ULM Magazine Spring 2017 by University of Louisiana Monroe

SPRING 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ VOLUME 16, NO. 2

WATER SKI LEGENDS

ULMMAGAZINE SPRING 2017

FROM OUR PRESIDENT Dear Alumni and Friends of ULM, For more than 85 years, ULM has been a leading institution of higher education in Northeast Louisiana. And with each new year, the ULM family has more and more reasons to be proud. The students, faculty and staff at ULM have had an amazing 2016 and we are optimistic of our opportunities for an even better year in 2017.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dr. Nick J. Bruno President

Here is a sampling of some our many successes in 2016: • ULM becomes a Doctoral University: Moderate Research Activity (R3) in the Carnegie Classification • ULM ranks as a “National University” by the U.S. News & World Report • Fall 2016 enrollment tops 9,100— the highest since selective admissions was implemented ten years ago • ULM announces $4.7 million in new endowments for faculty and student support • The School of Construction Management ranks no. 6 in the nation • The $17.4 million, 88,000-squarefoot Sandel Hall is reopened as a “onestop shop” for students • The Kitty DeGree School of Nursing announces new nursing program in gerontology, Adult-

TAKE FLIGHT!

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Nick J. Bruno, Ph.D. ULM President

Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (MSN) • ULM Accounting program pass rate (65.8%) on the CPA exam was highest out of all Louisiana universities; the average pass rate for Louisiana was 41.5% while the national pass rate was 48.4% As we move into our 86th year as an institution, our overarching goal remains the same: to support the development of higher education by attracting quality professors, providing innovative technology, and giving students a quality education. We recruit the better-prepared students, we challenge them when they are here, and then they move on to take their place and become the economic leaders of the future. ULM Warhawks are 63,000 strong— an impressive number! Thank you for your continued commitment to advancing ULM’s mission. As ambassadors of our fine institution, you carry the torch, investing in the next generation of students. I look forward to meeting more of you, learning of your many successes, and sharing your Warhawk pride.

CONTENTS

ULMMAGAZINE SPRING 2017

ON THE COVER COMMEMORATIVE PHOTOMONTAGE CREATED BY SRDJAN MARJANOVIC. EMERALD MCINTYRE CREATED INDIVIDUAL PHOTOS THAT FEATURE THE 40TH ULM TEAM CAPTAINS: SASHA DANISHEUSKAYA, TOM POOLE, AND ALEX KING (LEFT TO RIGHT). THESE SKIERS ARE THE LEADERS THAT COACH AND RECRUIT THE NEXT GENERATION OF WARHAWK WATER SKIERS. AT THE 2016 NATIONALS, DANISHEUSKAYA PLACED SECOND OVERALL, POOLE WON 13TH OVERALL, AND KING FINISHED 12TH OVERALL AND THIRD IN JUMP. THIS PIECE REPRESENTS “THE GOLDEN WATER SKI LEGACY” PASSED ON FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION ON THE BEAUTIFUL BAYOU DESIARD.

LEGACIE S

YOU ONLY WIN AS A TEAM

12 UNLOCKING THE BRAIN’S SECRETS

THE MAKING OF A PROGRAM

LEGACIES

36 NEW ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

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ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE PROGRAM SETS THE STANDARDS

CONTENTS

ULMMAGAZINE SPRING 2017

SPRING 2017 VOLUME 16, NO. 2 PRESIDENT Nick J. Bruno, Ph.D. CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Lisa F. Miller (MS ’94) DIRECTOR COMM & MARKETING Julia B. Letlow, Ph.D. (BA ’02, MA ’05) EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brice C. Jones, Ph.D. CREATIVE DIRECTOR Srdjan Marjanovic (BFA ’12) GRAPHIC DESIGNER & PRINT Shanette L. Washington (BFA ’02)

EDITORIAL TEAM

PHOTOGRAPHY Emerald McIntyre (BFA ’13) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ULM FOUNDATION AND ALUMNI RELATIONS Susan Chappell (BBA ’82, MBA ’87) DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI AFFAIRS Sarah Mouton PRESIDENT, ULM ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Jeremy K. Moore (BBA ‘00, MBA ‘02) CONTRIBUTORS Vladimir Jakovljevic Georgiann Potts Joey McNamara DeRon Talley Anastasia Hanson Nick Phillips Eric Elliot Ashlynn Lanford

The ULM Magazine is published for members of the ULM Alumni Association and friends of the University of Louisiana Monroe and the ULM Alumni Association. Letters and comments should be sent to: The ULM Magazine 700 University Avenue Monroe, LA 71209-2500 (318) 342-5440

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Email: ulmmagazine@ulm.edu

FOUNTAIN AT SCOTT PLAZA

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

The fountain underwent a major renovation over the summer. The now three-tier fountain is equipped with year-round lighting packages, and the ground area around the fountain has been improved with exposed aggregate with inscribed granite inlays, brick bench seating, new landscaping, lighting and more.

photo by Emerald McIntyre

THE NEW DIRECTOR

Sarah Mouton Director of Alumni Affairs (318) 342-5244 mouton@ulm.edu

The ULM Alumni Association strives to be the primary link between the university and its family of alumni across the globe, and to commit them to the university’s missions of academic freedom, scholarship, diversity, excellence, integrity and service. My goal each and every day is to strengthen your connection and pride, regardless of your geographic location. The Alumni Association plans countless events, but we also support scholarships for a diverse group of students. Through these efforts, we can all impact the future of this community and the world by increasing awareness. The rich traditions and beautiful bayou have not changed, but the university’s success continues to grow each and every day. From the

School of Construction Management’s number 6 national ranking to the U.S. News & World Report’s ‘Best National Universities’ accolade and countless more, people around the world are taking notice. If you have not had the opportunity to visit the completely renovated Sandel Hall and Scott Plaza Fountain, I encourage you to do so. The virtual tour of campus will take you on a trip down memory lane, with a new perspective. Under Dr. Bruno’s leadership, I know we will see continued success.

FROM THE DIRECTOR

THE position of Director of Alumni Affairs at the University of Louisiana Monroe is one that I take very seriously. When I stepped into this role in late November, I felt right at home on campus and truly saw the University from a fresh perspective. I admire our state’s hospitality, and it is evident that this community welcomes each individual. I hope to return that feeling to each of you.

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FROM

However, our success is not possible without you. I challenge you to stay connected. Update your record to ensure we can inform you of the latest accolades and awards. I urge you to continue to be an ambassador for ULM in your local community. Send prospective students our way. You are our face to the world and your accomplishments make us incredibly proud. Share your story, as the examples you set reach far beyond. You can make an unexpected difference in the lives of all future alumni. Thank you for everything you do to ensure the university and alumni association continue to succeed.

TAKE FLIGHT!

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SARAH MOUTON Director of Alumni Affairs

BY JOEY MCNAMARA

ULMMAGAZINE SPRING 2017

YOU ONLY WIN AS A TEAM BAYOU DeSiard. The bayou is the life of the campus; the artery supplying our university with its natural beauty. It is a constant through six name changes and a mascot change. And for four decades of students, faculty, and staff, the bayou remains the hallowed grounds of the Water Ski Team. Many people outside of Louisiana may not be able to locate Monroe on a map, but if you show up at any water ski lake and mention the letters NLU or ULM, you will meet people from all over the world who know more about the ski team than you do. They do not care about mascots or name changes;

they just know that the skiers are from ULM, and that they are the best. In the spring of 1977, three soonto-be-friends, Mike Adams, Bill Rainwater, and Hank Kiser would create wakes in the bayou that would continue to ripple for generations to come. They met at a local water ski tournament in Leesville, La. and after discovering they all attended NLU, they decided to start a water ski club. THE BEGINNING The first years of the team were marked by many of the same struggles all campus organizations face. Collegiate

Water Skiing was a relatively new concept. It existed in Florida informally since the 1940s, when universities and colleges would offer tournaments where the college-aged skiers competed as representatives; but it lacked a centralized governing body, university recognition or a formal team structure. Much of the early ski team support came from local skiers such as Danny Rowzee and Jay and Anne Bennett; and parents like Ralph and Jeffrey Armstrong. These individuals, along with many others, were instrumental in helping the team in the beginning. Like other new campus organizations,

FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY WATER SKI LEGACY

WATER SKI LEGACY 1977â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2017

The first ramp was used until the late 1990â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. The surface was replaced several times, but the underlying super-structure was in use for nearly thirty more years.

THE FIRST JUMP

1978 1977

1979

FIRST TEAM

THE FIRST NATIONALS

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The very first generation of the NLU Water Ski Team on the bayou. This was taken in early 1978 for the Chacahoula yearbook. This team of friends did not have school support, but they managed to win most of the tournaments they entered that first year.

Hosted on the bayou, the event was supported by the skiers, parents, and regional volunteers. The team-based scoring system was devised on the morning of the tournament. The same scoring system is still used to this day with minor adjustments.

the club had to prove to the university that they were deserving of support.

When it came time to build the first jump, the team members asked local businesses for scrap lumber and metal to construct a jump ramp in the backyard of one of the team members. They enlisted the help of other team members led by Construction Management majors Adams, Steve Kidd and Charles Salassi to design and construct the ramp. They even managed to move a

It was this day that the skiers earned the most valuable asset the ski team would ever have. And it was not the jump ramp. Watching the construction project was the Dean of Students, the late Tom Murphy. He marveled at their ability to build something with so little. He famously told the team members that if they could get the ramp to the bayou without damaging anything or anyone going to jail, he would be their advisor. Several hours and several blocked Monroe intersections later, the ramp was floating in the bayou. Murphy would later write that it was “this spirit of hard work, dedication, and camaraderie that caught [his] eye and got [him] involved with this group of young people. They believed there was absolutely nothing they could not

The only difference is that from its humble beginnings, the team now has the support of the university, and the best facilities in the country. With the construction of the new, state-of-the-art water ski facility, a world-class Beaman jump ramp, and the only university in the country with a high horsepower Mastercraft tournament boat specifically for water ski jumping, ULM is the gold standard for winning national championships.

TAKING ON THE COUNTRY After conquering Monroe, the first generation of skiers set their sights

With the best program in the nation in terms of skiing talent and university support, the Water Ski Team maintained the longest winning streak of National Championships in Collegiate Water Skiing history.

FIRST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

1980

Forty years later, the do-ityourself attitude and dedication remains. The team maintains their own slalom course, team boat, jump ramp, recruits new members, hosts tournaments, and coaches one another to improve their skiing.

FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY WATER SKI LEGACY

After losing the first Nationals, the team traveled to Groveland, Fla. to claim their first national title. The team also earned its first of many features in the American Water Ski Association’s The Water Skier Magazine.

accomplish if they put their minds to it.”

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So, Adams, Rainwater, and Kizer recruited fellow students who could ski and installed the first slalom course on Bayou DeSiard. Neither the club nor the university had a tournament ski boat, so they used their personal outboard boats. When the team traveled, they drove their personal vehicles, and sometimes these cars and trucks doubled as hotel accommodations as they camped lakeside while eating sack lunches to keep the expenses to a bare minimum.

12’x24’, 2-ton water ski jump ramp out of a fenced-in backyard in Town and Country without heavy equipment or damaging anything along the way.

9 YEARS OF TROPHIES National Champions 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988

1980-1988

1983 HOME WIN

Consecutive National Chamionships

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With three wins under their belt, the team was anxious to rewrite the loss of the first nationals. Hosting the event again on the bayou, the NLU water ski won in front of a home crowd. This proved the team’s legitimacy to the school and the entire community of Monroe.

higher. Rainwater, a captain on the team at this time, convinced Murphy that the team should host the first Nationals and that the bayou was the perfect place.

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In the fall of 1979, the team invited nine other teams from across the country to Monroe for the first tournament. The team managed to lose the first nationals by a mere six points to San Diego State University. To put this in perspective, this was the difference of one more buoy in slalom, a fall that should have been a trick, or a jump that could have been a little farther.

FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY WATER SKI LEGACY

The team may not have won the first nationals, but Murphy went to bat for the team to make sure they would win the next. He helped them secure a tournament-level ski boat and convinced President Dwight Vines to authorize the use of the university talent grants. These scholarships allowed the team to recruit nationally, and eventually internationally. No other school in the world offered water skiers the ability

to come to school on a scholarship. As soon as the word got out, talent from across the country started to arrive. The team showed the rest of the country that a Nationals tournament was not only feasible, but that collegiate skiing was the future of water skiing. The next year, the team traveled to Groveland, Fl. for the second Nationals and dominated the competition. This win started a dynasty of national championships that would last nine consecutive years. Perhaps the most important of these wins was in 1983. Four years after the NLU water ski team lost by a mere six points, the team hosted nationals again. With nationally recruited talent, the support of the school, local skiers and parents, and Dean Murphy, the water ski team won their first home nationals. This win was not only important for the team and its community of dedicated volunteers; it was the first time the university

recognized the sport as legitimate. Now the team could travel in university vehicles and the maintenance department began to service the boat and maintain the ski dock. But after seeing the potential in this new team, the student government passed a student referendum to establish a healthy budget for the ski team. Eventually, the team would receive a graduate assistant to assist in practices and training. Team President Aarne Clow stated, “We would not have been what we were without [the university’s support].” In 1993, after 30 years of working in higher education, Dean Thomas Murphy announced his retirement. He would be succeeded by long-time supporter and friend, Bill Bagley. Bagley, an ULM alumnus, and former mascot, was a coworker of Murphy in Student Affairs at the time. The biggest loss for the team would

After the devastating loss in 1989, the team hosted Nationals again on the bayou. This time, the results were different. NLU beat UCF and Rollins in front of a home crowd. This Ouachita Coca-Cola Bottling Company advertisement was featured in “The News-Star” on October 21st, 1990.

