was Supriya Pudasainy from Sketchman. Pudasainy won the $2,000 prize after receiving the most votes from attendees

of the luncheon, who voted via text message after hearing 90-second pitches from each team. Sketchman is an application powered by AI that is designed to create criminal sketches based on witness descriptions for law enforcement use.

In its third year, The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup expanded its eligibility and was open to teams from any four-year university or college in the state of Louisiana. The contest received 22 entries and included teams from the University of Louisiana Monroe, University of New Orleans, Tulane University, Southeastern Louisiana University, University of Louisiana Lafayette, Centenary College of Louisiana, and Northwestern State University.

Dhu Thompson, Premier Sponsor and Founder of The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup provided remarks at the luncheon.

After thanking those who helped make the competition happen and recounting his

photo
“Once you fail, you’ll begin to see through the eyes of experience. When you begin to succeed, you will accomplish goals you never imagined … real self-confidence comes from establishing goals and achieving them.”
– DHU THOMPSON

own entrepreneurial experiences, Thompson spoke directly to the student competitors. He told the students that failure is an inevitable part of being an entrepreneur. “Once you fail, you’ll begin to see through the eyes of experience. When you begin to succeed, you will accomplish goals you never imagined,” said Thompson. He also encouraged them to set goals, stating that “real self-confidence comes from establishing goals and achieving them.”

About The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup

Open to all majors with cash prizes totaling $96,000, The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup is the premiere business plan competition for Louisiana. It provides an opportunity for students to develop critical thinking, team building, presentation, and other soft skills which are all important to career growth. The goal is to inspire participants and the community to think entrepreneurially by rewarding creativity, professionalism, and hard work. Twenty-two teams submitted

written, formal business plans which were reviewed and scored independently by a panel of sixteen volunteer judges made up of business owners and investors. The panel of judges later deliberated in groups to select the six finalist teams.

The six finalist teams presented in-person oral presentations, held March 26th at The Hangar on the ULM campus. Six volunteer judges dedicated their time to listening to each team present their business plan and supporting visuals. The judges then deliberated and selected the first, second, and third-place winners.

The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup was founded by distinguished ULM alumnus Dhu Thompson. Thompson is the founder, past owner, and former chairman of the board for Delta Plastics, producer of agricultural irrigation tubing, and the largest recycler of plastics in Arkansas. He is also the former owner and past chairman of the board for

Revolution Bag, which manufactures EPAcompliant trashcan liners. Thompson’s honors include 2004 Arkansas Business Executive of the Year and SBA Person of the Year. In 2019 he sold the Revolution brands to a New York private equity firm and now focuses on entrepreneurship growth in Arkansas and Louisiana. In 2023, Thompson received the Warhawk Ambassador Award, one of ULM’s highest honors. Earlier in 2024, Thompson was inducted into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame.

Cathi Hemed, Director of External Initiatives at ULM, is the organizer of the competition. “With this incredible competition, ULM is leading the way in changing the future for higher education students and making a statement of dedication to Louisiana business development,” said Hemed.

For more information about The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup, visit ulm. edu/pelicancup ■

Trigworks, a team from ULM, took home the third-place trophy and prize of $10,000. Pictured L-R: Mackenzie King, Janet Stopka, Viktor Motov, Valeryia Trubskaya, and faculty advisor Veronika Humphries.
Team members Lane Degenhardt (left) and Rich Simmerman (right) hoist the first-place Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup trophy. Their company, Cantaloupe, took home the $50,000 grand prize in the business plan competition. The team is made up of members from Tulane University and Southeastern Louisiana University.
photos by Jansen Nowell
Tenley Gorman (left) and Jake Marzullo (right) took home the second-place trophy and a prize of $25,000 for their company, Tipzy. (Not pictured: team leader Josh McCoy) All members of Tipzy attend Tulane University.

INAUGURAL CENTENNIAL SCHOLARS SUMMIT HOSTS THE WARHAWKS OF TOMORROW

The University of Louisiana Monroe welcomed over 300 local sixth graders from Monroe City Schools and Ouachita Parish schools to its campus on June 11 and 12 for the first-ever Centennial Scholars Summit. The Centennial Scholars are a group of local students who will make up the freshman class of 2031, which marks ULM's 100th anniversary. The students were able to learn about fields of study and careers that align with their talents and interests.

“We know that at this stage of their development, these students should be exploring ideas, and we are planting seeds for them,” said Dr. Amy Weems, Assistant Professor of Education and organizer of the Centennial Scholars Summit.

In his welcome to the students, ULM President Ron Berry said, “At ULM we prepare you to fly higher than you’ve ever imagined. I need each one of you to realize that you can do anything you want to do and be anything you

“We know that at this stage of their development, these students should be exploring ideas, and we are planting seeds for them.”
– DR. AMY WEEMS

want to be. We’re going to help you take flight.”

Prior to arriving for the Summit, each student took a survey which helped event organizers determine how to group them into one of six groups based on their strengths and interests. ULM programs that provided activities for the students included Art, Allied Health, Pharmacy, Computer Science, Physical Therapy, Communications, Biology, and more.

After a morning of breakout sessions, the students reconvened to enjoy lunch together and make short presentations about what they had learned. Each day of the Summit concluded with drawings in which several lucky students won iPads, which had been generously donated by AT&T.

“We want to thank all of our volunteers, ULM faculty and staff, and local school systems for making this event a success,” said Weems. “We hope that each of our Centennial Scholars who participated

Dr. Ashanti Jones, Associate Program Director of the Marjorie S. Price Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program, instructs local sixth graders during the inaugural Centennial Scholars Summit.

learned more about themselves and where they can go in the future.”

The University began engaging with this group of students in 2022 by gifting them a copy of the book There’s a Bridge On the Bayou, which also included a $500 scholarship to go towards their first semester

at ULM in 2031. The book, written by ULM Development Officer Cindy Foust and illustrated by ULM Executive Creative Director Srdjan Marjanovic, tells the story of President Berry and how education can create opportunities and change lives.

ULM has continued to engage this group of students as they grow and will continue to follow them through middle and high school as they prepare for college. Weems says it is ULM’s goal to provide at least one educational opportunity and one studentlife-related opportunity for the Centennial Scholars each year. ■

the QR code to purchase your copy of the book. Proceeds from each purchase will benefit the Centennial Scholars Program, helping provide educational resources for this group of future Warhawks.

To learn more about the ULM Centennial Scholars program and purchase your own copy of There’s a Bridge On the Bayou, visit ulm.edu/100

Students interested in the medical field got hands on experience in the labs of Kitty DeGree Hall.
Talons Out! Over 300 local sixth graders participated in the first Centennial Scholars Summit. The university will continue to engage with this group of students as they progress in their education.
ULM First Lady Dr. Christine Berry, the Kim Sledge Chair of Risk Management and Insurance, particpated in the summit as a faculty mentor. Students were divided into groups based on their interests and skillsets.
photos by Paul Ware

by

DR. WENDY BAILES

NAMED DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

photo
Paul Ware

When Wendy Bailes earned her bachelor’s degree in general studies from ULM (then NLU) in 1987, she would not have necessarily imagined herself as the Dean of the College of Health Sciences at her alma mater over 35 years later, but after a career shift led to receiving her bachelor’s in nursing from ULM in 1993, every step along the way has made Bailes the perfect person for the job.

At first, Bailes was content with being a practicing RN, and enjoyed the range of experience that was afforded to her as a nurse, from working in a hospital setting to dialysis units, pediatrics, and medical-surgical nursing. In 2004, Bailes followed her career path into teaching after being recruited by ULM and another regional university. Feeling loyalty to her alma mater, Bailes accepted a full-time instructor position in the ULM School of Nursing in January 2005 and steadily worked her way up the academic ranks.

For her master’s degree, Bailes deliberated between Nursing Education and Nurse Practioner, but ultimately decided becoming an NP was not her calling, citing her love of teaching as making the decision easier for her. Teaching was still on her mind when she pursued her doctorate, but upon receiving her Ph.D. in 2014, she made the jump to administration, first as Program Coordinator for the School of Nursing. She eventually became the Director of the Kitty DeGree School of Nursing before taking on the role of Interim Dean of the College of Health Sciences in May 2023.

After a nationwide search, the committee realized the perfect candidate was already in the position, and Bailes was officially named Dean in April 2024.

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve the College of Health Sciences as a whole, and each individual program,” said Bailes at the time of her appointment.

“Dr. Bailes proved during her time as interim dean to be a strong advocate for the College of Health Sciences,” said Dr. Mark Arant, ULM Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Many people voiced their support of Dr. Bailes during the interim period and her candidacy for the dean’s position. This mutual support bodes well for the future of Health Sciences,” added Arant.

Bailes states that her role as dean is to provide support and enough faculty to set programs and students up for success. Accreditation for the new Doctor of Physical Therapy program is high on her list of priorities, as well as ensuring the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program launches successfully in 2025.

A long-term goal for Bailes is a simulation hospital that could be used to benefit all programs in the College of Health Sciences.

“My hopes for the college are that we continue to grow in enrollment and programs, because what we do impacts not just the life of a student. We impact communities through improved healthcare.”
– DR. WENDY BAILES

“In a world where technology is constantly changing, we have to be looking ahead. We can’t expect our students to be able to walk out into practice if we are not preparing them with the technology they will be using,” said Bailes.

Bailes understands that the success of each of the professional programs housed in the College of Health Sciences, from Dental Hygiene to Nursing to Radiologic Technology and more, depends upon students thriving in their pre-requisite courses as freshmen and sophomores. Bailes hopes to accomplish this by using COHS faculty to come alongside faculty in pre-requisite courses such as Biology to provide support as necessary and to help students see the path to their professional programs. “We know that if we don’t invest in them as preprofessional students, we may never get them in our programs,” said Bailes.

“We know that enrollment is up, but we also realize that it is not just the responsibility of the Recruitment department to bring students to ULM,” said Bailes. The College of Health Sciences has been working with the Northeast Louisiana Healthcare Alliance to help reach students in middle school and show them the possibilities of careers in the healthcare field. The annual Kitty DeGree School of Nursing Boot Camp also connects with students from all over the state each summer. “We are taking recruitment very seriously in this college,” said Bailes.

Bailes says the college takes retention just as seriously. She credits her faculty’s level of care as what keeps students on the path to graduation. “There is not a program in the College of Health Sciences that is not invested in doing the best for their students. They make my job easier,” Bailes said of the faculty.

Bailes cites her love of running as what got her through graduate school and continues to help her with the daily stresses of her job. Her office is filled with medals from various 5Ks, 10Ks, and half marathons she has run over the years. She has completed one full marathon, but says she swore to never try it again.

She also enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband, daughter, and pets, and always taking time to read a good book.

Dr. Bailes’ passion for ULM and the College of Health Sciences is evident to anyone who has the opportunity to speak to her about the future of the college. “It is an incredible privilege to be a part of this college and to have the opportunity to work with all the different disciplines. My hopes for the college are that we continue to grow in enrollment and programs, because what we do impacts not just the life of a student. We impact communities through improved healthcare,” said Bailes.■

ACES PROGRAM

PROVIDES COLLEGE EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

The University of Louisiana Monroe held a reception to honor the launch of the new ACES program on August 8, 2024. The Academics, Career, Engagement, and Support (ACES) Transition and Postsecondary Program is a comprehensive transition and postsecondary education experience for young adults with intellectual disabilities. ACES provides its students with an inclusive college experience, including courses designed to prepare participants for the workforce.

“This might be the most exciting, impactful event we’ve had in my time as president,” said ULM President Dr. Ron Berry. “When we first became part of the leadership at ULM, we made it a goal of ours to meet every student where they are. Every student that chooses ULM can become the best version of themselves and accomplish anything they want to accomplish,” added Berry.

The first group of ACES program participants includes six students: Claire Clay, Sterlington High School; Garrett Drake, Sterlington High School; Thomas Landry, Neville High School; Otha McDaniel, Neville High School; Hayden Spillers, Mangham High School; Travis

Wooten, Neville High School.

“These students are untapped potential in our community. Before today, there was not a pathway for them from high school to college,” said Dr. Shalanda Stanley, Associate Director of the ULM School of Education.

According to ACES Program Coordinator Dr. Jeremy Bell, the program will include career exploration, employability skills, soft skills, communication skills, and job placement. The ACES program will work closely with ARCO, a Monroe-based nonprofit whose mission is to empower persons with developmental disabilities and their families to have quality lives. Bell credited ARCO Executive Director Roma Kidd with being instrumental in the planning process for the ACES program over the last two years.

Jana Spillers, mother of ACES student Hayden Spillers, is appreciative of this opportunity for her son. “College would not have been available for Hayden. For this program to come along at this time, the year he graduated, it was amazing,” said Spillers.

ULM ACES is managed by the ULM School of Education and supported by the Louisiana Alliance of Post-secondary

Inclusive Education (LAPIE). The Higher Education Opportunity Act identified a set of required components necessary for institutions of higher education to develop Comprehensive Transition and Post-secondary programs for students with intellectual disabilities. These components include academics, career development, selfdetermined life skills, and social engagement.

The application for the ULM ACES program is a multi-step process. The first step is completing a pre-application interest form. While applications for the 2024-2025 academic year are closed, the program plans to accept more students for the 20252026 academic year, with applications becoming available in spring 2025. For more

“This might be the most exciting, impactful event we've had in my time as president.”
– PRESIDENT RON BERRY

information about the program and the application process, visit www.ulm.edu/aces.

The hope of Dr. Bell and the ULM School of Education is that the program will continue to grow each year and provide more opportunities for local students. “I hope this program will make a difference in many students’ lives for the foreseeable future,” said Bell.

As the program grows, additional grants and funding sources will be sought. Individuals can also make a tax-deductible contribution to the ULM ACES program through the ULM Foundation.

To give to the ACES program, visit ulm. edu/aces. ■

photo by Paul Ware
The first group of students to participate in the ULM ACES program pose with Ace the Warhawk at a reception on August 8, 2024. Pictured L-R: Hayden Spillers, Garrett Drake, Claire Clay, Otha McDaniel, Travis Wooten, Thomas Landry

NEW PUBLIC ART

SCULPTURE INSTALLED ON CAMPUS

The words are uplifting.

I am going to be a light for others. Practical.

I am going to start investing early. Aspirational.

I am going to solve world hunger through farming.

These are just some of the hundreds of words sculpted into the University of Louisiana Monroe’s new public art piece entitled “Here We Go!” by Kansas City artist

Beth Nybeck.

The text is directly pulled from responses to the prompt “I am going to ____” written by ULM students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members. Participants were encouraged to fill in the blank with their goals striving towards personal, professional, or global impact. The sculpture is created by many stacked layers of text taken from participants’ responses to the prompt. The complete form takes the shape of a human head to represent intellect and education.

“Part of my process in creating public art ▶

Scan & Watch!

Beth Nybeck shares the story behind "Here We Go!

is I usually create this element of community engagement. It takes a piece of art and instead of it having a just reflection of my voice, it becomes a voice of the community,” Nybeck said.

Nybeck installed the sculpture at the corner of Sandel Hall on Northeast Drive on August 1, 2024. It was the culmination of a three-year long project of the State of Louisiana’s Percent for Art Program. The statute allocates monies for art in newly built or renovated public facilities involved in capital outlay.

“Installing this piece has been a huge homecoming. People said, ‘We’ve been waiting for this! Oh my goodness! I can’t wait to find my response on here.’ You can see the attachment people start to have with a piece of public art when they’ve been asked to be a part of it. It becomes theirs, not just mine. It becomes ours,” Nybeck said.

