Fall 2008 Fall Lothe Magazineuisiane of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Fall 2008 Fall LoThe Magazineuisiane of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Dr. Jo s e p h Sa v o i e Meet the university’s new leader Editor’s note paper was defective; we didn’t have to pay an extra charge.extra an pay to didn’thave we defective; was paper others. treats he how about lot a says It dilemma. my to responded he how of reminded he’sam what I me like, asks him know doesn't who someone forgetit. never will I incident. doesn’tthe remember probably He empowering. was it because answer great a was it yet, percent.”100 you back will he what, matter no and, can you decision best absolute the Make judgment. your trusts he that you Advancement. University for president vice then was who Savoie, guidance. some wanted either.she long So, for university the at working been not had She fax. the at looking by situation the of severity the gauge to sible impos- was it But pages. the of one of copy a fax to me asking by job? my Wouldlose personally? I take mis- the for pay to Wouldhave expect. I to what didn’tknow I so long, university the for working been not had I expense? extra tial substan- a or pages bovine-like – worse be would which So, tight. taxi. idling an than more much costs press idling an me, trust And running. keeps meter the but moving It’slight. red a not at idling taxi a it’slike run, of a sort during correctly.them reprint then and look unexpected this had pages the why determine could we so press the down shut to foreman the ask Or,could pages. I mottled out names. donors’ the of few a read to difficult it made blotches cow.Holstein a dark of Big hide the resembledbackground The wrong. terribly was something imperceptible.But almost were that clouds of images ghost-like background, subtle a have to posed in included university.the be to would contributed section recently That had who donors of names the listed that section special a printing was The We hope you enjoy this issue of issue this enjoy Weyou hope way,day.the the that that pressBy out the turned stopped It I university’sthe When president.is new Dr.Savoie Joseph hear.to And hoped had I answer the not was it sense, a In later.minutes “T-Joeof tell couple to a said back called Julie profusely.sweating was I then By “T-Joe”T-Joe,”Joseph ask to referringme said, “Let she help to tried She Simon-Dronet. Julie boss, my called quickly I especially was budget our when mid-1990s, the in was This halted is press a no-brainer.when a But like seem might This spitting continue to press the allow could I choices. two had I sup- were pages The sank. heart my and copy a up picked I huge press was just getting cranked up to its full speed. It speed. full its to up cranked getting just was press huge La Louisiane. La La Louisiane. La –– Kathleen Thames Kathleen –– Research

Working Together Institute promotes shared projects that can save coast, marshes

lthough they are in different at the bottom of bodies of water. More A fields, Dr. Don Hayes and Dr. Jen- specifically, he concentrates on dredging neke Visser have a common professional sediment and using it to form land. Visser’s interest. They want to bring researchers areas of expertise include coastal restora- in many disciplines together to find ways tion, wetland vegetation and seabirds. to protect and restore Louisiana’s rapidly Through the ICEE, they plan to inte- eroding coast and to rehabilitate its dam- grate engineering and science into coastal aged marshes. restoration efforts. Hayes and Visser are co-directors of “There’s no single answer and the an- the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s swers are different for different parts of the new Institute for Coastal Ecology and coast, as well,” Visser said. “We are inter- Engineering. ested in getting as many faculty involved Hayes is an engineer who specializes as possible.” in sediment, particles of soil that settle Their primary goals for the ICEE’s first Dou g Du as Dr. Don Hayes and Dr. Jenneke Visser, co-directors of a new center at UL Lafayette, examine plants in a marsh in Iberia Parish.

2 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 year are to settle into an office on campus, marshes,” she said. “A lot of identify and coordinate university resources, the freshwater marshes in and explore funding opportunities. Louisiana are floating. So, Louisiana lost 1,900 square miles of they don’t have a solid soil un- coastal land, mostly coastal marshes, dur- der them. They are a floating ing the 20th century, according to the Loui- organic net of roots and grass- siana Coastal Wetlands Conservation and es that are all kind of tangled Restoration Task Force. U.S. Geological together. They move up and Survey data shows the state lost about 24 down with the water, so they square miles per year from 1990 to 2000. are not susceptible to subsid- Some of the causes of coastal erosion ence. They are, however, very and wetlands damage are natural, such as susceptible to salinity.”

wave erosion, a rising sea level and sub- men t of Tou r ism rt L ouisiana Depa Mandalay National sidence. Others are caused by humans. “Louisiana has lost up to 40 square miles of marsh per Wildlife Refuge near Houma, Some wetlands have been drained to make year for several decades – that’s 80 percent of the na- La., is one of the testing areas. more land available for agricultural use, tion’s annual coastal wetland loss. To date, Louisiana Floating plants there were for example. has already lost coastal land area equal to the size of doing well, but the area “got Dr. Bob Stewart, vice president of the state of Delaware. This loss is at an average rate hit pretty hard by Hurricane Research and Graduate Studies at UL of an acre every 38 minutes. If the current rate of loss Gustav,” Visser said. Saltwa- Lafayette, said the complexity of coastal is not slowed by the year 2040, an additional 800,000 ter from the nearby Houma restoration requires the skills of many pro- acres of wetlands will disappear, and the Louisiana Navigation Canal entered the fessionals, such as sociologists, engineers, shoreline will advance inland as much as 33 miles in refuge. “But the plants are still mathematicians, biologists, geologists some areas.” alive, so we’re hoping we will and chemists. He estimates that 15-20 UL Source: www.lacoast.gov have one more year to observe Lafayette faculty are working on research them,” she said. projects related to coastal erosion. nually on coastal restoration before 2005. In addition to replac- “Restoration of coastal Louisiana can In late September, Louisiana Public ing land that has eroded along Louisiana’s be done, but it’s going to require great engi- Broadcasting aired “Harvest to Restore”, a border with the Gulf of Mexico, scientists neering. It’s going to require great science. 30-minute documentary about rebuilding are trying to find ways to heal ailing in- It has to have federal, as well as state, in- the coast using sediment transfer. land marshes. These wetlands were once volvement. And, I think that every univer- Here’s how it works: sustained by annual flooding each spring sity in the state should step up to the plate. A mixture of sediment and water, when melting snow and ice would cause When we formed the institute, we did it in called slurry, is transported by pipeline to rivers to overflow. Floodwaters carried a way that enables us to work with other areas where land has washed away. The nutrients and particles of land that the universities, not just within the university,” slurry spews from the open end of the marshes needed to thrive. he said. pipeline. Land is formed as sediments col- As Louisiana became more populated, Stewart noted that many funding lect and water from the slurry drains away. levees were built to prevent flooding and to agencies, such as the National Science Scientists can then introduce plants, birds prohibit rivers from naturally changing their Foundation, stress an interdisciplinary ap- and mammals there. courses. That has starved some marshes. proach to research. “If you don’t have an Hayes said sediment transfer on Loui- “One idea that we really haven’t tested interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary ap- siana’s coast presents some challenges. For much is creating land with pipeline dredge proach to something, you’re dead on ar- example, many coastal areas that need to be sediment and then reintroducing the river rival – and in some cases, if you don’t have rebuilt are remote, so slurry must be trans- to those areas, so that the marsh can be an inter-university approach.” ported several miles from its source. Un- sustained with nutrients and a little bit Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which derlying sediments are soft, which makes it of sediment,” Visser said. “Louisiana will battered south Louisiana in 2005, boosted difficult to build retaining structures. Also, keep sinking as sediments compact and the public awareness of the important role that since sediments transferred by pipe are soft, sea level keeps rising. But marshes have barrier islands and marshes play by pro- “they are very susceptible for re-erosion and this really amazing ability to sustain them- tecting inland populations. re-transport,” he said. selves by capturing sediments and by their “I think it’s pretty clear now that the Despite those challenges, about 3,000 biological production of organic material.” federal government and state government acres have been added to Louisiana’s coast Stewart said research conducted by are going to invest substantially in restor- through sediment transfer since 1994. It’s faculty members such as Visser, Hayes and ing south Louisiana,” Hayes said. one of the fastest ways to replace land. Hester is especially important because it In mid-August, for example, Louisi- Visser and Dr. Mark Hester, an associ- has the potential to solve specific, pressing ana Gov. Bobby Jindal announced that the ate professor of biology at UL Lafayette, problems in Louisiana. state’s allocation for coastal restoration and together with researchers at LSU, are work- “I’m a fervent believer that we need to levee work will top $1 billion over the next ing on a restoration project that doesn’t have some of our focus be on issues that few years. The governor estimated that the are important to the state and the region

Dou g Du as rely on sediment. state spent $10 million to $15 million an- “We are trying to create floating that we live in,” he said. n

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 3 Gear, Impact May Be Cause of Height Loss

A high school football player can a game. They played lose more than a game on the gridiron. positions on the field He can temporarily lose a centime- that involve repetitive ter – almost half an inch – of his height, blocking and tackling,

Resea r ch according to Dr. Brian J. Campbell, an such as lineman and assistant professor of biomechanics at defensive tackle. The the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. players’ average pre- “The decrease is likely due to the game height was 176.56 intermittent high-impact compressive centimeters, while their loading of the spinal column during a post-game height was football game, as well as the low-impact 175.81 centimeters. continuous compressive forces from “In a game such equipment weight,” Campbell said. as football, one centi- Researchers had already shown meter could mean the that gravity compresses the spine. This difference between a phenomenon, called “creep,” can reduce game-winning catch or a person’s height by about 1 percent in a a blocked field goal,”

day. The loss is restored during sleep. Campbell said. Ann e Da rr ah Campbell said fluid loss in verte- Studying height brae may contribute to the height loss, change in football players could be lege of Sports Medicine in May. The UL but more research is needed to show the beneficial for understanding lower Lafayette faculty member’s research drew mechanisms that affect players’ height. back injuries commonly suffered dur- the attention of major television net- In his study, a certified athletic ing play, he added. works, such as CBS, NBC and ABC, and trainer measured 10 high school foot- He presented his findings at the national publications, such as U.S. News ball players’ heights before and after annual meeting of the American Col- and World Report.

Research findings reveal How teachers’ values compare

Do K-12 teachers share the values of how to think and solve problems, they of the National Opinion Research most Americans? also inform children’s beliefs about Center’s General Social Survey. That Dr. Robert Slater, a UL Lafayette what is right, good and important questionnaire produces “one of the professor of in life, shaping their values in the largest, most reliable, and frequently education, process,” Slater ob- used data sets in the social sciences,” analyzed public served in the article. he wrote. opinion survey Most teachers con- Here are some of his conclusions: results from vey the value • Teachers tend to be less sup- 1972 to 2006 of hard work, portive of free speech rights than to answer that perseverance Americans with similar levels of edu- question. He and meeting cation. But they are more supportive wrote about his deadlines, of free speech rights than other less- findings in an for example. educated Americans. article included Slater • Teachers expressed more con-

in the Winter Ann e Da rr ah noted that there servative views on homosexuality 2008 issue of are roughly 3.5 than other Americans with similar lev- Education Next, a journal million public els of education. published by the Hoover Institution at and private school • Thirty-seven percent of teach- Stanford University. teachers in the ers reported attending church at least Slater’s research is based on the United States. During once a week, compared to 26 percent premise that teachers impart more the 2005-06 school year, they taught of Americans who say they attend one than facts and figures to their classes. about 54 million elementary and sec- or more times per week. “Teaching is as much a moral ef- ondary school students. • Teachers are 9 to 11 percent fort as it is an intellectual enterprise; To compare teachers’ and other more likely to pray one or more times teachers not only educate our children Americans’ values, he studied results per day than other Americans.

4 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 Greeks and Romans Fifty-Eight Days Bearing Gifts, How in The Cajundome the Ancients Inspired Shelter Instinct Putting the Founding Fathers From the Bookshel f From Ann B. Dobie Cary Heath, Bob Christina Carl J. Richard Pelican Publishing Co. Inc. and Eric Alpenfels Roman and Littlefield Gotham Books

A nne D a rr h The Cajundome on UL Lafayette’s Modern schools don’t spend as campus became a temporary haven Golfers can improve their scores by much time teaching classical his- for south Louisiana residents forced using a revolutionary technique. tory and mythology as their 18th from their homes by Hurricanes That’s the premise of Instinct century predecessors. Katrina and Rita in 2005. Putting, co-authored by Dr. Cary Americans are poorer for it, “More than 18,000 people Heath, a UL Lafayette assistant pro- contends Dr. Carl Richard, a history landed there, some of them having fessor of economics and finance. professor at the University of Loui- gone through horrendous experi- “In conventional putting, one siana at Lafayette. He illustrates the ences during and after the storms, is taught to look at the ball for the power of the classics by showing many of them ill and all of them duration of the putting stroke and their influence. needy. . . This is the story in all not to look up until the ball is well “ . . . in neglecting these its complexity – its moments of on its way to the hole,” the co- stories we neglect an important transcendent human kindness and authors note. part of our own heritage. After all, its incidents of malice, the selfless A golfer should look at the tar- these were the tales that inspired human gestures and the selfish, the get – not the ball – while executing the founders to rebel against the noble and the base,” Dr. Ann Dobie a putt, they claim. “Your skill would mother country and to establish a summarizes in Fifty-Eight Days’ improve dramatically if you learned republic they hoped would one day introduction. to concentrate on where to put the rival those of Greece and Rome,” She is professor emeritus of UL ball and didn’t try to think so much he observes in Greeks and Romans Lafayette’s Department of English, about how to execute the stroke.” Bearing Gifts. director of the Louisiana Writing The benefit of more accurate Richard wrote this book for Project State Network and former strokes on the green is significant, anyone who enjoys a good story director of the National Writing Proj- since putting accounts for half the masterfully told. ect of Acadiana. strokes in a typical round on a par-72 Roger Kimball, editor of The Dobie chronicles many evacu- course. New Criterion, a publication dedi- ees’ experiences. She also cites Instinct Putting is co-authored by cated to artistic and cultural criti- examples that demonstrate the Dr. Bob Christina and Eric Alpenfels. cism, said Richard hit his mark. “He Cajundome staff’s compassion and Christina is a research and edu- brings the words and world of the resiliency, as well as the unflagging cational consultant to Pinehurst Golf Greek and Roman ancients to life support provided to storm victims Advantage School and Golf Maga- with the same passion and under- by volunteers and public servants. zine, as well as professor emeritus standing that kindled the Founding Observations taken from of the Department of Exercise and Fathers. Dobie’s personal journal and other Sports Science at the University of “Greeks and Romans Bearing first-person accounts give Fifty-Eight North Carolina at Greensboro. Gifts is essential reading for anyone Days an added dimension. Alpenfels is director of Pine- interested in understanding the “I sometimes feel as if I’ve hurst Golf Advantage School and is moral and intellectual sources that stumbled into a place so private included in Golf Digest’s “50 Great- inspired the founders and helped that I shouldn’t be allowed in,” the est Teachers” and Golf Magazine’s define the ideals of American author noted on Sept. 17. “Top 100 Teachers in America.” democracy.”