THE COMEBACK

1990 1989 “WE DON’T LIKE TO LOSE” After a nine-year run, the team placed fourth. Faced with criticism at home, the team focused on reclaiming their dynasty by rebuilding the team with a new generation of skiers.

National Champions 1990

National Champions 1993, 1994

1993 RETIREMENT OF A LEGEND

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Dean Thomas E. Murphy, referred to as the “Bear Bryant” of collegiate water skiing, was not only team advisor, but also chief fundraiser, cheerleader, and supporter. His love for water sports was only surpassed by his love of the skiers on the water, and the university they represented. In his fifteen-year tenure as head coach, Murphy would lead the team to ten national championships.

not be a national championship; it would be the loss of Dean Murphy.

GOING GLOBAL The late 1980s and early 1990s marked a struggle for the team. The schools in Florida, the traditional bastion of water skiing, began to adapt ULM’s formula. Faced with increased pressure from schools such as Rollins College, Florida Southern College and University of Central Florida, ULM could not maintain a winning streak.

In order to maintain this level of skiing and faced with an increasingly competitive recruitment pool with the rise of the University of Southwestern Louisiana, Bagley began to look internationally. ULM always had several international skiers, but in order to stay competitive, these numbers needed to grow. In total, ULM has seen skiers from nineteen different countries. In 2005, Bagley would retire as head coach and would rack up seven national

Bagley had served as assistant coach for two years under Murphy while also serving as enrollment and recruiting coordinator in the Department of Student Affairs. An alumnus himself, Bagley was also the NLU mascot Chief. Bagley is responsible for raising money for the team’s first championship rings. He also helped the team evolve into its modern incarnation with a broad base of national and international students.

The team would win their 15th nationals. At the tournament, Ryan Fitts would claim the men’s jump record with a score of 193 feet. This would also be the last Nationals Dean Murphy would attend. Not only would it be the end of an era for the team’s leadership, but it was the first time the team competed as the University of Louisiana Monroe.

DYNASTY

MURPHY’S LAST TRIP

1994

National Champions 1996

1988-1995

1993-1994

1996 1998

1999

FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY WATER SKI LEGACY

On February 16, 2000, Dean Murphy passed away from complications less than four months after seeing his beloved water ski team win their 15th National Championship. In the end, Bagley would never have to leave the tournament. Reminiscing on his last ride with his longtime friend and mentor, Bagley recalls, “I wouldn’t trade that for anything. I will cherish those times and those days and nights, and I know how much they meant to [Dean Murphy as well].”

Murphy was more than just the team’s coach and advisor. He was the team’s biggest advocate, and a great friend and mentor for many generations of skiers. His personality and positive attitude was infectious, and his commitment to collegiate skiing went beyond ULM. To this day, Murphy is and will always be the team’s greatest asset.

With scholarship programs and school support, the Florida schools would accumulate several championships. However, ULM remained competitive by aggressively recruiting one of the single strongest teams in its history. These skiers such as Freddy Kruegar, Chris Sullivan, Mark Lane, April Coble, Karen Truelove, Lori Kruegar and March Shaw were the best in the sport. In addition to skiing for ULM, many of these skiers were also on the professional water ski tour raising the bar for ULM recruiting.

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Bagley recounts that the last nationals Murphy attended was an 1999 in Sacramento. Faced with the birth of his first child, Bagley convinced Murphy to come out of retirement for one last trip. Murphy did not realize that this would be the last Nationals he would get to experience. Less than a month after the trip, Murphy was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia.

The 1999 Nationals would also mark the first year the team would compete not as NLU, but as the University of Louisiana Monroe. The name of the NLU team passed on with Dean Murphy.

1998-2000

National Champions 1998, 1999, 1999, 2000

THE BEGINNING OF THE RIVALRY Formed in 1988, the USL/ULL team would become ULM’s most competitive rival. In 1995, Lafayette won their first national championship. This would mark a rivalry that continues to this day.

Consecutive National Chamionships

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Since 1995, only Arizona State has managed to pull away a national title from the state of Louisiana.

championships in his 11-year term. Faced with this vacancy, Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Wayne Brumfield, looked internally to fill the position and his Director of Recreational Sports, Treina Landrum, was his candidate of choice.

Student Affairs Camile Currier, also spearheaded the project to build the new state-of-the-art water ski facility.

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FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY WATER SKI LEGACY

Each coach brings a different skill set, and Landrum was no different. “Initially, I didn’t know anything about collegiate water skiing, but I knew a lot about administration,” said Landrum. Though she taught her own kids how to ski and was familiar with the sport, “the learning curve was intense, but I thank my first-year skiers Breanne Dodd (Wagner), Ryan Dodd, and Tyler Collins for their generosity and knowledge that first year,” Landrum continued.

In Landrum’s first year as coach, the team traveled to Kentucky in 2005 for Nationals, but they lost to ULL by a mere five points. “We were frustrated; ULM had managed to get first in every individual event, but we still lost by five points,” recalls Landrum. She remembers that team member Regina Jacquees summed it up the best: “We win as a team, and we lose as a team.” The idea was that the team needed to return to its roots and focus on building a stronger, deeper team, not just on the water, but off too. Thus, emerged Landrum’s mantra of “Team Cohesion.”

In her tenure as coach, Landrum would overhaul the ski boat purchasing program finding new ways to keep the team in up-to-date equipment and facilitating the team’s trailer acquisition. Landrum, with the assistance of Vice President of

The next year, the team traveled back to Sacramento to win Landrum’s first nationals. The team would go on to win eight national championships in 10 years. They would also recruit some of the best skiers the team would ever see. “I’m thankful and honored

that I was part of the [ULM Water Ski] team,” says Landrum. As a parent herself, she realized the importance of the time and opportunity she had with the team members. “I saw these kids more than their parents did. The time and opportunity to impact someone’s life is something you cannot waste.” The impact was felt both ways, and the skiers profoundly impacted Landrum as well. “I met individuals from all over the world who spent their lives training and honing their skills to perform on the top level,” Landrum recounts, “If you look at an event like the World Championships or World Games, you see so many ULM skiers and alumni competing at the top level of their sport. It’s amazing.” With shifting responsibilities in the university, Landrum officially resigned from her position in 2015. She was succeeded by graduate assistant and former ULM skier Martin Bartalsky.

Faced with a narrow defeat in 2005, Landrum not only focused on recruiting a new class of skiers; she focused on strengthening the existing team internally. First order of business was to establish team traditions. Whenever there’s a skier on the water, the whole team is cheering, supporting their teammates. Even when travelling, all meals are at the same restaurant. This spirit of “Team Cohesion” persists to this day and truly separates the ULM team from its rivals.

WE WIN AS A TEAM

1998-2000

National Champions 1998, 1999, 1999, 2000

National Champions 2002

2000

2002

END OF AN ERA

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Murphy passed away in 2000. He is survived by his wife Joyce and son Pat Murphy and two daughters, Shannon Cassidy and Kelly Holloway. Murphy is the only collegiate coach to ever be inducted into the USA Water Ski Foundation’s Water Ski Hall of Fame. He received the organization’s Award of Distinction posthumously in 2002.

2004

2006

National Champions 2004

2011-2014

National Champions 2006, 2008, 2009

2006-2009

2011

National Champions 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

WORLD RECORD Warhawk Junior and Team Captain, Zack Worden broke the longest-standing Men’s Jump National Record with a leap of 195 feet. The former record of 193 feet was held by ULM Alumnus Ryan Fitts from the 1999 National Championships. With a previous personal best of 183 feet, Worden recalls, “I started training long before Nationals because I knew this was my golden opportunity to set the record.” Perfect site conditions at long-time ULM supporter Jay Bennett’s Water Ski School in Zachary, ULM alumnus and world-renowned boat driver Scott Greenwood may have helped, but it was all Worden’s determination, discipline, and training that paid off.

THE KEY TO SUCCESS In 2016, the team would get another coach, me, Joey McNamara. I was familiar with collegiate skiing, but to go from a team like the University of Texas Austin that was actually excited to finish in tenth at Nationals to a team that is devastated if they get anything less than first was eye-opening. Not only as the author of this piece, but as the new coach of this team, I cannot express how honored I am to be a part of this legacy and hope my contributions add to the winning history that precedes me.

This ethos would be the deciding factor in the 27th National Championship. The 2016 water ski team managed to win on both team performances and personal bests. Fueled by their third-place finish in 2015 and a tough year against defending National Champions ULL, the current team went to work. They started the first day in fourth

In November, the new ULM Water Ski Facility was unveiled. It was first proposed in 1982, but was eventually sidelined for a more temporary structure. The new building replaced the dock that was damaged by severe weather in 2014. The facility features restrooms, shower facilities and ski storage. The boathouse features an enclosed boat slip, boat lift and covered deck.

I am personally proud of the work these athletes put in every single day. They are fueled to win by the expectations and legacy that came before them. They train every day because of their pride in their university they love and the city of Monroe. To work with this level of professionalism is a true honor, and I hope our contributions add to the great legacy of the ULM Water Ski Team.

Joey McNamara brings over ten years of experience in the watersports industry. His expertise in social media and web design brings a marketing component to the team. He also plans to strengthen alumni connections through reunion events and connecting the team’s legacy. “It does not matter if they are American, Australian, Belarussian, an Indian or a Warhawk, they all skied for the greatest water ski university in the history of water skiing. I’m extremely proud to celebrate that,” remarks McNamara.

The ULM foundation plans to dedicate the ski facility to Dean Thomas Murphy in the future.

THE NEW WATER SKI FACILITY

2015

place, and clawed their way to the championship event by event. They knew the only path to victory was if they all skied well together and skied their absolute best. In the last three events of the tournament, the ULM water Ski Team had nine personal bests, most of them in jump. It is these performances that epitomize the success of the ULM Water Ski Team. They may have the best facilities, the best boat in the industry, and the best support from the best university, but you cannot simply buy discipline or pride.

FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY WATER SKI LEGACY

In 38 national championships, the

ULM Water Ski Team has never finished less than fourth and then only placing third three times, second eight times, and fourth only once. When asked why the team was so successful, Murphy said that it had nothing to do with having one or two amazing skiers; it is because the team had five good skiers in every single event. Championships are not won on personal bests; they are born out of team performances. Landrum called it “Team Cohesion,” the ability to embrace your sport beyond your own performance and lift up your teammates. The spirit of unity is the only way forward.

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Bartalsky served as the interim coach for the 2015-2016 year. A world-class skier himself, Bartalsky helped the team recruit most of its current talent and helped on the water with training and boat driving. Bartalsky left in spring of 2016 to take another job in the water sports industry on the manufacturing level.

THE REFORMER National Champions 2016

2017

2016 27TH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP With only the bare minimum of skiers required to field a team, ULM narrowly defeated the ULL Ragin Cajuns. This win was the first national championship for most of the current team members.

Consecutive National Chamionships

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The team looks forward to defending its title next fall in Zachary, LA at the 39th NCWSA National Championship at Bennett’s Water Ski and Wakeboard School.

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COLLEGE OF HEALTH & PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES

photos by Emerald McIntyre BY GEORGIANN POTTS

UNLOCKING THE

BRAIN’S SECRETS WWW.ULM.EDU

DR. Karen Briski has always had a healthy curiosity about many things. That curiosity has not only led her on a career path to the highest levels of scientific research, but has also made for a rich and interesting life. Early on, Briski wanted to understand the measurable principles that govern the physical world. Later she became very curious about how those principles impacted survival --- specifically how living organisms could overcome internal and external challenges by applying those principles.

EARLY EDUCATION

Briski was born in Phillipsburg, Warren County, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby Oxford. As a young girl she wasn’t sure exactly what specific profession she would adopt, but her love of analysis was certain to influence her ultimate decision. She very much wanted a career that would involve the application of analytical methods. “I cannot remember a time when I did not envision a career that did not involve opportunities to investigate and devise solutions to

problems that impair human and animal health and well-being,” she explains. With that general goal in mind, Briski earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology at Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania. She then earned the Master of Science and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in anatomy. Her doctoral research focused on neuroendocrine regulation of brainpituitary gland communication involved in the control of reproductive hormone secretion. Her early interest in brain

Dr. Karen Briski instructs students in her fast-paced lab in the Bienville building.

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MOVING TO LOUISIANA

– DR. KAREN BRISKI

to establish an impressive state-0fthe-art instrumentation infrastructure that supports individual and collaborative research initiatives. Briski was appointed Director of Research and Graduate Studies in the College of Pharmacy in 2000 and over the next several years worked diligently to educate a variety of audiences --- including investigators at other Louisiana universities --- as to the research expertise and capabilities of the ULM faculty. This led to ULM’s College of Pharmacy being included in several inter-institutional consortia. Her advocacy was invaluable to growing awareness of the College of Pharmacy. In 2005, Briski was named Head of the Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences for ULM’s College of Pharmacy. This additional responsibility meant that she now divides her time in three areas: administration, teaching, and research. Both her teaching and research activities have helped her to be a better administrator. Her administrative responsibilities are not carried out “in

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In 1999, Dr. Briski and her husband, Dr. Paul W. Sylvester, currently Pfizer Endowed Professor of Pharmacology and Director of Graduate Studies and Research in the ULM College of Pharmacy, accepted faculty positions at ULM. Available resources and facilities were “modest, but sufficient” so they believed that the level of research that they wanted to do would be possible. Since that time, they and a critical mass of dedicated researchers in the Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences have utilized various means

“I CANNOT REMEMBER A TIME WHEN I DID NOT ENVISION A CAREER THAT DID NOT INVOLVE OPPORTUNITIES TO INVESTIGATE AND DEVISE SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS THAT IMPAIR HUMAN AND ANIMAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.”