The project began in the 2021 fall semester with a call for art, in which more than 60

“The sculpture reflects all the voices of the people here.”
– SCOTT FINCH, DIRECTOR OF PERCENT FOR ART

artists from across the country submitted resumes. Led by the Louisiana Division of the Arts, a committee of representatives from the University and Sandel Hall renovation architects narrowed down the submissions to just three artists who came to Monroe for a site visit. A ULM student tour guide welcomed the finalists and showed them around campus.

After the visit, the finalists then drafted models of their proposed sculpture. The committee selected Nybeck for her creativity, storytelling, and student and community involvement.

“As soon as the committee saw her proposal, they thought it would be really dynamic for the space,” said April Baham, Project Manager for Percent for Art, in an interview with 90.3 KEDM Public Radio.

“The thing we love about this piece is that it is so site-specific. Beth didn’t come in here and just propose her artistic vision. She collaborated with the committee members

“My hope is this is a sculpture that people are going to see time and time again on campus. I’m hoping people will have this encounter with the sculpture that they will be able to read and reread and every time they go by it, they catch something new that they hadn’t seen before.”

– BETH NYBECK

and the committee members really reached out across the campus to get everybody’s input. The sculpture reflects all the voices of the people here,” said Scott Finch, Director of Percent for Art, to KEDM. “There was such a clear sense of pride. For an artist to be able to reflect that is a great thing.”

During the 2023 spring semester, Nybeck came back to campus to collect as many responses as possible. She visited a class in each of ULM’s four colleges, including a hands-on lesson in ULM School of Visual and Performing Arts Instructor Brooke Foy’s sculpture class. She also collected responses during a Spring Fever lunch in Bayou Park and at a public question and answer session open to the community.

“We collected hundreds of these responses,” Nybeck said. “They were fascinating –”

I am going to be okay one day.

“- and heartfelt –”

I am going to be the person I needed when I was younger.

“- and inspiring.”

I am going to choose joy.

“Every statement on there is reflective of a person or many people.”

Nybeck said she selected some of the statements because multiple people wrote the same exact response, unbeknownst to one another.

“I took those responses and essentially wrapped the sculpture in these words. So if you look at it, it’s layers and layers built on top of each other. There’s about 12 or 13 layers of text,” she said.

After selecting the final responses, Nybeck designed, cut and molded the panels at her studio in Kansas City. The completed sculpture made the 600-mile journey on a semi-truck to Northeast Louisiana. A crane lifted the piece from the truck to its permanent site. The sculpture faces Bayou Desiard, almost as if it were gazing upon Fant-Ewing Coliseum where many students will reach their goal they wrote on a postcard:

I am going to be the first person in my family to graduate from college.

“My hope is this is a sculpture that people are going to see time and time again on campus. I’m hoping people will have this encounter with the sculpture that they will be able to read and reread and every time they go by it, they catch something new that they hadn’t seen before.”

I am going to be a lifelong learner.

I am going to be me.

I am going to help students pursue their dreams.■

With a little help from a crane, Nybeck installed the sculpture herself, making the 600-mile trip from Kansas City to place it in its permanent location.
Nybeck's sculpture consists of 12 to 13 layers of text based on responses submitted by the ULM community.
photos by Skylar Henry

FROM MISS ULM

Serving as Miss University of Louisiana Monroe has been one of the most profound honors of my life. Reflecting on my time in this esteemed role, I am overwhelmed with gratitude and pride. This position has not only been a prestigious title but also a deeply meaningful opportunity to contribute to my community and represent a cherished institution.

From the moment I was crowned, I felt an immense sense of responsibility and excitement. The role of Miss ULM encompasses more than just wearing a crown and sash; it is about embodying the values and spirit of the university while fostering a connection with the student body, faculty, and the broader community. Each event I attended and every interaction I had were opportunities to build bridges and create positive impacts. Whether it was taking part in campus events, supporting local charities, or engaging in community service, every experience reinforced the honor and privilege of serving in this role.

The support and encouragement I have received from the university have been a constant source of motivation. From the faculty and staff to fellow students and alumni, the warmth and enthusiasm extended to me have been overwhelming. Their belief in me and the role of Miss ULM has reinforced my commitment to making a positive impact and has been a testament to the strength of our university’s community.

The personal growth I have experienced throughout this journey is invaluable. Serving as Miss ULM has challenged me to develop skills in leadership, public speaking, and community engagement. These experiences have not only prepared me for future endeavors but have also given me a deeper appreciation for the values of service, dedication, and resilience. The lessons learned and the friendships forged during this time will forever hold a special place in my heart.

The role has given me the chance to represent a remarkable institution and grow both personally and professionally. I am deeply grateful for the trust placed in me and the support I have received. This experience has been a highlight of my life, and I will always look back on it with immense pride and gratitude. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this incredible journey and has contributed to making this experience truly unforgettable.■

photo by Paul Ware

FROM MR. ULM

Last November I was crowned as the 2024 Mr. ULM, and it has been an unexpected journey. I never had thoughts of being a titleholder because I didn’t really know about it or what it was until the previous Miss and Mr. ULM encouraged me to do it. However, I am grateful they did. Over this year, I have gotten to do many events, like singing at the Christmas tree lighting and hosting the Campus Activity Board’s ULM’s Got Talent, and I am beyond grateful.

The first month I started I was awakened to the strange idea of being a “celebrity.” All of the perks that went with that, whether positive or negative, came in full swing. Whether it was getting roasted on social media or getting to park wherever I want (except presidential parking) it was a package deal. I never thought of myself as a public figure but when people (my friends or people I didn’t know) would say, “that’s Mr. ULM” it was a constant reminder to me that I was representing more than just myself. This was something I had come to realize throughout this whole year. Going into Mr. ULM the huge misconception is that you need to make a name for yourself. It is quite the contrary. You are making a name for the university. What an honor!

My community service initiative is called The Three Cs to Success – Change, Commitment, and Consistency. It was built on the idea that 1) success is defined by you, no two success stories are the same because no two people are the same and 2) success can therefore be achieved by you. This is something that is championed at ULM. One of the great perks of being Mr. ULM is that I get to meet and get to know the people that make it all happen. While I always thought ULM was an amazing school, when I became Mr. ULM, I was able to realize just how amazing this university is. Dr. Berry genuinely knows his students and seeks to make it possible for them to achieve their goals. He makes the changes that need to be made, he’s committed to what he does, and he has consistently done this since he’s been in office. It’s exciting and humbling to be the person who’s supposed to represent that. From the lessons I’ve learned to the activities I have done with the wonderful titleholder family it has truly been an unexpected but wonderful journey this past year. I am truly honored to serve as the 2024 Mr. ULM.■

photo by Paul Ware

research

completed

the

ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE PROGRAM READIES STUDENTS FOR BRIGHT FUTURES

The ULM Atmospheric Science Program, housed in the School of Sciences in the College of Arts, Education, and Sciences, is the only program of its kind in the state.

Students choosing the Atmospheric Science program are exposed to a variety of professional opportunities even before graduation. These competitive internships and research projects allow students to have hands-on experience with state-of-the-art equipment in diverse settings.

“Internships and research projects like

these provide students with opportunities to experience real-world research science and to see the connections between the content areas they are studying,” said Dr. Anne Case Hanks, Director of the School of Sciences and Associate Professor of Atmospheric Science.

Dr. Todd Murphy, Associate Director of the School of Sciences and Associate Professor of Atmospheric Science, says these internships allow students to create connections on a regional and national level. “In addition to

the new knowledge and skills gained, these opportunities allow the students to expand their professional network, which may be critical to landing that first job or getting into graduate school,” said Murphy.

Each year, the ULM Atmospheric Science program places students in these unique opportunities to expand upon what they have learned in the classroom. These are a few examples of how ULM is training the next generation of atmospheric science professionals.

Cohen Parent, a senior Atmospheric Science major, poses with the poster he created based on
he
in
NASA SARP program in summer 2023. The poster is on display on the third floor of Hanna Hall.
photo by Paul Ware

Cohen Parent and Jayce Crayne – NASA Student Airborne Research Program – Virginia

Cohen Parent is a senior Atmospheric Science major from Prairieville, La., set to graduate in December 2024. In the summer of 2023, Parent was selected to attend the NASA Student Airborne Research Project (SARP) in Hampton, Va. and the surrounding areas.

Parent was one of 53 interns selected from a pool of over 500 applicants nationwide. His cohort of 23 interns made up the East side of the program, while the interns from the West side were in California.

While part of the program, Parent was housed at Christopher Newport University near Hampton where he conducted individual research and analysis. He also split time between the nearby NASA Langley Research Center and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Washington, DC, where the team conducted field work and held meetings and discussions.

Parent says the main idea of the internship program was Earth System Science, which he describes as “the dynamics, biological processes, and physical processes of the atmosphere and other systems in the earth and how they play an intricate role with one another.” Parent’s specific task on the project involved researching the methane content of a freshwater tidal wetland in the Chesapeake Bay region and how it interacts with the surrounding atmosphere.

“I was able to physically go into the marshland and get tangible data with remote sensing equipment,” said Parent. His hands-on experience was not limited to the ground. Parent was able to board a B200 aircraft to capture a 10,000-foot vertical profile of the methane in the atmosphere. In the air, he was responsible for working with a Picarro Gas Concentration Analyzer, an instrument mounted to the wing of the plane that allows outside air to funnel into the instrument, which then uses a laser to measure the chemical compounds in the air.

The results of Parent’s research were compiled into a presentation poster which he presented at NASA headquarters at the end of the internship program. The poster, titled “Mapping Spatial Variations in Methane Emissions of a Freshwater Tidal Wetland,” is currently on display on the third floor of Hanna Hall on the ULM campus.

Parent will use his experience at NASA to inform the next steps of his education and career. He is set to graduate in December 2024 with a bachelor’s of Atmospheric Science. He is interested in pursuing a master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering or Mechanical Engineering.

In the summer of 2024, Jayce Crayne, an

“If you had told me I was going to write 100 lines of code in Python and be able to read and splice data and make a chart, I would have thought you were crazy. I did not know I was capable of doing something like that.”
– JAYCE CRAYNE

Atmospheric Science major from Prescott, Ark., was also selected to participate in the NASA SARP program. Crayne said he became interested in the opportunity after hearing about Parent’s experience in 2023. Crayne, who is minoring in chemistry, said, “I was really looking for an internship that would apply to my background.”

Crayne was fortunate to get the experience he was looking for, as his work with NASA allowed him to fly in a B200 and become acquainted with atmospheric measuring equipment. After receiving instructions on how to use the equipment, the students were given the chance to use it for themselves. “They gave us the freedom to coordinate our own data collection, which was really valuable,” said Crayne.

While Crayne’s internship experience did not directly mirror that of Parent, he was in many of the same locations including Christopher Newport University and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Washington, DC.

For his final individual project of the internship, after consulting with his faculty mentor, Crayne landed on a project focused on how Saharan dust in the atmosphere can affect the moisture content of the air.

Crayne said he spent a large part of the project learning how to code and analyze data, which was a first for him. He was able to analyze data that had been collected from a site in Florida in 2020 and input it into a software program called Python that allowed him to ▶

Photo courtesy ULM Atmospheric Science program.
Senior Atmospheric Science major Jayce Crayne participated in the NASA SARP program in summer 2024. The research experience included working with atmospheric measuring equipment onboard a B200 aircraft.
“Three years ago when I started at ULM, I never thought I would have an opportunity like this, and I don't think I would have without the professors we have in the atmospheric science program.”

– EMILY ALLEN

Asst. Professor of Atmospheric Science Dr. Todd Murphy says internship opportunities like these allow students to create an expanded network, which can be critical for their next steps after graduation.

create a conceptual model to study how the dust affected the atmosphere. His final findings were presented to his peers in the program, as well as many NASA employees and researchers.

“This experience really taught me what the research process is like. I thought it was a really intricate problem to tackle, and it was the first time that I really took something and made it my own,” said Crayne.

Crayne says the internship built his confidence as a researcher and will allow him to challenge himself going forward. “If you had told me I was going to write 100 lines of code in Python and be able to read and splice data and make a chart, I would have thought you were crazy. I did not know I was capable of doing something like that,” said Crayne.

After graduation in May 2025, Crayne says

he is open to whatever possibilities may arise, whether that be graduate school or working in the public sector with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA )or the National Weather Service (NWS).

Haniston Holloway and Emily Allen –NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center –Norman, Okla.

Haniston Holloway, a senior Atmospheric Science major from Mesquite, Texas and Emily Allen, a senior Atmospheric Science major from Alabaster, Ala., both participated in internships at the National Weather Center in Norman, Okla. as part of the NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship Program.

Holloway’s project involved collaborating with the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) and National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) to

Senior Atmospheric Science major Emily Allen is a NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Scholar. In summer 2024, she interned at the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla.
photos by Paul Ware
“This experience prepared me for the future by instilling my love for research and allowing me to better understand how vast the field is and how it continues to grow.”
– HANISTON HOLLOWAY

Atmospheric Science senior Haniston Holloway is a NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Scholar. She plans to pursue a master's degree after graduation in May 2025.

Scan & Watch!

ULM College of Arts, Education, and Sciences student Haniston Holloway researches tornadoes on field trips with her Atmospheric Science professors and classmates.

create a supercell database. The database plots tracks, or the location, of supercells onto a map along with the tornadoes associated with them. Once this database is completed, it will create a baseline for a variety of supercell research.

“This experience has prepared me for the future by instilling my love for research and allowing me to better understand how vast the field is and how it continues to grow,” said Holloway. “There is so much more to discover and learn about weather which affects people every day,” she added.

Allen’s project during the internship focused on analyzing public information needs prior to severe weather events. The research-based project found Allen manually analyzing social media comments to determine the types of questions the public was asking during severe weather events. “Results from this study will hopefully help meteorologists determine what types of information to include in their communication with the public so that people can decide how to respond before severe weather impacts them,” said Allen.

“This internship gave me the opportunity to take a piece of a larger research project and

make it my own while collaborating with other scientists in both social science and meteorology. It affirmed what I want to focus on in grad school and gave me some incredible connections that I hope to maintain throughout my career,” stated Allen.

Both Holloway and Allen will graduate in May 2025 and both plan to pursue a master’s degree.

Alec Soileau– FARM Radar Institute – Center for Severe Weather Research – Boulder, Co.

Alec Soileau, a senior Atmospheric Science major from Breaux Bridge, La., participated in the 2nd Annual FARM Radar Insitute hosted by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign at the Center for Severe Weather Research in Boulder, Co. during the summer of 2024. Soileau was one of only 12 students selected to participate from a field of 60 who applied for the institute. He was also joined by ULM Atmospheric Science major Trey Holiday.

The eight-day institute allowed Soileau to learn from leading researchers through lectures and also through hands-on field research with cutting-edge equipment, which included a ▶

“Working as undergraduate research assistants really helps us get experience that prepares for graduate school and beyond.”
– ALEC SOILEAU

COW, or C-Band on Wheels, radar. The COW Radar is transported on a modified, medium class 18-wheeler and must be reassembled at each site. Soileau and the other students and instructors traveled to the eastern plains of Colorado, which provided a more favorable environment for storms.

In addition to assembling the pieces of the large radar, Soileau learned how to use the equipment to collect data, later using the data to create a project summary. In the process of creating his report, Soileau was able to use industry-standard software to view and edit radar data. Soileau says he feels his experience with this equipment and software will position him well to be successful in his future career or

graduate school.

After graduation in May 2025, Soileau plans to pursue a master’s degree. “I want to continue to do research with radars, which is why I was very excited to get to attend the FARM Radar Institute to give me a foot in the door of radar research,” said Soileau.

Despite the variety of the types of internships each student participated in, they all agree that ULM Atmospheric Science faculty made them well-prepared.