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 5 On Campus

Next Step Change provides business incubator with new opportunities

business incubator in Carencro, Roy Holleman, ECOL’s executive direc- A La., is under new ownership. tor, said the change is another step in the The University of Louisiana at Lafay- center’s successful evolution. And, it’s a step ette is now the sole owner of the Enterprise that was planned from the start. Center of Louisiana. It acquired the center The business incubator was spear- earlier this year from two partners, the headed in the early 1990s by SLEMCO to Southwest Louisiana Electric Membership help promising businesses get established Corporation and the City of Carencro. and create more jobs. SLEMCO, a private membership corporation that provides utilities in Acadiana, owned 60 percent of ECOL’s stock; UL Lafayette owned 40 percent. The City of Caren- cro put up 25 percent of the funds needed to build it and obtained a 50 percent matching grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administra- tion for the center’s construction. Ad- ditional funding to build ECOL came from the Louisiana Public Facilities Authority and the Lafayette Econom- ic Development Authority. “SLEMCO’s intent from the beginning was to get ECOL started, help it through its lean years and then hopefully turn it over to the university someday,” Holleman said. “The plan worked.” It became clear that the timing was right for a transfer of ownership, Holleman continued. “We all saw that for the incubator to continue to grow, it would be better with one partner and that the most logical partner would be the university.” As a UL Lafayette center, for example, ECOL will be eligible for funding from sources that weren’t available under the original ownership arrangement. As part of the university, ECOL will continue to

y contribute to economic development in Acadiana, Holleman said. “At the

Ro b in M a same time, this move ensures the En- Roy Holleman has served as executive director of the Enterprise Center of terprise Center’s future.” Louisiana for the past eight years. Early agreements require a public

6 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 This allowed me to not only build a successful current ecol business but to invest tenants in Lafayette’s commercial real estate market, Double Eagle Inspections something that I would Excel not have been able to do without ECOL’s helping iMedia hand.” InfoTech Holleman said all ECOL graduates have iWrite remained in Louisiana; Mr. Electric y most have relocated Pro Tech within Acadiana. Many Ro b in M a of those graduates have Purchasing Partners, Inc. ECOL provides office space and administrative support to its tenants. stayed in northern Lafay- Safety Compliance ette Parish. Recently, body to own the building and specify that four ECOL graduates, which have a total of the center must be used as a business incu- 45 employees, relocated in Carencro. opment Center holds training sessions at bator for at least 30 years. ECOL sits on prime real estate. ECOL, including seminars for people who ECOL offers office space, administra- “Basically, we’re at the corner of In- are considering opening small businesses. tive support and guidance to budding en- terstate 10 and I-49, so our manufacturing Mark Galyean, that center’s director, said it trepreneurs who have solid business plans. and distribution businesses, and those who is the only “nationally-accredited, univer- New businesses are nurtured there until are using the interstate system, couldn’t ask sity-based business consulting and training they “graduate” and move to other loca- for a better place to be located,” Holleman organization in the state. And, our consult- tions. A business can stay at ECOL for a said. “Once I-49 continues further south, it ing is free.” maximum of five years. will make our area stronger. It will become ECOL assists many businesses that “Small businesses are really the back- an even more important corridor.” never become tenants. “About 90 per- bone of job growth. They will hire locally ECOL works closely with other cent of people we help will never locate and buy locally,” Holleman said. economic development agencies and pro- here and shouldn’t locate here. We’re not The incubator is at 100 percent ca- grams, such as the Manufacturing Exten- the place for them,” Holleman said. For pacity, with businesses ranging from an sion of Partnership of Louisiana, Louisiana instance, ECOL can’t accommodate res- electrical repair franchise to a commercial Small Business Development Center, Lafay- taurants or retail stores. “ But we will help fire sprinkler company. Some tenants have ette Economic Development Authority and people with those businesses, along with only one employee, while others have more the small business unit of the Louisiana our partners,” Holleman said. than 20. Economic Development Department. ECOL also houses a library of business One recent ECOL graduate is Durel “We’ve identified what we all do best, start-up guides available from Entrepreneur Mail and Imaging Technologies. The first of and we don’t duplicate. We complement Media Inc. It is the only free, comprehen- its kind in Acadiana, it offers high quality, each other,” Holleman said. sive library of its kind in Acadiana. It’s a rapid turnaround, short run digital color The Louisiana Small Business Devel- joint project with the Louisiana Public Fa- printing and automated cilities Authority. mailing services. With financial unrest in the Owner John Durel United States and abroad, some said one of the biggest potential entrepreneurs may be expenses for most start- reluctant to start a business. up businesses is rent. By “It’s tough. But if you think it locating first at ECOL, through and you prepare a business he said, “small start-up plan properly, that takes a lot of the businesses like mine are fear out of it,” Holleman said. able to ‘live within our Also, he added, “One of the means’ and build up great things about being in an business. environment like ECOL is that “This, along with you have other companies that the advice, exposure are starting up. The tenants are all

to high level business y very good about working with each leaders via the board of other and helping each other.” n

directors and the inci- Ro b in M a dentals provided, gives The business incubator is strategically located near the intersection of ECOL’s clients a leg up. Interstate 49 and Interstate 10. www.ecol.org

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 7 Bonnette Watched Technology Flourish Film Captures Flavor of Area Della Bonnette, vice certainly changed in the president for Informa- number of students en- Plate Lunches tion Technology at the rolled, in selective ad- University of Louisiana missions policies and, of “Raised on Rice and Gravy” celebrates at Lafayette, retired in course, in the landscape

On Campus a daily dining tradition in Lafayette, August. of campus.” the plate lunch house. She supervised sev- She noted that The 30-minute documentary of- eral departments, includ- when she first started fers a look at the kind of authentic Ca- ing Computing Support working at UL Lafay- jun and Creole cuisine that Acadiana Services, Continuing ette, a single computer natives serve themselves, not tourists, Education, the Electron could fill up a room. such as chicken stew, smothered pota- Microscopy Center, In- Now, the information toes and stuffed turkey wings. formation Networks, In-

aul stored on that com- Conni Castille, a folklorist formation Systems, Insti- puter can be stored on a

tutional Research, KRVS Blane F flash drive. Public Radio Acadie, the Della Bonnette “The biggest and Marine Survival Training most profound has to be Center, Media Center and Printing Ser- the impact of the PC and the Internet,” vices, and Edith Garland Dupré Library. she said. She was appointed to the post in 1996. UL Lafayette President Dr. Joseph “Della is a perfect example of in- Savoie cited Bonnette’s dedication to tegrity and commitment,” said Dr. Steve the university. “She was a mentor to Landry, provost and vice president for many here. She will be missed very Academic Affairs. “She’s been a leader much,” he said. here on campus and she’ll be missed.” Bonnette earned an undergradu- Bonnette was a long-time univer- ate degree in mathematics and master’s sity employee, having first served as an degree in computer science from USL. instructor and then assistant professor She served in leadership positions with of computer science in the 1970s. She the Computer Science Accreditation and co-director of the film, said the became director of the Computing Cen- Commission, which accredits computer role the modest restaurants play in the ter in 1977 and director of Computing science programs at colleges and univer- community is just as important as the and Information Services in 1981. sities; and the Association for Comput- food they serve. “I’ve seen the university change in ing Machinery, a professional computer “People used to come home to so many ways,” Bonnette said. “It has science society. eat lunch with their families. For farm- ers and laborers, it was an important daily ritual to sit down and share the midday meal at home. That’s not possible today, so neighborhood plate Princeton Review Praises MBA program lunch houses have become a substi- tute for that in South Louisiana cul- UL Lafayette’s Master of Business Administration program is cited in the 2009 ture,” she said. edition of the Princeton Review’s Best 296 Business Schools. Castille and co-director Alison w in the 20 “We are pleased to recommend the B. I. Moody III College Bohl focus on three plate lunch hous- vie 09 e ed R it of Business Administration to readers of our book and users es: the Creole Lunch House on 12th n io to n e c o of our web site as one of the best institutions they could Street, Gary’s on Lamar Street and f n i B r e attend to earn an MBA,” said Robert Franek, Princeton Country Cuisine on University Avenue. P

e t

h 2 Review’s vice president for publishing. “Raised on Rice and Gravy” is the

296

B Princeton Review editors observed that UL Lafayette’s second documentary directed by Cas-

Business s

n business college offers an MBA with a concentration in tille and Bohl. “I Always Do My Collars

School s

s health care administration, which they describe as “an ap- First: A Film About Ironing,” earned S

A * h

o o

l pealing option to the area’s many health care professionals.” them the Louisiana Filmmaker Award. s

UL Lafayette students surveyed by the Princeton Review Both films were produced by Charles noted that faculty in the MBA program have experience in their E. Richard, an associate professor of fields. Such practical knowledge helps them provide information that English and director of the Cinematic students will need in the workplace, one UL Lafayette student reported. Arts Workshop at UL Lafayette.

8 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 Film Captures College of sciences now carries former president’s Name

Flavor of Area Commencement for the College of from renowned organizations such as Sciences in May had special meaning for the National Science Foundation and the Plate Lunches Dr. Ray Authement, former president of the National Institutes for Health. University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Dr. Bradd Clark, dean of the college, The college was named the Ray P. noted that Authement always supported Authement College of Sciences in his honor. the College of Science and believed “first And, he presented a diploma to his class research goes hand in hand with first grandson, Philippe Prouet II, who graduated class teaching. We have had 15 straight with a degree in biology. With that act, years of merit-based raises for the faculty, Authement fulfilled a promise he had made raises in the bad years as well as the to one of his two daughters. When the late good. We’ve had a number of endowed Kathleen Authement Prouet was battling professorships and chairs, created thanks leukemia, he had pledged that he would to tireless fund raising.” personally hand a diploma to Phillipe. Dr. Sally Clausen, the state’s Authement retired in June after 34 commissioner of higher education, praised years as UL Lafayette’s president and more Authement for his leadership. “We thank than 50 years of service at the university. dou g du as you for giving us your energy, your Dr. Ray P. Authement When he retired, he was the longest intelligence, your life and our future.” serving president of a public university in board’s approval. Board members voted Authement thanked his family and the country. unanimously for the change. “For his many others for their support during his Julie Simon-Dronet, director name to be tied to the College of Sciences career. “They say that memories are the Communications and Marketing at UL is perfect because of his history with treasures of the mind and I leave with Lafayette and chair of the Authement the college, as a student for four years, so many precious memories. . . I leave Recognition Committee, proposed naming then as a professor for eight years, as you with a strong university, one that is the College of Sciences for him. Dr. an administrator for eight years and as financially better off than it has ever been Steve Landry, provost and vice president uiversity president for 34 years. He led and a faculty that is as prepared as any I’ve for Academic Affairs at UL Lafayette, the college to national and international ever worked with. With appreciation and and Winfred Sibille, vice chairman of recognition,” Simon-Dronet said. love that I have for you and all of those the University of Louisiana System The Ray P. Authement College of who came before you, I thank you so very Board of Supervisors, sought the ULS Sciences has continually received grants much for a great 34 years.”

Gaines Adds Honorary Doctorate To Long List of Honors

Ernest J. Gaines, acclaimed author and work on one of his complete collection UL Lafayette’s writer-in-residence emeritus, novels, Catherine of Gaines’ scholar- received an honorary doctorate of letters Cormier. ship in the world. The from the university in May. “Since then, I’ve center will coordinate The symbolic degree was presented added a third impor- research related to him during Graduate School’s Commencement. tant move to my life: and possibly other Gaines is one of the most significant when I accepted the African-American writ- American authors of the 20th century. He invitation to teach ers in Louisiana. is best known for three of his novels, The creative writing at Gaines’ work has Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, A Lesson USL. . .” he con- been translated into at Before Dying and A Gathering of Old Men. tinued. USL is now least 17 languages and Gaines’ relationship with UL Lafay- known as the Uni- earned him a National ette began in 1981 when he accepted an versity of Louisiana Book Critics Circle invitation to serve as a visiting professor at Lafayette. Award, National Hu- of creative writing. He became the uni- The Ernest manities Medal and a versity’s writer-in-residence in 1984; he J. Gaines Center MacArthur Foundation retired in 2004. will be built on the Fellowship. Talk show The author has often said the two third floor of Edith host Oprah Winfrey most important moves in his life were Garland Dupré Li- aul chose A Lesson Before

when he left Louisiana to be educated in brary on campus. It B lane F Dying as an Oprah Book 1948 and when he returned in 1963 to will house the only Ernest J. Gaines Club selection in 1997.

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 9 Students

Student Advocate ‘Coach’ Blanco’s influence will remain for years to come

fter 46 years of service to UL The university is conducting a search ALafayette, vice president for Student for Blanco’s successor. Dean of Students Ed Affairs Raymond Blanco will retire, effec- Pratt is interim vice president. tive Jan. 1, 2009. Blanco has served during the admin- He relinquished his student affairs istrations of four of the university’s six duties in August but remains in charge of presidents: Dr. Joel Fletcher Jr., Dr. Clyde campus maintenance through this year. Rougeou, Dr. Ray P. Authement and Dr. Joseph Savoie. He earned a reputation as a compassionate advocate for students. “During my 46-year career at the university, I have watched the evolution of student life on campus from integration to student protests of the war, to the current era of instant communication,” Blanco said. “But the one thing that has remained constant is that kids want to be respected and they want to know someone cares about them. “We were able to deal with difficult times because we listened, we communi- cated, and we truly cared about kids.” Dr. Jimmy Clarke, executive director for the ACT Center for College and Career Success, worked with Blanco in Student Affairs for more than 15 years. “He would tell us repeatedly, ‘Treat these kids as you would if they were your own or as their parents should,’” Clarke said. Blanco initiated the Dean on Call program so that students could contact a student dean at any time of the day or night if they needed help. He was also responsible for providing emergency call boxes on campus. Clarke said Blanco pays attention to detail and taught him and others to do the same. “In the same way he used to break down film as a football coach, he is able to process and think through multiple circumstances and situations and piece them together and see ahead.” Clarke said Blanco’s retirement is a loss for the university. “But I think he

D ou g u as would be the first to tell you that no one Raymond Blanco’s career has spanned four university administrations. person is bigger than the organization.