COLLEGE OF HEALTH & PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES

function and the impact that various hormones had on it became the catalyst for much of her later research including that in Type-1 diabetes. There is no history of diabetes in her own family that might have turned her toward the study of this disease. Briski nevertheless realized that coping with the reality of Type-1 diabetes created a major threat to the quality of life for countless children and adults. She became determined to conduct research that might help alleviate that debilitation.

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a bubble” in the office. Instead, her decisions relating to her department reflect her ongoing real-time experiences in the classroom and the laboratory. TEACHER/RESEARCHER

COLLEGE OF HEALTH & PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES

Briski loves to teach, and is by all accounts an excellent teacher. Among Briski’s favorite teaching responsibilities is lecturing to incoming, first-year professional pharmacy students in Pathophysiology-I, a course offered each fall. Her lectures cover two areas including how the body maintains a balance of important macro- and micronutrients that support cell function, and nervous system structure and function (Briski’s specialty). “I am one of the ‘front-line’ instructors,” she says. “One of our primary responsibilities is to outfit professional pharmacy students with the necessary knowledge for a successful career in pharmacy while instilling in them the importance of research.” For Briski, the lines between teaching and research are blurred. She sees time in the laboratory as quality teaching time as well as research time both for herself and for her students. Briski has her graduate students perform all aspects of the actual research work so that she can teach them relevant laboratory skills and techniques that will serve them well when they graduate and are working in laboratories as part of their careers. By doing this, her students acquire an aptitude for developing exciting and creative hypotheses based upon the current knowledge in the field. “They become both practiced in analyzing and interpreting experimental outcomes and also skilled in communicating their results in both written and spoken form” she explains. “We establish a feasible working premise, identify the tool set that will be needed to test that hypothesis, ensure that appropriate equipment is available to carry out the proposed work, and then evaluate outcomes within the context of current knowledge.”

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The atmosphere in Briski’s laboratory is one that fosters both positive communication and mentoring among the students and with their professor. Teambuilding is, according to Briski, “indispensable” for a productive research program. She provides opportunities for her students to observe the benefits

of a strong, collegial relationship with their peers as they work in teams. This enables them not only to learn a wide set of complex skills, but to do so through a process that takes much less time than if they were working as an isolated individual. Through this process of helping each other, her students realize that when one individual succeeds, the entire group succeeds. “My students are the lynchpins of my laboratory operations,” she says. “I gladly observe daily many instances of my people selflessly assisting each other in their work.” STUDENT SUCCESS Simply stated, Briski sees every research project as a vital teaching vehicle. Her students benefit from this attitude in ways that continue to pay dividends as they pursue their careers. One of the most important measures of a professor’s success is the success of his students in the careers that follow their formal education. Briski’s former graduate students can now be found working in a variety of prestigious universities including John Hopkins University, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Connecticut, the University of Maryland, the University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign, and the University of Michigan. These former students are conducting important research in their own right, and are publishing in peer-reviewed journals. They are in large measure a part of ULM’s and Briski’s legacy. Dr. Pratistha Tamrakar, a 2015 ULM graduate with a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics and Drug Design, credits Briski with much of her own success. Briski was her major advisor, and was instrumental in guiding Tamrakar through the rigorous doctoral program of study. “She was the best mentor I could ask for, always supportive and always ready to help me with my project,” Tamrakar remembers. “Working under her supervision has made me a detail-oriented and motivated scientist --- both of which I think are the most essential qualities that made it possible for me to earn my Ph.D.” Other former students are just as complimentary. Dr. Baher Ibrahim, 2014 Ph.D. graduate from ULM, joined Briski’s lab after earning the Bachelor’s in pharmacy and Master’s in pharmacognosy from Mansoura

“FOR SOMEONE COMING FROM THE EASTERN PART OF THE WORLD, DR. BRISKI AND ULM WERE MY EYES TO LOOK AT THE WESTERN VALUES OF EQUALITY, UNITY, AND TEAMWORK. THESE VALUES --- PLUS THE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION I RECEIVED FROM THE LECTURE ROOM AND LABORATORY --- HAVE HELPED ME TO CONTINUE MY ACADEMIC JOURNEY AFTER THE PH.D.” — DR. BAHER IBRAHIM

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COLLEGE OF HEALTH & PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES

Dr. Karen Briski examines her student’s images of micro-dissected tissue samples which were captured by the Zeiss PALM MicroBeam laser.

University in Egypt. Ibrahim credits Briski for his success. “Dr. Briski’s excellent mentoring skills, continuous guidance, strong support, and full trust in my capabilities were the main reasons for my success,” he explains. “For someone coming from the eastern part of the world, Dr. Briski and ULM were my eyes to look at the western values of equality, unity, and teamwork. These values --plus the high quality education I received from the lecture room and laboratory --- have helped me to continue my academic journey after the Ph.D.”

Clearly Briski’s influence is farreaching and lifelong. Dr. Prem Shrestha, a 2016 Ph.D. graduate from ULM, says simply that completion of his doctoral degree would not have been possible without Briski’s support and guidance. “I will forever be thankful to her,” Shrestha says of Briski. “She was --- and remains --- my best role model for a scientist, mentor, and teacher. Her enthusiasm and love for teaching is contagious.” Dr. John Sutherlin, Executive Director of the Louisiana Research Corporation and Associate Professor of Political Science at ULM, says that Briski “. . . represents the best of ULM”. He points out that Briski, together with many other ULM researchers, have “raised the bar for others” including himself. “Dr. Briski has shown ULM what is possible. She and others continue to showcase how special

ULM is across many research areas,” Sutherlin concludes. “ULM is increasingly shaping its international brand.” DIABETES RESEARCH FUNDING Briski’s research proposals have been noticed throughout her career. The latest grant is the sixth that Briski has received from the NIH. In addition, she has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the American Diabetes Foundation, two from the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, and the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation. At the moment she is working concurrently on two NIH grants --- one awarded in 2015 and the newest one in 2016. Briski’s first diabetes research was funded by the NIH and the American Diabetes Association. Her project was to investigate how the brain uses signals on glucose (a simple sugar in the blood that provides energy) deficiency to inhibit reproductive function. This study of the interaction between the brain’s perception of a low blood sugar rate and that perception’s impact on reproduction led to subsequent awards

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Dr. Fahaad Alenzi, a 2016 Ph.D. graduate, has taken the education he earned at ULM and is currently working as an assistant professor at the College of Medicine at the University of Hail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He, too, credits Briski with making the difference in his achieving his academic goals. “Working with Dr. Briski has not only improved my research skills, but has also improved my understanding of thinking like a scientist,” Dr. Alenzi says. “Her way of motivating, encouraging, and supporting was the main helper to me to fulfill my

Ph.D. journey. Under her supervision, I was able to publish four articles as a first author, and two more as second author. Even though I am thousands of miles away from her, I am still practicing what I have learned from her in both my teaching and personal life.”

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from the Juvenile Diabetes Association. BRAIN/INSULIN INTERACTION These funds allowed Briski and other researchers to study more closely the mechanisms underlying the gender differences in brain responses to blood sugar levels. They noted that the brain became desensitized to repeated insulin-induced hypoglycemia (low

sugar elevation or hunger efficiently. Because the brain uses a significant amount of energy available to the body, when that energy is not readily available there is a significant risk of energy. Nerve cells require a constant supply of energy in order to function properly in all areas, but especially so in neurotransmission or communication. When energy is not adequate, the electrolyte balance across

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brain desensitization and the possibility that estrogen might help with blood sugar storage and release led Briski to apply for her most recent NIH grant. In that grant, Briski proposed a series of experiments to learn how estrogen may influence both the size and mass of glycogen reserves in the brain and regulate the release of glucose during low blood sugar episodes in each gender. Briski and her team seek to characterize the mechanisms at the molecular level by which estrogen regulates glycogen metabolism. “Such knowledge will pave the way for development of appropriate therapeutic strategies to boost glycogen protective capabilities to defend the brain against hypoglycemic injury,” she explains. Briski’s program over the next five years will test her theory that estrogen can be a protector of these neurons as it enhances fuel reserves in the brain. “We wish to leverage insight on how estrogen regulates glycogen to develop a means to manipulate the energy ‘pool’ to offset decreased low blood sugar levels that occur during hypoglycemia,” she says. CUTTING-EDGE EQUIPMENT

Dr. Karen Briski proudly sits beside ULM’s Zeiss PALM MicroBeam laser. This cutting-edge microdissection instrument is vital for Briski’s research and securing grants.

blood sugar levels). The importance of this finding was that many Type-1 diabetics have to take daily injections of insulin to control their blood sugar levels, and these repeated doses --critical for survival --- over the long term were in fact impacting the brain.

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Type-1 diabetics experience countless episodes of low blood sugar throughout their lifetimes. These episodes create an unavoidable complication as the patients and their physicians attempt to manage them through insulin. Over time, the brain “desensitizes” and becomes less able to recognize these episodes. As a result, the brain no longer triggers blood

the brain’s plasma membrane cannot be maintained. One result of this is that neurons in specific regions of the brain are likely to die and create lesions. IS ESTROGEN THE KEY? Briski had previously studied the role of glucocorticoid hormones (those that control metabolism of carbohydrates and fats) by gender. As a result of this research, she became convinced by the data that estrogen has the ability to enhance both the synthesis and storage of glycogen (the form glucose takes when it is stored in the body for later use). Seeing the connection between

Research requires more than a brilliant mind and funding, however. Equally critical is having the right equipment necessary to conduct that research. Because competition for research funding is fierce, it is important that any project proposed for consideration of funding be novel enough to stand out among other applicants, and must have the very best instrumentation available so that the highly technical, very sophisticated analyses can be carried out. Two instruments that are vital to Briski’s NIH grant are the Zeiss Laser Catapult Microdissection instrument and the confocal microscope that are in her laboratory. The laser beam of the microdissection instrument allows individual nerve cells from brain tissue to be removed and studied after their neurotransmitter identity has been determined. The confocal microscope is necessary for the best “look” at fluorochrome-labeled molecules (molecules literally stained for ease of tracking) that are used to identify specific proteins or to verify the destination of drug molecules. “These two instruments were provided as part

WHAT IF? Briski is indeed filled with curiosity.

– DR. KAREN BRISKI

Surprising, perhaps, is her answer when asked which research scientist, living or dead, would she most like to work along side and what would she want to research. Her answer does not look to the future, but rather turns back time. “I would love to observe the very first health practitioners in humankind, as they had none of the sophisticated technologies and means of communication at their disposal,” she explains, “but relied exclusively on the art and science of observation, deductive analysis, and intuition to build a foundation for the practice of human medicine.” FUTURE PLANS For now, Briski is focusing on her diabetes research with the hope that from it will come therapies that will contribute to the management of the disease. Her own laboratory will be expanded, but she sees this going forward smoothly. There is no doubt that she will continue to generate ideas for projects that she intends to translate into future grant proposals. She has over 100 peerreviewed publications as well as many presentations in regional, national, and international meetings. Dean Blaylock observes, “This type of exposure is a major plus for the institution in terms of recognition of the fundamental research efforts by both her, her graduate students, and her colleagues.” There is also no doubt that the ULM doctoral graduate students who come under her mentorship and influence will one day become alumni in whom we may all be proud.

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In February 2016, the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education classified ULM as an “R3” doctoral university for the first time. That classification placed ULM among 109 other universities in the United States holding the ‘Doctoral University’ designation. Previously, ULM had been classified as ‘Master’s College and University – Larger Programs. “ULM’s ‘Doctoral University’ classification reflects the efforts made by many individuals over many years,” ULM President Nick Bruno pointed out. “The administration and faculty worked together to create a strategic plan that would allow us to reach this goal. No less important was the commitment of our outstanding graduate students. Dr. Briski’s work both in the classroom and in the laboratory have played a significant role in ULM’s attaining this designation.”

“DR. FEYNMAN DEVOTED CONSIDERABLE TIME AND EFFORT TO RESOLVE THIS DESPITE SUFFERING FROM A TERMINAL ILLNESS. I WOULD ASK HIM HOW HE GOT TO THE ANSWER THAT HAD ELUDED EVERYONE ELSE.”

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Briski’s proposal received a very high score when it was reviewed by NIH. To put this in perspective, her proposal was assigned a percentile rank of 3 and an impact score of 20. According to the NIH, the percentile rank is “. . . calculated by ordering the impact score of a particular application against the impact scores of all applications reviewed in the current and the two previous review rounds. An application that was ranked in the 5th percentile is considered more meritorious than 95 % of the applications reviewed.” (See “Paylines, Percentiles, and Success Rates” posted by Dr. Sally Rockey, former Deputy Director for Extramural Research at NIH, in “Rock Talk” February 15, 2011). In other words, Briski’s grant proposal ranked higher than 97% of the competing applications. As a result of this high score, the award was funded for the full amount requested instead of having a reduction in funds for administrative costs. This is highly unusual, and speaks to both the novelty of Briski’s hypothesis and the quality of her research plan.