Parent credits his professors Dr. Anne CaseHanks, Dr. Todd Murphy, Dr. Ken Leppert, and Dr. Tyler Fricker, with giving him the prerequisite knowledge to excel at NASA.

ULM Atmospheric Science students at the AMS Annual Meeting in Baltimore, MD. (Pictured L-R): Haniston Holloway, Emily Allen, Rachael Restelle, Dr. Todd Murphy, Alec Soileau, Isaiah Montgomery, Jake Lambright
Director of the ULM School of Sciences Dr. Anne Case Hanks says these internship opportunites help connect what students learn in the classroom to the real world.
Photo courtesy of Alec Soileau.
photo by Paul Ware

“They are all so engaged and so passionate about what they teach, it allows me to engage in their classes,” he said.

“My professors were always willing to answer a question, whether it be simple or complex and talk with me through topics that I didn’t understand. Everything I learned from them translated to what I did in my internship,” said Jayce Crayne.

“They do a very good job in teaching us the material in a manner you can understand and apply,” said Alec Soileau, who has worked with Dr. Todd Murphy as an undergraduate research assistant since his freshman year. Soileau praised Murphy for allowing undergraduates to assist with research, which isn’t typical in other atmospheric science programs. “It really helps us get experience that prepares us for graduate school and beyond, said Soileau.

“Working on field campaigns within the ULM Atmospheric Science program and undergraduate research introduced me to my love for research, and my internship experience has only heightened it,” said Haniston Holloway.

“Three years ago when I started at ULM, I never thought I would have an opportunity like this, and I don’t think I would have without the professors we have in the atmospheric science program,” said Emily Allen.

The goal of any undergraduate program is to successfully prepare its students for the next steps of their education or career, not just with knowledge learned in the classroom, but also with the creation of opportunities. The ULM Atmospheric Science program is continually readying its students for the careers of tomorrow.■

LOUISIANA STATE MESONET BEGINS

SITE CONSTRUCTION

Scan & Watch!

To view real-time Mesonet data from the completed sites and to keep up with the progress of the Louisiana State Mesonet, visit mesonet.ulm.edu

The Louisiana State Mesonet project has moved from idea to actuality, as the first site was completed on the ULM campus in August 2024 and sites continue to be built throughout the state.

The Louisiana State Mesonet project received $2,000,000 in funding in January 2023 thanks to a request sponsored by Louisiana District 5 U.S. Representative Julia Letlow. A Mesonet is an interconnected network of instrumented monitoring stations across an entire state or region that measure temperature, humidity, pressure, solar radiation, wind speed and direction, precipitation, and soil conditions. The Mesonet and its data will be used for critical weather and climate monitoring that will affect sectors such as severe and hazardous weather forecasting, homeland security and emergency management, aviation, energy and renewables, agriculture, transportation, and education.

The initial funding allows for the construction of 50 Mesonet sites across Louisiana, with a long-term goal of having at least one site in each parish. The program is managed by the ULM Atmospheric Science Program. Emily Newby was hired as the Mesonet Manager in January 2024. She says she hopes to have 15-16 Mesonet sites operational by the end of 2024.

“Being the Mesonet Manager for the Louisiana State Mesonet means combining my love of meteorology with wanting to provide more weather awareness options for the public,” said Newby.

Newby says her team has reached out to nearly all of their target sites, but are always taking land suggestions and contacts. Anyone with land they believe could be a potential mesonet site can contact Newby at mesonet@ulm.edu.

photo by Paul Ware
ULM has been home for generations of the LeBas family. Pictured L-R: Luke Lebas ('00), Charlotte LeBas, Bernard LeBas ('67), Nick LeBas ('97), Laci LeBas, Kylie LeBas ('24), Natalie LeBas ('22), Nicole LaBarbera LeBas ('96), Ramona LaBarbera, Nic LaBarbera ('69).

A FAMILY TRADITION: THE LEBAS FAMILY HAS MADE ULM PART OF THEIR SHARED LEGACY

F“It’s just a special place. Coming to campus, you never felt insignificant as a student. Everyone from the recruiters to the professors to the administrators helped you feel welcome and they really cared for you.”

amily traditions can run the gamut from matching holiday pajamas, to Friday night movie marathons, to summer camping trips. The LeBas family has several such traditions that keep bringing them together over and over again.

Nick and his wife Nicole LeBas – along with Nick’s father Bernard, brother Robert, and sister Dana – all chose pharmacy as their profession. Nicole and two of their daughters all served in Kappa Delta sorority. One of the over-arching family themes that ties them all together? Attending ULM.

“It has become something of a tradition,” says Nick LeBas, who graduated from ULM (then NLU) in 1997, and whose father, four siblings, wife and two daughters have all graduated from the university as well. “ULM is as much a part of our family as pharmacy.”

And that’s saying something. The LeBas family has been running Evangeline Drug Store in Ville Platte, La. for nearly a century. “I’m a third-generation pharmacist,” Nick says. “My grandfather took over the pharmacy in the 1920s and our family’s been running it ever since.”

LeBas says that, like pharmacy, ULM has a special place in his family’s legacy. ▶

photo by Paul Ware

“I feel a big attachment to the university because I had such a wonderful experience, and so much of my family has as well,” said Nick, “It’s just a special place. Coming to campus, you never felt insignificant as a student. Everyone from the recruiters to the professors to the administrators helped you feel welcome and they really cared for you.”

He says the attentive atmosphere on campus was in sync with how he had seen his family run their pharmacy.

“Growing up, I watched the way my father did things in the pharmacy. He didn’t just clock in and clock out; I saw the house visits, and the late-night calls involved in running a business that looks after people. And I saw that level of care at NLU,” Nick said. “On campus, employees knew the students by name. Classes were small enough to be personable and you felt like you were somebody and not just a number the university needed to meet.”

Nick’s daughter Kylie, who graduated in Biology in May of 2024, echoed her dad’s sentiment.

“I loved the closeness of campus life,” Kylie said. “ULM has this feel about it – it's big enough, but small enough at the same time. The professors are there for you in and out of the classroom. Even since I’ve graduated, I’ve still emailed my old advisors for letters of recommendation and advice on writing personal statements. They were there for me the last four years and are still there for me now, willing to help.”

Kylie has applied to several medical school programs and has already begun shadowing a local pediatrician. She attributes much of her confidence in pursuing her goals to

“The professors are there for you in and out of the classroom. Even since I’ve graduated, I’ve still emailed my old advisors for letters of recommendation and advice on writing personal statements. They were there for me the last four years and are still there for me now, willing to help.”
– KYLIE LEBAS
The LeBas family has been constant through the many changing eras of ULM.
The LeBas family celebrates at the Spring 2024 Latin Honors Reception at Bon Aire, the home of the President. L-R: Laci LeBas, Nick LeBas, Kyle LeBas, Nicole LeBas.
photo by Paul Ware

having that supportive academic community and to gaining leadership skills in student organizations, like Kappa Delta, Student Government Association, and being part of PREP staff. It also helped that she got to do it with her sister Natalie.

“My sister is two years older than me, and I look up to her in pretty much everything she does,” Kylie says. “Seeing her flourish and do so well at ULM made me want to have the same opportunities for myself.”

Natalie, who was voted ULM Homecoming Queen in 2021, graduated in 2022 and is now in her second year at LSU New Orleans School of Dentistry. She agrees that campus activities were an important part of her student experience as they helped boost her confidence and drive.

“My RSO commitments held me accountable and allowed me to reach my full potential, whether in leadership roles or in my work ethic,” Natalie says. Getting to experience some of the same places and activities their parents experienced years ago meant a lot to both sisters.

“Our parents did a great job of encouraging us to follow our own dreams and journeys – and we have,” Natalie says. “But knowing that Mom and Dad also worked on PREP staff together; that Mom was in Kappa Delta

“Our parents did a great job of encouraging us to follow our own dreams and journeys – and we have… But knowing that Mom and Dad also worked on PREP staff together; that Mom was in Kappa Delta too; to step into the history and the legacy of that while making our own path has just been so special.”
– NATALIE LEBAS

too; to step into the history and the legacy of that while making our own path has just been so special.”

The LeBas family’s experiences have inspired them to give back to the campus in many ways, including with active membership in ULM’s Alumni Association. Nick serves on its Board of Directors and says the family loves coming back to help with alumni events that pull alumni and the larger community together.

“Homecoming and Wine Over Water are two events where you get a lot of community participation,” he said. “You get to connect with the community and re-connect with old friends in a fun and social way that brings back so many good many memories from being in school. I love showing off the university that has given so much to me and my family.”

He says the LeBas family is committed to seeing the university thrive so that it can continue being part of many more families’ traditions.

“We’re obviously very connected to ULM generationally, and we want to see the university succeed. We want every aspect of the university to be a thriving part of the Monroe community and of the whole state so that others get to have the same kind of experiences our family has had.”■

photo provided by Special Collections & Archives

(Left): A sellout crowd packed Bayou Pointe Event Center to kickoff the 2024-2025 Warhawk athletic year.

WARHAWK FAITHFUL CELEBRATE

THE START OF ANOTHER ATHLETIC YEAR AT THE PURSUIT

The bayou was buzzing with Warhawk spirit on August 23, 2024 as hundreds of ULM supporters gathered in the beautiful Bayou Pointe Event Center for The Pursuit, the Warhawks’ premier kick off event for the 2024-2025 athletic season.

The annual event was sponsored by Cadence Bank and all proceeds go to benefit student-athletes through the Warhawk Athletic Foundation.

“Now is the time, and we have to unite as a university and as an athletic department and we can raise this thing and take it as far as we want it to go.”
– BRYANT VINCENT

In addition to delicious food and drinks, attendees were granted a sneak peek at the new all-black Warhawk football uniforms and had a chance to purchase exclusive merchandise before it was available in the ULM bookstore.

Attendees also had the opportunity to test their skills in the new College Football 25 video game against Warhawk athletes.

The sellout crowd was treated to rousing speeches from ULM President Ron Berry, Director of Athletics John Hartwell, and new Head Football Coach Bryant Vincent. Bryant had the opportunity to address the Warhawks’ most fervent supporters less than a week before the first kickoff.

“Now is the time, and we have to unite as a university and as an athletic department and we can raise this thing and take it as far as we want it to go,” said Vincent.

Now in its ninth year, The Pursuit is named in honor of the Curtis P-40 “Warhawk” fighter planes, flown by Gen. Claire Lee Chennault's Flying Tigers during World War II. The ULM Warhawk mascot takes its name from the planes, which featured iconic noses painted with an open shark’s mouth with jagged teeth. ■

(Below) Head Football Coach Bryant Vincent inspired the crowd with a rousing speech, building anticipation for the 2024 season.

The Pursuit was sponsored once again by Cadence Bank. President Berry (left) and Director of Athletics John Hartwell (right) presented two Warhawk football helmets, featuring the new 2024 design, to Chris Windham (center), President, Northeast Louisiana Division of Cadence Bank.
Warhawk football players Nick Torres (seated left), General Booty (seated right), and Aidan Armenta (standing) check out the Warhawks in EA Sports College Football 25.
Emcee Seth Hall introduces members of the Warhawk football team as they show off the 2024 uniform combinations, including the brand new all black uniforms. Back row L-R: Carter Miller, Kevontay Wells, Aiden Armenta, Nick Torres, Tyreese Hopkins, Dylan Howell. Front row L-R: General Booty, Billy Pullen, Wesley Campbell
Pictured L-R: Darryl Dozier, Marguerite Dozier, and Shane Smiley enjoy the evening at Bayou Pointe.
The ULM Cheerleaders and Hawkline welcomed attendees to Bayou Pointe and kept the Warhawk spirit high. Pictured: ULM Cheerleaders Taylor Ann Harding (left) and Makenzie Mitchell (right).
Professor of Economics Dr. Tammy Johnston was awarded the Sun Belt Conference Faculty of the Year of Award. Pictured L-R: Dr. Leigh Hersey, President Ron Berry, Dr. Tammy Johnston, John Hartwell.
photos by Paul Ware

LEGISLATURE ADVANCES MAJOR INITIATIVES FROM ULM

Through the support and leadership of our regional delegation, the University of Louisiana Monroe made significant gains during the 2024 regular legislative session. These successes include securing critical funding that enable the university to move forward with two top-priority capital improvement projects. Additional revenue was allocated to the College of Pharmacy and needed resources were targeted for overall campus improvement efforts. In total, approximately $25 million in supplementary state funding was directed to ULM for this fiscal year.

ULM’s highest capital outlay priority is the renovation of our Health Sciences Campus. Funding for this project was protected from start to finish in the capital outlay bill (Act No. 5), allowing us to break ground this year. Since the Governor’s signature, over $16 million for this project has been successfully reauthorized by

the State Bond Commission, and the university has received the Administration’s “letter of commitment.” This letter serves as the official green light to move forward, pledging to provide the remaining funding necessary for completion. These substantial improvements will transform the Health Sciences Campus into a state-ofthe-art, health care education complex. Our clinical labs, including those serving the public in dental hygiene, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology, will be centralized and modernized. By offering both classroom and hands-on learning in these high-demand health fields, ULM program graduates continue to boast a 100 percent job placement rate.

Utilizing a non-traditional route in the same legislation, $5 million was secured from the Higher Education Campus Revitalization Fund to streamline the complete funding needed to

start and complete the School of Construction Management Practice Lab in a single swoop. Only three other projects in the massive bill were fortunate enough to be included in this fund underscoring the leadership necessary at the Capitol to accomplish this feat, the first in ULM’s history, and the outstanding reputation the School of Construction Management has earned and maintained statewide.

This proposed project includes a Soil and Materials Laboratory (enclosed by a 26-foothigh ceiling). The scope also includes an adjacent lecture room, auditorium, and classrooms among other program necessities. ULM’s construction management program was the first accredited construction program in the United States (1976) and continues to receive unwavering support from industry and community alike. Graduates are the highest-paid in the bachelor degree offerings and also have a 100 percent

$5 million was secured from the Higher Education Campus Revitalization Fund for the School of Construction Management Practice Lab.

ULM sincerely appreciates the exemplary leadership of our regional delegation during this legislative session. We extend our heartfelt thanks for their continued efforts— both here on the bayou and in the halls of the Capitol. Their dedication, service, and unwavering support have made a profound impact on the success of our institution.

job placement rate. This program is a model in the industry and receives substantial backing from organizations, such as the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) and the Contractors Education Trust Fund (CETF), to name a few.

At the conclusion of the legislative session, HB 1 (Act No. 4), which provides for the operating expenses of the state government, included an additional $4 million in funding for the College of Pharmacy. Louisiana’s only publicly-supported pharmacy school, ULM’s Pharmacy program is a comprehensive center for pharmaceutical education, research, and service. The university’s Toxicology program, the first of its kind in the South, is currently one of only six such programs nationwide. ULM trains and graduates over 65 percent of all licensed pharmacists in the state. Given the critical shortage of licensed pharmacists

and the growing demand for these specialized services, the increased funding will allow the College of Pharmacy to expand enrollment, helping to address future healthcare needs and prevent care deserts. Additionally, through other legislation, the testing laboratory housed under this college was designated as the preferred laboratory for issuing certificates of analysis for consumable hemp products in the state. This accentuates the talent, knowledge, adaptability, and vital expertise housed here.

This year, the usual caveat regarding funding drawdown predictability is unnecessary. In its place is the predictability that our lawmakers provided through unique means and funding sources making all of this possible. We are deeply grateful for their tenacity and steadfast support, which allows us to proudly declare another unprecedented year of progress.■

The Northeast Louisiana Delegation Update Luncheon was hosted by our Chambers of Commerce on June 18, 2024.: Pictured L to R: Rep. Francis Thompson, Rep. Michael Echols, Sen. Jay Morris, Sen. Stewart Cathey, Jr., Sen. Glen Womack, and Rep. Pat Moore. Not pictured: Sen. Katrina Jackson-Andrews, Rep. Adrian Fisher, Rep. Foy Gadberry, Rep. Jack McFarland, Rep. Neil Riser and Rep. Chris Turner.
photo by Skylar Henry
Architectural renderings courtesy of TBA studio.