10 LA LOUISIANE | fall 2008 And, what he has so successfully done is to Savoie said the impact of bring up so many of his charges, who now the energy management program have extraordinary responsibilities at the is significant. “This program university. So, although he personally is has allowed us to dedicate more leaving, his philosophies, his commitment revenue to faculty salaries and is and his ideas are there and they will be for now a model program for other a long, long time.” higher education institutions in Blanco grew up in Birmingham, Ala. the state.” He graduated from St. Benedict’s College in In the late 1970s, Kathleen Atchinson, Kan., in 1958 with a bachelor’s Blanco was district manager of the degree in philosophy and political science. U.S. Census. When that project He became assistant football coach at Kir- was complete, she and her hus- win High School in Galveston, Texas, the band started a political consulting same year. firm. Over the next two decades, From 1959 to 1962, Blanco was head she held several elected positions. football coach and athletic director at In 2000, she was elected governor Catholic High School in New Iberia, La. He of Louisiana; Blanco became the led its football team to the state champion- state’s first gentleman. ship in 1962. Blanco said he is excited Blanco joined the university in De- about the university’s new admin- cember 1962 as assistant football coach istration and the direction the and defensive coordinator. During his university will take. “I had the op- coaching tenure at UL Lafayette, the Ragin’ Raymond Blanco taught students about the importance of portunity to hire Dr. Savoie some Cajuns had five winning seasons and won social justice. 30 years ago and I have watched two conference championships. He is still referred to affectionately as “Coach” by New Iberia, La., in 1964. many former students. In 1969, Blanco was Blanco married Kathleen Babineaux of named dean of men. He later became dean of students and Blanco bio was soon promoted to vice president for Student Affairs. 1935 Born in Birmingham, Ala. He also took on the additional responsibility of overseeing 1953 Graduated from John Carroll the university’s Physical Plant High School, Department. Birmingham, Ala. University President Dr. 1958 Graduated from St. Benedict’s Joseph Savoie said Blanco College, Atchinson, Kansas gave him an opportunity to

1958 Assistant football coach at become a university adminis- Kirwin High School, trator. “He was one of my first Galveston, Texas mentors and taught me to be sensitive to students and their 1959-62 Head football coach, needs. Catholic High, New Iberia, La. “Over his many years of 1962-69 Assistant football coach service, he has also mentored University of Southwestern dozens of college administra- Louisiana, now University of tors that are now serving on Louisiana at Lafayette campuses across the state. 1964 Married Kathleen Babineaux Many of the remarkable things of New Iberia, La. he has done at the university g o t y Fau

have gone unnoticed, but have J a 1969-72 Dean of men, USL had a lasting impact on many Former Gov. Kathleen Blanco and Raymond Blanco celebrate at 1972-74 Dean of student personnel, students, faculty, and staff.” a ball held the night of her inauguration. USL When the university was 1974-82 Dean of students, USL grappling with rising energy costs, Blanco his career with great admiration and pride. was charged with developing an energy The university family and the community 1974-2008 Vice president for Student management program to reduce electrical are excited about the future of the univer- Affairs, UL Lafayette and fuel costs. That program saves the uni- sity and under Dr. Savoie’s leadership, they 2000-2004 First gentleman of Louisiana versity more than $1 million annually. have every right to be.” n

LA LOUISIANE | Fall 2008 11 Alert System Passes Real-Life Test T-Shirt Swap Puts More Red Right after a bank near campus Savoie encourages all UL Lafayette was robbed this summer, thousands of students and employees to sign up – at On Campus phones started spreading the news. The no cost – for First Call by providing University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s web their contact information. They can give Tired of seeing any other university Student s site and its hotline announced additional e-mail addresses colors worn by UL Lafayette students the crime, too. and phone numbers for First on campus, the University Program “We needed to alert the Call to automatically contact Council’s Spirit committee held a campus community about a in case of an emergency. For T-Shirt Swap at the annual Yell Like Hell possible threat as a result of instance, a student may fur- pep rally. this armed robbery. We wanted nish his parents’ home phone Students could trade other uni- to ensure the safety of all number as an additional con- versity shirts for limited-edition UL students, faculty and staff on tact number. Lafayette T-shirts. They were invited to campus,” said UL Lafayette First Call is only activated stay after the pep rally to watch other Police Chief Ray Lucas. for emergencies and tests of shirts burn in a bonfire intended to It was the first time the the notification system. It does get students fired up for the Cajuns’ university activated First Call, not distribute any advertising. Homecoming game and spark more its new emergency notifica- UL Lafayette students and school spirit. tion system, to issue an alert. employees can register their A total of 150 UL Lafayette shirts Previously, it had only been contact information online at were given away. An additional 90 shirts activated for tests. http://ens.louisiana.edu had to be ordered to give to students Warnings about the robbery were The First Call service is part of an later who had brought shirts to the sent via text messaging and by calls initiative by the Louisiana Board of Re- event to swap. to all campus phone lines and all cell gents and supported by the University “I never expected to exchange as phones registered with First Call. UL of Louisiana System. many shirts as we did that night. It was Lafayette’s hotline gave callers a record- Universities across the nation be- such a success that we may sponsor an- ed message. gan implementing emergency notifica- other T-shirt Swap in the near future,” “The system performed as it was tion systems after a disturbed student said Laura Bullinger, UPC Spirit Com- designed to perform,” Lucas said. shot and killed 32 students on the mittee chairperson. A second message was distributed campus of Virginia Tech before killing Aimee Graugnard, UPC president, after a suspect was arrested later that day. himself last year. A review panel criti- said she hopes there won’t be a need for UL Lafayette President Dr. Joseph cized Virginia Tech administrators for many more T-shirt exchanges. Savoie said he was pleased with the sys- failing to take steps that might have re- “Ideally, we will get to a point where tem’s performance. “The safety of our duced the number of casualties, such as we don’t have to host this type of event students, faculty and staff remains a top informing students more quickly about because everyone on campus will be priority for this university,” he said. the shootings. s p o r t i n g U L s h i r t s a l l t h e t i m e , ” s h e s a i d .

Turn It Up!

Ragin’ Cajuns fans can enjoy the music to perform in the The CD set can of UL Lafayette’s Pride of Acadiana parade that year. be purchased at the Marching Band long after the football A number the UL Bookstore in season is over. band performed in the Student Union A new two-CD set offers crowd Herald Square at the on campus, Follet’s favorites, such as “Respect,” “Fight Song” end of the parade is Bookstore on St. and “Tear the Roof Off.” It features drum also included. It’s a Mary Boulevard and cadences and percussion pieces, as well medley of “When the Louisiana Hot Stuff on as tunes performed during halftime Saints Go Marching Ambassador Caffery. shows in the past three years. In,” “On the Sunny For more information, There’s a bonus: Songs the Side of the Street” call the UL Band band played during the 2005 Macy’s and “South Rampart Department at (337) Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York Street Parade” that’s called “When the 482-6014 or visit its web site. City. The Pride of Acadiana was one Saints Go Marching Down the Sunny of only two university bands invited Side of South Rampart Street.” www.ulbands.com

12 LA LOUISIANE | fall 2008 Buses Double as Rolling Billboards for University

Two new buses used to transport 45-foot red moving students from Cajun Field to cam- billboard?” pus are sporting custom wraps. The second They feature photos of UL wrapped bus debuted Lafayette students celebrating at before UL Lafayette’s home football games. The buses Homecoming week also display the university’s primary in late October. Its athletic mark. UL Lafayette’s pepper wrap design features logo is on the front of the bus. different photos of The university’s Office of Com- students. munications and Marketing worked “It’s another great v er

with Prejean Creative, a local design ar way to get our name firm, to produce the bus’ new look. out to the commu- “Lisa and Kevin Prejean spent T M att nity,” said SGA Presi- weeks measuring each bus and mak- nearly 20 local retailers to say “thanks” for dent Jamey Arnette. ing minute adjustments to the designs so selling Ragin’ Cajuns merchandise. Besides shuttling students, the buses that they fit just right along all the panels Tarver said the wrap was an instant are used for campus tours and other uni- and contours of the buses,” said Matt Tarv- hit. “The first day the bus was used, people versity events. “I think the wrapped buses er, assistant director for trademark licensing all across Lafayette were waving and blow- add great school spirit, not only on our at UL Lafayette. ing their car horns when they saw it.” campus but city wide,” Dustin Domangue, The first wrapped bus was unveiled in Kennan Guillory, assistant director SGA vice president, said. April, just in time for the university’s inau- of UL Lafayette’s Parking and Transit, said Kimberly Wooten, SGA treasurer, de- gural Retailers’ Appreciation Tour. Students, the buses are a powerful advertising tool scribed the first time she saw the wrapped staff, faculty and fans used the bus to visit for the university. “Who doesn’t notice a buses: “I immediately stopped in awe.”

podcasts enable nursing students to practice, practice, practice

Thanks to a grant from the eligible to enroll in it. Louisiana Board of Re- Oberleitner explained that students might gents, students taking the only have a couple of chances to interact with “Fundamentals of Nurs- an instructor who demonstrates certain clinical ing” course at UL Lafay- nursing skills. A podcast gives them “the ability ette can review lab skills to watch that demonstration as many times as anytime they want. they need to. . . They can review the skill right The College of Nurs- before they go into a patient’s room, ” she said. ing and Allied Health Pro- Students can stop a podcast at any point fessions received $50,000 and watch or listen to it as many times as to produce podcasts of lab needed to review a technique. skills. Podcasts are audio Nursing student Jacob Kora said the pod- and video files that can casts are helpful. “There’s only so much you can be downloaded from the get from your notes on lab skills. This program

Internet onto portable me- Blane Faul shows that the nursing instructors are willing to dia players, such as iPods help students any way they can,” he said. and mp3 players. A survey showed that about 70 percent of students taking “We are always looking for ways to motivate students and “Fundamentals of Nursing” own an iPod or mp3 player. Those to also give them more flexibility,” said Susan Randol, freshman who don’t can borrow one for a semester. The grant enabled the and sophomore coordinator for the college. college to purchase 30 to loan to students. A podcast can also be Dr. Melinda Oberleitner, who’s a professor, head of the Nurs- viewed on a computer. ing Department and associate to the dean of the college, said the The project is part of a pilot study that will track recruitment podcasts have been a hit with students. “They love it. They want and retention for the college. more,” she said. “We’re banking that the more resources that we can give “Fundamentals of Nursing,” is the first clinical course that students outside of class, that will help with retention,” Ober- nursing students can take. Second-semester sophomores are leitner said.

LA LOUISIANE | fall 2008 13 Investiture Ceremony Investiture Ceremony

14 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 Investiture Ceremony Investiture Ceremony

Investiture Dr. E. Jo s e p h Sa vCeremony o i e , P r e s i de n t Knowledge is the core business of the university. In every phase of it “– discovery, transmission, assessment, application and expansion – the university plays a critical role. On our campus every day, and on college campuses throughout America, knowledge is discovered, knowledge is gained, knowledge is tested, knowledge is shared and knowledge is applied. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is well positioned to step up to this challenge to expand knowledge, to expand the knowledge base and to keep our state and nation economically secure. “…(many people) did their part to secure a brighter future for this university and the people that it serves. But now it’s our turn. We are now the custodians of the promise, as it has been passed on to us. Notice I said ‘our turn.’ It’s not me. It’s not you. It’s not some ‘them’. It’s what we will do together and that will be our legacy. “Teaching is a moral profession. Scholarship is a public trust and public service is an obligation. This is how we will meet the obligations of our generation. We will simply strive for perfection. Now, perfection is rarely attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.” Oc t o b e r 30, 2008

Ph o t o g r a p h y b y Ph i l i p Go u l d

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 15 Investiture Ceremony Investiture Ceremony

Inauguration events began with an ecumenical prayer service in front of Martin Hall on Thursday morning. It featured readings by UL Lafayette students Kyle LeBoeuf, Fawn Roy and Lance Dunn and prayers by Father Chester Arceneaux (far right), Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic Church; Scott Belmore, Baptist Collegiate Ministry; the Rev. Daniel Hixon, Wesley United Campus Ministry; the Rev. Eric Treuil, Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship; and the Rev. Lloyd Joiner Jr., Progressive Baptist Church. The following performed during the ceremony: the UL Lafayette Trumpet Ensemble, the UL Gospel Choir, the Lafayette High School Advanced Mixed Choir, the Ascension Episcopal School Choir and the Acadiana Community Ecumenical Choir/Gospel Music Workshop of America Chapter.

Ecumenical Prayer Service Inaugural Luncheon “We k n o w t h a t i n t i m e s s u c h a s t h e s e , w h e n b u d g e t s s t a r t t o b e c o m e t h r e a t e n ed , i t i s t h e t i m e t h a t we m u s t t a k e a l o o k a t t h e v a l u e o f o u r b u s i n e s s , o u r e n t e r p r i s e . a n d , a s I h a v e h e a r d Dr. Sa v o i e s a y m a n y t i m e s , ‘Ne v e r r e t r e a t .’ ”

Dr. Sally Clausen Commissioner of Higher Education UL Lafayette hosted delegates of other universities and special guests at the Cajundome. Leaders of key organizations and agencies offered remarks and a video tribute to the new president was presented.

16 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 Investiture Ceremony Investiture Ceremony

Investiture Ceremony

Inaugural Luncheon

Above: During the investiture, Elsie Bur- khalter, chairperson of the University of Louisiana System Board, attached a lapel pin to Dr. E. Joseph Savoie’s doctoral gown. The pin was worn in 1920 by Dr. Edwin Lewis Stephens, the university’s first president. Right: An office chair used by Dr. Stephens symbolized his presence at the ceremony. Shown in the foreground, from left, are: Dr. Steve Landry, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs; the Most Rev. Glen J. Pro- vost, bishop of the Diocese of Lake Charles; Jamey Arnette, SGA president; Dr. Donna Gauthier, Faculty Senate secretary; Mary Galyean, UL Lafayette Alumni Association president; L. J. “Joey” Durel Jr., Lafayette city/parish president; and John N. Chappuis, UL Lafayette Foundation president.

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 17 Investiture Ceremony Investiture Ceremony

UL La f a y e t t e Na m e s Fi r s t Pr o v o s t

hat are a provost’s experience in higher education makes duties? him a perfect fit for the provost posi- It’s no wonder “He is a distinguished tion. “He is a distinguished leader and is that Dr. Steve Landry highly regarded across the campus and Wis often asked that question. He’s the leader and is throughout the community.” first provost in the University of Loui- One of Landry’s duties is helping siana at Lafayette’s 110-year history. highly regarded to recruit outstanding faculty. “We’re Landry has served as the universi- always trying to get the best who can ty’s vice president for Academic Affairs teach and conduct research,” he said. since 2000 and will retain that position across the campus Landry said the scope of his respon- in addition to his provost responsibili- sibilities is reflected in the people he in- ties. As vice president for Academic and throughout the teracts with each day and the variety of Affairs, he is responsible for the general projects and activities that he is involved direction of UL Lafayette’s instruction, Dr. Ecommunity.”. Joseph Savoie, President with on behalf of the university. research and outreach activities. “One minute, I’ll be talking with As provost, Landry is the senior students who come to my office,” he academic administrator and senior said. His voice drops a little and he of- vice president on campus. He will fers an aside, with a smile: “They’re coordinate academic affairs, student either in trouble or they’re doing some- affairs, research, advancement and ad- thing magnificent.” ministration. He continued: “The next minute, we “It’s almost like a chief operating may be talking with the city-parish presi- officer in a company,” he said of his dent or a legislator about a work force ini- added role. tiative. Three hours later, I could be talk- Landry has a broad view of the ing with a faculty member and later meet university that is based, in part, on his with someone who has donated money to career at UL Lafayette. Prior to being the university for a scholarship.” named vice president for Academic Af- Creation of the provost position fairs, he was the university’s vice presi- is one of several modifications of the dent for Research. Landry had previ- university’s administrative structure that ously served as director of Research have been made since Savoie became UL and Sponsored Programs. He is a Lafayette’s president. former associate professor and depart- For instance, Dr. Carolyn Bruder ment head in Computer Science and is now associate vice president for the Center for Advanced Computer Academic Affairs. She had previously Studies. He also served as director of served as assistant vice president for the university’s Computing Center. Dr. Steve Landry Academic Affairs. “Each one of these positions has “She is a miracle worker,” Landry influenced the way I see the university today and how I see said. “She is a former faculty member and department head. what it could become. I’ve gained a wonderful perspective, ” She has also been engaged in the university’s accreditation re- Landry said. views by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and As vice president for Academic Affairs, Landry led the the NCAA. So, she has a breadth of experience that’s almost seven-year transition that gradually strengthened admissions unmatched on campus.” criteria. He assisted with the development of an accelerated Landry said it’s critical for the university to have a team of option track in nursing that enables students with four-year strong deans. “It makes a huge difference when you have good degrees in other disciplines to obtain a bachelor’s degree in colleagues, all of whom have good experience and intentions.” nursing through a fast track. He also led the development and But all university personnel have a key role, he continued. implementation of the university’s partnership with the Lafay- “My job is to be a team builder. One of the most im- ette Parish School System and other district systems for dual portant things that all of us do is recruit and retain the right enrollment of high school students. faculty and staff, so that we can recruit and retain the best UL Lafayette President Dr. Joseph Savoie said Landry’s students. This really is a people business.” n

18 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 Investiture Ceremony Investiture Ceremony

“I t h i n k we k n o w Jo e ’s s t o r y . He g r ew u p a l i t t l e we s t o f h e r e . He s p e n t t i m e a t t h i s g r e a t u n i v e r s i t y a n d t h e n h e m a de h i s m a r k a s a n ed u c a t i o n l e a de r , a n ed u c a t i o n p o l i c y c h a n g e a g e n t , n o t o n l y i n Ba t o n Ro u g e , b u t t h r o u g h o u t t h i s g r e a t c o u n t r y . A n d , n o w h e i s r e t u r n i n g h o m e f o r w h a t I t h i n k w i l l b e t h e c r o w n i n g a c h i e v e m e n t o f h i s l i f e .”