When she was asked recently whom she would select if she could speak with any research scientist, living or dead, and what would she want to talk about, her response was perfectly in keeping with her love of analytics. She would like to speak with the late Dr. Richard Feynman, the brilliant theoretical physicist who, among many accomplishments throughout a stellar career as a teacher and researcher, discovered the role that the O-rings played in the space shuttle Challenger disaster. “Dr. Feynman devoted considerable time and effort to resolve this despite suffering from a terminal illness,” she explains. “I would ask him how he got to the answer that had eluded everyone else.”

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of my startup package when I became department head,” she says. “Those allowed me to propose creative ‘outof-the-ordinary’ experiments with the high likelihood of addressing lingering unanswered questions in my field. I believe this was viewed very positively by the reviewer of my proposal.”

LEGACIE S

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“ULM REALLY BUILT MY CONFIDENCE. I DEVELOPED TREMENDOUSLY AS A STUDENT WHILE ATTENDING, AND I REALLY GREW TO KNOW THAT LEARNING IS A LIFELONG ACTIVITY. AS MUCH AS I LOVE TEACHING, I REALLY LOVE TO LEARN.”

LEGACIES

Karen Flournoy OWNER, CHATEAU SEW & SEW BY BRICE C. JONES

The summer after graduating high school, KAREN FLOURNOY put her “very limited sewing skills” to good use in an interior design class at ULM, as part of her Bachelor of Arts in General Studies degree. Fourteen years later, that humble beginning would blossom into a neighborhood fabric and sewing studio on Magazine Street in New Orleans.

for teaching with her love for sewing. “I get to put my teaching skills to use because we offer sewing classes and lessons. We also offer summer camps and I do after school sewing several afternoons a week.”

Despite earning her Master of Arts in Education from ULM in 2006, some of Flournoy’s favorite undergraduate and graduate classes were art. Still, her deep love for teaching prevailed, and she spent several years of her career teaching reading and language arts to elementary students before pursuing other passions.

In September 2012, Flournoy’s husband was relocated to New Orleans for work. This meant a relocation for Flournoy’s business, too, which she thought would be advantageous. “I thought living in a bigger city would allow me to source the materials I loved using, but I was disappointed,” she said. After discovering that her sought-after supply store did not exist in New Orleans, Flournoy and her mom decided to open their own. And just like that, Chateau Sew & Sew was born.

Flournoy readily acknowledges her alma mater’s role in her successful business venture. “ULM really built my confidence. I developed tremendously as a student while attending, and I really grew to know that learning is a lifelong activity. As much as I love teaching, I really love to learn.”

After the birth of her first child in January 2011, Flournoy decided to leave the workforce and focus on being a mom. This change enabled her to further develop her sewing skills. During “nap times and late nights,” she began sewing for her child and realized that she had

Chateau Sew & Sew is a neighborhood fabric and sewing studio located on Magazine Street in the lower garden district in New Orleans. “It’s a place to gather inspiration and source your supplies,” Flournoy says. And the best part of all? She’s found a way to merge her love

Flournoy followed in the steps of her parents, John and Susan Jackson, who both attended ULM (formerly NLU). John graduated in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Susan graduated in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in Management. Flournoy lives in New Orleans with her husband Curt and their son Jackson (6) and daughter Evelyn (11 months).

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a gift. “I was pretty good at it—good enough to sell what I was making,” Flournoy said. This discovery birthed a side business with a friend, which allowed Flournoy to design her own clothing.

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“THAT’S WHY ULM EXISTS. WE ARE HERE BECAUSE OF STUDENTS, AND YOU DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS HAVE A SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.”

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CHARLES MCDONALD FORMER ULM DEAN OF STUDENTS BY VLADIMIR JAKOVLJEVIC

CHARLES HUGH MCDONALD or, to those who know him best, “Charlie Mac,” grew up with a profound love for ULM. He proudly wears a lapel pin on his jacket, and would be the first to acknowledge that ULM was not just part of his life; ULM was his life, and in many ways, still is. Coming from Oakdale, La. in 1960, McDonald still remembers his first days at ULM (formerly, Northeast Louisiana State College).

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Being a member of the 1960 Oakdale High School State Championship Track & Field team, McDonald’s talent caught the attention of Bob Groseclose, the coach of the ULM program who offered McDonald a scholarship. “I could have gone to any school in this part of the world, but this is where I wanted to be. I wanted to run with the very best, and the best were here,” said McDonald. McDonald wasn’t only fast on the track. It took him only five years to complete both his Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education (1964) and Master of Education (1965) degrees.

After serving in the Vietnam War, McDonald returned to ULM in 1968 where he was hired as the first-ever coordinator of student activities by former ULM president, Dr. George T. Walker, who saw potential in the young McDonald. McDonald knew he would have to prove his ability through hard work and dedication, the philosophy he goes by today and the philosophy that helped him revolutionize the student experience at ULM. “We raised money and started taking students to concerts at the Civic Center,” McDonald said. “Then the coliseum opened on campus, and the university started bringing all the big names: The Eagles, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Kansas…you name it, we had it,” McDonald said. “We had four to six major concerts on campus annually, with eight to ten thousand people attending each.” Later, he organized a travel program. “We planned two major trips a year, with over three hundred people on each trip, three charter jets, and destinations

included the Bahamas, Acapulco, Hawaii, cruises, and countless others.” McDonald held three positions at ULM until his retirement in 2002, including Dean of Student Affairs. His time at ULM has been defined by his dedication to the students. If asked today, he will still say that students have been and remain our greatest asset. “That’s why ULM exists,” McDonald said. “We are here because of students, and you do everything you can to make sure that students have a safe and successful learning environment.” The jewel to McDonald’s time at ULM was meeting his wife, Kay. Although they’ve never had children, they considered the students to be their very own. “We were raising everybody else’s kids, and that’s what we did,” McDonald said with a smile. “We still are so fortunate that, on a weekly basis, we hear or see former students, which is the beauty and the payback.” Charles McDonald lives in Monroe, La. with his wife Kay.

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“THE UNIVERSITY IS WHERE WE ALL FIRST MET, WHERE WE RALLIED, WHERE WE FIRST LEARNED OF MEDIA LAW, ETHICS, PRECISION OF LANGUAGE AND FAITHFULNESS TO THE COMMUNITY.”

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EARL CASEY LEADING PIONEER FOR CNN JOURNALISM BY JULIA B. LETLOW

World renowned journalist, educator, instructor, writer, and innovator are all titles that come to mind when describing EARL CASEY. He has been a journalist since 1965, and after years in local television news, he joined CNN’s Atlanta world headquarters in 1981 as managing editor, directing newsgathering in the United States. It was a time of intense innovation, which was necessary for a startup to survive in a field dominated by entrenched network news organizations. In 1990, Casey assembled the small team that pioneered a sequence of interactive projects, which would later become CNN.com.

Casey has taken several breaks from CNN over the years, some voluntary, some not so voluntary. During his hiatus, he researched and helped write singer-songwriter Jerry Jeff Walker’s autobiography “Gypsy Songman.” Soon afterward, he worked for a year with a San Francisco internet startup company before rejoining CNN in 2001. Casey went back to work for CNN’s international desk just weeks before the 9/11 attacks reshaped the nation and much of the world. Before his enormous professional success, Casey began his college years at the University of Louisiana Monroe (known then as Northeast Louisiana University) majoring in Journalism and Government. He reminisces fondly about his student-colleagues during his time there, “The university is where

we all first met, where we rallied, where we first learned of media law, ethics, precision of language and faithfulness to the community. We were growing toward careers in television and print journalism at the time.” It wasn’t just close ties that Casey shared with his classmates, it was also a strong tie to the community. Many of his classmates paid for college by working at local media outlets like KNOE, The News-Star, and local radio stations. “That bond with the greater Monroe area, the entire Ark-La-Miss region, can’t be overstated, it was intense. And it was an era of enormous societal challenges, a cauldron shaping the nation: Civil rights, the Vietnam War, the environment, women, new music, young leaders at all levels. Oh, and the long hair, let’s don’t forget the hair,” Casey says with a chuckle. Earl Casey is married, has four children and four grandchildren, and resides in Atlanta, Ga. He is a proud member of the ULM Journalism Hall of Fame.

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During his tenure at CNN, Casey won an Emmy in 1996 for his role in the breaking coverage of the Olympic Park terrorist bombing in Atlanta. He won another for his role in the development of revolutionary digital newsgathering in 2007. And he won a third for his contribution to the breaking news coverage of the revolution in Egypt in

2011. He also won a Peabody award for his role in coverage of the Arab Spring uprisings across the Mideast and then again in 2012 for coverage of the war and unrest in Syria.

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“ULM HELPED ME UNDERSTAND HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS. WITH THE LSBDC, I LEARNED ALL ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF CASH FLOW. THIS IS WHAT KILLS MOST BUSINESSES BECAUSE THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO KEEP CASH FLOW GOING.”

JEFF DONALD DONALD FARMS, OWNER BY BRICE C. JONES

Growing up in the Sportsman’s Paradise, JEFF DONALD, like any other boy in Louisiana, loved the outdoors. Little did he know, the swamps and rivers of Louisiana would become the source of his livelihood.

harvested three years later, and then their hides and meats were sold. Jeff achieved business success quickly, so he began to look into various opportunities for even more growth.

In 1987, one year after graduating from ULM (formerly NLU) with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting degree, Jeff started an alligator farm. He converted an old barn, designed for hogfarming, into an insulated alligator barn.

In 2001, Jeff and his wife attended a FastTrac™ New Venture class offered by the Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) at ULM. He graduated from the class and began using the LSBDC as a sounding board for his ideas. As his operations grew, Jeff continued to expand his facilities.

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“I graduated from NLU in accounting and knew I didn’t want to sit behind a desk all day. So, I began to look for areas in the farming industry,” Donald said. “We were already hunting wild alligators and the alligator industry was just starting so I decided to try my hand in that. Everything I’ve learned in the alligator industry has been from trial and error, since no one had attempted to farm alligators commercially before.” After becoming a licensed alligator hunter, Jeff started robbing nests in the swamps. The alligators were farmed,

But he wasn’t happy with the quality of his hides. In 2002, Jeff came up with a “million dollar” idea to improve the gator hides by creating a “pod” for each gator. In 2005, Jeff was counseled by a registered patent agent, retained by the LSBDC, about his “pod” idea. He subsequently filed a patent for the “pod” and identified a contract manufacturer to make the pods from plastic. After Jeff developed the “pod” into a useable tool for gator farming, the LSBDC at ULM assisted him with a business plan to implement the pods into

his operation. That plan led to a $500,000 loan. Jeff’s new gator farming technology nearly doubled the prices for his gator hides because of the improved quality. Jeff attributes much of his success to his ULM experiences. “ULM helped me understand how to run a business. With the LSBDC, I learned all about the importance of cash flow. This is what kills most businesses because they don’t know how to keep cash flow going,” he said. Today, Jeff operates two alligator farms (located in West Monroe and Columbia) and provides alligator skins for luxury brands, mainly purses and high dollar leather goods. “We use helicopters to locate alligator nests in the wild. We mark them with GPS and then return to those locations with airboats to pick up the eggs. I bought a helicopter for this purpose, and that is by far my favorite part,” Donald said. Jeff lives in West Monroe with his wife Denise and their two children Skylar (14) and Wolf (10).

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“JUGGLING BEING A FULL-TIME STUDENT AND DIVISION I-A ATHLETE PREPARED ME FOR THE RIGOROUS SCHEDULE AND DEMANDS OF MEDICAL SCHOOL.”

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DR. OTIS DREW REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER OF ACADIANA BY DERON TALLEY

As a high school Valedictorian and football star, DR. OTIS DREW was sought by a lot of universities to join their football program. But it was his recruiting visit to then-Northeast Louisiana University that made his decision to be a part of the now-ULM family. He vividly remembers then-head coach Ed Zaunbrecher making the south Louisiana native feel at home. “I had several offers but I felt most comfortable with NLU,” said Drew, a 2000 Bachelor of Science in Biology/Pre-med graduate.

in daily football commitments.” While at ULM, he became a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, which, in his words, “connected me to many men on campus and in the community that were goal-oriented and very instrumental in my growth as a young intellectual black man.”

“Juggling being a full-time student and Division I-A athlete prepared me for the rigorous schedule and demands of medical school,” said Drew. “Actually, medical school was easier than college because I wasn’t required to participate

He currently practices at Acadiana Orthopedic Group where he is a general orthopedic surgeon with a focus on arthroscopic/minimally invasive surgery and sports medicine. He is also an active member in multiple medical organizations such as

It should also be mentioned that Drew found love at ULM—his wife Kim Bui Drew, MD, and 2001 graduate of ULM. Kim was actively involved with many organizations on campus. She was a member of the 2000 Prep Staff and crowned as the 2000 ULM Homecoming Queen. She is also a LSU Medical School graduate. She currently works at her private practice as a Board Certified Dermatologist at Lafayette Dermatology and Cosmetic Center. Through all of his success, Drew still finds time to come back to the place that prepared him. “I still come back for every homecoming football game,” he said. Dr. Otis Drew lives in Lafayette, La. With his wife, Dr. Kim Bui Drew, and their three children Austin (7), Cole (4), and Aubrey (3).

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Drew said his time at ULM prepared him for the success he enjoys today. As a biology/pre-med major and a full-time collegiate Division I-A athlete, he said it really taught him early how to prioritize and make sacrifices.