BEST OF OUACHITA COMBINES ULM AND THE COMMUNITY AT CLARKE M. WILLIAMS INNOVATION CAMPUS

On August 20, 2024 the University of Louisiana Monroe expanded its usual university week activities to include "The Best of Ouachita,” a oneday event at the Clarke M. Williams Innovation Campus designed to highlight local businesses give the community another chance to interface with ULM.

“This is an opportunity for local residents to see all of the great things this community has to offer,” said Brooke Foy, Associate Professor of Art at ULM and organizer of The Best of Ouachita. “ULM is excited to host the community and let them hear about all of the great things happening at our university,” she added.

Over 80 vendors set up booths to tell attendees about what they bring to the community and how to get involved.

After lunch, all attendees were invited to attend Dr. Berry’s annual University Address, held in the auditorium of the Clarke M. Williams Innovation Campus. The crowd of ULM employees and community supporters heard Berry outline the university’s strategic plans and successes, as well as hopes for the coming year.

The Best of Ouachita was presented with assistance from the Monroe Chamber of Commerce, the West Monroe/West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce, and Discover Monroe-West Monroe.■

The Clarke M. Williams Innovation Campus was the perfect setting to showcase the best of what Ouachita Parish has to offer.
Over 80 vendors set up booths to inform the community about their products and services.
Attendees enjoyed a "Taco Tuesday" lunch provided by Aramark, while browsing the booths.
photos by Paul Ware

2023-2024 DONOR GIFT HIGHLIGHTS

(L-R): Laura Kilpatrick Marchelos, Dr. Nicholas Bratcher, Dr. John Pratte, Carole Kilpatrick, Kerry Kilpatrick

CAROLE KILPATRICK ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP IN MUSIC

Mrs. Carole Kilpatrick donated $80,000 to create the Carole E. Kilpatrick Endowed Professorship in Music. Friends and family of Kilpatrick gathered at the Laird Weems Center on October 25, 2023 to celebrate the occasion. Mrs. Kilpatrick shared fond memories of her time as a student in the music department at ULM, which was named Northeast Louisiana State College at the time. Mrs. Kilpatrick is the widow of Tex Kilpatrick. The Kilpatrick family also made a donation in 2022 to create the Tex Kilpatrick Endowed Professorship in Kinesiology.

The Louisiana Board of Regents Sponsored Programs Support Fund matched both professorships with $20,000 each to augment both of the endowed professorships.

(L-R) Roy Heatherly, Monroe Chamber of Commerce; Lisa Miller, ULM; Joel Dispenza, AT&T, Nicholas Redden, AT&T; Susan Chappell, ULM Foundation; David Aubrey, AT&T Louisiana; Roxanne Smith, ULM Foundation; Joyce Zhou, ULM; John Jones, ULM Board of Trustees Past President; Matt Adams, AT&T Louisiana

AT&T CONTRIBUTES TO CENTENNIAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM

In an effort to enhance digital literacy in Northeast Louisiana, AT&T has contributed $25,000 to the University of Louisiana Monroe’s Centennial Scholars program. The Centennial Scholars are local fifth graders who will make up ULM’s freshman class of 2031, the university’s 100th anniversary.

Using AT&T educational materials that recognize the vital role technology plays in today’s society, Centennial Scholars will receive digital literacy training in order to bridge the digital divide and ensure everyone in Northeast Louisiana has the tools needed for success in the digital age. By supporting underserved communities in our region, AT&T and ULM intend to create lasting change and bring about new opportunities for Louisiana families.

JUDGE JIMMY DIMOS

FAMILY LEGACY

The ULM Foundation hosted a gathering to honor the ULM legacy of the late Jimmy Dimos on Saturday, February 24, 2024. Friends, family, and ULM faculty and staff attended the event at the Laird Weems Center to celebrate the life of one of our area’s most prominent citizens.

Judge Dimos remained connected to his alma mater, serving as the President of the ULM Alumni Association as well as receiving one of the university’s highest alumni honors, The ULM Golden Arrow Award. In support of ULM and its students, Jimmy and his wife, Dale, endowed a scholarship in honor of his father, Nick Dimos, which has provided much-needed financial support for students in the College of Business & Social Sciences.

HATTIE CORBIN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION

The University of Louisiana Monroe and President Ron Berry received the prestigious Hattie Corbin Award for Excellence in Education during the BULM Alumni Reunion in June 2024. “The Hattie Award” is given to individuals, educational programs, and institutions aimed at uplifting disadvantaged students around the country. The award includes a monetary gift to further those aims. This year’s gift included a $10,000 donation to ULM’s TRIO programs, which are designed to assist first-generation and income-eligible students in reaching their full academic potential.

“The Hattie Award” was presented by Mario Payne on behalf of AgriOvum, LLC. AgriOvum is a poultry hatchery support services company located in Alabama. AgriOvum serves some of the largest poultry hatcheries in North America. Its Founder and CEO, Allan Corbin received a BS in Agricultural Business from ULM in 1984, and his wife, Jennifer Hendricks Corbin, received her BS in Speech-Language Pathology from ULM, also in 1984. Their son Mario Payne completed his BS in Computer Information Systems in 2006 and sits on the Alumni Board of Directors. Accompanying the presentation was family member and ULM Foundation board member, Glen

Marketing

SHARON MEYER DUFILHO SOCIETY ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP IN TOXICOLOGY

Dr. Robert Meyer, widowed husband of ULM’s Dr. Sharon Meyer, donated $25,000 to establish the Sharon Meyer Dufilho Society Endowed Scholarship in Toxicology. A check presentation was held at the ULM College of Pharmacy on June 3, 2024.

Dr. Sharon Meyer worked in the ULM Toxicology program from 2000 to 2023 where she was recognized as a Fellow of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences, honored with an endowed professorship from the University of Louisiana System Foundation and Willis-Knighton Health Systems, and was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award from the National Society of Leadership and Success. She passed away in July 2023.

The endowed status of the scholarship will live on in perpetuity to ensure financial support for future toxicology students. Robert is hopeful that this scholarship will evolve into a Superior Graduate Scholarship, totaling $60,000, and be awarded to Ph.D. students pursuing toxicology.

T.D. "DOC" MURPHY SUPERIOR GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP IN PHARMACY

The Murphy Family donated $60,000 to establish the T.D. “Doc” Murphy Superior Graduate Scholarship in Pharmacy in honor of Thomas Deckle Murphy, Class of 1962. The Louisiana Board of Regents Sponsored Programs Support Fund awarded $40,000 in matching funds, making the total value $100,000. A check presentation was held at the ULM College of Pharmacy on July 3, 2024.

In attendance were Doc’s wife, Martha Ann Murphy; children Shawn Murphy, BA ’84 and wife, Donna K. Murphy, BS Pharmacy ’90, Tom W. Murphy, BS Construction Management ‘84 and wife, Nancy Murphy, Shana Murphy Prejean, BS Pharmacy ’88, and Tiffany Murphy Yost.

This scholarship supports third- and fourth-year professional students who are pursuing the Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Recipients must maintain a 3.25 GPA or higher. The first recipient, Joy Falohan, an international Pharmacy student from Nigeria, was able to meet the Murphy Family.

Corbin, BS Business
1985.
John Dimos addresses the crowd gathered at the Laird Weems Center to honor the late Judge Jimmy Dimos.
(L-R): Dean of the ULM College of Pharmacy Dr. Glenn Anderson, Dr. Robert Meyer, scholarship recipient Cara Juneau, ULM President Dr. Ron Berry
Members of the Murphy family pose with ULM President Ron Berry and scholarship recipient Joy Falohan.
(L-R) Executive Director of ULM Foundation Susan Chappell, ULM President Ron Berry, ULM Alumni Board member Mario Payne, AgriOvum CEO Allan Corbin, ULM Director of Alumni Affairs Medria Buford, ULM Foundation Board member Glen Corbin
photo by Jeanette Robinson

PAUL W. SYLVESTER LA CANCER FOUNDATION ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP

The ULM Foundation announced the establishment of the Paul W. Sylvester Louisiana Cancer Foundation (LCF) Endowed Scholarship at a press conference at the Laird Weems Center on September 17, 2024. This scholarship was established by private donations and with assistance from the Louisiana Cancer Foundation to support Sylvester’s cancer research conducted in the ULM College of Pharmacy.

Annual scholarship awards will be made to three eligible Pharm.D. students starting their third or fourth year of training (P3 or P4) in the ULM College of Pharmacy.

Sylvester, an endocrinologist, joined the ULM College of Pharmacy in 2001. He is the Associate Dean of Research and Pfizer, Inc. B.J. Robison Endowed Professor of Pharmacology. He continues his research of tocotrienols, a rare natural form of vitamin E that has displayed potent anti-cancer effects.

AMWINS DONATES TO RISK MANAGEMENT AND INSUARANCE PROGRAM

Amwins, a leading national specialty insurance provider, recently recommitted its giving to the ULM Risk Management and Insurance program, bringing its total donation commitment to $100,000 over 10 years. A check presentation to commemorate the donation was held on September 17, 2024.

The funds provided by Amwins will support student and faculty travel to visit companies and brokers in cities such as Dallas and Chicago. The funds will also support recruitment and marketing efforts, including a sponsorship with ULM Warhawk Athletics, as well as student scholarships and support of events like the ULM RMI Career Fair and Career Fair Reception.

Amwins has interned and hired more ULM RMI majors than any other company, exceeding over 100 students across the last 20 years.

The $100,000 gift makes Amwins the first Pinnacle Lifetime Member of the Jeff Albright Insurance Society, an organization established several years ago to support the growth and development of ULM RMI majors. One of the benefits of Pinnacle Lifetime Membership is a "room wrapping," which includes the addition of Amwins branded graphics installed in Hemphill Hall Room 208.

CHESTER AND NELL SOIGNIER ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP IN AGRIBUSINESS

The family of Chester and Nell Soignier made an initial gift of $104,000 to establish the Chester and Nell Soignier Endowed Scholarship in Agribusiness. To commemorate the announcement of the scholarship, a reception at the was held at the Laird Weems Center on October 5, 2024.

Chester and Nell Soignier devoted the majority of their lives to farming and raising their eleven children. They focused on faith in God, family, hard work, and education. On Sundays, they went to church together as a family. Eight of their eleven children attended ULM. Chester and Nell were extremely proud of all eleven children, their families, and their accomplishments.

The scholarship will be awarded each semester to a student pursuing a degree in Agribusiness, who maintains a minimum 2.5 GPA. Recipients will be recommended by College of Business and Social Sciences Scholarship Committee.

MARJORIE S. PRICE DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAM

The ULM Doctor of Physical Therapy Program has officially been named the “Marjorie S. Price Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.” The naming was celebrated at a reception in Walker Hall on October 2, 2024.

Along with her husband, Mr. Ted Price, Mrs. Marjorie S. Price was a pioneer in the nursing home industry in Louisiana. Mrs. Price and her family were actively engaged in the early developmental stages of ULM’s DPT program, providing financial support and also being strong advocates. She passed away in 2020. Having Mrs. Price’s name associated with the program will provide inspiration and encouragement for faculty, staff, and students for years to come.

(L-R): Dean of the ULM College of Pharmacy Dr. Glenn Anderson, Dr. Paul W. Sylvester, ULM President Dr. Ronald Berry, LCF Executive Director James Adams, LCF Director of Operations Susie Runkle
Marjorie S. Price. Photo courtesy of the Price family.
Chester and Nell Soignier. Photo courtesy of the Soignier family.
(L-R): David Lavins, President of Amwins Access, Tammy Culmone, EVP and Regional Leader of Amwins Group, Dr. Christine Berry, ULM President Dr. Ron Berry

EVENING OF THANKS

The University of Louisiana Monroe Foundation recognized donors and lifetime benefactors at the annual Evening of Thanks event on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, in the Terrace Room on the 7th floor of the ULM Library. Former ULM baseball coach Lou St. Amant received the prestigious Hall of Distinction Award. Anne Lockhart and Ash Aulds were recipients of the 2024 Warhawk Ambassador Award.

John Jones, past president of the ULM Foundation Board of Trustees, welcomed attendees and introduced award winners. ULM FOUNDATION HOLDS ANNUAL

“Tonight, we honor all special alumni and friends who have generously invested in this university.”
– JOHN JONES

“Tonight, we honor all special alumni and friends who have generously invested in this university, not only this past year, but over numerous decades,” said Jones.

Jones recognized donors who reached new lifetime giving levels in the last year. Moving up to the Tower Society, with lifetime donations of over $1,000,000, were Dhu and Mary Ellen Thompson. Moving up to the Bayou Society, with lifetime donations of over $500,000, were Betty and Jay Cummins, the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy, Roy O. Martin, and Kay and Hugh McDonald.

Advancing to the Ouachita Society, with lifetime donations of over $100,000, were the Caridad Foundation, Justice Marcus R. Clark (Retired), The Horrell Family – Chris, Erin, Maddie, and Gary, and the Doug Pederson family. New Cornerstone Society members, with lifetime donations of over $50,000, included Steve and Denise Gullatt, Dr. Robert and Dr. Sharon Meyer, and the Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation.

ULM Foundation Executive Director Susan Chappell announced that more than $30 million has been raised toward the SOAR Campaign. Established in July 2019 with the goal of raising $100 million by the University’s 100th anniversary in 2031, the SOAR Campaign will fund scholarships, opportunities for faculty, athletics, and renovations. “Each contributor who made

Beloved coach Lou St. Amant received the prestigious Hall of Distinction Award, recognizing a lifetime of support for the university.

this outstanding achievement possible may relish the rewarding feeling knowing they made a positive impact,” said Chappell.

ULM President Dr. Ronald Berry recognized Coach Lou St. Amant as the newest Hall of Distinction honoree. The University Hall of Distinction Award is presented to an individual, couple, company or foundation who has honored ULM through an exceptional lifetime of distinction and/or exemplary service to, support for, or promotion of the University.

“With his gifts, the university will benefit greatly from his generosity and unselfish support for many years to come,” said Berry.

Former ULM Baseball Coach Lou St. Amant first worked for the University in 1968 as a graduate assistant baseball coach. St. Amant later returned to ULM in 1976, where he coached the baseball team for another 18 years. He ended his baseball head coaching career with 414 wins, including a 1982 Trans America Athletic Conference West Division Championship and a 1983 Southland Conference Championship. His 1983 team was also the first baseball team from ULM to participate in the NCAA Regional Playoffs. For another 25 years, St. Amant served as the color analyst for ULM football.

In 2022, St. Amant was recognized as a Warhawk Ambassador, an elite group of individuals whose interests and loyalty are evident in their deeds and actions, reflecting and recognizing the importance of the University of Louisiana Monroe in our local ▶

Music was provided by vocalist Morgan Meyer (left) and pianist Dr. Pearson Cross.
photos by Paul Ware

and global community and demonstrating pride in the University. St. Amant is also a member of the Ouachita Society of the Kitty DeGree Bell Tower Honor Roll. In 2023, to honor Coach Lou’s lifetime of service, ULM named its baseball playing surface “Lou St. Amant Field”, lovingly referred to as “The Lou”. After more than 54 years of service to the University, he continues to attend and support ULM functions, provide wise counsel to staff members and serve as an ambassador to the community.