Dr. Randy Moffett, University of Louisiana System President

Investiture Ceremony

Left: UL Lafayette’s Army ROTC cadets presented the colors. Bottom center: The University Wind Ensemble, conducted by Dr. William Hochkeppel, performed. Bottom right: Dr. E. Joseph Savoie with state Sen. Michael J. ‘Mike’ Michot, left, and state Rep. Patrick Page Cortez.

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 19 Investiture Ceremony Investiture Ceremony

Investiture Ceremony

“I a m i n deed f o r t u n a t e t o c o m e t o t h i s p o s i t i o n a t a t i m e w h e n o u r f o u n d a t i o n i s f i r m a n d o u r f u t u r e b r i g h t . A n d i f we w o r k t o g e t h e r , a l l o f u s a s p a r t n e r s i n p r o g r e s s , we w i l l l e a v e a l e g a c y w h i c h o t h e r s w i l l r e c o u n t i n t h e 22n d c e n t u r y . Top left: Thomas Frey, executive director and senior futurist of the DaVinci Institute, gave the keynote address. The institute is a futurist think tank in Colorado. Top right: Dr. E. Joseph An d I p r o m i s e y o u we w i l l h a v e Savoie and former UL Lafayette President Dr. Ray Authement. Bottom left: Fireworks were lit f u n a l o n g t h e w a y .” in celebration of Savoie’s investiture. Bottom right: Grace Savoie of Sulphur, La., celebrated the inauguration of her son, Dr. E. Joseph Savoie, as the new president of UL Lafayette. Dr. E. Joseph Savoie, President

20 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 Investiture Ceremony Investiture Ceremony

Irma Thomas, soul queen of New Orleans, performed during the “We Are Louisiana” party at the Cajundome Thursday night. Joining her at the end of Aretha Franklin’s classic, “Respect,” were UL Lafayette’s Pride of Acadiana March- ing Band, student-athletes, spirit groups and members of student organizations. Other per- formers included Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience, Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters, and The Molly Ringwalds.

“We are Louisiana” Celebration

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 21 Pr o f i l e o f a Pr e s i d e n t : Dr. J o s e p h Sa v o i e

o r Ga i l Sa v o i e , t h e i n a u g u r a t i o n o f h e r h u s b a n d t h i s f a l l a s p r e s i d e n t of the Universitiy of Louisiana at Lafayette must have seemed a bit surreal. • It was a reminder that, sometimes, it’s impossible to predict the future. • She was 16 when she met and began dating Joseph “T-Joe” Savoie. He was 17. • They attended the same high school in Sulphur, La. She was a cheerleader. He was a rascal,F by all accounts. • Gail Savoie remembers vividly the night of their first date. They had planned to go out after a home football game. She was on the sidelines, cheering for her team. “I look up in the stands and see the principal, Mr. Moses, in a suit, running down the bleachers, running after T-Joe, trying to catch him.” • Whatever offense Savoie was suspected of committing that night has probably been forgotten. But former elementary and high school classmates fondly recall that he was a charismatic leader at an early age. • “He was funny. Kind of wild. And I liked him immediately,” said Maria Hart, a high school classmate. • Peggy Ducote, another high school classmate, remembers his devil-may-care attitude. “T-Joe was just out there, you know? Whenever he would come up with an idea that was so creative, he could get anybody to follow him. The leadership qualities were there.” • In an interview in October, Gail Savoie said that when Savoie graduated from high school, she thought he might become a lawyer. • “I’m still in a state of shock because I never dreamed, when I watched him go off to college, that he would end up being president of a university. Believe me, that was the last thing on his mind. I can tell you that right now,” she said, with a laugh.

Jo s e p h Sa v o i e w a s b o r n i n Su l p h u r , La., a b l u e -c o l - “I was taught, and began to believe at an early age, lar town about 10 miles west of Lake Charles, La. that each of us has a responsibility to the greater good As a child, he was given his nickname, “T-Joe,” by his and that we ought to use whatever talents that we have to French-speaking grandmother, who was known as “T-Ma.” contribute to the greater good in some fashion,” he said. “It just kind of followed him all the way through school “My parents, each in their own way, were role models for and that’s the only way I know him,” Gail Savoie said. that philosophy.” He was the fifth of seven children. His mother was a As a teenager, Savoie played bass guitar in a teacher and his father was a businessman. rock band, Five Stories High. Some of the other band In an interview with La Louisiane, Savoie spoke about members played football. Savoie stopped playing his his parents’ influence on his life. sophomore year. “He didn’t want to get hurt,” Gail Savoie

By Ka t h l e e n T h a m e s

22 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 P hilip G ould

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 23 deadpanned, until she could no longer that prompted disciplinary action. One of nel at the university, to handle legislative repress a chuckle. them was Savoie; he soon became president relations in Baton Rouge. Their first as- At Sulphur High, Savoie was editor-in- and worked to keep the fraternity together. signment: lobby to change USL’s name to chief of the school newspaper, a member of He was president of Kappa Sigma for nearly a name that better reflected its national, the debate team and was Charlie Brown in three years. In his senior year, he became rather than regional influence. a school play. He also had a lot of fun. president of the Interfraternity Council. Savoie and Clarke rented a room It was apparent even then, Gail Savoie Gail and Joseph Savoie married in where they could make their pitch, set up said, that he had a gift. “He was a born 1977 and he went to work for Schilling an overhead projector for a presentation leader. He doesn’t like to draw attention Distributors. About a year later, Raymond and invited legislators. “We were proud to himself, but he’s the type of person that Blanco hired him as assistant dean of stu- of ourselves. But it was all for naught. We people are attracted to.” dent personnel. Savoie began taking classes learned very quickly that there was a whole at night, working toward earning a master’s lot more to politics than overhead projec- Af t e r g r a d u a t i n g f r o m h i g h degree in educational administration. tors and what we thought were the facts of school, Savoie entered the University of In 1980, Savoie also became program the matter,” Clarke said. Southwestern Louisiana. As a freshman, he director for Union Program Council and Savoie became an ardent student of joined Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Chip Purp- student government advisor. the political process. “I mean, when the era, is one of Savoie’s close friends and a The Savoie’s daughter, Blaire, was born legislature was in session, he was there,” Kappa Sigma brother. in 1981. Clarke noted. Like most fraternities, Purpera said, With the help of several legislators, Kappa Sigma was created “for people to In 1981, Sa v o i e e a r n e d h i s m a s t e r ’s Savoie began to learn his way around the take care of each other and help each other. degree and became executive director of state capitol. He gradually made a name They were intended to help students be the USL Alumni Association and direc- for himself as someone who did his home- better students, to do benevolent things on tor of Alumni Affairs. The association had work, was fair and could be trusted. The campus. . . T-Joe took all of that seriously. about 350 members and limited visibility. education he received in the House and And that’s the part that he wants to see By the time he became director of Universi- Senate would serve him well in years to keep going. He believes in the real reason ty Advancement about 10 years later, there come. He also continued to take classes at why those organizations got started.” were about 8,000 members. the university in the evenings. Savoie, who served on the Union Pro- Kathleen Blanco, who is a USL Lafay- In 1992, Authement appointed Savoie as gram Council and the Student Government ette graduate, describes the transformation: vice president for University Advancement. Association, was a dormitory counselor “When T-Joe became the alumni direc- Adam Savoie was born in 1993. Four when Kappa Sigma got kicked off campus tor, you saw the Alumni Association take a months later, Savoie began to pursue a doc- for an infraction. A handful of fraternity huge leap, a different direction. We became torate from Columbia University’s Teacher’s members weren’t present during the incident like alumni of other campuses. In fact, College in New York City. Gail Savoie is more like some alumni of private campus- candid about the sacrifice that was required es,” she said. Blanco noted that at the time for him to earn a doctoral degree. Savoie became the association’s director, “It was tough. He would leave in the public universities did not routinely ask for summers and live in New York. I was on my contributions from their graduates. own with a 4-month-old and a 10-year-old. But, under Savoie’s direction, she But it was much harder on him than it was continued, “alumni were reorganized and on me, because he hated leaving his family. not just invited to party with us, because “He would come home in the fall and we can all do that extremely well, but also then every six weeks he would fly out on to make targeted contributions, to raise a Thursday to New York and stay until money, to go out and ask people to be an a Sunday night or Monday morning and invested member of the university com- come back. He never stopped working at munity, to put some money back into the UL while pursuing his doctorate,” she said. school that gave you the tools to get where That last year, after the kids were put to you are. And that has paid big dividends.” bed, he studied every night from 10 p.m. Dr. Camille Claibourne graduated to 2 a.m. from USL in 1978. She said it took a leader Savoie’s dissertation topic focused on to convince alumni to take time from their the development of a service learning pro- busy schedules to “contribute back to the gram at USL. university. T-Joe did that for me.” She went Over the next decade, Savoie also be- on to serve as Alumni Association presi- came involved with national higher educa- dent from 1996 to 1997. tion organizations. He served on the boards of the Southern Regional Education Board, In t h e e a r l y 1980s, USL Pr e s i d e n t the Council for the Advancement and Sup- Gail Heinbach and Joseph Savoie attended the Sulphur Dr. Ray P. Authement assigned Savoie and port of Education and as chairman of the High School prom in 1977. Jimmy Clarke, dean of Student Person- board of the national association of State

24 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 Higher Education Executive Of- of the Southern University System, ficers. In 2005, he was chosen by recalled Savoie’s early days as commis- the National Governors Associa- sioner: “He was a listener… He talked tion as one of six national experts to a lot of people and he listened to a to help governors from across the lot of people. I think that in the process country develop progressive edu- he began to crystallize an idea of where cational policies. That networking higher education should be going. . .” and exposure, like his legislative Savoie earned points for keeping an experience, would prove to be open mind, Tarver said. “He had no pre- invaluable. dilection about what the answer ought Savoie received a doctorate to be. He always felt that the answer in educational leadership and ad- was somewhere in the discussion, in the ministration from Columbia Uni- debate. And his job was to find it.” versity’s Teacher’s College in the One of Savoie’s first tasks was to spring of 1995. eliminate dozens of unnecessarily du- In 1995, M. J. “Mike” Foster, plicated academic programs. a Franklin, La., businessman, was The Board of Regents had been elected governor of Louisiana. working on that project for more than He fully grasped the importance a year. “ It was in total chaos because of higher education to the state’s every school was jockeying to maintain P hilip G ould economy. their programs, to cut somebody else’s Foster appointed Savoie first programs. I got on the road and started to his higher education transition visiting campuses,” Savoie said in a team and in 1996 encouraged the recent interview. Louisiana Board of Regents to hire “I met with campus administrators him as interim commissioner of and told them, ‘I have to eliminate X higher education. number of programs. This is what’s on your list. What do you absolutely have Sa v o i e t o o k a l e a v e of ab- to have and what can you give up? In- sence from USL, assuming he stead of dictating a result, I tried to work would spend just a few months in with the campuses on their individual Baton Rouge, La., as interim com- needs and circumstances. It worked. We missioner. eliminated 100 duplicate programs – The Board of Regents soon more than the number targeted. ” offered the state’s highest educa- His administrative style, which is tion position to Savoie on a per- to include as many viewpoints as fea- manent basis. Top: Dr. Joseph Savoie meets Robert Reichert, a member of Kappa Sigma sible, is one reason for his success. But “When I hired Joe, I was fraternity during an ice cream social held on his first day on campus as UL Savoie is quick to point out that having looking for somebody that could Lafayette’s president. As a student, Savoie was president of Kappa Sigma for Foster’s trust was also key in the early do the job of taking the (Board three years. Bottom: Dr. Joseph Savoie, left, began his career as assistant dean days of his career as commissioner. The of) Regents and giving them back of student personnel at UL Lafayette. As the university’s president, he continues governor let others know that Savoie their constitutional mission, to make student success a priority. was in charge. Savoie worked with two which was to coordinate all the more governors after Foster and stayed colleges in the state,” Foster said of jockeying for extra money for this, that, in charge. in an interview in October. and the other, with no real sense of prior- Kathleen Blanco was lieutenant ity, just power politics.” At o n e p o i n t i n h i s e a r l y d a y s a s governor then. She had served as a state Savoie knew that environment well commissioner of higher education, Savoie representative and a member of the Public because of his experience as the univer- and his wife had to make an important de- Service Commission. sity’s lobbyist. cision. Would they move from Lafayette to Blanco describes what the higher edu- In an interview in October, Dr. Wil- Baton Rouge? Rather than uproot his fam- cation environment was like in the early to liam Jenkins, former president of the LSU ily from their home, Savoie chose to com- mid-1990s: system, commented on Savoie’s political mute to Baton Rouge every day. “The colleges that got the money were prowess. “T-Joe understood the machin- Gail Savoie said that having her hus- the colleges that had legislators in high and ery of state government and how the state band on the road so much was stressful. important positions. It was fast and furi- capitol operated and, at the same time, he “Between his mother and me, there were ous. There was nothing systematic. There understood the nuances. He understood lots of prayers. . . was nothing but strong-arm politics that the political overtones, and political rela- “There were many times when we were decided funding, campus by campus. There tionships. He is a master of that, a master. very worried because he was driving across was base funding, but there was all kind Dr. Leon Tarver II, former president the basin in bad weather. But he wanted to