Since graduating from ULM in 2000, Drew went on to graduate with a Doctor of Medicine degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans in 2005 and his medical career hasn’t looked back since. He completed his orthopedic surgical training at Tulane University Hospital in New Orleans, followed by a specialized year of training in sports medicine surgery. There, he focused on knee and shoulder surgery for an entire year in Dallas, Texas.

the American Orthopedic Society of Sports Medicine, Louisiana Orthopedic Association, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, and the Arthroscopy Association of North America. He was also recently elected to the ULM Board of Trustees.

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ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE PROGRAM

SETS THE STANDARDS STRIVING for excellence in becoming a leader of higher education, the University of Louisiana Monroe’s Atmospheric Science program continues the ongoing revolution.

Assistant Professor of Atmospheric Science, Dr. Todd Murphy, best describes the results. “Our program is on the cusp of becoming a leader in atmospheric remote sensing and offering students opportunities that are unavailable at a majority of other programs,” Murphy said. In the last year, Murphy has secured three grants worth over a quarter-million dollars. They were used to acquire new equipment, including computers, a radiometer, sounding system, and the AWIPS-II software used by the National Weather Service (NWS), where many students hope to find a career. “The new infrastructure will not only significantly improve students’ classroom experience, but it will also allow students to gain an understanding of this important software package before graduating,” Murphy said. Murphy says what really sets ULM apart from other institutions is the fact that ULM is the only undergraduate–specific program in the nation that has a polarimetric S-band Doppler weather radar. “There is only one other undergraduate specific program that has a radar, but ours has certain

In 2012, ULM was awarded a $3 million grant by the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOSHEP) to acquire a Doppler weather radar. Ultimately, this will allow students to receive hands-on instruction on radar operation, in addition to advanced radar analysis and interpretation techniques. “This is an area we are still working on,” said Murphy. “Plans are to incorporate radar data into courses and to train students on how to actually operate the radar rather than learning through PowerPoint slides.” In addition to being an education and research tool for the Atmospheric Science program, the radar serves the community as it helps fill in the radar coverage gap that was present over northeast Louisiana and southeast Arkansas. “This is important considering the ArkLaMiss is prone to severe weather,” Murphy said. “ULM is still working out details for NWS to have a live data stream. Once connected to the NWS, the system will supply continuous live weather feeds to emergency centers, which will help improve response times and give forecasters more accurate data.” Murphy says even though the NWS doesn’t have live access to the data yet, archived data is already making an impact on their mission. “I provided a copy of the data we collected during the severe weather event on January 21,” Murphy said.

“The NWS Jackson, Miss. office used this data to help confirm an EF-1 tornado in Morehouse Parish.” At 300 yards at its widest, this tornado reached maximum winds of 105 mph, creating a damage path length of 9.25 miles. Fortunately, no fatalities or injuries were reported. Material damage, however, was inevitable as the tornado caused damage to several homes, and also snapped many trees and power poles before dissipating.

COLLEGE OF ARTS, EDUCATION & SCIENCE

The innovative program continues to grow its infrastructure through different collaborations, partnerships, research participations, grants, and more.

advantages because it is a larger, more powerful system,” Murphy said.

ULMMAGAZINE SPRING 2017

BY VLADIMIR JAKOVLJEVIC

The NWS expressed their gratitude to ULM for providing the data, stating their anticipation to forging a continued relationship in the future. ULM’s Atmospheric Science program hopes to expend this relationship with the NWS through collaboration with ULM students. “Meteorologists from the Shreveport NWS office have agreed to host an AWIPS-II [software used by NWS] workshop at ULM so our students can learn the intricacies of the software,” Murphy said. The Atmospheric Science students at ULM receive professional experience that uniquely positions them for jobs. Over the past year, several current students have been selected for paid research experiences funded by NASA and NSF or hired as paid interns at the NWS, television stations, and private sector forecasting firms. The Atmospheric Science program at ULM is on the path to becoming the best undergraduate program in the nation. In Murphy’s words, “We are striving to be the best, and we’re able to offer things that put us in that position.” WWW.ULM.EDU

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COLLEGE OF HEALTH & PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES

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COLLEGE OF HEALTH & PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES

SANDEL HALL The $17.4 million, 88,000-square-foot building is a “one-stop shop” for students, representing a major step forward in the revitalization of ULM’s facilities. The building houses the university bookstore, the office of recruitment and admissions, the university registrar, financial aid, the scholarship office, campus radio stations, an innovation center, and other core administrative departments. Although primarily an office building, Sandel Hall now also provides several multimedia classrooms and conference rooms with cutting-edge interactive features as well as a state-of-the art biology laboratory.

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ULMMAGAZINE SPRING 2017

photo by Jakub Jirsak/Bigstock.com BY BRICE C. JONES

RISK MANAGEMENT AND INSURANCE PROGRAM COLLEGE OF BUSINESS & SOCIAL SCIENCES

RANKED NO. 13 IN NATION EACH year, Business Insurance, one of the top insurance industry news sources, ranks collegiate insurance programs by number of undergraduates majoring in risk management and insurance (RMI). The latest full report showed a total of 36 programs in the country, and the University of Louisiana Monroe was the only Louisiana school to make the top 20. Last year, Business Insurance ranked ULM’s RMI program no. 18 with 75 students. This year, it is ranked no. 13 with 135 students, surpassing in size universities like the University of Mississippi and Indiana State University. According to Dr. Christine Berry, Associate Professor of Risk Management and Insurance, programs all over the country are growing. “With over 60% of insurance industry professionals over 45 and most looking to retire in the next 15 years, the industry is making a significant push for recruiting young professionals and is especially focused on universities that have Risk Management Insurance Programs,” said Berry. “College students are seeing more than ever before that the industry offers a wide variety of challenging, lucrative, and rewarding careers.” WWW.ULM.EDU

Berry hopes to continue to grow enrollment in the RMI program with a goal of breaking the top 10 in 2017. “There are more position openings than I have students to fill,” she said.

“The larger the program is, the more companies and brokers want to recruit here. But it is more the quality of graduates that keep them coming back. Word is spreading about the exceptional young professionals ULM is producing.” ULM’s program is one of the few in the country that provides specialized courses in surplus lines and reinsurance. Surplus Lines insurance is heavily used in Louisiana in the agriculture, entertainment, petrochemical and tourism industries. ULM’s Risk Management and Insurance program provides opportunities for students to receive various scholarships and internships with local companies, agencies, and financial institutions. The Risk Management and Insurance Society (RMIN) is a professional society within the College of Business and Social Sciences that is “designed to foster the study of risk management and insurance in universities; to encourage scholarship, social activities, and the association of students for their mutual advancement by research and practice; to promote closer affiliation between the risk management and insurance industry and students of risk management and insurance; and to further a high standard of ethics at universities and in the industry.” To learn more about ULM’s Risk Management and Insurance program, visit ulm.edu/cbss/insurance.

ABOUT BUSINESS INSURANCE BUSINESS INSURANCE IS THE AUTHORITATIVE NEWS AND INFORMATION SOURCE FOR EXECUTIVES CONCERNED ABOUT RISK AND THE IMPACT ON THEIR BUSINESS. DELIVERED IN A MULTI-MEDIA MIX, INCLUDING A BI-WEEKLY PRINT MAGAZINE, TABLET APPS, DIGITAL REPLICA, AND DAILY ONLINE AND MOBILE NEWS, BUSINESS INSURANCE HELPS READERS DO THEIR JOBS BETTER. FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE BUSINESSINSURANCE.COM.

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ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

Dallas Baptist Dallas Baptist Dallas Baptist McNeese Southern Illinois Southern Illinois Southern Illinois Jackson State McNeese Alabama Alabama Alabama Arkansas Arkansas UAB UAB UAB Jackson State Arkansas State Arkansas State Arkansas State Grambling Little Rock Little Rock Little Rock LA Tech Georgia Southern Georgia Southern Georgia Southern Northwestern State Northwestern State South Alabama South Alabama South Alabama LA Tech Texas State Texas State Texas State Grambling UTA UTA UTA Georgia State Georgia State Georgia State Ole Miss Ole Miss Coastal Carolina Coastal Carolina Coastal Carolina Troy Troy Troy Louisiana Louisiana Louisiana

BASEBALL 2017 WWW.ULM.EDU

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ULMMAGAZINE SPRING 2017

BY NICK PHILLIPS

THE MAKING OF A PROGRAM

CAMPUS NEWS ULM assistant football coach and recruiting coordinator Tim Leger speaks with a group of perspective Warhawks during a recruiting visit.

THINK about your full-time job. Going to work and putting in the hours day after day in whichever field suits you. Now, think about if you added a second full-time job to your already full plate.

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This two-for-one is a fact of life for college coaches in all sports – working tirelessly, day after day with their current crop of players, while also burning the rubber, the phone lines – and even the midnight oil – to recruit the next wave of Warhawks on display for the ULM fan base. The unveiling of the ULM football team’s 2017 signing class as the top class in the Sun Belt Conference by Rivals.com on February 1 was the culmination of years of work by the Warhawk coaches. Initial scouting and relationship building with recruits began years earlier, played out across gridirons, in living rooms and on visits to the ULM campus. “Recruiting is about developing relationships,” head coach Matt

Viator said. “It’s a year-round process nowadays with the way the calendar works and with social media. I’ve been pleased with the reception we’ve gotten on the road and the support we’re getting on campus.” When Viator arrived on campus in December 2015, one of his goals was to rebuild the ULM name in the recruiting conversation, not only across the state of Louisiana, but right in the Warhawks’ own backyard. In the six years prior to Viator’s arrival, ULM had signed a total of nine local players. The 2017 signing class featured three local products from Neville alone as part of 10 signees from the state of Louisiana out of the full 23 member signing class. Along with Viator, Tim Leger oversees all of ULM’s recruiting efforts through his role as an assistant coach and as recruiting coordinator. That being said, scouring the country for the next group of Warhawks takes every coach in the

building. Last December, Viator and Leger developed a recruiting approach similar to how Pat Collins, ULM’s hall of fame coach, built the Warhawks into a national champion in the 1980s – by targeting Louisiana players first, starting in Monroe and working throughout the state from there. Every assistant coach is responsible for a Louisiana area code — three coaches cover the 318, two coaches are in the 504, 337, etc. — in addition to each coach having their own individual recruiting areas in East Texas, South Arkansas, Mississippi and beyond. IT TAKES A VILLAGE Covering high school fields near and far and watching hours of game film to find talent is just step one for the coaching staff. Another large part of the recruiting process is actually getting them onto the ULM campus and showing them exactly what the university can offer. “Monroe is a great place to live with

photos by Emerald McIntyre

Seth Hall, who served as ULM’s Director of High School Recruiting until February 2017, was a key component in the Warhawks’ showing off the campus as prospective student-athletes came into town. At the National Signing Day celebration event, Viator and Leger praised the efforts of Hall, who quickly became a phone call away, coming to campus throughout the summer on Saturdays and Sundays, in addition to the week,

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great educational opportunities and we have a beautiful campus here,” Viator said. “I believe we have the ability to have a successful program and it’s just a matter of getting kids here and showing them what we have.”

Perspective Warhawks enter JPS Field at Malone Stadium to get a taste of what it would be like to become ULM football players.

found out how passionate I was about this university they were happy to put me to work. They’ve definitely kept me busy and they all work extremely hard.” FINDING THE RIGHT FIT

— MATT VIATOR

to give recruits tours of campus.

“When you come to a new place you’re always excited, but I wanted them to know that people love ULM and it’s a great place to be,” Hall said. “Once they

The courting process spans over years, so the thought of losing a player to another school is tough after investing so much time. But it comes with the territory, and coaches know nothing is ever set in stone until the paperwork comes in on National Signing Day. “The way I look at it, until they sign and compliance approves it, you can’t lose them because you never had them. That’s just the nature of recruiting today,” Viator said. “Those last couple of days leading up to National Signing Day can be the most stressful. What you hope is that you’ve been proactive enough in the relationships you’ve developed that it carries you to the finish line.” In addition to the ability and playmaking aspect of recruiting is trying to find out how a recruit will work with the culture in the Warhawk locker room among the current players and what the program is trying to build itself as. For Leger, it becomes a really simple question. Would he want that recruit sharing the locker room with his son? “Obviously you want guys that

RECRUIT, EVALUATE, REPEAT For Warhawk fans, the celebratory mood of the National Signing Day event on February 1 had yet to wear off. But for the ULM coaching staff, the end of the day marked the turning of the page to give attention the next wave of recruits. ULM hosted a junior day, dubbed Super Warhawk Saturday, on February 18, welcoming 171 prospective student-athletes to campus as the process started all over again. The staff is well on its way to filling out its ‘big board’ of 2018 recruits, and soon enough the official visits will be touring campus and the facilities. “The way recruiting is now, we’ve already started on the 2018 class. We can always do some more in that area and that’ll be our focus before spring ball,” Viator said. “We’ve got a little time to catch our breath, but recruiting is nonstop now. If you aren’t constantly moving forward then you’re behind.” Ah, yes, spring practice. Remember the part about balancing two ‘jobs’? Nearly 100 current Warhawks are ready to get back at it out on the practice fields in the first steps of preparation for the 2017 season. Recruiting titles from websites don’t win championships on their own and the full effects of this year’s signing class may not be known until seasons down the road. But it sure is a start.