Jones then recognized Anne Lockhart and Ash Aulds as the 2024 Warhawk Ambassador Award recipients. The Foundation commissioned local craftsman Bill Carroll to create handmade wooden

awards

Warhawk
Pictured L-R: Former LA State Representative and ULM broadcaster Frank Hoffmann, former ULM Director of Athletics Scott McDonald, Coach Lou St. Amant, former ULM Director of Athletics Bruce Hanks.
Anne Lockhart received the Warhawk Ambassador Award for her years of service as an advocate and supporter of ULM.
Pictured L-R: ULM President Dr. Ron Berry, Coach Lou St. Amant, Anne Lockhart, Ash Aulds, ULM Foundation Board Past President John Jones.
Ash Aulds accepts the Warhawk Ambassador Award. The two-time alumnus has served as the President of the ULM Alumni Association and currently serves on the Warhawk Athletic Foundation board.
photos by Paul Ware

LEGACY OF KITTY DEGREE

HONORED AT COMMUNITY IMPACT RECEPTION

Prior to the annual Evening of Thanks, the ULM Foundation held a Community Impact Reception to honor the legacy of longtime ULM donor Kitty DeGree. Representatives from many local non-profits and foundations were on hand to speak about the impact of DeGree’s philanthropy over the years, both personally and through her foundation.

John Jones, Past President of the ULM Foundation, announced the creation of the Kitty DeGree University Priorities Endowment.

“This endowment gives the ULM President discretion about how to use the funds,” said Jones. “This fund will go on giving for a long, long time,” he added. The Kitty DeGree University Priorities Endowment was created with funds donated upon the closing of the Kitty DeGree Foundation, which had existed for many years and impacted countless community initiatives through local non-profits and foundations.

“Kitty DeGree tremendously honored all who loved her with her friendship, her wisdom, her insight, and her generosity,” said Anne Lockhart, former President and Secretary of the Kitty DeGree Foundation. “I feel her smiling down on us tonight as we celebrate everything she has provided for our community, our university, and our lives,” she added.

Kitty Degree (1922-2012) is the largest single donor in the history of the University of Louisiana Monroe. She was instrumental in the building of the University Library, and its most recognizable feature is named the Kitty DeGree Bell Tower. DeGree has also been honored by ULM with the naming of the Kitty DeGree School of Nursing and the

“I feel her smiling down on us tonight as we celebrate everything she has provided for our community, our university, and our lives.”
– ANNE LOCKHART

accompanying Kitty DeGree Hall, as well as the Kitty DeGree Speech and Hearing Center.

“We know that her purpose and her mission will continue through this endowment,” said ULM Foundation Executive Director Susan Chappell.

for each of the recipients.

Anne Lockhart is a graduate of Neville High School and the University of Louisiana Monroe with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management.

Anne has worked and volunteered in the Monroe community for over 53 years, the first 25 years in the commercial banking industry, working her way from an entry-level teller position in 1971 to Senior Vice President – Commercial Lending, and ultimately to Senior Vice President and Director for Corporate Business Development for Regions Bank.

In June 1996, Anne accepted the challenge of heading up ULM's Development Office, and professionally fundraised for the university until her retirement in April 2017.

An important part of Anne's career in banking and higher education is her representative involvement in service for her church, community, and alma mater. Her valuable engagement with ULM is ongoing as she maintains lifelong friendships with ULM benefactors, advocates for ULM throughout the community, assists with event planning and friend-raising. Anne is an essential and beloved member of the ULM family.

Ash Aulds is a two-time alumnus of ULM whose passion for the university began during his time here in 2011 where he excelled as a student. He was an SGA Senator, member of CAB, Hometown Hawks, the ULM Honors Program, and worked as the Manager of the ULM Baseball team. As an SGA Senator, Ash won the Melvin Rambin Backbone Award and ULM SGA Senator of the Year in 2013. After receiving his MBA in 2015, Ash began his career at Lumen Technologies within marketing analytics, and moved to El Dorado in 2019 for a new role with Murphy USA. He currently serves as the Director of Financial Planning & Analysis and Investor Relations.

Ash was the ULM Honors Program Alumni of the Year award recipient in 2022. He is currently the Past President of the Alumni Association, after serving 7 years, 4 on the Executive Committee. Once Ash stepped into the Past President role, he didn’t miss a beat and joined the Athletic Foundation Board. Ash has also served on the strategic planning committees for Athletics and the Alumni Association.

Jones concluded the evening by expressing appreciation for all donors in attendance. “We are grateful, and we appreciate your leadership, commitment, and friendship,” he said. ■

ULM Foundation Executive Director Susan Chappell addresses the crowd at the Community Impact Reception honoring the legacy of Kitty DeGree. DeGree is the single largest donor in the history of the university.

ULM CELEBRATES EMPLOYEES AT 2024 FOUNDATION AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE CELEBRATED THE SUCCESSES OF ITS FACULTY AND STAFF AT THE ANNUAL FOUNDATION AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE ON MONDAY, APRIL 30, AT BAYOU POINTE EVENT CENTER. THE UNIVERSITY BESTOWED EMERITI STATUS TO FOUR PROFESSORS, HONORED SEVEN FACULTY AND STAFF WITH AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE AND PROMOTED 21 FACULTY TO FULL PROFESSOR, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OR TENURE.

Professor Emeritus

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Mark Arant first bestowed professor emeritus status to DR. JACK HEFLIN, Professor of English, DR. WILLIAM RYAN, Professor of English, DR. PAUL NELSON, Professor of Economics, and DR. MARK CLARK, Professor of Music.

“Professor Emeritus is a special distinction reserved for faculty who have made an outstanding professional contribution and have rendered significant academic service to the university,” said Arant.

Faculty Promoted to Professor, Clinical Professor, and Associate Professor

Arant then introduced faculty promoted to professor ( DR. WENDY BAILES, DR. OSCAR GARZA, DR. ALEXIS HORACE, DR. CLIFFORD TRESNER, AND DR. SANDRA WATSON), clinical professor (DR. ANTHONY WALKER ), and associate professor ( DR. NEKTARIOS BARABUTIS, DR. CAROLINE CARPENTER, DR. BRYAN DONALD, MS. AUNDREA FOY, DR. JOSHUA GANN, DR. AMY KINCANNON, DR. VICTORIA MILLER, DR. ELIZABETH OLDFATHER, DR. BRENDAN ROWLEY, DR. SAMUEL SHANNON, DR. KENNA VERONEE ). Professors and Associate Professors awarded tenure included BARABUTIS, CARPENTER, DONALD, FOY, GANN, GARZA, MILLER, OLDFATHER,

ROWLEY, SHANNON, VERONEE, WATSON, AND DR. VONNY THORNTON.

The Ken Clow Award for Excellence in Research

The Ken Clow Award for Excellence in Research went to DR. KAREN BRISKI, professor of pharmacology and neuroanatomy. The award is named after the late marketing professor who published multiple books and more than 200 journal articles and proceedings. Dr. Briski’s career has spanned over 40 years. She has worked in the ULM College of Pharmacy since 1999. She has maintained a highly successful independent biomedical research program, which has yielded 167 peer-reviewed publications.

“Dr. Briski is exactly the type of professor that should be honored with this award,” said ULM Chief Research and Innovation Office Dr. John Sutherlin. “Dr. Briski’s involvement with students and teaching abilities have all been enhanced by her research. Yet, the thing I value most with Dr. Briski is her commitment to research integrity and honesty,” continued Sutherlin.

Florencetta Gibson Award for Excellence in Service

DR. JOYCE ZHOU, professor of marketing, won the Florencetta Gibson Award for Excellence in Service. Named after the professor emerita of nursing, the award goes to a faculty

Dr. Karen Briski received the Ken Clow Award for Excellence in Research.
Dr. Joyce Zhou received the Florencetta Gibson Award for Excellence in Service.
photos by Paul Ware

member who is committed to service to the University in ways that positively impact the institution and community as a whole. Dr. Zhou has previously won the Spotlight Award for Commitment to Diversity, Equality, and Service to Community from the ULM Cultural Diversity Council in 2024. She was named Honors Faculty of the Year in 2023 and has served for three years as Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup Faculty Advisor. She also serves on the board of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce.

“Dr. Zhou goes to great lengths to engage in her service work,” said ULM Marketing Program Coordinator Dr. Zachary Moore. “The enthusiasm and passion with which she approaches her service work are genuinely inspiring. She exemplifies taking the university out of its walls and into our community, representing it well,” he added.

Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching

The recipient of the Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching was DR. REBECCA HAMM, associate professor of radiologic technology. Hamm has been teaching at ULM since 2015 and in 2023 won the Outstanding Faculty Award for the School of Allied Health and the Rising Young Alumni Award from the ULM Alumni Association.

“Dr. Hamm’s passion for teaching has resulted in a clear improvement in student success in the Radiologic Technology program,” said Dr. Wendy Bailes, Dean of the ULM College of Health Sciences. “Her work ethic is unmatched, and her knowledge and skill in teaching contribute significantly to the success of the program,” continued Bailes.

Foundation Award for Excellence in Creative and Innovative Works

The Foundation Award for Excellence in Creative and Innovative Works was awarded to DR. SHALANDA STANLEY. Stanley has taught at ULM since 2013 and currently serves as the Associate Director of the School of Education. Stanley has published two novels, Drowning Is Inevitable and Nick and June Were Here, both of which have been adopted by the Louisiana Department of Education to be taught in high school English classrooms across the state.

“Dr. Stanley demonstrates the power of creative and innovative work to impact ULM students, the community, the state, and far beyond,” said Dr. Myra Lovett, Director of the ULM School of Education. “She accomplishes this in the courses she teaches for future educators, in engaging in the fulfilling creative work of writing, and in inspiring the writer in everyone,” added Lovett.

Alma Sewell Award for Service by Unclassified Staff

The Alma Sewell Award for Service by Unclassified Staff went to AHMAAD

SOLMONE, Director of Orientation Programs and Special Events. Named after the staff member who dedicated more than four decades of service to ULM, the award goes to an employee who is an inspiration for their exemplary service, on- or off-campus. Solmone has served in a number of roles in the Office of Recruitment since 2012 and currently oversees the PREP and POP programs for incoming freshmen and their parents, as well as the campus tour program. Solomone also is on the executive committee of the National Orientation Directors Association (NODA.)

“Campus representatives, parents, and high school counselors have contacted me to compliment Ahmaad’s professionalism, patience, and positivity,” said Lisa Miller, ULM Vice President for Enrollment Management and University Relations. “His ability to connect with students and parents of all backgrounds is remarkable,” she added.

Judy Smith Award for Warhawk Spirit

The Judy Smith Award for Warhawk Spirit, named after the late assistant director of the Office of Financial Aid who demonstrated selfless dedication to student fulfillment, was awarded to ERICK BURTON, Senior Enrollment Services Specialist. Burton is a 2021 graduate of ULM who founded the ULM Cultural Diversity Council as a student and currently serves as its co-advisor. In his current role, he works to recruit new students in middleto low-income areas and continues to pour into these students once they become Warhawks.

“Erick has created relationships with school administrators, counselors, teachers, students and parents that will sustain for generations to come,” said Gina White, Director of International Student Services and Multicultural Affairs. “He leads with the mission of the university in every encounter and action that he takes as one of the first faces of ULM,” added White.

Madelaine Lanham Award for Service by Classified Staff

The Madelaine Lanham Award for Service by Classified Staff was awarded to DANIELLE BARTON, Administrative Assistant in the School of Education. Barton has worked in the School of Education since 2022 and previously served as administrative coordinator in the Dental Hygiene program, where she received the “Shining Star” Award in 2022.

“Danielle truly embodies servant leadership, always recognizing and prioritizing the needs of her colleagues, students, and department without prompting,” said Kacie Burns, Director of Teacher Certification and Professional Advancement. “Even on the most difficult of days, Danielle cheers and encourages others with her positive, affirming words and her sunny outlook. She is truly a tremendous asset to the School of Education and the university as a whole,” added Burns.■

Dr. Rebecca Hamm received the Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Dr. Shalanda Stanley received the Foundation Award for Excellence in Creative and Innovative Works.
Danielle Barton received the Madelaine Lanham Award for Service by Classified Staff.
Ahmaad Solmone received the Alma Sewell Award for Service by Unclassified Staff.
Erick Burton received the Judy Smith Award for Warhawk Spirit.

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

1992

Roxanne Smith (BA History, MA History 1995, current Director of Grants & Scholarships for the ULM Foundation, recently served as the Production Manager and Field Producer for the documentary titled Shadows in the Desert: High Strangeness in the Borrego Triangle. The documentary explores oddities in southern California such as Sasquatch sightings, UFO reports, and ghostly tales. Shadows in the Desert is currently streaming nationwide, including Prime Video and Apple TV.

Tami Rolen-Tharp (BA Insurance & Real Estate) is proud to share that she has been named one of the Top 10 Producers for Gulf States at the Gallagher Benefit Services Annual Mid-South Sales Conference for the fourth year in a row. In addition to this exciting news, Tami is honored to serve on Northwestern State University’s School of Business Dean’s Executive Advisory Board.

2004

Jonathan Ambrose (BA Criminal Justice) began working at Mississippi College in 2014, where he served as the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs. Recently, Jonathan accepted the position of Vice President for the Student Experience and Dean of Students.

2005

Adam Ney (BA Mass Communications) is married to fellow Warhawk alum Heather Amision, who also majored in Mass Communications, and they live in Metairie, La. Adam has been working at WWL-TV in New Orleans since January 2006.

He began as a desk assistant, then moved to sports as a producer. He is now the Sport Videographer, covering all things in local sports. He has won numerous awards in his time at WWL-TV and was nominated for an Emmy for his work on a Drew Brees retirement special.

2008

Mario Payne (BS Computer Information Systems) was recognized as a hometown hero by the mayor of Bastrop, La.

2016

Ashley Armstrong (BBA) was featured in a Bayou Life Magazine article titled “Produce for the People,” which highlighted her work as a fourthgeneration farmer. Through her family company, Armstrong Farms, Ashley grows and sells produce in Morehouse Parish.

2020

Brooke Mize (BA Psychology) obtained a Master of Science in Counseling from ULM in May 2024, concentrating in Clinical Mental Health. Throughout her journey in the Counseling program, Brooke maintained a 4.0 GPA and served as the inaugural President of the International Society for Counseling at ULM. While working as a counseling intern at the ULM College of Pharmacy, Brooke was an active participant in numerous professional organizations. She is a member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. She also served as the President of the LACGS division, sat on the Louisiana Counseling Association Executive Board, and served as the

LCCA Webmaster, alongside membership on multiple other divisions of LCA.

2021

Milan Jung Katuwal (BS Construction Management) founded the Nationa Policy Forum in January 2024. The National Policy Forum (NPF) is a platform that aims to inform, educate, and gather opinions on the public affairs of Nepal.

Jeanette Robinson (BA Communication) started a new chapter of life as she and her family relocated to North Carolina, where she has assumed

support the school’s mission and objectives.

2022

Jimena Garbino (BA Communication) is a marketing degree specialist who loves to share her passion about tennis. In February 2024, Jimena had the pleasure of speaking at the International Racquets Conference on “Digital Marketing in the Tennis Industry” at Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, Fla. Over 700 international tennis coaches participated in this amazing event, demonstrating their dedication to enhancing their coaching skills.

the role of Assistant Director of Communications for the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition to being an alumna, Jeanette worked for several years in ULM’s Office of Marketing and Communications. Jeanette says she is excited about this opportunity because it feels like a major milestone in her career journey. She says she has been able to put into action all the knowledge and skills she picked up at ULM through her academic journey and professional experiences. Her work primarily focuses on enhancing the school’s outreach and engagement with students, faculty, and the broader community, ensuring their communications strategies effectively

Asia Wilson (BS Nursing) started her nursing career soon after graduating at Children’s Hospital in Dallas, Texas. Since beginning her work there, Asia has been nominated for the DAISY award for extraordinary nurses three times. This award was created to honor and recognize nurses for their outstanding efforts in providing extraordinary care to patients every day.