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 25 But that was just the start of dramatic education reform. “The miraculous thing that he was able to accomplish was to create a model, a unique model in the United States at that time, that education is one continuum from pre-K through higher education,” Blanco said. “Dr. Savoie worked with Superinten- dent of Education Cecil Picard, day in and day out, to make sure that each part of the educational process worked together and was relevant for the individual student and that nothing would be lost in between.” As a result of this partnership, high school graduation rates improved, college attendance grew, ACT scores increased, teacher education programs at colleges across the state were redesigned and the number of certified teachers being produced by the state’s colleges increased sig- nificantly. Dr. Joseph Savoie testifies before the Louisiana House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee. Under his leadership In addition, under Savoie’s leadership as state commissioner of higher education, monetary support for public colleges and universities nearly tripled. as commissioner: • higher education governance was be home in the morning to see his son wake options and they have a real good relation- restructured; up and he wanted to be there in the evening ship,” Gail Savoie said. “I think he made a • a statewide community and techni- to kiss him goodnight. He wanted us to stay difference in this little girl’s life.” cal college system was created; in our community because we love Lafayette • a master plan for public postsecond- so much. That’s the kind of person he is. He Fo r m e r Go v . Ka t h l e e n Bl a n c o ary education, which included admissions is very, very giving.” said in a recent interview that Savoie be- criteria for universities, was implemented; came “the commissioner who has had the • the state’s first need-based financial So o n a f t e r h e b e c a m e c o m m i ss i o n - most positive influence on all of education aid program was established; er of higher education, Savoie received a in Louisiana.” • college graduation rates improved; letter from Zawonnica Mitchell, a student Blanco explained that he convinced • federal research grants doubled; at a middle school in Shreveport. Her class legislators that everything related to higher • national accreditation of academic was studying government. Zawonnica’s education should be handled through the programs statewide reached nearly 100 teacher had assigned her to write a letter to Board of Regents. And, “Dr. Savoie sat percent; Savoie to invite him to visit their school. down the leaders of the university cam- • monetary support for public colleges Savoie accepted the invitation and puses and convinced them that cooperative and universities nearly tripled; and instead of a quick visit, spent most of the activity, going to the legislature with one • education became a key component day there. message, a message for higher education, of Louisiana’s efforts to improve its econo- Gail Savoie said Zawonnica was ex- would be far, far better than the back- my and its residents’ quality of life. tremely shy. “When T-Joe first met her, biting going on.” Savoie guided universities as they she spoke softly and would keep her head strengthened their admissions criteria and down. She wouldn’t make eye contact.” helped establish new community colleges. Zawonnica was a good student and “Th e m i r a c u l o u s t h i n g t h a t Blanco noted that many of the changes Savoie promised her that if she kept her were controversial and politically challeng- h e w a s a b l e t o a c c o m p l i s h grades up through high school, he would ing, but they were made “with the least make sure she could go to college. He w a s t o c r e a t e a m o d e l , a amount of noise and antagonism that one stayed in touch with her, attending school could ever imagine.” performances, encouraging her and send- u n i q u e m o d e l i n t h e Un i t e d ing her books to read that he thought she St a t e s a t t h a t t i m e , t h a t On Au g . 29, 2005, Hu r r i c a n e would enjoy. Katrina hit south Louisiana. At first, it Zawonnica graduated from high e d u c a t i o n i s o n e c o n t i n u u m seemed as if damage was minimal. Then school and received a scholarship to South- f r o m p r e -K t h r o u g h h i g h e r levees around New Orleans began to fail, ern University. She recently earned a degree allowing surrounding water to inundate in political science and is now working e d u c a t i o n ,” much of the Crescent City. toward teacher certification. Savoie responded immediately by call- “She still calls him to discuss career Former Governor Kathleen Blanco ing the state’s higher education leadership

26 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 Fi r s t La d y t o b e Am b a s s a d o r f o r UL

lthough Gail leader and remains an avid fan of Savoie’s husband Ragin’ Cajun athletics. has a new job, she Gail and Joseph Savoie doesn’t expect her married after she graduated from own public role to UL Lafayette with a degree in Abe much different. education. She predicts that it will be Savoie said she had always similar to her role as the wife of wanted to teach. Her first teach- the former commissioner of high- ing job was at St. Ignatius, a small er education. “I don’t think there Catholic school in Grand Coteau, is going to be any real change.” La. “I was the fifth grade teacher Savoie said she always felt and I taught there for about three like an ambassador for Louisi- years,” she said. Savoie also taught ana when she and Dr. Joseph at St. Antoine Elementary School Savoie would attend social in Lafayette. She spent the last 10 functions with political leaders, years of her career as a third grade board members and other com- teacher at Woodvale Elementary, missioners of higher education which is near the Savoies’ home. from around the nation. Acting “The cool thing about it was as a representative of the state that I taught a lot of my college in general, and south Louisiana friends’ children. And I can’t begin specifically, comes naturally to to tell you how many kids I’ve her because Lafayette has been taught who lived up and down the her home since she attended the street where we live. That has been University of Southwestern Loui- a real joy for me to watch these siana in the 1970s. kids grow up.” In a recent interview, she The Savoies have a son, recalled tailgating at Cajun Field Adam, and a daughter, Blaire. before the Ragin’ Cajuns’ game Adam is a sophomore in high against Arkansas State in mid- school. October. “I was sitting there, hav- Blaire married Aaron Saulnier R obin M ay ing a conversation, when I looked Gail Heinbach Savoie in April; they live in Baton Rouge. around and realized I was sur- When Adam was in sixth rounded by Arkansas State fans. They were in the midst of all grade, he took art lessons. But it was his mom who became these Ragin’ Cajuns and they were having a ball. The hospitality an artist. here is just so incredible. I don’t know of another place like it.” Savoie describes how that happened: “He was playing Savoie grew up in Sulphur, La., but chose not to attend around with paints and I thought, ‘I can play around with nearby McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La. “Mc- paint.’ So I just starting messing around and it became a joy.” Neese is a wonderful college but it was close to home and I She primarily paints Louisiana primitives, using acrylics just wanted a new experience. in bright colors. She has sold her paintings in Lafayette and “I remember my first time walking on this campus at ori- Baton Rouge. entation. I could not believe that people would actually look Savoie produced a fleur de lis painting for her husband’s at you in the face, smile and say ‘Hi,’ and they didn’t know new office in Martin Hall. It was reproduced on small canvas- who the heck you were. I had never experienced that and it es that were gifts to special guests who attended an Inaugura- was just great. I knew I had found home. I didn’t want to be tion Day luncheon held in October. anywhere else and, to this day, you can walk on this campus Savoie said she is looking forward to serving as first lady and still have that same feeling of acceptance.” of UL Lafayette. Savoie joined Delta Delta Delta sorority as a USL student. “I really and truly feel honored and blessed to now be an “To this day, I still keep up with my tri-Delt sisters. In fact, ambassador for the university. To have a part in working to there is a group of us that gets together at least once a year. support UL Lafayette is exciting to me because the university We call ourselves the ‘Delta Roses.’ ” She was also a UL cheer- gave me so much.” n

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 27 together and setting priorities. One of the state’s challenges was “The first thing we focused on were keeping its finances stable in the immedi- people issues,” he said in a recent interview. ate aftermath of the hurricanes and flood- “We contacted campus presidents to check ing. State agencies were asked to cut their on their safety and get their assessments of budgets. Higher education had about a impacted students, faculty and staff. It was week to carve out $75 million. soon apparent that over a dozen college and “We tried to do that strategically so university campuses in the New Orleans that we would do the least damage to area were shut down and probably wouldn’t campuses that were not directly affected be able to open any time soon. and who had absorbed 20,000 new stu- More than 80,000 college students dents,” Savoie said. were displaced. Within 24 hours, websites He summarized the Board of Re- were created to help students and faculty. gents’ role after Hurricanes Katrina and “We put in place a policy that students Rita struck: “We just took control and could move to any other campus that was started doing things, always focused on operational – without any bureaucracy, people first, infrastructure second, work- without the necessity of records and files ing around rules and regulations third, because those were under water, and with- and politics not at all. Once people saw out any additional costs. If they had paid that’s what we were doing, they were tuition at their home institutions, then willing to stay out of the way and let us they would not have to pay anything else. take care of our business.” We set up a locator and placement system In 2006, Savoie continued to work for displaced faculty so they could work at P hilip G ould on hurricane recovery and rebuilding functioning campuses and help teach dis- Odie Terry, left, associate publisher of The Independent Louisiana’s higher education system. placed students,” he continued. Weekly, talks with Dr. Joseph Savoie. When the state’s economy began to re- “We guaranteed faculty that they bound with a post-hurricane spending weren’t going to lose their jobs immedi- es and they were still under water. Just as frenzy, he was able to secure from the ately, that we would find some placement we were getting a good handle on things, legislature not only the $75 million that for them and we then issued a public state- Hurricane Rita came and re-flooded every- had been cut from the budget the previous ment which guaranteed employment at thing in New Orleans and took out Mc- year, but an additional $160 million. least through the end of the calendar year Neese State University and Sowela Techni- for all affected employees. I took some cal Community College in Lake Charles.” In 2007, Dr. Ra y P. Au t h e m e n t legislative heat for that, but the worst thing Savoie worked with the Congressional announced he would retire, after serving that could have happened to people who delegation and managed to obtain an initial as UL Lafayette’s president for 34 years. lost their homes was to have their jobs emergency allocation of $85 million from The University of Louisiana System made taken away from them as well. the federal government to stabilize many the selection process for his replacement “It was over a week before we were of the campuses. That allowed universi- as transparent as possible. So, every appli- able to physically get to any of the campus- ties to pay salaries, for example. The funds cant’s name and background information also allowed the state to were made public. make a $1,000 “Return Savoie was one of the last to apply. to Learn” scholarship Dr. Steve Landry, vice president for available for each col- Academic Affairs at UL Lafayette, was one lege student who had of the contenders. He is well respected and been displaced. popular with faculty and staff. In public

“T-Jo e u n d e r s t o o d t h e m a c h i n e r y o f s t a t e g o v e r n m e n t a n d h o w t h e s t a t e c a p i t o l o p e r a t e d a n d , a t t h e s a m e t i m e , h e u n d e r s t o o d t h e n u a n c e s . H e u n d e r s t o o d t h e p o l i t i c a l o v e r t o n e s , a n d p o l i t i c a l relationshi p s . H e i s a m a s t e r o f t h a t , a m a s t e r .” P hilip G ould Adam Savoie, right, checks with his dad, UL Lafayette President Dr. Joseph Savoie, Dr. William Jenkins, at an ecumenical prayer service. former president of the LSU system

28 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 interviews conducted by the board, he was status as a university president with Joe articulate and enthusiastic. the Plumber, who had become sort of Savoie, on the other hand, seemed a contemporary symbol of middle class ambivalent about seeking the position. America during debates between Barack Did he not want the university Obama and John McCain. president’s duties? Or, was he reluctant The subtle, and probably uninten- to leave his position as commissioner be- tional, message: Savoie is every man and cause he thought there was more he could he is his own man. accomplish? It was the first inauguration in the In an interview after his inauguration, university’s 110-year history. In his in- Savoie answered those questions candidly. augural address, Savoie explained why it “I very much enjoyed the work that I was held. did at the Board of Regents. I felt like the “Universities are one of the glories state had made some significant progress of human imagination and of human and I felt good about my role in that prog- promise. For over a thousand years, uni- ress. One of the issues that I struggled with P hilip G ould versities have celebrated pride in their was, where could I contribute the most? past and their hope for a better future. “Ultimately, it came down to some ego I thought this ceremony was important deflating. (I realized) that if I had done my because this university deserves no less job properly, then the board and the staff of an opportunity to express its pride and my successor would be able to con- and to celebrate its future than any other tinue the momentum and build on it even university in Louisiana or the United further. Progress wasn’t dependent on me States. I want you to pay attention to personally. But I would have been happy to things like this because they are the stay in the commissioner’s role for the rest shape of things to come,” he said. of my career. Now that I am here, I feel the Savoie spent much of his address same way about being at UL.” reviewing accomplishments of the five There was a more pragmatic consid- presidents who preceded him. He is a eration, as well. He had been commuting history buff and especially knowledge- from Lafayette to Baton Rouge for about able about UL Lafayette’s past. 12 years. The university presidency offered And, although the university’s stra- a chance to work closer to his home and tegic plan had not been completed yet, family. “My 15-year-old son still likes to he cited a few “strategic imperatives” for talk to me. I want to be around before that’s the future: gone,” he said. “We will sharpen our focus on and The UL System Board of Supervi- improve student success. We will more sors selected Savoie, although Landry strongly engage our students in a broad was a strong contender. The tipping point and meaningful university experience seemed to be his state experience and ex- and facilitate not only technical com- posure at the national level. petencies for job preparation, but the Andre Coudrain, a member of the UL ethics and civic responsibility that are P hilip G ould System Board of Supervisors from Ham- Top: Liz Landry, executive assistant to the president, pins a necessary for them to apply their skills mond, La., observed: “We’ve had strong lo- boutonniere onto Dr. Joseph Savoie’s lapel on the morning of in a responsible fashion. cal candidates in some searches and strong his inauguration. Bottom: John Broderick, left, manager of “We will broaden our graduate national candidates in others. For this one, ground services at UL Lafayette, and President Dr. Joseph school and our research capacity, both we have the best of both worlds.” Savoie chat in the shade of oaks along St. Mary Boulevard. to inform intellectual curiosity and to Savoie’s first day on campus as presi- foster economic growth and develop- dent was July 2. A crowd of faculty, staff ceremony gave the public a chance to ment. We will be good stewards of place and students were waiting to welcome him learn more about him and his goals for UL by engaging our community partners to warmly. One of his first moves was to ap- Lafayette. improve the economic, social, cultural and point Dr. Steve Landry as provost, his sec- Wearing his Ivy League doctoral robe educational development of our commu- ond in command. from Columbia University, he walked over nity, our region, our state and our nation. The new president wanted to wait until to the podium on a stage in the Cajundome “We will secure our physical facilities Homecoming week for inauguration events and introduced himself to the audience: and our strategic space by improving and and his investiture ceremony. Some univer- “Ladies and gentlemen,” he began, “Joe the modernizing our facilities and strategically sities hold weeklong inaugurations. Savoie’s president.” acquire new space so that we and future was just one day and the ceremonies and It was a funny line, delivered with his generations can continue to build. We will activities were funded by private donations. impeccable sense of timing. With only six create an institution that our stakeholders Savoie’s address at his investiture words, Savoie managed to associate his and our observers will highly regard.” n

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 29 Passport to Europe

with Megan Broussard

Ph o t o s b y Me g a n Br o u s s a r d , Ju s t i n Gr e e n l e a f , Re n e e Ju d i c e , a n d Al e x La n d r y

ee other countries Griffin Hall, run straight to the and seize the opportu- Study Abroad Office and filled nity of a lifetime. Those out an application. were the thoughts that France was my country Sprompted me to study of choice, not because I’m abroad. I wanted to learn about obsessed with French crêpes, other cultures and acquire a (which I am), but because I competitive edge before gradu- speak a little French. Paris ating. Little did I know that I was also a strategic choice be- would learn more about myself cause of its central location in and my country in the process. Europe. I could travel to Eng- Although I experienced a few land, Switzerland, Rome, the funny cultural misunderstand- Netherlands and Belgium on ings, one fact was certainly not weekends. lost in translation: Europeans The program offered cours- love the Ragin’ Cajuns! es I needed to graduate, includ- The travel bug first bit ing an art history elective and an in my freshman year at UL international marketing class. Lafayette. I was itching to grab Three months before our a few friends and backpack departure in June, 39 classmates through Europe. But two ques- and I began taking the state- tions stood between my dream side portion of our mandatory and me: How would I ever get French culture class. We learned enough money? And, since I the basic differences between planned to take classes at UL the USA and France, while pre- Lafayette in the summers, when paring ourselves for a six-week, would I find time to travel? PDA-filled adventure –sans Fate answered my ques- air conditioning. We were also tions through a flyer on campus warned not to draw attention to that advertised UL Lafayette’s ourselves while in Europe. Summer 2008 Study Abroad Because of the war in Iraq, Program. There it was: a chance America already occupied cen- to travel to Europe with uni- ter stage in the international versity faculty for course credit arena. The upcoming Demo- and the possibility of obtaining cratic primary race between a scholarship to help pay for Hillary Clinton and Barack the trip. Quicker than anyone This photo was taken on our first night in Paris. Shown from left are Obama was drawing even more could say “bon voyage,” I had Hannah Gerard; me, Megan Broussard; Renee Judice; Alex Landry; attention, since many Europe- climbed four flights of stairs in Katelyn Porubsky; and Elyse Marks. ans favor the Democratic Party.