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Hall had previously worked with former coaching staffs and sought out Viator to offer up his services shortly after Viator’s hiring back in December 2015.

Each member of ULM’s 2017 signing class was rated as a two- or threestar prospect by various recruiting websites. While the star system is a conversation of its own, the Warhawks were recruiting the same level of players as other schools across the country.

CAMPUS NEWS

“RECRUITING IS ABOUT DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS. I’VE BEEN PLEASED WITH THE RECEPTION WE’VE GOTTEN ON THE ROAD AND THE SUPPORT WE’RE GETTING ON CAMPUS.”

are playmakers and will help you on Saturdays, but I ask myself would I want this kid sitting in a locker room next to my son. If the answer is no then we aren’t going to recruit him,” Leger said.

BY BRICE C. JONES AND VLADIMIR JAKOVLJEVIC

ULMMAGAZINE SPRING 2017

CAMPUS TRANSFORMATIONS ULM’S UNIVERSITY PARK RECEIVES ARTIFICIAL TURF The University of Louisiana Monroe has installed new artificial turf for its University Park outdoor recreational complex. Funding for the $775,000 project was secured through a collaborative effort between ULM and the MonroeWest Monroe Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). Geo-Surfaces, a Baton Rouge engineering firm specializing in sports facilities, was responsible for the installation.

CAMPUS NEWS

The initiative for a major renovation of University Park started seven years ago in collaboration with the MonroeWest Monroe CVB. Since then, the park has been equipped with new lighting, backstops and fencing, dugouts, batting cages, and pavilion covers for the bleachers. The artificial turf comes as the last piece of the puzzle. Interim VP for Student Affairs, Camile Currier, said that installing turf fields at University Park will ensure that ULM remains one of the most attractive and most-attended student intramural complexes in the state. “University Park is one of the premiere locations in the entire state for various intramural sporting events,” said Currier. “People want to come here to compete and the new turf will no doubt bring more and more visitors to our campus and region.” The new turf offers safer and more attractive surfaces, but they will also allow games and events to be held after heavy rains, which was not always possible with grass fields.

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“Students want to compete on turf fields because it means that their events will have a less likely chance of being canceled due to weather. No one wants to drive 300-500 miles and then have to return home because the fields are not playable,” Currier said. Hosting over 100,000 games to date, the park has not only served students participating in intramurals, but it has

also hosted local, state, regional and national tournaments. Nash Patel, Chair of the Monroe-West Monroe CVB Board of Directors, sees this as a real benefit for the Twin Cities. “Our mission is to promote tourism and provide events that will generate overnight stays and basically have a positive economic impact in the area,” said Patel. “This [facility] will produce more all year-round tournaments. We’re confident it’s going to reduce weather cancellations, which is something we go through quite often…We want to continue our partnerships with ULM by utilizing the facilities for sports, for introducing potential students that will attend ULM, which generates an economic impact for at least the next four years. So, obviously this is a mutual relationship that benefits both of our causes.” NEW STUDENT EVENT CENTER COMING TO ULM The University of Louisiana Monroe announced the creation of a new student event center at a press conference in the fall of 2016. The event center, open to ULM students, faculty, staff and the entire north Louisiana region, will be renovated from the space currently occupied by the former Lake C. Oxford Natatorium, which opened in 1978. ULM students are funding the project through their own student fees, says Interim VP of Student Affairs, Camile Currier. “A few years ago, we were looking at what options we had with the natatorium. We went through this process with the students and they felt an event center would be the best choice. We went to the Student Activity Enhancement Fee committee, made up of students, faculty, and staff and we proposed this to them. The committee voted unanimously and committed to funding the $7 million project,” Currier said. The facility will include a ballroom that will seat 550, a theatre that will seat 83, an outside amphitheater, and a practice area for ULM’s spirit groups. There will also be a large deck area

overlooking beautiful Bayou DeSiard. Tim Brandon Studios of West Monroe and Traxler Construction of Monroe are responsible for the architecture and construction, respectively, of the facility. “This facility will do so much, not just for ULM but for this community. It will provide a beautiful facility that members of the community can gather, whether it’s for a wedding or reunion or for a conference, and comfortably seat 550 in here and provide our teams – our dance team, our cheer squads — a permanent place now where they can practice,” ULM President Dr. Nick J Bruno said at the press conference. Kaitlin Neal, ULM Student Government Association (SGA) president, spoke on behalf of the student body about what this means for them. “We have kind of outgrown the SUB (Student Union Building). You know this year we reached over 9,000 students, which we’re so excited about, and that’s a good problem to have, but we’ve kind

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CAMPUS NEWS

photos by Emerald McIntyre

of outgrown that. So this facility is going to make it so easy for us to have big events, have beautiful events,” Neal said.

(above) Aerial photo of the newly renovated University Park. (below) President Bruno addresses attendees during a celebratory ceremony held to kickoff the transformation of the former Lake C. Oxford Natatorium into the Student Event Center.

Construction has already begun and the facility is scheduled to open in fall 2018. NEW WELCOME CENTER AND FOUNDATION & ALUMNI RELATIONS OFFICE The campus shines with new and updated facilities, and the 50-year old Alumni Center is now due its day. The costs to renovate it are not viable. Therefore, an appeal combining private and state funds is underway to build a new Welcome Center and Foundation & Alumni Relations Office. The total cost will be $1.5 million.

in April so the ribbon-cutting can be held this December.

For each gift of $1,000 or more, a brick will be placed with your selected inscription (character limitations apply). When funding commitments reach $1.1m, construction can begin. The goal is to begin construction

Please consider making a gift and either mail your check payable to the ULM Foundation at 3601 DeSiard St., Monroe, LA 71203 or go online to www.ulm.edu/4400BonAire.

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The new center will give ULM’s faculty, students and alumni the type of facility they deserve on par with top universities across the country. Please join us in supporting this important initiative of continuing the journey of making ULM’s campus beautiful

and supportive for the students, faculty, alumni and our community.

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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS & SOCIAL SCIENCES

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Prairie View A&M Sam Houston State Grambling State SIUE Northwestern State Southern Illinois Dayton Georgia Georgia Northern Kentucky Northern Kentucky Northwestern State Arkansas Pine Bluff Central Arkansas Houston Baptist Western Illinois Wisconsin Princeton Sam Houston State Houston Central Arkansas UTA UTA UTA Incarnate Word Georgia Southern Georgia Southern Georgia Southern Stephen F. Austin Texas State Texas State Texas State LSU Coastal Carolina Coastal Carolina Coastal Carolina Northwestern State Appalachian State Appalachian State Appalachian State LA Tech Troy Troy Troy Southeastern Louisiana Arkansas South Alabama South Alabama South Alabama LA Tech Georgia State Georgia State Georgia State Louisiana Louisiana Louisiana

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SOFTBALL 2017

NEW ENDOWMENTS

FOR FACULTY AND STUDENT SUPPORT

ULMMAGAZINE SPRING 2017

BY VLADIMIR JAKOVLJEVIC

THE University of Louisiana Monroe Foundation (ULM Foundation) announced that is has established new endowments for faculty and students. The endowments created will amount to $4.7 million, with $2.82 million coming from private donations (60%) and a $1.88 million match (40%) from the Louisiana Board of Regents Support Fund, pending approval.

The Louisiana Board of Regents Support Fund (BoRSF) has several programs whose purpose is to “improve the quality of education… [and] enhance economic development.” These programs add state funds to private donations, creating greater endowments. This year’s submissions of requests and proposals to these programs consists of two endowed chairs, five endowed professorships (added to eight others submitted in prior years and pending matches), seven first-generation scholarships, and eight superior graduate student scholarships.

$4.7 MILLION IN NEW ENDOWMENTS

Dr. Nick J. Bruno for establishing and maintaining effective communications so that the fund-raising efforts of the ULM Foundation are coordinated with the needs of the University. “We are very grateful for the ULM Foundation development officers and Trustees who made the requests that resulted in these donations and the Foundation staff who supported those efforts,” said Pani. “We also thank the generous donors who make possible

greater endowments supporting faculty and students at ULM.” Deans Sandra Lemoine (Arts, Education and Sciences), Ron Berry (Business and Social Sciences), and Benny Blaylock (Health and Pharmaceutical Sciences) were instrumental in identifying the programs supported by the endowments and many faculty members wrote proposals for the chairs and graduate student scholarships.

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Dr. Eric Pani, Vice President of Academic Affairs, credits Chappell, Joe Jacobs, President of the ULM Foundation Board of Trustees, and ULM President

CAMPUS NEWS

“Support for research becomes increasingly important as ULM matures further as a doctoral university,” said Susan Chappell, Executive Director of the ULM Foundation and Alumni Relations. “With state funding for higher education decreasing, the ULM Foundation has been contributing to this support by seeking private donations that establish endowments for faculty chairs, faculty professorships, and graduate student scholarships. We have also been working to make sure that higher education remains broadly accessible by seeking private donations for endowed first-generation undergraduate scholarships.”

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CAMPUS NEWS

photo by Emerald McIntyre BY BRICE C. JONES

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS DR. Michael Camille, former associate dean of the College of Arts, Education and Sciences, has been named the new associate vice president for academic affairs at the University of Louisiana Monroe.

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Among his many responsibilities, Camille will serve as liaison to ULM’s accreditation body (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges) and oversee the 2019 decennial reaffirmation with that accrediting body. He will also assume responsibility for developing and monitoring academic policies and will assist Dr. Eric Pani, vice president for academic affairs, in leading academics at ULM. “The pool of applicants for this job was very strong, so the decision was not an easy one to make,” said Pani. “An important

factor, however, was Mike’s administrative experience as a department head, associate dean, and interim dean. Each of the groups that interviewed the candidates remarked that the vision, skills, abilities, and judgment he developed while serving the university in these positions of increasingly academic leadership responsibility have prepared him quite well to assume the duties of this position. I feel the same way and look forward to working with Mike.” Camille served as associate dean of the College of Arts, Education and Sciences for the past three years. He has been a faculty member at ULM since 1996 and holds the academic rank of tenured professor of geography. He received a Ph.D. in Geography from Texas A&M University in 1994.

“THE VISION, SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND JUDGMENT HE DEVELOPED WHILE SERVING THE UNIVERSITY IN THESE POSITIONS OF INCREASINGLY ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITY HAVE PREPARED HIM QUITE WELL TO ASSUME THE DUTIES OF THIS POSITION. ” — DR. ERIC PANI

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE RESEARCH CORPORATION OF LOUISIANA

DR. John Sutherlin, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Louisiana Monroe, has been appointed Executive Director of the Research Corporation of Louisiana (RCL), an independent entity supporting ULM’s research. Sutherlin will work with a team to increase the number of successfully funded grants ULM receives. Further, he will serve as a liaison to take research from the university to a commercial or industrial application. Sutherlin commented, “I want faculty to consider my office as support staff for their grant-writing efforts.”

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BY BRICE C. JONES

CAMPUS NEWS

“The search to fill this position produced well-qualified candidates, but John’s experience with sponsored programs, his extensive network within the research community, and his familiarity with commercializing intellectual property tipped the scale in his favor,” said Dr. Eric Pani, ULM’s Vice-President for Academic Affairs. “His entrepreneurial attitude is especially important right now as we begin to grow the RCL and invigorate sponsored programs at ULM.”

“I WANT FACULTY TO CONSIDER MY OFFICE AS SUPPORT STAFF FOR THEIR GRANT-WRITING EFFORTS.” — DR. JOHN SUTHERLIN

photo by Emerald McIntyre

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Sutherlin joined ULM in 2005 after working at the Urban Waste Management and Research Center (UWMRC) at the University of New Orleans and teaching across town at Tulane University. He co-founded the Social Science Research Lab (SSRL) at ULM and has conducted extensive research and received numerous grants and contracts. Sutherlin received his Ph.D. from the University of New Orleans and recently completed his Masters in Environmental Law and Policy from the Vermont Environmental Law School. He is a patented inventor and often publishes on intellectual property rights.

38 BY BRICE C. JONES

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RAISING THE BAR ULM’S KITTY DEGREE SCHOOL OF NURSING ANNOUNCES NEW NURSING PROGRAM IN Dec. 2016, the ULM Kitty DeGree School of Nursing received approval from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing to move forward with admissions to the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) program. Program completers will be awarded the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. In 2016, Kitty DeGree initiated their first graduate nursing program which prepares graduates as Gerontological Clinical Nurse Leaders. Students are actively engaged in this program already.

CAMPUS NEWS

The new AGPCNP program will share many of the same courses as the Clinical Nurse Leader program, including courses in advanced physical assessment, advanced pharmacology, advanced pathophysiology, and health policy.

The new program offers four specific health management courses to prepare graduates to provide primary care services for adults and geriatric patients in primary care settings. These nurse practitioner students will be qualified to take a national certification examination upon receipt of their MSN degree and then seek advanced practice registered nurse licensure (APRN).As an APRN, these graduates will be able to conduct physical assessments, order and interpret laboratory and diagnostic testing, write prescriptions for appropriate drug therapy and provide ongoing care management for their patients, with a strong focus on health promotion and disease prevention. “With the aging of the nation’s Baby Boomers, there is an increased need for health care providers to provide

“WITH THE AGING OF THE NATION’S BABY BOOMERS, THERE IS AN INCREASED NEED FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE THE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF THIS EXPANDING POPULATION GROUP.” — DR. RHONDA HENSLEY

photo by Emerald McIntyre

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Students in both programs also complete six hours of gerontology courses as a part of their requirements. The Adult-Gerontology program requires 40 credit hours for completion of the degree. In addition, students in this program of study will complete over 600 clinical practice hours in primary care clinics that are supervised by approved clinical site preceptors.

the primary health care needs of this expanding population group,” said Dr. Rhonda Hensley, Associate Professor and Associate Director of the ULM Graduate Nursing Program. “Graduates of ULM’s newest graduate nursing program will be equipped to provide high quality care that is both patient centered and cost effective.”