2023

Jakobe Byrd (BA Political Science) is currently employed as a teacher with Monroe City Schools and began graduate school in Fall 2024 at LSUShreveport. ■

photos provided by Special Collections & Archives

The Warhawk Athletic Foundation aids in the recruitment, retention, and development of nearly 400 studentathletes who compete in 17 varsity sports at the University of Louisiana Monroe.

Your support provides our student-athletes with the resources neccessary for them to succeed on the eld of play, in the classroom, and in the community.

DECADES OF CONSECUTIVE GIVING

We are incredibly grateful to the following individuals, families, and organizations for helping ULM change lives year after year.

40+ YEARS

Larry Danna

Wade & Sandra Earnheart

Joe & Drew Farr

Larry Joe & Nancy Head

Nancy Briggs Johnson

Tom & Sue Nicholson

Regions Bank

Patsy Rials

Mary Ann Roark

George & Stephanie Schaeffer

Pat & Pam Spencer

Elee & Terri Trichel

John & Karen Wells

30+ YEARS

Jerry Mac Allen

Gaston & Gloria Alvarez

Guy & Loura Barr

Bill & Martha Bobo

Ray Burlet

John & Cindy Cameron

Henry & Ann Cole

Camile Currier

Mike & Carolyn Dolecheck

Bob Edwards

Forth Insurance (formerly Thomas & Farr Agency, Inc.)

Garrett & Garrett CPA's

Mark & Karen Greenlaw

Bruce & Carol Hanks

James Machine Works, LLC

Johnny's Pizza House

KPMG Foundation

Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation

Joellyn & Gary Lewis

Jim & Anne Lockhart

John & Debbie Luffey

Lumen (formerly CenturyLink)

Mary Goss Charities

Bruce & Kathy Matte

Charlie Mc & Kay McDonald

Pat & Ruth McDonald

Scott & Leazel McDonald

Nancy Meinel

Charlie & Donna Miller

Charles Mock

T.J. & Wanda Shuflin

Ruth Smith

Andy & Sharon Snelling

Thomas H. & Mayme P. Scott Foundation

Mike & Sammie Vining

Glen & Jo Ann Williams

Robert Williamson

20+ YEARS

Lou St. Amant

Danny & Toni Bacon

Dix Johnston & Jan Bagwell

Charles & Bitsy Beene

Brett & Kristin Bennett

Ron & Christine Berry

Cathy Brown

Lillian Brown

Peggy Burns

Cameron, Hines & Company

Robert & Traci Canterbury

Stewart & Donna Cathey

Centric Federal Credit Union

Danny & Sandra Collins

Gina Craft

CVS Health Foundation

Bill & Linda Echols

Bob Eisenstadt

Donna Ervin

Elton & Nancy Farrar

First Horizon Bank (formerly Iberia Bank)

Jim & Carole Greenlaw

Scott & Lynn Higginbotham

Holyfield Construction

Evelyn Thompson Johnson

Jerry & Shelley Jones

Bette Kauffman

Glenn & Leslie Kramel

Michael & Blair Lee

Lincoln Builders, Inc.

Mara Loeb

Chip Lyman

Stan & Katherine Maas

J. D. & Jennifer Malone

Frank & Bonnie Maxwell

Dan & Adrienne McKay

Marty & Catherine McKay

Mid South Extrusion, Inc.

Cliff Miller

Lyle & Lisa Miller

Alan & Jonnene Moore

Milton Moore

Tim Morrison

Mark & Rhonda Neal

Paul & Jana Nelson

Origin Bank

Eric & Denise Pani

Randy & Gail Parker

Progressive Bank

Mary Ann Riddle

Robertson Fruit & Produce, Inc.

August & Mary Rocconi

Larry & Rita Stafford

Tag Rome Insurance Agency, Inc.

Randy & Melanie Turner

Bruce & Delora Walker

Joel Waller

Tommy Walpole

Waterfront Grill

Debbie & Randy Wisenor

THE KITTY DEGREE BELL TOWER SOCIETY

The Kitty DeGree Bell Tower Society honor roll is named for the university’s most generous contributor, Dr. Kitty DeGree.

Bell Tower Society members have contributed at least $50,000 to the university and have extraordinary histories of support to ULM. Their names are permanently inscribed on ULM’s “Wall of Honor” located in the ULM Conference Center.

KITTY DEGREE

Investments by the Kitty DeGree Foundation recently established the College of Arts, Education and Sciences (CAES) Dean’s Priorities Fund and the Choral Music Endowment. The CAES Dean’s fund supports an employee professional development series and creates marketing materials for CAES majors explaining each major and potential career fields / employment possibilities. The Choral Music Endowment supports recruitment / retention of choral students to enable hosting, visiting, or traveling musicians, and travel for continuing education and/or sponsoring students at select music events or festivals for which they routinely qualify.

TOWER SOCIETY

$1,000,000 AND ABOVE

Susan Denmon Banowsky & William S. Banowsky, Jr.

Stephen W. & Ernestine M. Brown

Milburn & Nancy Calhoun

CenturyLink

Chase

Coca-Cola Refreshments

Contractors Educational Trust Fund

The Darrell & Mary Calhoun Foundation

Jonathan & Sheila Davies

Kitty DeGree

Dr. Judy H. Diffley

Emy-Lou Biedenharn Foundation

Glenwood Regional Medical Center

The William D. Hoover Family

Ella S. Johnson

Nancy J. Johnston

Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation

Linda & Eric Liew

LA State Licensing Board for Contractors

Chip Lyman

Monroe/West Monroe Convention & Visitors Bureau

John & Billie Smith

Estate of Hanna Spyker

St. Francis Medical Center

Charles Freeman Stamper

Thomas H. & Mayme P. Scott Foundation

Dhu & Mary Ellen Thompson

David & Sharon Turrentine

Lallage F. Wall

BAYOU SOCIETY

$500,000 - $999,999

Bennie & Nelson Abell

Stephanie & Nelson Abell

Buck & Libby Anderson

Guy & Loura Barr

Bruce & Lizabeth Boulware

Capital One Bank

City of Monroe

Bruce & Carol Hanks

Johnny Huntsman & Sharon D. Harrison

Johnny's Pizza House

Carole & Tex Kilpatrick

Kilpatrick Funeral Homes

KNOE TV

Louisiana Board of Pharmacy

Louisiana Department of Insurance

Louisiana Wholesale

Drug Company, Inc.

The Martin Foundation

Mary Goss Charities

Estate of Mildred

Summers Maurer

Bonnie & Frank Maxwell, III

Kay & Hugh McDonald

Patrick & Catherine Mitchell

Lynn and James Moore, Jr.

North Louisiana Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Clinic

The Radio People Regions Bank

The Strauss & Mintz Families

Elsie Webb

Willis-Knighton Health System

OUACHITA SOCIETY

$100,000 - $499,999

Action Moving & Storage, Inc.

ADIDAS

Alltel Corporation

American Business Women's Association

AmSouth Bank

Aramark

Kirby & Susan Arceneaux

Mike & Loretta Ashbrook

AT&T

The Atrium Hotel & Conference Centre

BancorpSouth Bank

Bancroft Bag, Inc.

T. O. Bancroft, Jr.

Tommy & Mary Barham

Carolyn & Harold Bates

Don Beach

Drs. Ron & Christine Berry

Bernard W. Biedenharn

Jack & Debbie Blitch

The Blue Cross Blue Shield

Louisiana Foundation

Larry & Cecille Bradley

Tim & Jolie Brandon

Bob & Donna Brooks

Brookshire Grocery Company

Nick J. & Linda C. Bruno

Guy Campbell, III

Caridad Foundation

Geneve A. Castles

Catfish Cabin of Monroe

Central Management Company

Christopher Youth Center

Clarion Inn & Suites

Justice Marcus R. Clark (Retired)

Comcast Cable

Dr. Joshua L. Comer & Dr. Cheyenne Comer

The Community Foundation of North Louisiana

Como Charitable Foundation est by Luella Snyder

CVS Health Foundation

Lawrence J. Danna

Glen L. Davison

Lev & Anne Dawson

Delta Ridge Implement, Inc.

Dale & Jimmy N. Dimos

Dixie Shell Homes & Self Storage

Jim Doull

Robert. R. & Bobbye Earle

Michael C. Echols

Entergy Services, Inc.

Evans Oil Company, Inc.

Randy & Rosemary Ewing

Drew & Joe Farr

Faulk Collier Moving & Storage

Paul Fink

Charles E. "Chuck" Finley

First National Bank

James Kurt & Irmgard Kahn Fisher

Stephen M. Futrell

John & Tasha Gardner

Geo Surfaces

Bertha Marie Masur Gorn

Betty Caskey Gorsage

Ronny & Judy Graham

Graphic Packing, Inc.

J . D. & Annie Greco

Marsha Dawn Griffin

Frances Hammond

Cayce & Vicky

Hand Family

Davis & Denise Hardy

The Hearn Family

Hertz Rent-A-Car

Hixon Autoplex

Susan & Frank Hoffmann

Joe & Linda Holyfield

The Horrell Family Chris, Erin, Maddie & Gary

Ken & Kathryn Huff

IberiaBank

InterMountain Management

J.W. Wong Knowledge Enrichment Foundation

Suzie Jackson

Joey & Cyd Jacobs

James Machine Works, Inc.

Jim Taylor Chevrolet

Evelyn & Jeff Johnson

Dan R. Johnston

Jody & Bishop Johnston

Sissie & Gary Jones

JPS Equipment & JPS Aviation

Kathryn Huff Insurance Agency

Loucille G. Kinsey

Sally Liew & Kevin Koh

KTVE Channel 10 & KARD Fox 14

Lamar Advertising

Land 3 Architect

Jay & Teri Lewis

Lynn & Gail Lincecum

Lincoln Builders, Inc.

Linda Noe Laine Foundation

William T. & Kandy A. Little

Louisiana Associated General Contractors

Louisiana Cancer Foundation

Louisiana Lottery Corporation

Louisiana Pain Care

Louisiana Independent Pharmacies Association - LIPA

Gary & Jan Luffey

George & Jane Luffey

John & Debbie Luffey

John & Rosemary Luffey

Marsala Beverage, Inc.

Fred A. & Lillian Marx

Duke & Liesha McHugh

Marty & Catherine McKay

Estate of Lewis

Marvin McKneely

Mid South Extrusion

Mark & Janet Mitchell

James & Dot Mock

Monroe Athletic Club

Brian & Maxine

Laird Moreau

Morris & Dickson Company, LLC

Randy Morris

Shawn D. & Donna

Kay Murphy

Rhonda Wray & Mark J. Neal

Newcomer, Morris, & Young, Inc.

The News-Star

Noe Corporation, LLC

Freddy & Reba Nolan Novartis

Scott & Livvy Nunnelee

OEDC Land Corporation

Dr. Paxton & Nelda Oliver

ONB Educational Trust Fund

Origin Bank

Doug & Glenda Gates Otten

Ouachita Independent Bank

Ouachita Parish Chapter of the ULM Alumni Association

Ouachita Parish Women's Republican Club

P & S Surgical Hospital

Panel Truss Texas

The Doug Pederson Family

Teddy & Susan Price

Progressive Bank

Raising Cane's

Adele W. Ransom

Johnny & Carleen Reeves

Merlin Reiser

Ken & Mary Parnell Renwick

Jim & Debbie Rivers

Robertson Produce, Inc.

Larry & Ann Robinson

Lawrence I. & Ann G. Robinson

Mary Jo & B. J. Robison

Tag Rome

Ronnie Ward

Toyota of Ruston

The Sol Rosenberg Family

Ryan Auto Group

Salvador Scaccia

Scott Powerline & Utility Equipment

Shackelford

The Phillip R.

Smith Family

Southern Pines f/k/a

Calvert Crossing & Pine Hills

Sparks Nissan Kia

Marilyn & Lou St. Amant

St. Francis North

Hospital Auxiliary

Lance & Tammy

Jarrell Stanfill

Stangier Wealth Management

The Stapleton Family

State Farm Insurance Companies

Steel Fabricators of Monroe, LLC

Stewart, Donna, Stewart Jr., & Erich Cathey

Lenora Francois Stewart & David W. Stewart

Lawson & Sharon

Swearingen

Estate of James S. Taunton

TBA Studio

The Toggery/Her Toggery

Tom Scott, Jr.

Scholarship Foundation

Joey & Holly Trappey

Elee & Terri Trichel

Harold & Helen Turner

ULM Bookstore

Vantage Health Plan, Inc.

Van-Trow Toyota

VCOM - Louisiana

Walgreens

George Thomas &

Mary Ellen Walker

Ronnie & Sharon Ward

Katherine & Jerry Warner

Waste Management

Waterfront Grill

Julie & Dewey Weaver

Doug & Shannon Wells

John & Karen Wells

West Carroll Health System

Lawrence I. &

Glenda S. White

Clark & Mary

Kathryn Williams

Harry & Mary

Lou Winters

John W. & Shiangling

L. Wong

Michael H. Woods

Workforce Development Board 83

Carol L. Young

Ray & Dorothy Young & Family

CORNERSTONE

SOCIETY

$50,000 - $99,999

American Medical Response

American Petroleum Institute

AmWins Group, Inc.

Yvonne & Kent

Anderson

Dr. Judy Fellows

& Tony Arpino

AT&T Wireless

Joe & Sandra Banks

Barnes & Noble College

ULM Bookstore

Biedenharn Foundation

Kathy & Murray

Biedenharn

Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of Louisiana

Bill & Scarlett Boles

Catherine & William R. "Billy" Boles

Shirley Boyce

Nolton & Lanell Causey

Steven & LeAnn Boyd

Ed & Mary Brayton

Lillian Inzina Brown

Shirley Buchanan

Busch Media Group

Ron & Liz Bush

Linda & George

Campbell

Robert & Traci

Canterbury

Central Oil & Supply Corp.

Ryan & Susan Chappell

Mike & Kim Clement

Dr. Henry S. & Ann Cole

Bob & Tracie Coons

Cooper Buick, Pontiac, GMC, Inc.

Cross Keys Bank

William F. Crowder

Ray L. Crowell

Camile W. Currier

Ed & Betty Davis

Thomas D. & Attie W. Day

V. Gerald & Gretchen Dean

Professor Shane Desselle

The Dial Family Foundation

Richard & Cheryle Dickenson

Basil & Gail Doles

David Doles

Bart & Kay Dornier

Downtown Monroe Lions Club

Eckerd Corporation Foundation

Ecoutez Press Ltd.

Michelle Egan

ESPN

R. Stewart Ewing, Jr.

Fiesta Nutrition Center, Inc.

Frenchmen's Bend

Golf & Health Club

GlaxoSmithKline

Estate of Gertie

M. Allen Green

Guide Corporation

Rusty & Lisa Haile

Billy & Earlene Hannah

Tim R. & Wanda

Holcomb

Ken & Carol Holland

Estate of Ernest Duncan Holloway

Home Builders

Association of Northeast Louisiana HomesPlus

Dr. Janet L. HoodHanchey, PhD

The Horrell Family Chris, Erin, Maddie & Gary

Judy & Francis Huffman

Peter & Nancy Illing

Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Louisiana

Indian Aquatic Club

Interstate Automotive Group

John & Susan Jackson

KAQY TV

R. Britton Katz

Anne & Elton Kennedy

W. Elton Kennedy Foundation

Scott & Wendy Kreps

La Capitol Federal Credit Union

Billy & Florinell Laird

Ivan R. & Patricia

A. Landry

Estate of Louise Briley Leake

Lee Edwards Mazda

Violet Little Liner

The Links at Muny, LLC

Louisiana Charities Trust

Louisiana Machinery, Inc.