30 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 Anyone who was disbelieving or daydreaming during this lecture was in for a rude awakening. Finally, the day came to say goodbye to our families and friends, as we boarded a plane for a nine-hour flight to the City of Light. As an only child leaving my parents for the first time, I promised post cards, photos and lots of phone calls, all the while fighting back a few, embarrassing tears. The thought of arriving in Paris kept me awake during the flight. While everyone around me slept peacefully, I wrote the first entry in my travel journal and prayed jet lag wouldn’t be as bad as people had described it. But it was. When we landed at Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris, I was disoriented. I couldn’t read any signs posted in the terminal! I blamed it on Above: I’m standing by delirium caused by sleep de- foreign policies and the Seine River just before ended by spitting in our privation until I realized that boarding a boat for a tour the foreign words meant I was of the City of Light. Left: In direction. nearly 5,000 miles from home the garden of famous French Though it wasn’t and about to walk down the artist Auguste Rodin, Han- the warmest welcome, streets of the most romantic nah Gerard and I mimic the finally standing in front city in the world. famous pose of The Thinker. of the Eiffel Tower was On the bus ride to our the perfect “Bienvenue à dorm, I could hardly believe Paris!” The scene was so the blur of picturesque clichés beautiful that it felt as if I had stepped inside a painting. coming to life around me. The next six weeks in Paris were just as magical. There were smoky cafés on We studied while seated on blankets in nearby parks, almost every corner, small perused open-air markets and toured everything from poodles following their Napoleon’s Arc de Triomphe to King Louis XIV’s Ver- sophisticated-looking own- sailles. We visited many museums, but in addition to the ers, and bicyclists carrying Louvre, one stood out. freshly baked baguettes. Palais de Tokyo held a special, multi-room exhibit Our class split into pairs and settled quickly into the dorm for that depicted contrasting uses of the New Orleans Superdome, the summer. We received meal tickets, which we put to good use ranging from Rolling Stones concerts to providing shelter for immediately. Traditional French cuisine was a bit underwhelming Hurricane Katrina victims. This, along with a few other artistic for our Tabasco®-loving taste buds. interpretations of the Crescent City around Paris, reminded me But, c’est la vie! There was always the safe option of steak of the unique French connection with Louisiana that still exists. and frites, and plenty of cafés and boulangeries selling cheap and Although they may disagree with American politics, it seems that scrumptious croque monsieurs (the French version of the American the French still have a soft spot in their hearts for the Bayou State. grilled cheese sandwich) along with popular North African kebabs. Glacière is the main metro (subway) stop and our gateway to most Parisian attractions. Our cartes oranges served as our summer metro passes. We used them on the day we arrived to visit the Eiffel Tower for the first time. Crammed into the metro car, I realized just how easily Ameri- London cans could be spotted. I vowed to blend in by exchanging tennis London was first on my list of weekend excursions. The shoes and bright logos for chic European staples, like linen pants Channel Tunnel, or Chunnel, under the English Channel, connects and scarves, as soon as I could find time to shop. I also noticed Paris and London by rail. Our train ride was swift and smooth. that Parisian women wear little makeup, so I tried to wear less Within an hour, we had reached the usually foggy city on a than usual, too. rare sunny morning. We instantly felt a greater sense of belonging My classmates and I were also careful not to smile too much, than we had in Paris. We were excited to hear English spoken all take too many photos or talk too loudly in public places. Despite around us, although the British accent made it sound like James our efforts, politically charged Parisians called us out. Bond speaking in code. Our first encounter came just before we arrived at the Eiffel We tried to see as much of London as we could in two days. Tower. A scruffy metro passenger picked up on our accents and We took a bike tour to all the major sites, like Shakespeare’s interrupted our conversations. He began by bashing American Globe Theatre, Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park, Trafalgar Square

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 31 studying abroad. We had booked rooms in a hostel. After unpacking our bags, we went downstairs to the recreation office to see what activities it offered. Half of our group signed up for skydiving, while those of us who are saner signed up for canyoning, which involves rappelling down canyons and sliding down waterfalls. The clerk failed to tell us the water would be so cold that we had to wear wetsuits. Nev- ertheless, canyoning was amazing and I recommend it to anyone who ever wants the chance to feel like Indiana Jones for a while. My friend Alex and I decided to spend our last day there leisurely, so we rented bikes and rode slowly throughout Interlaken and its outskirts. At one point, we realized that we needed to hurry back to Interlaken to return our rental Left: Tiffany Landry and bikes on time. me in front of Big Ben. While cutting through an adjacent town, Above: I’m surrounded I had to stop to fix my bike’s tire, which had by friends in a British phone booth. Clockwise, become warped. As I was working on it, I and Big Ben, which we learned is not the name of the fa- from left, are Daniel glanced up and saw a surprised look on Alex’s mous clock, but the name of a nearby bell. Allemond, Jason Emert, face. She had spotted a poster across the street We ate fish and chips while waiting outside the gates Hannah Gerard and that showed an unflattering photo of President of Buckingham Palace to watch Changing the Guard and a Renee Judice. Bush, along with the word “reform” in German. practice run of the queen’s upcoming birthday parade. We A man, who must have seen us looking at the got a glimpse of Prince Charles but, to my dismay, Prince poster, started walking toward us. We began to William and Prince Harry weren’t there. walk away to avoid a potential discussion about American politics. Around teatime, a Beef Eater, a ceremonial guardian of the But he yelled for us to wait, adding that he had tools to fix my bike. Tower of London, gave us a tour of torture chambers and told We stopped. royal tales of betrayal. Afterward, I asked if he would stand by me When he was near us, he asked a peculiar question. “How while a friend took our photo. While posing, he asked me where does Switzerland compare to home?” Assuming that his ques- I was from. tion was politically motivated, we didn’t answer. Instead, we just When I replied, “Louisiana,” he smiled and responded with a shrugged. Then he pointed to Alex’s UL Lafayette sweatshirt and question: “Who is better, Terrance Simien or D. L. Menard?” Sur- said, “Come on. You should be proud of your home. Louisiana is prised by the question, I said I didn’t know. beautiful and the beignets are fantastic!” “That was a trick question; they’re both incredible,” he continued. “I visit South Loui- siana often, mainly for the music and food, but also for the hospitality.” Loire Valley Dr. David Baker, a UL Lafayette marketing instructor for the 2008 Study Abroad program, had told us about a class Interlaken trip we would take to the Loire Valley. The next stop for the Ragin’ Cajun crew That region of France is best known was Interlaken, Switzerland. Although our for its wine, breathtaking vineyards and classes in Paris were stimulating, we were stunning chateaus. And, as if visiting the ready to get our hearts pumping in the town quintessential medieval towns of Saumur, world-renowned for its extreme sports. Chinon and Azy-le-Rideau wouldn’t be Interlaken is tiny, enough of a treat, he promised a visit Some of my classmates with a population of and I decided to go with a successful UL Lafayette alumnus, only 5,700. It’s in- canyoning. This photo Ted Breaux. vaded every summer was taken just after I Breaux is the founder of Jade Liqueurs, by American college jumped from the top of whose brands of absinthe, including his students looking a waterfall in Interlaken, best-known American product, Lucid, is for adventure while Switzerland. made in a small distillery in Saumur.

32 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 Breaux gave us a tour of the historical Combier Distillery, which houses antique copper equipment designed by Gustav Eiffel, the engineer of the Eiffel Tower, in the 1830s. The distillery looked more like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, with its wacky spiral stair- case in the center of the main room. After complet- ing a sensational wine tasting session, we set off to tour the castle atop the hill, where past kings of France had overlooked Saumur’s townspeople so many centuries ago. It was like stepping into a storybook as we walked along cobblestone roads, staring up at the cold stone fortress and down on the town’s red rooftops. Chinon, our next stop along the Loire River, was the sequel to Saumur’s fairy tale. One afternoon, stuffed with French food, we decided to Top left: Dr. David Baker two sundresses the day before we get a little French-style ex- leads us on a 20-mile boarded a train for a 14-hour ride ercise by renting bikes and bike ride through the to Rome. We were in a sleeper venturing out into the vineyard-filled countryside. picturesque vineyards car stacked with bunk beds called of Chinon, France. Top right: I It was hot, but we stayed cool by joyriding 20 miles up and down couchettes. explore the grounds of the Cha- hills on the outskirts of town. I have to admit that, although teau d’Azay-le-Rideau in Tou- On both sides of the road sprawled open fields, farmlands, raine, France. Left: Ted Breaux, I am a Cajun, I am an air-condi- vineyards and the most beautiful summer homes I could never founder of Jade Liquers and a tioned Cajun. And, while the air have imagined before. UL Lafayette alum, gives us a conditioning units work on the We formed a single line on the winding road, trying to steer tour of the Combier Distillery in train, they – like many others in the bikes with one hand and balance our cameras in the other. Samur, France. Europe – aren’t as powerful as the Aside from the occasional passing car, the only sounds we ones we are accustomed to in the heard were the chirping of birds and the warm greeting, “Bon- United States. We were fanning ourselves while practically hang- jour!” from French neighbors. ing our heads out of the windows to cool off. But more than heat drew us to the windows. The rolling hills of Italy held our attention. It was as if we were watching scenes from Under the Tuscan Sun and we were afraid to tear our eyes away for fear of missing an important piece of the plot. Rome Upon our arrival, The cool breeze of France’s Loire Valley was we were greeted by replaced with the sweltering heat of Roma the next Italian graffiti-filled weekend. Our instructors had warned that the walls, which were sun would be almost unbearable, but I was skepti- mostly illegible except cal. After all, I’m Cajun! for repeated references My ancestors survived the The Coliseum was to “Bush.” We braced heat and stifling humidity first on our list of ourselves for an unwel- Roman landmarks of Louisiana’s mosquito- coming weekend, but to to visit. From left are infested swamps. I didn’t Elyse Marks, Tiffany our surprise, the Italians think the temperature would Landry, Catherine were the nicest yet! bother me. Calhoun, Brittnee Most spoke English, Was I wrong. I was Ulmer, Alex Landry going out of their way to thankful that I had bought and me. help us with directions

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 33 and recommending travels back and forth on a rail line from Amsterdam their favorite restau- to Brussels. rants. I was devastated. Two and a half weeks of But some Italians memories from Loire Valley that were on that camera didn’t speak or un- were gone. I filled out reports, mostlyen francais, derstand English well in every city where the train had stopped that day. I or at all. Sometimes, I held onto a sliver of hope that someone would turn could speak Spanish, it in, but I knew I would probably never see it again. my second minor at I tried to enjoy the last week in Paris before UL Lafayette, to get our trip home. But I was distracted. I took the around. It was such an metro to the train station alone every day to check amazing feeling to ask the lost and found. a question in Spanish, Friends and family tried to console me by receive the answer in telling me that the memories I made were more Italian, and actually important than the photos I took. I didn’t believe them. understand it. But now, I can honestly say that they were right. A scrapbook Our first stroll through the city, we were too distracted by of portraits in front of famous European landmarks only skims the ancient architecture to notice the 104-degree heat. surface of my adventures. This wasn’t just a trip. It was a journey, First on our list of places to see was the Coliseum. I had seen one with many lessons that led to self-discovery. lots of photos of Rome’s historic icon before this trip, but not even I learned that I am more inde- Above: Up at 6 a.m., Allie Google Earth could have prepared me for this first-person encoun- Roth and I hurry to catch pendent than I give myself credit for. ter. I stood still for at least 10 minutes, staring up in awe of this a train in Gare de Nord, By riding the metro alone or manag- famous structure before I could grasp that I was standing where Paris’ busiest train station. ing to buy stamps at the post office advanced civilization began. Lower left: Despite the dreary using only a French phrase book, I From there, we practically ran along narrow, cobblestone weather, Hannah Gerard, proved this to myself too many times sidewalks and weaved in an out of traffic jams to see the rest of Alex Landry and I were all to count. Rome in two days. smiles in London’s famous I also learned that as an Ameri- We visited the Vatican, the pope’s holy city inside of a city; Trafalgar Square. can, I have political saw Michelangelo’s ceiling masterpiece in the Sistine Chapel; and Lower right: and cultural Study Abroad traipsed through many Roman ruins, including the steps where beliefs that students always Caesar was supposedly stabbed. made sure to may offend One morning, making sure our shoulders and knees were show their some Euro- covered with shawls and conservative dresses, my girlfriends and Ragin’ Cajun peans, but I attended mass with the pope presiding at St. Peter’s Basilica. pride during vis- as a Cajun, I Theresa Frederick, the UL France Study Abroad Program on-site its to the Eiffel am often wel- director, had arranged for an exclusive Tower. come because guided tour of the pope’s private gardens of my cul- afterward. ture’s French When we weren’t sightseeing, we connection lived by the saying, “When In Rome, do and a world- as the Romans do,” by eating as the Ro- renowned repu- mans eat. I made sure to get in all the im- tation for being portant Italian food groups, like spaghetti, friendly, fun and ravioli, pizza and delicious Italian desserts food-loving. like conollis, pastries stuffed with creamy Now when fillings, andgelato , Italian ice cream. I think of my study abroad, I remember shopping in Parisian flea markets, dancing in the streets at the Fête de la Musique and sip- We spent our last weekend in Eu- ping coffee in small cafés. Those rope in places with a much slower pace. were the simplest and most spe- We toured Amsterdam’s canals by boat cial times of the experience. And and traveled by horse-drawn carriages I was too busy laughing, sing- through the medieval town of Bruge, ing, and listening to everything Belgium. around me to even think about At some point, between taking a taking my camera out of its case. picture of the Netherlands’ famous wind- Those are the moments that re- mills and ordering the Belgian delicacy of French fries and mayon- ally count. And, this article is a journal of some of those special naise, I realized that I had left my camera on one of the trains that memories that can’t be put in a scrapbook. n

34 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 Coming to doorsteps everywhere This year’s edition of the most referenced directory in the Southeast1 is now delivering in Lafayette. Page for page, AT&T Real Yellow Pages has better information than any other directory. Look for it on your doorstep soon. The new AT&T. Your world. Delivered.

1Knowledge Networks 2006 YPA Industry Usage Study. ©2007 AT&T Knowledge Ventures. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Knowledge Ventures. ©2007 YELLOWPAGES.COM, LLC. Pivotal Pitches

By Kathleen Thames • Illustrations by Burton Durand

Be l i e v e . Ex e c u t e . Pi t c h b y p i t c h . For the Ragin’ Cajuns, those words were a mantra and, ultimately, a verbal map that kept them on a path to the 2008 Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City in May. La Louisiane asked co-head coaches Stefni and Michael Lotief to identify six of the most significant pitches – by either UL Lafayette or its opponents – during its journey. Some of those pitches propelled the Ragin’ Cajuns toward Oklahoma City, while others revealed why they deserved to be there. La Louisiane presents the coaches’ choices in chronological order.