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CAMPUS NEWS

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CAMPUS NEWS

THURSDAY

SPONSORED BY

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APRIL

Alumni Association

2017 ulm.edu/wine

MISS ULM 2017

WHEN I look back on being crowned Miss ULM two short months ago, it’s still a bit hard to believe. Years of preparation led to that one moment that fulfilled a dream that began almost 5 years, ago. When I first visited this campus as a competitor in the Miss Louisiana’s Outstanding Teen program, I began to consider ULM as a place to go to college. The next year, I returned and began feeling more comfortable on campus. As a high school senior, my family and I took a Hawk Seekers Tour and I knew ULM was my place-my new home. Fast forward to today, I now represent the entire Warhawk familystudents, faculty, staff, and alumni. This is not a job that I take lightly. In addition to serving as a representative for ULM, I also raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, and promote my platform, “Arts in Healthcare.”

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BY ASHLYNN LANFORD

ASHLYNN LANFORD is a native of Pineville, La. She is a sophomore kinesiology major (with an emphasis in pre-physical therapy) and plans to become a physical therapist. Ashlynn is a member of Phi Mu Sorority, Circle K, PEK, ASK, ULM Scouts, and NCHS. She has also been a Fall/Spring 2015-2016 and Fall 2016 President’s List student.

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I am a firm believer that the arts in healthcare are not only beneficial, but critical to the recovery of patients of all ages, races, and degrees of illness. As a member of Central Louisiana Arts in Healthcare, I (along with other musicians and artists) work in hospitals and other healthcare facilities to help further the awareness of the ongoing need for funding of these types of programs. By singing, playing piano, and completing art projects with patients and their families in various hospitals and nursing homes, I’ve seen first-hand views of the joy it brings. One of my

Some people may believe that pageants are outdated and silly. For me, the Miss America system has allowed me to spread my wings and fly, so to speak. If it were not for the Miss Louisiana’s Outstanding Teen program, I may have never found the courage to sing in front of an audience. I’m positive I would never have learned to speak publicly or communicate my thoughts in intensive interviews. I have a dear, precious friend in my life, my mentor, who always told me, “Ashlynn, one day, you will win the pageant of your life. Keep singing, keep working hard, and don’t give up.” I am so glad I listened! I am so honored to be Miss ULM 2017 and look forward to being of service to my ULM family, the Monroe/West Monroe area, and my local community back home.

CAMPUS NEWS

Arts in Healthcare is an international movement that covers the realm of possibilities for how the arts enhance lives and impact patient care, medical staff, and caregivers. It is my goal to promote the healing of patients and provide stress relief for families and medical personnel. Nearly half of the nation’s healthcare facilities provide arts programming for patients, family, and staff. Music has been proven to increase the patient’s sense of control, reduce pain levels, decrease anxiety in as little as 20 minutes of listening, and reduce both psychological and physical symptoms in long-term patients. Thousands of research supported studies prove the positive benefits of writing, visual arts, dance, comedy, and art therapy for patients and staff.

goals is to involve local businesses and schools in creating “Busy Boxes” that contain both child and adult art materials to be given out at hospitals, nursing homes, and therapy centers. A second goal is to continue working with art students in my community to create diverse types of artwork to donate to healthcare facilities.

SOAR The Campaign

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COLLEGE OF HEALTH & PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES

After establishing the SOAR campaign in 2013, the University of Louisiana Monroe has seen a surge in support from the community in an effort to propel the university forward during continued budget challenges facing Louisiana higher education. ULM’s constituents, with help from the ULM Foundation, have shifted the University’s future by helping to advance its mission of preparing students to compete, succeed, and contribute in an ever-changing global society.

SUCCESS WWW.ULM.EDU

of its students is a major focus of ULM’s culture of excellence.

OPPORTUNITIES for innovative academics define ULM’s commitment to excellence.

ACHIEVING a competitive edge for ULM Athletic programs is a challenge that must be met.

SOAR with us, as we reach #newheights!

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We are happy and blessed to support this university so that others can have the same opportunities that we had as both students and employees of ULM. KAY & CH ARLE S MCD ONALD Kay McDonald: B.A. Journalism, 1970; B.S. Dental Hygiene, 1974 Charles McDonald: B.S. Health & Physical Education, 1964; M.S. Health & Physical Education, 1965

COLLEGE OF HEALTH & PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES

SOAR Campaign Total Goal

RENOVATION of existing facilities and building of new facilities ensures a quality livinglearning environment at ULM.

318.342.3636

By December 2018 Total Committed Toward Campaign

$38,780,000

Percentage of Goal Reached

70%

WWW.ULM.EDU

ulm.edu/soar

$55,400,000

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ALUMNI CL A S S NOTE S photo by Srdjan Marjanovic

1953 ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

MERRILL WILLIS is married to BARBARA WILLIS and they reside in Seabrook Island, South Carolina. He worked at Frost Lumber Industries and is currently retired.

1960 JOELLA MCCLEARY BRANCH is retired and living in Winnsboro, Louisiana. TOM PARKS retired as Associate Dean from Clemson University in 2003 and the University of Texas in 2013. He founded the “Call Me Mister” project that raised millions of dollars to aid African American men to become teachers; his program now exists in 19 states. During his time at ULM he was the editor of the POW Wow campus newspaper, editor of the Chacahoula yearbook, President of the Writers Club, a founding member of ODK Leadership, and President of the Pyrenees Club. He currently lives in Midland, Texas.

1961 GEORGE ARMSTRONG is retired and resides in Austin, Texas. PETER WOLFE is married to MARY CLAIRE WOLFE. He currently lives in Chauvin, Louisiana, where he is the owner of Wolfe’s Pharmacy Inc.

1962 WWW.ULM.EDU

GAY DEMMARY BOENEKE is married to BURTON BOENEKE. She is currently retired and living in Prairieville, Louisiana. THOMAS PERKINS is married to ANNE EDNA DUNNE PERKINS. He currently lives in Lafayette, Louisiana. † – deceased

1963 MARY COON BIGGS is married to ROBERT E. BIGGS. She is a lawyer for Supple, Cremaldi & Curet, LLP. She currently lives in Monroe, Louisiana. JACK MCCLUNG is married to MARY LOU MCCLUNG. They are both retired and currently living in Florien, Louisiana. FRED VOGEL is married to CHARLOTTE VOGEL. He currently lives in Mandeville, Louisiana. While at ULM he was a member of the track team and President of the Junior Class from 1965-1966.

1964 THOMAS CLARIDGE is married to MISTY CLARIDGE. He currently resides in Los Gatos, California. KEN RENWICK is married to MARY PARNELL and currently lives in Dallas, Texas. During his time at ULM he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order and was captain of the ULM golf team from 1963-1964.

1967 EARL HUEY SIMMONS is married to MARIETTA SIMMONS. He is retired and living in Alton, Illinois.

1968 GEORGE MEREDITH is married to JOY MEREDITH. He currently lives in Crossett, Arkansas.

1969 JOE CANAL is retired and currently lives in Jonesville, Louisiana.

1970 SKIP CAISSIE is married to fellow ULM graduate SARA CAISSIE. They currently live in Monroe, Louisiana. ROBERT ROWAN is married to fellow ULM graduate BRENDA ROWAN. He is currently retired and living in Monroe, Louisiana. While at ULM he was the President of the Kappa Alpha Order. MAURICE RUMBARGER is married to ELISE MCNEESE GRAD. He is a retired pharmacist currently living in Hagerstown, Maryland.

1971 JACK QUICK is married to SUSIE QUICK. While at ULM he was a member of Delta Sigma Pi, the ROTC Drill Team the Fusiliers, and the military honor society the Scabbard and Blade. He currently resides in The Villages, Florida.

1972 DAVID BRENDLE is married to LINDA BRENDLE. He currently lives in Emory, Texas. JOE KENADY currently lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where he is a pharmacist. While at ULM he was a member of Phi Delta Chi.

1973 SANDRA UNDERWOOD BENNETT is married to STEVE BENNETT. She lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where she is a psychotherapist for the Center for Psychological and Family Services.

LES OSTERBERGER is married to JUDY OSTERBERGER. They currently live in Pine Valley, California.

1975 GINGER GATES PHILLIPS is married to BUCK PHILLIPS and they reside in Birmingham, Alabama.

1976

RICHARD WITHERINGTON is a pharmacist in Rowlett, Texas.

1977 JONATHON NAGEM is married to fellow ULM graduate CARMEN NAGEM. They currently reside in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

of Transportation and Development.

JUDY SIMMONS MADISON is married to fellow ULM graduate ROBERT A. MADISON, SR. She currently lives in Shreveport, Louisiana.

1984 EDWARD (JIMMY) JR., BROUSSARD is married to ELLA RAMALAY. He currently resides in Pueblo West, Colorado, where he is a Senior Safety Engineer for Bechtel Nuclear, Security & Environmental. While at ULM he was a member of the swim team and was the assistant coach for the Indian Aquatic Club. TROY MOORE currently lives in Keithville, Louisiana.

1985 STACIE SPIKER PIERSON is married to DAVID PIERSON and currently lives in Eagle, Idaho. During her time at ULM she was a member of the water ski team from 1980-1984. SCOTT RUNDELL is married to CARLA RUNDELL. He is the Director of Tolling Operations for the Louisiana Department

1979

WALKER FALISHIA is a teacher for the Dallas Independent School District. While at ULM he was a member of the Intramural Football from 1984-1986 and the Foreign Language Club from 1983 – 1986. PAMELA ROACH MCNULTY is married to SULLIVAN MCNULTY. She lives in Mesquite, Texas, and is the Director of the Office of Pre-Health Advising at Southern Methodist University.

1988 STACY GREEN GUICE is married to fellow ULM graduate JON GUICE. She lives in Monroe, Louisiana where she is an attorney for the Office of the Chapter 13 Trustee. TINA HATFIELD is married to JOHN STEBBINS, SR. They live in Ragley, Louisiana. DANIEL LEGGETT is a ULM graduate now residing in Bacliff, Texas.

1989 ELLEN JEFFREY BLUE is married to JIM WILSON. She is a Professor of the History of Christianity & United Methodist Studies at Phillip’s Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She is currently on a sabbatical in New Orleans in order to research protest music as an agent for social change. Her most recent book, In Case of Katrina: Reinventing Church in Post-Katrina New Orleans, was published in 2016. While at ULM she was involved in Phi Alpha Theta, Gamma Theta Upsilon, and Phi Kappa Phi

HANK KIZER is married to FRANCESCA KIZER. He currently lives in Lafayette, Louisiana. MELANIE PETCHAK is married to STEVE PETCHAK. She currently resides in Benton, Louisiana, where she is a nursing professor at Bossier Parish Community College.

1981 CECIL BRUMLEY is married to DIANE BRUMLEY and the live in Port Orange, Florida. He is the Managing Editor of the Hometown News.

TIM MARTIN is married to KRISTIE MARTIN. He lives in West Monroe, Louisiana, and is a registered nurse at Glenwood Regional Medical Center. While at ULM he was a member of the Sound of Today.

GAIL OLIVER JENNINGS is married to CHARLES JENNINGS. She lives in Bentonville, Arkansas, where she is a Rural Carrier of the U.S. Postal Service.

1991

1982

TARA GILMORE is married to DAVID FRAZELL. They live in Raleigh, North Carolina where Gilmore is a software developer for Measurement Incorporated. During her time at ULM, she was involved in the honor societies of Alpha Lambda Delta, Upsilon Pi Epsilon, Phi Kappa Phi, photo by Emerald McIntyre

WWW.ULM.EDU

BEN SHOCKLEY is married to SHERRY SHOCKLEY. He is a retired registered nurse currently living in Eros, Louisiana. He has six grandchildren and is a licensed pilot. While at ULM he was a member of SNA Acacia Fraternity and the NLU Marching Band.

1986

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

THOMAS GERMANY is married to SHERRI H. GERMANY, a fellow ULM graduate. He works as the Director of Strategy and Growth for Calumet Specialty Products Partners. He currently lives in Brownsburg, Indiana.

1983

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JAMES HARRIS is married to LAUREN HARRIS. They currently reside in Aiken, South Carolina. Harris recently retired from his position as the Director of Aiken County Veteran Affairs.

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Mortar Board, and Omicron Delta Kappa.

1992 ANGIE DODD MCEACHERN is married to DARRIN MCEACHERN. She currently resides in Shreveport, Louisiana.

1993 STACY GRIEME is married to PATRICK GRIEME. She lives in Winnsboro, Louisiana and is the Technology Coordinator for the Franklin Parish School Board. CURTIS HARRISON is married to WINDY HARRISON. He lives in Zachary, Louisiana, where he is a Sales Administration Specialist at State Farm.

1994 ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

GAVIN MILLER lives Monroe, Louisiana, where he is a Software Architect for Vantage Health Plan, Inc. KATRINA WAGGONER PHILLIPS is married to JODY K. PHILLIPS. She currently lives in West Monroe, Louisiana. She was a member of the ULM swim team from 1989-1992. CHRISTOPHER SULLIVAN is married to JENNIFER SULLIVAN. He is a business development manager for MasterCraft Boat Co. He currently resides in Issaquah, Washington.