Louisiana Real Estate Commission

Louisiana Tom's Vending

Luv N' Care

Harvey Marcus, Sr.

Bobbie & Tommy

Matthieu

Scott & Leazel

McDonald

McDonald's

Michael & Catherine McKay

Nonie & Billy McKie

C. Brad & Shannon

Moncrief

Moore Oil Company, Inc.

Vivian Jircik Muckleroy

Northeast Louisiana Arts Council

Northwest Louisiana Chapter of the ULM Alumni Association

Kurt & Sandy Oestriecher

OPUS Broadcasting

Keith Ouchley

Outback Steakhouse

Overton Brooks VA Medical Center

Dr. Eric & Denise Pani

Van & Ann Pardue

Dr. Thomas I. Parks

Jeanne R. & John H. Pere

John & Cyndy Perry

Bill & Kathy Pippin

Blake & Juanita Pitre

Darren & Nancy Rak

Richland State Bank

Rig Site Rental, LP

Dan & Hope Robertson

Cindy & Dennis Rogers

Kyle W. Russell

George & Stephanie Schaeffer

Elizabeth Ann Shaw

T.J. & Wanda W. Shuflin

Sara L. Simmonds

Simmons Sporting Goods

Estate of John H. Smith, III

St. Francis Medical Center Auxiliary

St. Francis North Hospital

Stagg Cattle Company

Steel Fabricators of Monroe

TEXO

James A. Thom, III

Thomas & Farr Agency, Inc.

Tom & Katie Torregrossa

Robert B. & Susan L. Toups

Randy & Melanie Turner

Twin City Mayors' Committee on Disabilities

TXI Texas Industries

Doll & Ken Vines

Wal-Mart Foundation

Clyde R. & Patricia H. White

Sidney R. Wilhite

Kenneth & Anne Wilson

Wimbledon Health Partners

Daniel & Trudi Wood

Kevin & Nita Woods

Jackie & Ellen Yeldell

E. Orum Young

Your Local Dodge Dealers

The Matson Family Foundation

Charles H. & Kay

McDonald

Scott Truck & Scott Idealease

Ray & Melba Scurlock

John F. & Lucy

Aeneas Williams

Dealerships

Jim & Louise Altick

Farmers Grain Terminal, Inc.

FedEx Express

Ronnie & Cathy Myrick

Kathleen Calhoun

Nettleton

Tom & Sue Nicholson

THE GEORGE T. WALKER HERITAGE SOCIETY

The George T. Walker Heritage Society honors those generous donors who have included the university as a beneficiary in their wills or have made other planned estate gifts such as charitable gift annuities, life insurance policies, and charitable trusts. Dr. Walker, the university’s president from 1958-1976, is one of the individuals most responsible for the growth of this outstanding institution of higher learning. To learn more about the advantages of charitable estate planning, visit gifts.ulm.edu

Buck and Libby Anderson

Thomas O. Bancroft*

Guy and Loura Barr

Florence J. Blackstock*

Jack and Debbie* Blitch

Scherck Bogen*

Larry* and Cecille Bradley

Stephen* and Ernestine Brown

Carl* and Kaye Cloessner

Toni Coble*

Curtis and Laurinda Crenshaw

Ray Crowell

Dr. Lawrence J. Danna

Thomas* and Attie Day

Kitty DeGree*

Dr. Judy High Diffley

Jimmy* and Dale Dimos

Michael Echols

Douglas and Kristy Farr

James Kurt* and Irmgard Kahn* Fisher

Billy and Patti Gammel

Charlotte Diane Gilbert*

Mark Randall Gilley

Maurice L. Gold*

Ronald and Judith Graham

J.D. and Annie Greco

Marsha D. Griffin*

Frances D. Hammond*

Ressa* and Joe Harris*

Terry Michael Hays

Ernest Duncan Holloway*

John E. Huntsman* and Sharon D. Harrison

Suzzon Jackson*

John James

Nancy Johnston

Dan Johnston*

Britton Katz

Tex* and Carole Kilpatrick

William “Billy”* and Florinell Laird

Paul and Carolyn Lasseigne

Louise Briley Leake*

Betty Ley

Violet Liner*

Chip Lyman

Marjorie Malone*

Mildred Mauer*

Claxton and Caroline Mayo

Charles “Charlie Mc” and Kay McDonald

Hugh and Kay McDonald

Lewis Marvin McKneely*

James* and Dorothy* Mock

Shawn and Donna Murphy

Kathleen Nettleton*

Thomas I. Parks

Adele Ransom*

Lawrence and Ann Robinson

Tag Rome

Rodger Ross

Linda and Paul Sabin

Elizabeth Ann Shaw*

Brenda Hensley Smith

John and Billie* Smith

John H. Smith, III*

Hanna Spyker*

Charles Freeman Stamper*

Lawson and Sharon Swearingen

James Taunton*

Elee Trichel

George T.* and Mary Ellen* Walker

Jerry and Katherine Warner

Elsie Webb*

James Yeldell*

IN MEMORIAM

In retirement, Walker remained among ULM’s civic boosters and was a familiar face at Louisiana Monroe Warhawks football games and other university events.

Walker authored numerous academic and professional journal articles as well as several books on accounting and business education. Of his five copyrighted books, two were written during his retirement, The Building of a University (1991), which examines the early years of ULM, and the biographical Emy-Lou Biedenharn: Her Life and Legacy (1999).

Emy-Lou Biedenharn was a world-renowned contralto from Monroe and the daughter of Joseph A. Biedenharn, the first bottler of Coca-Cola.

In 1938, Walker married the former Mary Ellen Neal (1911–2002), his college sweetheart. They had a son, George T. Walker, Jr., of Monroe and a daughter, Ellen Claire Stephenson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Walker died of a lengthy illness at the age of ninety-eight. In addition to his children, Walker was survived by five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

In 1997, the Louisiana Board of Regents awarded Walker its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for his ongoing dedication to higher education. He is also honored by the Mary Ellen and George Thomas Walker Scholarship Endowment through the ULM Foundation.

THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE ASSOCIATES

The following individuals and organizations deserve special recognition for their leadership support as University Associates. From January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023, these Associates invested $1,000 and above to the following affiliate non-profit organizations: the ULM Foundation, the ULM Athletic Foundation, the ULM Alumni Association, and KEDM Public Radio. Our University Associates provide the majority of private support annually... we honor and thank you!

BUSINESS ASSOCIATES

101 Properties, LLC

3B Outdoor Equipment, Inc.

A & M Real Estate, LLC

Able Electric Services, Inc.

AG Properties of Monroe, LLC

Alli Management Solutions

Amerigroup Corporation

AmWins Group, Inc.

Anderson Community Development Foundation

Architecture + Argent Advisors Leasing Services, LLC

Argent Financial Group, Inc.

Arkansas Capital Corporation

AT&T Foundation

AT&T Louisiana

Atomic Ink

Audit Litigation Training & Efficiency Cons., Inc.

Aulds, Duchesne, & Griggs, LLC

Bank of Oak Ridge

Barnes & Noble College

Booksellers, LLC

Bart Dornier Insurance Agency, Inc.

Battlefield Discount Drugs

Bayou Park Apartments

Ben Nelson Golf & Outdoor

Better Store It of Mansfield, LLC

Big Shot Bob Enterprise, LLC

Biomedical Research

& Innovation Park

Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation

BNH, LLC

Boles Shafto & Leonard, LLC

Booth Wealth Management, LLC

Bordeau Plumbing, Inc.

Border Olympics, Inc.

BRF Building our Region's Future

Brown & Lee Realty, LLC

Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts

Burns & Wilcox

C&C Drugs, Inc.

Cadence Bank

Cameron Murray & Associates

Cameron, Hines & Company

Campco of Monroe, Inc.

Cane River Auto Ventures, LLC

Captain Avery's Restaurant

Care Solutions, Inc.

Caridad Foundation

Carousel Recreation Centers, Inc. Bayou Bowl

Catahoula's of Monroe, LLC

CDI Contractors, LLC

Central Oil & Supply Corporation

Centric Federal Credit Union

Century Next Bank

Charitable Adult Rides & Services, Inc.

CHC Partnership, LLP

Citizens Progressive Bank

City of West Monroe

Committee to Elect Frank Hoffmann

Committee to Elect Marcus R. Clark

Community Certified Development Corporation

Como Charitable Foundation, Inc.

Complete Service Company

Creighton Enterprises, LLC

Crossland Construction Company, Inc.

Cummins Company, LLC

CVS Health Foundation

Dadd Management Co., Inc.

Danken Trail BBQ

Daren Moody Insurance Agency, Inc.

Delta Healthcare Management, LLC

Discover-Monroe West Monroe

Downtown Art Alliance

Dr. Justin E Tarver, DDS

Drive-In Drug Store, LLC

Drum Corps International

E. W. Thomson Drug Company, Inc.

Eddie Neitz Insurance Agency, Inc.

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM)

Entergy Services, Inc.

Enterprise Holdings Foundation

Equipmentshare.com, Inc.

Estate of John D. Bernhardt

Evans Oil Company, Inc.

Fabulous Fabric

Farmers Grain Terminal, Inc.

Faulk & Foster Real Estate

Federico Baseball Camp, LLC

Fieldhouse Sports Grill

First Horizon Bank (formerly Iberia Bank)

First South Farm Credit

Fleet Feet

FMOL Health System

Fontel Foundation

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University

Franklin Medical Center

Friends of Black Bayou, Inc.

Gentry Construction, Inc.

Gladney Energy Partners

Godchosethem Nonprofit Foundation, Inc.

Greenqube

Gretchen Stangier, Inc.

Hand Construction, LLC

Harper Family Foundation

Hillcrest Properties, LLC

Holland Broadcasting

Holyfield Construction

Holyfield Family Foundation

Homeland Federal Savings Bank

Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Louisiana

Inspections Unlimited

J. E. Dupuy Flooring & Acoustical, Inc.

J. Hardy Gordon, M.D., LLC

J.A. Directional, LLC

James Machine Works, LLC

Janise Mcmillon Insurance

Jay Russell Campaign

JBJ Foundation, Inc.

Jean and Saul A. Mintz Foundation

Jim Taylor Buick GMC

John C Laird A Professional Law Corporation

John Rea Realty

Johnny's Pizza House

Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies Matching Gifts Program

KCB Properties, Inc.

KEDM

Keith Babb & Associates, Inc.

Kennedy Rice Dryers, LLC

Kepper Dirt & Rental

Kilpatrick Funeral Homes

Kimpa Hayes Boyd, CPA, LLC

Kitty DeGree Foundation

KMK Properties, LLC

KNOE TV

KTVE-Channel 10 & KARD - Fox 14

LA Construction Group, LLC

LA State Licensing Board for Contractors

LA Video Bingo

Land 3 Architect

Law Offices of Russell A. Woodard & Monique Babin Clement

Learfield Communications, Inc.

Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation

Little & Associates, LLC

Louisiana Board of Pharmacy

Louisiana Board of Regents

Louisiana Independent Pharmacies Association, Inc. LIPA

Louisiana National Bank

Louisiana Plastic Industries, Inc.

Louisiana Wholesale Drug Company, Inc.

Lousiana Bancshares, Inc.

Lumen

Mabile's Corner Pharmacy

Marcus Properties

Marion State Bank

Marsala Beverage, Inc.

Mary Goss Charities

MasterCraft Boat Company

McKay Consulting

Meredith Dental, LLC

Mid South Extrusion, Inc.

Mildred Summers Maurer

Testamentary Trust

Mitchiner-Gittinger

Family Foundation

Mixon, Carroll & Frazier,PLLC

Monroe Chamber of Commerce

Monroe Housing Authority

Morehouse Community Medical Centers, Inc.

Morehouse Economic

Development Corp

Morehouse General Hospital

Nabholz Charitable Foundation

National Public Radio, Inc. (NPR)

NE Delta Human Services Authority

Newman, Oliveaux, & Magee, LLP

Noe Asset Management, LLC

Northeast Louisiana Arts Council

Northminster Church

Omega Diagnostics, LLC

Origin Bank

Parkwood West Properties, LLC

Peregrine Corporation

Pinnacle Family Health

Poverty Point Heritage Site

Progressive Bank

R2 Rentals, LLC

Raising Cane's

Raymond Enterprises of Louisiana, LLC

Recland Realty, LLC

Regions Bank

Robertson Fruit & Produce, Inc.

Ron Bush Insurance Agency, Inc.

Schmidt & Associates, PC

Scott Powerline & Utility Equipment

Serenity Care Providers

Shell Chiropractic, LLC

Silas Simmons

Specialty Management Services of Ouachita, LLC (SMSO)

St. Francis Medical Center

Star Silica, LLC

Steward Health Care

Stonebridge Managment, Inc.

Stonebridge Properties, LTX

T Squared Properties, LLC

Tag Rome Insurance Agency, Inc.

TBA Studio Architecture

The Architecture Alliance Group, LLC

The Carpenter Health Network

The Cubhouse Early Learning & Afterschool Care Centers, LLC

The Louisiana Cancer Foundation

The Martin Foundation

THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE ASSOCIATES

The Platter, LLC

The Radio People

The Woman's Clinic

Thomas H. & Mayme

P. Scott Foundation

Thrift Town Healthmart, LLC

Togetherwork Holdings, LLC

Tom Scott, Jr. Foundation

Towne Pharmacy, LLC

TPA Investment, LLC

ULM School of Construction IAC, Inc.