Throughout the spring, the Wom- first six innings. In the bottom of the sev- stepped into the batter’s box. After three No. 1 en’s National Team was tuning up enth, Cuevas faced the legendary Lisa Fer- pitches, the count was one ball and two for its appearance in the Olympic Games nandez. strikes. One more strike would close the in Beijing in August. It toured the United “Lisa Fernandez is softball,” inning and put UL Lafayette at bat again States, competing against some of the best Stefni Lotief said in an interview – in overtime. college softball teams in exhibition games. in September. “She is the icon Then, The Pitch by Cuevas. Fer- UL Lafayette had the chance to play that I think most people think nandez struck out. Team USA twice. The first match was in of when they talk of dominance The Cajuns managed to keep a March during the Judi Garmin Classic in on the softball field.” lid on the eighth inning. But in Fullerton, Calif. This game against softball’s Fernandez led the the bottom of the ninth, the elite would show UL Lafayette’s strengths UCLA Bruins to two na- National Team’s Jenny Top- and uncover any weaknesses. tional championships. A ping got an RBI single that The Cajuns were led by the “Killer Bs,” four-time, first-team All- ended the game, 1-0. a phenomenal trio of pitchers: Brittany Cue- American pitcher, she Michael Lotief said vas, Ashley Brignac and Donna Bourgeois. was a member of the Cuevas’ third strike As a sophomore, Cuevas was the veteran. 1996, 2000 and 2004 against Fernandez Bourgeois and Brignac were freshmen. USA teams that showed that she “was In 2007, Cuevas set records for fresh- earned Olympic able to focus and com- men Ragin’ Cajun pitchers, with 31 wins gold medals. pete pitch by pitch. She can and 303 strikeouts, and was named Sun Belt But Fernandez get the best hitters in the Conference Freshman of the Year. didn’t intimidate world out. That’s one of the On this spring day in California, UL Cuevas. With two Team USA uevas lessons we try to teach. . . Lafayette kept Team USA scoreless for the members already out, Fernandez Brittany C You must believe in yourself 36 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 and you have to play the game with a lot of Without that grand slam, Michael Lo- confidence. If you do that, if you let your tief said, UL Lafayette probably would not Game 2 The game between UL Lafayette ability shine through, then you can defeat have advanced to the Super Regionals in and LSU the next day has a back story, too. the best in the world.” Houston. Verde’s hit gave the Ragin’ Cajuns From childhood, Ragin’ an edge – momentum – that they needed to Cajun senior Vanessa Soto After winning the win. Final score: UL Lafayette 9, LSU 4. had dreamed of No. 2 and No. 3 Sun Belt Con- But Verde’s grand slam off competing in the ference Championship and the Sun Belt Trahan’s pitch was significant for Women’s College Conference Tournament, the Ragin’ Cajuns another reason: It showed how World Series. traveled to Baton Rouge for the NCAA badly she wanted to win. She played first Regionals in May. They won the first game, “She was in significant and second base against East Carolina, 2-1. pain,” Michael Lotief noted. for LSU for Their reward was a matchup the next Verde, the Cajuns third three years. But day with in-state rival LSU – on the Tiger’s baseman, had torn her left LSU couldn’t turf. anterior cruciate ligament in get past the Yvette Girouard, LSU’s head coach, March, during an exhibition NCAA Super started UL Lafayette’s softball program in game with the USA Team. The Regionals when 1980. Under her direction, it flourished ACL provides rotational stabil- Soto was a and the Ragin’ Cajuns became nationally ity to the knee. A torn ACL is sophomore competitive. often excruciating and usually and a junior. In 1993, the Cajuns went to their ends a player’s season because After Gir- first Women’s College World Series. They it requires surgical repair or inten- ouard released Soto from would return twice – in 1995 and 1996 sive, long-term rehabilitation. Vanessa Soto her scholarship in May – before Girouard accepted the LSU head When Verde was injured, Stefni and 2007, she transferred to UL Lafayette for coaching job in 2000. Stefni Lotief, a two- Michael Lotief urged her to have surgery. her final year of eligibility. The Ragin’ Ca- time All-American pitcher, played for “We said, ‘Look, get it fixed. Softball is not juns welcomed her and she quickly became UL Lafayette from 1987 to 1990. that important. . . Take care of yourself,’ ” a valued member of the team. She was She replaced Girouard as the Ragin’ Stefni Lotief said. named Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of Cajuns head coach. Lotief’s husband, But Verde’s physician said surgery the Year and earned a place on the First Michael, later joined the coaching staff, could be postponed if she would wear Team All-Sun Belt Conference. first as a volunteer and then full time. a brace to play. Michael Lotief watched Soto mature When Verde relayed that during the season. “She learned from her Game 1 When he recalls highlights assessment, Stefni Lotief re- mistakes. And the beautiful thing about it of the 2008 season, Michael Lotief im- sponded candidly. “I asked all was that she would take some of those mediately cites a grand slam by UL her, ‘Do you understand experiences and share them with some of Lafayette’s Melissa Verde in the first that if you brace up and the younger players on our team,” he said. game of the double-elimination you’re not at a certain Now, for the second time in the NCAA Regionals. level of performance, you Regionals, Soto’s former Both teams were score- still may not play?’ ” teammates were her op- less in the third inning. Lotief chuckled, recalling ponents. LSU pitcher Cody Trahan Verde’s resolve. “Well, that was By the seventh in- intentionally walked Holly never an issue. She was even that ning, the game was al- Tankersley. Tankersley had much more focused. . . She was most over. UL Lafayette racked up 19 home runs not going to miss one oppor- was ahead, 6 to 3. during the regular season. tunity. I’ve never had a kid Ashley Brignac was in Better to send the home play with that injury. the pitcher’s circle. With two run queen to first I’ve never seen any Tigers already out, Rachel Mitchell, an All- base than risk kid play with it SEC outfielder, was at bat. having her before.” Then, The Pitch by Brignac. knock the ball The UL Mitchell sent a grounder in the direc- out of the park. Lafayette tion of first base. “The ball went toward Walk- a Verde coaches worked Gabby (Ragin’ Cajun first baseman Gabri- ing Tankersley Meliss with Verde during ele Bridges), ricocheted and went straight loaded the bases and the regular season to Vanessa. Vanessa gets the ball up and brought Verde up to bat. to find ways to adapt to the throws it to Gabby to record the last out,” Trahan delivered The Pitch. damaged ligament. Michael Lotief recounted. Soto inched In a magical moment, Verde hit the And, when the Ragin’ Cajuns needed closer to fulfilling her dream of competing third grand slam of her career. It put the a big play to continue their march to Okla- in the World Series. Cajuns ahead, 4-0. homa City, Verde came through. “It was apropos that Vanessa had the

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 37 last putout. It was like the softball gods wanted it to be that way,” Michael Lotief Super Stats said. “They were shining upon her.”

After defeating LSU twice to 6th No. 4 win the NCAA Regional com- petition, the Ragin’ Cajuns headed The Ragin’ Cajuns’ national rank after the to Houston for the NCAA Super Women’s College World Series. Regionals. There, they would go up against the University of Hous- 2nd and 3rd ton, coached by Kyla Hall Holas, Co-head coaches Stefni and Michael a Ragin’ Cajun pitching ace from Lotief’s preseason ranking on the NCAA 1991 to 1994. She was the first Division 1 list of “Winningest Active three-time All-American in the Ca- Coaches,” based on percentage of jun softball program’s history. victories. Senior Angel Shamblin, who had just been named Conference USA’s Pitcher of the Year – for the third 327 straight year – led Houston’s Cougars. Number of strikeouts by freshman By the fifth inning of the first game, Holly Tankersley pitcher Ashley Brignac in the 2008 the Cajuns were trailing. game was tied, 2 to 2, at the top of the season. Previous record of strikeouts by “The Cougars had gone up, 4 to 1,” eighth inning when Holly Tankersley a freshman – 303 – was set in 2007 by Michael Lotief said. “In the next inning, stepped up to bat for the Ragin’ Cajuns. teammate Brittany Cuevas. Lana Bowers, our catcher, hit a three-run She was Sun Belt Conference Player of home run and put us right back in the the Year and a member of the National 1 series.” Fastpitch Coaches Association’s All- Number of Ragin’ Cajuns named to the The Cajuns went on to win, 6-4. They America first team. A senior, she had 2008 WCWS All-Tournament Team. Holly lost the second game the next day, already racked up 21 home runs, 72 RBIs Tankersley earned that honor. She hit two when Houston collected six runs and a .452 batting average. home runs in the Series. to UL Lafayette’s three. Then, The Pitch by Nelson. But a 4-0 victory over the It takes roughly two seconds for Cougars in the third contest sent a softball to travel from the hand of a 399 the Ragin’ Cajuns to the World master pitcher, like Nelson, to home Number of runs scored by Ragin’ Cajuns Series for the fifth time. It plate. A batter has under four- in 2008. would be Stefni and Michael tenths of one second Lotief’s second appearance – less time than it 117 there as UL Lafayette coaches. takes the human eye Number of runs scored by UL Lafayette to blink – to react. opponents in 2008. The Ragin’ But Tankers- No. 5 and 6 Cajuns ley didn’t blink. Instead, “I took faced a formidable gatekeeper my chances, closed my eyes and 64,072 at the Women’s College World swung,” she later told reporters. Total attendance at Ragin’ Cajuns softball Series. In the Series’ first game, When her bat made contact, games in 2008. they were pitted against the Uni- the bright yellow softball turned into versity of Florida Gators, the No. 1 a rocket that finally landed in the 5 team in the nation. stadium’s outfield bleachers for The Gators were making Number of times UL Lafayette has a home run. their first-ever appearance in competed in the Women’s College World The Cajuns weren’t Oklahoma City. Series: 1993, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2008. finished. Behind the arm of All- At the bot- American Stacey tom of the eighth, 8 Nelson, the Florida UL Lafayette Players who were named Fastpitch team had compiled pitcher Ashley Coaches Association All-America Scholar- a 67-4 record. Dur- Brignac and Athletes for the 2007-08 season: Ashley ing the entire 2008 Lana Bowers Florida catcher Brignac, Brooke Brodhead, Kelly Cormier, season, only one batter was Tiffany DeFelice became locked Meagan Godwin, Christi Orgeron, Shari able to turn one of Nelson’s pitches into a in a battle of skill and grit. Sigur, Vanessa Soto and Courtney home run. The count was three balls and one Trahan. The nationally televised World Series strike.

38 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 World Class Fans

Co-head coach Stefni Lotief sometimes ‘If I can get them here, gets emotional when she describes to a game on campus, what happened after the Ragin’ Ca- I know I have a shot juns played their final game at the because they can 2008 Women’s College World Series. feel the atmo- UL Lafayette had lost to the sphere here. They University of Alabama, 3 to 1. see the energy at Due to a 97-minute rain delay, the game time. They game had not ended until a little get to meet our past midnight. The Ragin’ Cajuns girls and get to lingered on the field after the sta- see what it’s like dium emptied. By the time they on the field.” were ready to leave, custodians were Lotief sum- picking up trash in the bleachers. marized the rela- UL Lafayette’s chartered bus tionship between was parked in a secluded area that the Ragin’ Cajuns enables teams to enter and leave the and their fans field quickly. this way: “Our “We got on the bus, headed to our girls absolutely hotel,” Lotief recalled in an interview with La adore our fans and the Louisiane. “When we turned the corner, there must fans love them.” have been 300 or 400 people waiting! It was about 2 o’clock in the Co-head coach Michael Lotief morning and they were still waiting for those girls to come out of noted that UL Lafayette fans outnumbered LSU fans, two to one, the stadium. I’ve never seen anything like that. It was unbelievable! in the NCAA Regionals in Baton Rouge, La. At the NCAA Super “They weren’t going home until they told the girls ‘Thanks’ Regionals in Houston, Ragin’ Cajun fans outnumbered Cougar and congratulated them. They were yelling ‘Ragin’ Cajuns!’ I still supporters, three to one. get teary-eyed,” she said, wiping her eyes. “This university is such a “Our fans are the best in the world,” he said. “They continue special place. This community is such a special place. . . to give to the program and they believe in these kids and in their “People ask me, ‘How can you get these incredible recruits? dreams. The program belongs to the fans and this community. Not How do you get girls to come to this program?’ And I just tell them, just last year, but for the past 25 years.” n

Then Brignac made the catch to send DeFelice back to Epilogue It doesn’t get much better than threw The Pitch. the dugout. defeating the No. 1 team in the nation DeFelice took a Brignac threw a total of 187 pitches in in the first game of the Women’s College swing. Foul ball. her first World Series game. After the World Series. And so began a final inning, an ESPN field reporter The next day, UL Lafayette lost its remarkable pas de interviewed her on air. The re- first game of the double-elimination series. deaux between porter asked what was Texas A&M eked out an RBI single at the pitcher and going through Brignac’s top of the seventh inning to win, 1-0. batter. Six- mind at one point in The Ragin’ Cajuns had one more teen more the game when Florida chance to grab a victory that would keep pitches. had loaded the bases. them in the Series. They went up against Sixteen more “Just our motto, the University of Alabama. The Crimson foul balls. ‘Pitch by pitch.’ The Tide was ahead, 3 to 1, when Mother Na- On Brignac’s next pitch. Win that ture interfered. The game was suspended 21st consec- one. There are going for 97 minutes due to lightning. A little utive pitch, to be people on base but past midnight, the game ended. The score DeFelice you have to fight and was still 3 to 1. The Ragin’ Cajuns’ season finally deliv- know the defense is be- was over. ered the ball to hind you. So it’s just pitch But just six key pitches illustrated why center field. Ragin’ Ashley Brignac by pitch,” the freshman the team deserved its final ranking: sixth in Cajun Karli Hubbard Ragin’ Cajun replied. the nation. n

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 39 Sports

Fantastic Fenroy One of nation’s leading rushers takes accolades in stride • by Bruce Brown

orget the thousands of yards, people to remember about his career with Fdozens of touchdowns, rewritten Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajun football program. record book and bruised defenders he’ll “When I’m done,” Fenroy said, “I want leave in his wake. people to say that I came out every day and Tyrell Fenroy knows what he wants gave everything I had, on and off the field.” The shattered records? They’re evi- dence of being the most prolific yardage machine in UL history, as well as in the Sun Belt Conference. During UL Lafayette’s 49-20 Home- coming win over Florida International University, Fenroy became only the seventh player in NCAA history to record four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. His total yardage for the 2008 season was 1,051 at the end of that victory – with four regular season games remaining – and increased his own new career record total to 4,322. Fenroy had raced past Brian Mitchell’s previous mark of 3,335 early this fall. In the Cajuns’ Homecoming game, Fenroy also collected three rushing touchdowns, for a total of 44 in his career. That’s a Sun Belt Conference career rushing touchdown record. He needs only four more rushing touchdowns to break Mitch- ell’s school record. So, what about all the numbers? “I look at it every now and then,” said Fenroy. “They tell me what I’ve done, I look, and then I prepare for the next game. I’ll look at them all after the season’s over.” It’s clearly not the numbers that drive Fenroy, although he is proud of the ever- growing totals. “What drives me is to see my teammates play hard,” he said. “That gives me motivation, and to see our running back group get better and want to win. If I see 90 guys playing with heart, why not step on board and do the same thing?” Running backs coach Brian Jenkins said Fenroy doesn’t separate himself from

Dou g Du as others. “He doesn’t have the mindset of ‘I’m Tyrell Fenroy is one of only seven players in NCAA history to record four consecutive the guy.’ He doesn’t like the limelight. He’s 1,000-yard seasons. the same old Tyrell he was when he got here