1996 KEITH ADAMS is married to CHRISTINE ADAMS and they live in West Monroe, Louisiana. While at ULM he was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

1997 JEFFREY BOYKIN is married to BRIDGET BOYKIN. He is the Chief Administrative Officer for Boykin Brothers, Louisiana Concrete and his new company Event Magazine. He currently lives in Geismar, Louisiana.

WWW.ULM.EDU

DAMON NAILER is married to fellow ULM graduate NECOLE NAILER. He currently resides in Monroe, Louisiana where he is the CEO of Expert Cleaners, Inc. Nailer recently published a nonfictional book called Revelation Rightly Revealed, produced his 6th musical project: Triple Threat, and released a dynamic coaching program entitled the G3 Journey. VANESSA WELLS graduated from

ULM in 1997 and lives in Humble, Texas. She is a Human Resource Projects and Planning Analyst for Chevron.

1998 RENEE HEBERT recently relocated to Houston, Texas, for her new position as the Global Internship Program Manager for Hewlett Packard Enterprise. KELLY CARVER WOODRING is married to fellow ULM graduate ANDY WOODRING. She currently resides in West Monroe, Louisiana, where she is a registered nurse at Glennwood Hospital.

1999 RICHARD ROBERTSON lives in West Monroe, Louisiana. He is a teacher and the head basketball coach for Rayville High School. While at ULM he was a student athletic trainer, and was a member of the English Honor Society and the Speech Honor Society. AMBER YATES is married to ADAM YATES. She lives in Missouri City, Texas, and is a physician for Baylor College of Medicine. She was a member of the Union Board, Alpha Epsilon Delta, and the Mortar Board while at ULM.

2000 DR. FOTINI ECONOMIDES-KRANOU is married to DR. CHRISTOS KYRIAKIDES. She currently resides overseas in Cyprus, where she is works at the Student Development Center of Cyprus University of Technology. Dr. Economides-Kranou’s first book (along with co-author Dr. Charis Psaltis) is being published in the USA. Its title is “Psychosocial and Cognitive Development of Undergraduate University Students in Cyprus: The Role of Social Relations.” JAMES ROBERT SKEEN, JR. is married to CANDICE RACHEL SKEEN. He currently resides in Monroe, Louisiana, where he is the Executive Vice President of Louisiana Cotton & Grain Association. DIMECA DEROUEN SONNIER is a teacher for the Iberia Parish Schoolboard at Park Elementary. While at ULM Sonnier was a member of Alpha Eta Rho and the Flight Team. JILL STAUGAARD is married to ANDREW STAUGAARD and they are

photo by Imfoto/Bigstock.com

expecting their first child this February. She lives in Bentonville, Arkansas, where she is a senior manager of the international division for Walmart.

2001 JAMES BEINKEMPER is married to fellow ULM graduate MELISSA BEINKEMPER. He lives in Monroe, Louisiana, where he is a representative for Vantage Health Plan, Inc. KRISTY BURGESS KELLY is a math teacher for West Carrol Parish Schools. She currently lives in Oak Grove, Louisiana. While at ULM she was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority. MEREDITH HEARD RICHARDSON is a manager in the Finance BU at CenturyLink. She currently lives in West Monroe, Louisiana. DOROTHY CULPEPPER SCHWEEN is married to JOHN R. JR. SCHWEEN. She is the Director of the School of Education at ULM. She lives in Monroe, Louisiana.

2002 BRIONNE WASHINGTON FOLDS currently resides in Loganville, Georgia. KARLTON WASHINGTON is married to fellow ULM graduate BRANDI WASHINGTON. He currently lives in Arlington, Texas, where he works for IBM.

2003 MARCUS BARNHILL currently lives in Shreveport, Louisiana.

CRYSTAL MIDDLETON is a speech language pathologist and lives in Monroe, Louisiana. While at ULM she was a member of the Indian Scouts, Phi Tau Gamma, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

(EPSCoR) to conduct water resources research which will investigate waters impacted by mining activities, wastewater discharges or agricultural runoff within the Appalachian region. JENNA WARLICK GRAHAM is married to JEREMY GRAHAM. She resides in Covington, Louisiana, where she is a dentist.

2007 REBECCA BENNETT BASLEY is married to JOSEPH BASLEY and they currently

reside in Brooklyn, Connecticut. PHILLIP SMITH is married to SARA SMITH and they reside in Monterey, California. He is currently pursuing a degree in Oceanography from the Naval Postgraduate Graduate School of the U.S. Navy.

2008 ANDREA JOINER HAMM is married to J. WESLEY HAMM. During her time at ULM she was a member of the Sound of Today Marching Band, Tau

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MELTON BELL is married to fellow ULM graduate SHAWNTE H. BELL. Their first child, Melton S. Bell II was born in May of 2015; they currently reside in Arlington, Texas where he works as a Project Manager for Taylor Construction Management. During his time at ULM Bell was a member of the School of Construction Ground Breakers.

2004 JORDAN HUFFSTUTTER ANDERSON is married to RICHARD ANDERSON. She is an assistant professor at ULM. She currently lives in West Monroe, Louisiana.

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

ALISA MURPHY ZUJOVIC currently lives in Tampa, Florida. During her time at ULM she was a member of Delta Sigma Theta in the spring of 1998.

2005 KRISTEN BROWN is a registered nurse for the Department of Veteran Affairs. She currently lives in Lafayette, Louisiana. MICHAEL SHOCKLEY is retired and currently resides in Kirkland, Washington. While at ULM he was a member of the football team. LATESHIA MCDADE VINCENT is married to MACK VINCENT, JR. They currently live in Houston, Texas.

2006 ALMA MARJANOVIC is married to fellow ULM graduate SRDJAN MARJANOVIC. Their first child, Milena, was born in April of 2014; they currently reside in Monroe, Louisiana where she works as an Academic Advisor at ULM. THOMAS BLOXOM is married to CASEY BLOXOM. They currently reside in Cedar Park, Texas.

photo by Emerald McIntyre

WWW.ULM.EDU

CARMEN DEMARE currently lives in Cross Lanes, West Virginia. While at ULM she was the 2005-2006 President of Tau Omicron Chi. She recently became the Associate Professor of Aquatic Toxicology at West Virginia State University. She was hired under the National Science Foundation (NSF) Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research

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Beta Sigma Sorority, and the Student Nurses’ Association. She currently lives in Romansville, Pennsylvania.

2009 RHETT DESSELLE II is married to ELIZABETH DESSELLE. He is a Right of Way Agent for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. He currently lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While a student at ULM he was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

to BRENNEN W. FRICK. She currently resides in Shreveport, Louisiana. TAFTA PERRY MILLER is married to fellow ULM graduate MATT MILLER and they live in Monroe, Louisiana. At ULM Miller was the President of the Students of Louisiana Early Childhood Association. In August of 2015 she became the Executive Director of Carol’s Kids Early Learning Center in Monroe.

2011

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

DR. WILLIAM (TREY) HILL is married to fellow ULM graduate AMY HILL. They reside in Hays, Kansas, where he is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Fort Hays State University. In the Fall of 2016 Hill was awarded the university-wide faculty research award at Fort Hays State University.

ALEX CHACE is married to fellow ULM graduate JESSICA CHACE and they currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama. Chace is a Transfer Counselor for Alabama A&M University. During his time at ULM Chace was on the ULM football team and was a member of the Phi Kappa Alpha Fraternity.

JANICE BLACK JORDAN currently resides in Monroe, Louisiana, where she is a teacher at Monroe City Schools.

THERESA DO currently lives in West Monroe, Louisiana.

JOHN RAYMOND WOOTEN, JR. is married to fellow ULM graduate CASSANDRA WOOTEN. He is retired and living in Monroe, Louisiana. While at ULM he was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha.

2010 MELISSA TINGLER FRICK is married

SHERISE HICKMAN lives in Bartlett, Tennessee. During her time at ULM she was a member of the Campus Activities Board, the Association of Students in Kinesiology, the Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities, and the International Honor Society in Psychology. HANNAH MATHNEY lives in Monroe,

Louisiana, where she is the Marketing Coordinator of Downtown Monroe Alliance. She was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority and of the Public Relations Student Society of America.

2012 MITCHELL AMEDEE is married to fellow ULM graduate SHELLIE MILLER AMEDEE. He currently lives in Vacherie, Louisiana. He was a member of Phi Delta Chi while ULM. JACQUELINE JOHNSON is an administrative office assistant for the Tarrant County College District. She currently lives in Fort Worth, Texas. DERON TALLEY currently resides in Monroe, Louisiana. SRDJAN MARJANOVIC is married to fellow ULM graduate ALMA MARJANOVIC and they reside in Monroe, Louisiana. He is the Creative Director at ULM. As a student he was involved in Kappa PI International Honorary Art Fraternity and Emerging Scholars Program.

2013 EMERALD MCINTYRE resides in Monroe and is the Digital Media Editor for ULM. While a student, she was a member of the Triathlon Team, CAB, The Hawkeye, Kappa

T WENT Y-SEVEN YE AR S OF

E XCELLENCE WWW.ULM.EDU

JOY BALLARD is married to LEO OLIVER. She currently resides in New Orleans, Louisiana. KELSEY WALDEN BOHL is married to ALEX BOHL and they reside in West Monroe, Louisiana. She is currently pursuing a degree in higher education administration from the University of Alabama, and recently she became the Executive Director of University Planning and Analysis at ULM. ANGEL STIRES COATS is married to JEREMY COATS. They currently live in West Monroe, Louisiana.

JUSTIN MAILHES is married to KAYLEIGH MAILHES. He lives in Monroe, Louisiana where he is an Investment Analyst for Argent Advisors. LOGAN THIBODEAUX is a pharmacist

KASSIE BETHARD WILLIAMS is married to JOSH WILLIAMS. She currently lives in Coushatta, Louisiana, where she is the Director of Pharmacy at Christus.

2014 JON FISHER is married to fellow ULM graduate ALYSSA WOODEN. They recently moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where Fisher is a Financial Analyst for Shea Homes. While at ULM Fisher was a member of the ULM Football team from 2010-2013; he was also the Vice President for Phi Kappa Phi, was a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, and was the Treasurer (in 2013) and then the President (in 2014) of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. SHERRI CAIN JONES is married to CHRISTOPHER JONES, who is also a ULM graduate. She currently lives in Arlington, Texas, where she is an Applications Developer for CitiGroup.

2015 BRITTANY ALLEN works at Saint Francis Medical Center as a Registered Nurse. She currently lives in Monroe, Louisiana.

CLINTON CREECH is the Adjunct Professor of Biology at Louisiana Delta Community College. He currently resides in Monroe, Louisiana.

2016 BRENT HUMPHREY currently lives in Chino Hills, California. EMILY WISE LACOSTE is married to JAY LACOSTE. She currently resides in Delhi, Louisiana. YASMIN BICHARA resides in Monroe and is currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Communication. She is working as a Graduate Assistant in the ULM Foundation at ULM. JERRY ORANGE resides in Monroe, Louisiana. COLIN STAGG is married to fellow ULM graduate LINDSAY STAGG. He is a pharmacist for Medical Pharmacy and lives in Zachary, Louisiana.

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

JENNIFER GOSS HUEY is married to SCOTT HUEY; they were married in November, 2016 at Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Monroe. They currently reside in Sterlington, Louisiana. She works as a Sales Administrator for CenturyLink Security. While at ULM she participated in FCA and was a member of ULM Track and Field from 2009 to 2013.

for Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was a member of the Phi Kappa Alpha Fraternity while at ULM.

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Pi International Honorary Art Fraternity, and the Emerging Scholars Program.

VLADIMIR JAKOVLJEVIC was a member of the Track & Field team while at ULM. He resides in Monroe and is currently pursuing his Master of Arts in Communication. He is working as a Graduate Assistant in the Office of Public Information at ULM.

WWW.ULM.EDU

photo by Emerald McIntyre

ULMMAGAZINE SPRING 2017

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT: Jeremy K. Moore (BBA ‘00, MBA ‘02) PRESIDENT ELECT: W. Adams Rodgers IV (BBA ‘98) PAST PRESIDENT: Brenda B. Dudley (BBA ‘84, MBA ‘86) VICE-PRESIDENT: Sara Benecke Brice (BA ‘90)

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

SECRETARY-TREASURER: Julie Harlan O’Brien (BA ‘80) AT–LARGE VICE PRESIDENTS:

Kyle Keeler (BS ‘95) Mary Ann Riddle (BA 74; BA 77) Fritz Winke (MA ‘99) Jamie Hilburn (BA ’04) Eric Weatherly (BS ‘07) Bobbye Fletcher Earle (BS ‘61) Lance Futch (BBA ‘95) Glen L. Williams (BA 60; BS 63) Todd Burgess (BGS ‘92) H. Wade Earnheart (BBA ‘72) Sam L. Moore III (BS ‘90, Med ‘93) Chris Rightsell (BA ’04) Kay Heck Shipp (BA ‘70, MA ‘73) Dr. Jeff Hood (BA ‘91, MA ‘94) Wally Mulhearn (BS ‘85) Doug Nielsen (BA ‘08) Complete bios are available at

ulm.edu/alumni/board.html WWW.ULM.EDU

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ULM Magazine Spring 2017

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Pharmacy Faculty Excel in research