Union Parish ULM

Booster Club

Van-Trow Toyota

Vines Capital Management, LLC

Vista Construction Group, LLC

Walgreens

Waterfront Grill

Wellstar Health System

West Monroe Civitans Club

West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce

Williamson Consulting Group, LLC

Workforce Development Board 83

PERSONAL ASSOCIATES

Michael R. Adams

Troy Adams

William J. Adcox

Jo Ann Alley

Harold G. Anderson

Sidney S. Anderson

Jeffrey V. Anzalone

Jeffry Armstrong

Gary M. Aucoin

Ashley R. Aulds

Bart Babineaux

Toni L. Bacon

Allison J. Bailey

Thomas L. Baker

Angel Bantle

Carl M. Bantle

Andrew N. Barber

Guy Barr

Paula K. Belle

Christine T. Berry

Ron L. Berry

Fredrick M. Biedenharn

John C. Blitch

Mark Booth

Barry J. Boudreaux

Billy B. Boughton

Raymond A. Boutte'

Edward M. Brayton

Julie C. Breithaupt

Stephen Brierre

Jane P. Brown

Lillian I. Brown

Nathaniel Brown

Wilson C. Browning

Terry D. Buck

Brenda B. Burns

Ronald D. Bush

Gregory R. Cain

Joy Caissie

Louis M. Caldwell

Michael A. Camille

Guy Campbell

Robert E. Canterbury

Stewart A. Cathey

Stewart Causey

Sandra B. Chappell

Susan M. Chappell

William Cheek

Candace E. Chelette

Walter S. Chester

Brody D. Clark

Dellie H. Clark

Paul B. Coburn

Henry S. Cole

Don T. Conlee

Robert W. Coons

Glen M. Corbin

G. A. Cossey

Michael L. Cossey

Jeffrey R. Counts

Perry Cox

Charles D. Craft

Gina C. Craft

R. T. Culp

Betty S. Cummins

Anne Currie

James J. Cuthbert

Lawrence J. Danna

Ronnie Darden

Jonathan J. Davies

William G. Davies

Allison L. Davis

Dorral P. Davis

Eric Davis

Michael J. Davis

W. E. Davis

Glen L. Davison

Gretchen Dean

Marvin L. Dearman

Martin J. Degravelle

Sidney L. Denny

Gareld E. DeWitt

Donald R. Dickson

Judy H. Diffley

Brenda B. Dudley

Mary D. Dunnell

Errol A. Duplantis

Janet S. Durden

Jolaine S. Edwards

Mary A. Edwards

Robert R. Edwards

Karen S. Embanato

Ethan C. Estis

R S. Ewing

Stacie Farley-Pierson

Douglas T. Farr

Joseph P. Farr

Paul T. Farr

Elton R. Farrar

Judy A. Fellows

Amber Fichtner

Valerie S. Fields

Therese Filhiol

Ernest D. Finch

Morgan T. Flemister

Ashley Fletcher

Teri G. Fontenot

Allison C. FranzenCamacho

Lori French

Katherine P. Fry

Stephen M. Futrell

Steven D. Futrell

Rachel D. Genusa

Carla Denise B. Gilbert

John C. Goodman

Hardy Gordon

William D. Gordon

Gordon G. Grant

Cynthia L. Gray

Alberta B. Green

Larry R. Green

Stefan Green

Timothy J. Green

Mark A. Greenlaw

Scott G. Greenwood

Frances W. Gregory

John M. Guice

Steven C. Gullatt

Karen Haggard

Raymond E. Haik

Lisa B. Haile

Seth Hamby

Shelley G. Hamilton

Henry Hamner

William B. Hanks

Wallace R. Hardy

John H. Hartwell

G. Michael Harvey

Alexander K. Hayward

Larry J. Head

Janis P. Hearn

Charles W. Herold

Leigh Hersey

Fred Hill

Sha Hill

Katelyn J. Hogan

Sabrina Hogan

Kenneth W. Holubec

Christopher D. Holyfield

Joe Holyfield

Linda Holyfield

Leo B. Honeycutt

Christopher M. Horrell

Larry J. Humble

Paul E. Hutcheson

Charles E. Jackson

John C. Jackson

Joseph D. Jacobs

Anthony D. Jacola

Kerri M. James

Robert James

Taylor B. Jamison

David R. Johnson

Greg E. Kahmann

Michelle M. Keeley

Paul J. Keliher

Elton Kennedy

Carole E. Kilpatrick

Paul S. Knecht

Melton E. Knotts

Wendy B. Kreps

Albert J. Ku

Tom Kubik

Danny L. Kyle

Anita W. Lafontaine

Catherine E. LaGrange

John C. Laird

Anthony P. LaMarca

Rebecca L. LaRochelle

Jeffrey S. Laudenheimer

Lesa W. Lawrence

Charles Lee

Ronald W. Lee

Phillip M. Lester

Jay A. Lewis

Jake Lilly

James T. Lockhart

Bradley D. Lodgen

Samuel J. Lorenzo

John L. Luffey

Joseph W. Lyman

Lisa B. Magee

Deborah T. Mahan

Shawn M. Manor

Harvey Marcus

Charles V. Marsala

Robert D. Marx

Raymond F. Masling

Sharee T. McConnell

William G. McCown

K. S. McCoy

Jay McCready

Charles H. McDonald

Hugh G. McDonald

Scott McDonald

Stephen S. McDowell

Patricia McGraw

Ann B. McIntyre

Marty R. McKay

Jeremiah W. McMorris

Mark M. Meredith

Richard C. Meredith

Robert E. Meyer

Brady A. Middleton

Leon S. Miletello

Lisa F. Miller

Lyle Miller

Robert G. Miller

Thomas L. Miller

Mark L. Mitchell

Patrick T. Mitchell

Darin M. Montgomery

L. Moore

D. M. Moore

James W. Moore, Jr.

James W. Moore, III

Tim C. Morrison

Jeffrey Mouk

Wally F. Mulhearn

Bret B. Munson

Adi Muranovic

Shawn D. Murphy

Tom W. Murphy

Billy Myers

F. R. Myrick

Soheir R. Nawas

Mark J. Neal

Susan B. Newsome

Shannon D. Newton

Mason J. Nichols

Thomas J. Nicholson

Stephen A. North

Julie C. O'Brien

Richard M. O'Donovan

Teri B. O'Neal

Angela K. O'Pry

Kurt G. Oestriecher

Meghan B. Olinger

Michael A. Page

Cyd S. Page Jacobs

Denise A. Pani

Eric A. Pani

Van E. Pardue

Chad Parker

Jeremy A. Parker

Todd Perry

Donald W. Philley

Markey W. Pierre

Nancy B. Pierron

Victor Pisano

Blake P. Pitre

Buell D. Polk

John M. Pratte

Alice F. Prophit

Paul A. Puccioni

Nick Pugh

Timothy D. Quinn

Darren C. Rak

Larry Rambin

Charles L. Ray

William D. Raymond

Johnny L. Reeves

Merlin Reiser

Jon Rene

Cody W. Rials

Keith G. Richard

James T. Rightsell

Jean Risinger

Craig C. Robertson

Roger J. Robison

August T. Rocconi

James R. Rogers

Kris Rogers

Alison M. Rome

Anthony N. Rome

Karen U. Rouda

Violet M. Roussel

Karin N. Ryan

Linda E. Sabin

Laurel A. Sampognaro

Matthew D. Sanderson

Michael Savoy

George H. Schaeffer

Neisy Schulte

Stephen K. Seale

Robert L. Seegers

Phillip A. Shaw

Ben Sheets

Scott A. Shelby

Billy Shipley

T. J. Shuflin

Joyce R. Sims

Erin S. Smiley

Kevin T. Smith

Nathan G. Smith

Thomas A. Snelling

Roger Spears

Polly Spence

Louis J. St. Amant

C. E. Stagg

Jayne Stagg

Gary E. Stanley

Robert S. Tew

Kendall S. Thamm

Tamara R. Tharp

Joshua L. Thomas

Dhu C. Thompson

Mary E. Thompson

Waymon D. Tigrett

David E. Tisdale

Tom & Katie T. Torregrossa

Jaclyn Traina

Elee Trichel

Douglas R. Turner

David W. Turrentine

Ruth Ulrich

Ken A. Upshaw

Peggy G. Van

John P. VanVeckhoven

Steven Venters

Melvin N. Vidrine

Michael E. Vining

Paul E. Von Diezelski

Teresa W. Von Diezelski

Michael H. Walker

Brenda C. Wall

William Wall

Michael A. Walsworth

William B. Watson

Ralph M. Webb

Peter G. Weilbaecher

Douglas R. Wells

John S. Wells

Mark K. White

Diane E. Wilfong

Glen L. Williams

Maggie Willis

Kenneth W. Wilson

John D. Winchester

John C. Windham

Fritz L. Winke

James Wodach

Jerry P. Wood

E. Orum Young

Rachelle Zenzen

Lisa Zugschwerdt

Marc Dill

Terry Bowden

Harry Boyd

Steven T. Boyd

Jack C. Bradberry

Bryan J. Donald

Clifton J. Donald

Marguerite T. Dozier

Otis R. Drew

Rene J. Hebert

Renee J. Hebert

Cathi J. Hemed

William C. Henry

Ronald A. Mason

Michael Masur

Penny S. Masur

Frank E. Maxwell

Jonathan S. Parker

John S. Patrick

Shawn G. Patrick

Douglas I. Pederson

Harvey Perry

David W. Stewart

Leah D. Sumrall

DeRon L. Talley

Edward B. Taylor

Steve Taylor

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

PRESIDENT

Maggie Sims Generoso (BS ’09, ME ’13)

PRESIDENT–ADMINISTRATION

Renée Hebert (BS ’98, MS ’00)

VICE PRESIDENT–OPERATIONS

Lacy Durham (BBA ’01)

VICE PRESIDENT–FINANCE

David R. Smith (BGS ’82)

SECRETARY–PARLIAMENTARIAN

K. Shawn McCoy (BA ’85, MBA ’87)

PAST-PRESIDENT

Joseph Beard (BS ’09)

VICE PRESIDENTS AT-LARGE

DeAndre Alexander (BGS ’08)

Erick Burton (BBA ’21)

Dr. Brian Bush (BA ’06, ME ’13)

Josh Carroll (BA ’08)

Bryan Creekmore (BS ’09, ME ’11)

DeJaneiro Davis(BBA ’99, MAT ’13, ME ’18)

Ernest Finch (BBA ’09)

Kandice Nicole Hunter (BS ’09, BSN ’13, MSN-AGPCNP ’19)

Nicholas LeBas (BS Pharmacy ’97)

Dr. Toni Lowe Fisher ( BS ’00)

Kim Lowery (BS ’06)

Justin Mailhes (BBA ’13)

Levi McKelpin (BS ’85)

Nirali Patel (BA ’18, MPA ’20)

D‘Mario Payne (BS ’08)

Lynnel Ruckert (BA ’92)

RETIREMENTS

MARCH 2023

Lena T. Beutner

JULY 2023

Linda E. Jackson

William D. Lewis

AUGUST 2023

John F. Anderson

Deborah K. DeNardin

David Hale

Wendel A. Ray

SEPTEMBER 2023

Bruce E. Autonberry

Steven J. Hollis

Stephanie A. Ragland

Henry A. Rainwater

Kelly W. Thibodeaux

OCTOBER 2023

Brenda B. Brown

Marilyn M. Crow

Rose M. McConkey

Clifton E. McManus

NOVEMBER 2023

Debbie Warner

DECEMBER 2023

Mark R. Clark

Jack R. Heflin

William M. Ryan

Kathie O. Smart

JANUARY 2024

Edward K. Alford

Edward M. Brayton

Curvie Crow

Mark Fontenot

Jane L. Hayes

Alvin L. Hodge

Matthew H. James

Pamela S. Jackson

Sandra S. Jones

Paul S. Nelson

Joni K. Noble

Debra R. Wisenor

MARCH 2024

Steven L. Martin

APRIL 2024

Timothy J. Baldwin

Everett T. Duncan

MAY 2024

Suzanne M. Seeber

JUNE 2024

Judy A. Fellows

JULY 2024

Gladys K. Rogers

Alisha D. Wright

AUGUST 2024

Thomas J. DeNardin

IN MEMORIAM

Rodney O. Albritton

Karen B. Alford

Ellis T. Allen

Freddy W.

Armstrong

Clyde H. Arnold

Henry H. Arthur

Leta B. Autrey

Carol M. Bacle

Frankie A. Baker

David M. Banister

Donald R. Bartley

Betty A. Bashrum

Charles D. Bearden

Neely L. Biggs

Rita S. Blanchard

Carol S. Bonner

Robert L. Boughton

Randolph E. Bowles

Dixon H. Boyd

Tommy N. Brackman

Jackie L. Brantly

Sammy Brewster

Henry W. Bridges

Richard G. Brown

Andrew T. Bryan

Edwin R. Bryan

Bobbie L. Buck

Patricia M. Buck

George N. Cagle

Sarah J. Calvert

David B. Canal

Virgie M. Carlisle

Edward M. Carmouche

Michael W. Carroll

Edward L. Chaney

David H. Chapman

Sandra F. Clark

Carl B. Cloessner

Catherine O. Cobb

Jeanette O. Cook

Bertha Cooper

Margaret A.

Copeland

Donald C. Corbin

Linda R. Cote

Miriam G. Counts

Danny J. Creel

Winfred W. Crenshaw

Judy J. Cummings

Patrissia A. Cupit

Karen A. Danna

Vincent F. Danna

Chapman F. Davis

Denise F. Delony

Donald L. Derrickson

Phoebe M. Detor

Alden L. Dewitt

John C. Dubus

Niccole A. Duos

Brewster

Jimmie F. Earle

Judy B. Edington

Lea D. Floyd

Richard E. Foshee

Saundra L. Franklin

Helen S. Frost

Annie M. Fudge

Melanie B. Furlough

J. A. Gallagher

Ann Cline Galloway

Nellie Gardner

Matthew D. Garrett

Billie E. Gaston

William L. Geissler

Charles G. Germany

Kevin G. Glidewell

Neal H. Godwin

Clarence B. Goodreau

Thomas D. Gray

Cynthia L. Green

Vicki L. Green

Leonard J. Greene

James M. Gregory

Opie C. Grenn

Marcus B. Griggs

Jennifer O. Grigson

Ophelia A. Guice

Jane A. Guidry

Donald R. Gwin

Faye O. Haddox

Janice V. Haggard

Donald R. Hale

Elmo H. Hale

Susan G. Hall

Rita Halley

Jesse L. Hanchey

Steven A. Hansen

Ann M. Hargon

Thomas B. Hargrove

Curtis A. Harris

Carolyn S. Hays

Marilyn R. Hemler

Israel Hernandez

John H. Herren

Mary M. Heuer

Mary W. Hicks

Fannie M. Holland

George R. Hopkins

Thomas R. Horcher

Frances M. Hosea

Gary L. Huckabay

James D. Hudson

Frederick W. Huenefeld

James W. Huggins

Patricia Hughes

William T. Hunt

Kim C. Hurlburt

Trudie B. Jackson

Stephen JeffersonA.

Betty R. Jeffress

Jerry L. Johnson

David L. Johnston

Rebecca A. Joiner

John D. Kennedy

Richard S. Kenney

Curtis K. Kilpatrick

Fay B. Kitchens

Clarice S. Koontz

Leo H. Kordsmeier

Anita Larose

Stephen W. Laws

Tori P. Leblanc

Tommie A. Lee

Doris P. Lewter

William B. Liles

Michael E. Lohan

Jasper J. Lovoi

Joyce L. Lowery

Barbara Maley

James E. McBride

Charles R. McCullen

Embra McDade

Charles R. McDonald

Kenneth E. McDonald

Joyce McDowell

Mary P. McIntyre

Robin W. Medaries

Lynn Mercer

Steve P. Michel

Donald L. Middleton

Louis L. Minsky

Nona Mock

Emmitt A. Moore

Rita G. Morris

Tammy P. Mulhearn

Thomas R. Ngar

Connie Nixon

Paul A. Nugent

Margaret S. Oatley

Allyson A. Parker

Melba F. Parker

Robin D. Passman

John T. Patrick

Sue H. Porter

Harlan L. Prestridge

Thomas F. Pritchard

Vincent C. Purpera

Debra L. Quillman

Steve C. Rader

David R. Reed

Travis W. Richards

Loretta R. Rivers

Eugene RobinsonC.

Kathie F. Robinson

Phyllis C. Robinson

Arthur R. Rock

Gary W. Rollans

Theresa M. Ross

Phillip R. Rugg

Jack Rutledge

Mary C. Rychart

J. L. Sanders

David P. Sandlin

Georgia L. Savoie

Don R. Senn

Sidney R. Smith

Virginia V. Solberg

Paris L. Soulier

George E. Stadter

Charles F. Stamper

Joy S. Stegner

John C. Steinbeck

Ina Lucille G. Stephens

Cheryl B. Steven

Wanda H. Stewart

Brandon D. Strong

Sara G. Tarver

Shelia K. Tarver

Barbara Thomas

Jeffery A. Turner

Virginia Wainwright

Betty Ward

Connie E. Ward

Louise V. Warren

Donna C. Webb

Bobby W. Welch

Amy W. White

Richard D. White

Kay Wilson

Emily R. Winbery

Lionel T. Wolford

Oscar D. Wood

Betty L. Woodhead

Frank V. Wrangofski

Dianne Wright

Min Xiao

Michael G. Young

Vincent N. Zappone

Howard C. Zimmerman

Complete bios are available at alumni.ulm.edu/page/board

Anthony L. Walker

Christina L. Emling

Carolyn Fenn

Patsy R. Fletcher

James Flint

Dee S. Jones

Kirl B. Juneau

Anees H. Kanorwala

Lacey D. Sims

Billwood Smith

Randall P. Smith

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