40 LA LOUISIANE | fall 2008 getting is a player grounded in solid principles from parents Melvin and Ann Fenroy back home in LaPlace, La., a player who became known as the T-Train at St. Charles Catholic but somehow maintained his equilibrium despite the adulation. “It’s hard for any teenager to have that kind of hype and those fans,” Fen- roy said. “It was a little bit hard. But I had a solid background at home. My parents stayed on me. “I was always taught to be respectful to my elders, and to handle my business – not run the streets but be inside, doing my homework.’” St. Charles Catholic coach Frank Monica talks of Fenroy’s humility. “That’s the first thing that comes to mind. He was raised correctly. He’s very quiet – socially ise r Br a d K emp / T h e Adv rt Senior Tyrell Fenroy is majoring in criminal justice, but it’s likely that he’ll be selected in the NFL draft. introverted, actually. But he’s extroverted on the field, in “When I’m done . . . that he throws his body around out there. He has started to come out of I want people to say his shell a little bit with the college that I came out every experience.” Monica said Fenroy’s dad still day and gave every- goes to St. Charles Catholic’s Quarter- thing I had, on and off back Club every Tuesday. “We get him up in front of the crowd, and he keeps the field.” us informed of how Tyrell is doing. Tyrell Fenroy That’s how we’ve been able to stay in touch with him. The whole (coaching) staff is going up there to see him four years ago. That’s why his teammates play in a couple of weeks. We want to respect him so. He walks around like he’s see him play before he graduates.” just a common guy.” Fenroy was lightly recruited as a Offensive lineman Ian Burks said senior, which baffled Monica and de- teammates “take a lot of pride in all the lighted Bustle. numbers Tyrell puts up. He doesn’t say “We always felt good about him,” much, but he gets fired up after a big run. Bustle said. “He’s been such a joy. And, that gets everybody else fired up.” He started from Day One, and all of When Fenroy scored the winning a sudden you started seeing special touchdown in a thrilling 28-23 comeback things from him, and saw how he win over Arkansas State on Oct. 18, it was works to be a better player. He’s a clear how the team feeds off his energy. more complete player today because “You get the same thing at practice he works so hard.” every day from Tyrell,” head coach Rickey Monica said Fenroy plays with a Bustle said. “He goes 100 mph in a game little chip on his shoulder. “We were and in practice. You know what you’re trying to sell him to the big programs,

getting every day.” ise r Br a d K emp / T h e Adv rt but they weren’t interested. They What the Cajuns and their fans are Fans congratulate the Ragin’ Cajuns’ top rusher. thought he wasn’t quick enough, but

LA LOUISIANE | fall 2008 41 42 sports ed tobedoingnext year,” asked himwhat hewant- ing candor. with sometimessurpris- Fenroy chooseshiswords him totalk”. cracking anutshelltoget his head‘no.’It’s like wrong?’ andhe’llshake Y you OK?’andhe’llnod. anything. Y negative is,hedoesn’t say he workshard. Theonly said. “Hegoeshard and to workwith,”Jenkins Player oftheWeek notice. Walter CampNational improved speed,earning are fresh evidenceofhis of 89,52and80yards season; touchdownbursts record 297yards this UL Monroe foraschool- –speakforhim. tory – themostinSunBelthis- reer rushingtouchdowns He’d ratherlethis44ca- doesn’t talkmuch aboutit. the surface, butFenroy shoulder isthere, under ing onmetosucceed.” of peoplewere notcount- gives memotivation.Alot too small.ButIloveit.It road. Theyhadmerated a 5Aschooldownthe school, andthere was “We were aClass3A didn’t torecruit try him. prised thatmore schools Fenroy saidhewasn’t sur- bitterness inhisvoice, enough.” high school,thatwasn’t scored 72touchdownsin ran for5,200yards and from UL.Eventhoughhe mate offer, andthatwas He onlyhadonelegiti- questioned hisheight. explosive heis.They they didn’t realize how LA LOUISIANE |f ou ask‘Issomething “A guyfrom ESPN When hedoestalk, “T Healsoshredded So thatchiponthe Without atraceof yrell isagreat kid ou ask,‘Are all 2008 Tyrell FenroysetaSunBeltConferencecareerrushingtouchdownrecordthisfall. tory with4,322yards. ready theleadingrusherinULandSunBeltConferencehis- – arenotonthelist. Bo Jackson,EmmittSmith,BarrySandersandRickyWilliams with four1,000-yardseasons. (2001-2004) andDonTrell MooreofNewMexico(2002-2005) ner RonDayneofWisconsin(1996-99),CedricBensonTexas Manns ofNewMexicoState(1995-98),HeismanTrophy win- (1973-76), AmosLawrenceofNorthCarolina(1977-80),Denvis 1,021 in2007. ously gaining1,053asafreshmanin2005,1,1972006and yards in2008withfourregularseasongamesleft,afterprevi- T TOTAL 2008* 2007 2006 * Througheightgames. 2005 YEAR to havefour1,000-yardseasons.Hehasrushedfor1,051 yrell FenroyisonlytheseventhplayerinNCAAhistory Fenroy, whohas21100-yardgamesinhiscareer, isal- Some ofcollegefootball’s biggestnames–ArchieGriffin, He joinedHeismanTrophy winnerTony DorsettofPitt TYRELL FENROYCAREERRUSHING Good Company 734 152 180 223 179 ATT YARDS 4,322 1,051 1,021 1,197 1,053 AVG. 5.9 7.5 5.7 5.4 5.9 TD 44 15 10 12 7

Brad Kemp/The Advertiser he deserves.” he deserves.” he’serything gettingnow, more specialisthatev- key. Fenroy’s workethicis on hischest.” day he wearsthatevery tablished athome,and That workethicwases- wouldn’t besurprised. 400 yards inagame,I kins said.“Ifhegained he workssohard,” Jen- to accomplishbecause prised atwhathe’s able convincing. know himdon’t need status. cure hisstilloverlooked scouting combineto hope togethiminthe Lafayette’s daily newspaper. reporter forTheAdvertiser, Bruce Brown issenior prospect whomightget elevated Fenroy from a to fallbackon.” NFL, I’llhavesomething don’t workout inthe spring, andifthings in criminaljusticenext going togetmydegree that onmybackside.I’m day working.ButIput why I’mouthere every play intheNFL.That’s wantsto “Everybody it,” hesaidoftheNFL. story. “Ido think about ‘That wouldbenice.’” NFL, andT He askedhimaboutthe The guywasstunned. to beapoliceofficer. told himhemightwant Bustle said,“andT league’s draft.Theyalso being selectedinthe with agoodchanceof training camp,toone his footinthedoorat “What makesthis Bustle agreed that “I’m neversur- Those who NFL scoutshave Fenroy smiledatthe yrell said, n yrell Worth the Wait Custom equipment maximizes workout space

“ t’s one of the best midsize weight “We had seven multipurpose stations, Irooms in the country.” seven dumbbell stations and 10 Olympic That’s how Rob Phillips, UL Lafay- platforms that took up 85 to 90 percent of ette’s strength and conditioning coordina- the space. Now we have 10 of each that take tor, describes the Ragin’ Cajuns’ workout up less than 50 percent of our space,” Phil- lips said. “Also, we had about 10 specialized accessory pieces and now we have around 40.” Lana Bowers, catcher for the Ragin’ Cajuns softball team, said the weight room is “very organized and more people can be in there at once and not get in each other’s way. There are also new TV screens with our sport-specific workouts posted on them.” Those television screens enable strength and conditioning coaches to post new workouts quickly when one group of student-athletes leaves and another arrives. The coaches can also use them for presenta- tions when they are recruiting t iser student-athletes. All Ragin’ Cajun athletic teams train in the weight room on a staggered schedule. “The number one thing Bra d K e m p / T h Ad ver any athlete can have, other than Thanks to customized equipment, the weight room can accommodate more student-athletes simultaneously. the specific skill of that sport, is strength. It’s important for so area in the Athletic Center many reasons, from injury prevention to on Reinhardt Drive. injury rehab,” said Scott Farmer, the uni- In the spring, the facil- versity’s senior associate athletic director. ity was overhauled from top UL Lafayette recently hired a second to bottom. Light fixtures full-time assistant strength coach. were replaced; multipur- “We concentrate on giving our coach- pose, staph-resistant floor-

t iser es what they need to recruit quality stu- ing was installed; and the dent-athletes and we concentrate on giving room was repainted. Over our student-athletes what they need to the summer, the area was be successful in the classroom and on the filled with new customized fields and courts of play,” Farmer said. n

Bra d K e m p / T h Ad ver equipment that uses space Members of the softball team work out. more efficiently. www.ragincajuns.com

LA LOUISIANE | fall 2008 43 ALUMNI Association

Transformed Landscaped Alumni Center grounds provide peaceful setting

hree years ago, a corner of the “The grant provided an opportunity TAlumni Center grounds was over- for us to beautify the area,” said Dan Hare, grown with bushes, vines and weeds. To- executive director of the UL Lafayette day, it has been transformed into a tranquil Alumni Association. A second grant, also place with a walking path, gazebo, lighted totaling $100,000, was awarded in 2007 to fountain and memorial. enhance and complete the project. A $100,000 grant from the Louisiana This portion of the Alumni Center Governor’s 2004 Recreational Trails Pro- grounds is at the intersection of St. Mary gram was the catalyst for the project. Boulevard and Girard Park Drive, which is considered a gateway to campus. It’s near the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Mu- seum and UL Lafayette Foundation office. A walkway of brick pavers was laid that enables pedestrians to stroll in shade around a natural pond. A brick gazebo incorporates the main campus’ signature arches. Underground electrical lines were installed to provide power for the gazebo and a lighted fountain in the pond. The trail is the primary attraction, but Hare said the additional enhancements made the area versatile. Near the gazebo, a memorial commem- orates lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001. On that day, terrorists highjacked three jetliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and an empty field in Pennsylvania. Robert Hymel, a 1969 USL graduate Te rr i F ensel and decorated Vietnam War veteran, was killed at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, as he worked as a civilian. The late Lester J. Guidry, commander of Stanley Martin-Felix Ducrest American Legion Post 69 at the time, obtained a limestone shard from the Pentagon wreck- age. He donated it to UL Lafayette to hon- or Hymel and others killed that day in the terrorist assault. The late Dr. Robert Fon- tenot, also of American Legion Post 69, pursued the project after Guidry’s death. Te rr i F ensel The development of the trailway pro- Top: A brick gazebo will have multiple uses. Left: A vided an appropriate setting for the tribute, student wends her way around the grounds on a Hare said. n path that incorporates a small footbridge. Above: A memorial honors Americans killed in terrorist

Te rr i F ensel attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. www.louisianaalumni.org

44 LA LOUISIANE | Fall 2008 ALUMNI

1945 in education from Brenau and Land Surveys Inc. of Lafayette. tional Service FAY GAUTREAU BROWN published a bachelor’s degree in statistics That company is a member of Medal. The Come Into My World, a book from USL. In 2000, Dunn was the international Fugro group award recog- about her late son’s mental ill- named Peachtree Middle School’s of companies, which has about nizes extraordi- ness, in March. She is a retired Teacher of the Year, DeKalb 12,000 staff members in more nary initiative editor of the St. Mary and Frank- County School System’s Middle than 50 countries. He holds a or creative lin Banner-Tribune. Brown holds School Teacher of the Year and bachelor’s degree in electrical ability that a bachelor’s degree in English DeKalb County School’s System- engineering from USL. contributes to education from Southwestern wide Teacher of the Year. She and NASA’s mission. Louisiana Institute. She and her her husband, Freddie Dunn Jr., Hebert improved processes and husband, the late Dr. Hilton J. have a son, Freddie L. Dunn III, 1985 procedures related to a fuel line Brown, had two sons, Patrick and a daughter, Desirae T. Dunn. STEPHANIE T. LYNCH represents that delivers liquid hydrogen to R. Brown and the late Robert A. District 7 on the Caddo Par- the space shuttle’s main engine. Brown. She lives in Franklin, La. ish Commission in Shreveport, He holds a bachelor’s degree in 1984 La. She was elected to a second electrical engineering from USL. CHUCK GEMAYEL is vice president, term for 2008-12. Lynch is vice 1980 principle and president of the 12-member com- GREGORY A. DAGIAN recently re- regional man- mission. In April, the National 1990 ceived a master ager of the Organization of Black County ROBBIE FENN was named 2007 of laws degree, Shelby Town- Officials presented her with its Realtor® of the Year for Destin, with a special- ship, Mich., of- Chairman’s Award for Outstand- Fla. She was chosen by her peers ization in crimi- fice of Soil and ing County Commissioner. She to receive the honor for her com- nology and Materials En- received a bachelor’s degree in munity service and involvement criminal justice, gineers Inc. He business administration from with the local and state Realtor® from the Uni- is lead engineer USL. While attending the uni- associations. Fenn is an associate versity of Lon- for transportation and pavement- versity, she served as president broker for RE/MAX® Paradise don. Princess related projects. Gemayel re- of the African-American Culture Properties in Destin. Fenn re- Anne, chancellor of the universi- cently served as president of the Committee and a Student Gov- ceived a bachelor’s degree in gen- ty, presided over the commence- board of directors of the South ernment Association senator. eral studies from USL. She and ment ceremony. DaGian and his Oakland County Municipal En- her husband, BRAD M. FENN, ’90, wife, Gwenett Hillestad DaGian, gineers. A registered professional have three children, Hadley, Alex practice law together and live in engineer in Michigan, he holds 1987 and Bradley. Abbeville, Ala. a bachelor’s degree in civil engi- MARGARET D. BAUER received East neering from USL and a master’s Carolina University’s Five-Year DEBORAH MCKINNIE DUNN earned degree in civil engineering from Research/Creative Activity Award a doctorate in Arizona State University. earlier this year. A professor of educational English, she was named one of administration MORGAN REED was recently ECU’s 10 Women of Distinction 1900-1921 from Geor- honored for designing and in 2007. Bauer holds the Ralph Southwestern Louisiana gia Southern developing an airborne laser Hardee Rives Chair of Southern Industrial Institute University in system called FLI-MAP®, which Literature and is editor of the May. She is a stands for Faster Laser Imaging- North Carolina Literary Review. 1921-1960 mathematics Mapping and Profiling. The She is writing a book about Loui- Southwestern Louisiana instructional helicopter-based system is used siana novelist Tim Gautreaux to Institute coach for the DeKalb County for terrain mapping, primarily by be published by the University School System’s Office of School the utility, transportation and rail of South Carolina Press. Bauer 1960-1999 ® University of Southwestern Improvement in Decatur, Ga. She industries. FLI-MAP was used holds a master’s degree in English Louisiana holds certification in educational to conduct damage assessment from USL. leadership from Kennesaw State surveys on more than 400 miles 1999-Present University and an educational of levees in New Orleans in the PHILLIP HEBERT, an electrical en- University of Louisiana at specialist degree in mathematics aftermath of Hurricane Katrina gineer at NASA Stennis Space Lafayette and science from Brenau Univer- in 2005. Reed is LIDAR develop- Center in Bay St. Louis, Miss., sity. She earned a master’s degree ment manager at John Chance recently received NASA’s Excep- LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 45 Alumni Information Form 1993 JENNIFER N. LOUVIERE recently DAVE A. AMATO is sales manager completed U.S. Navy basic train- of PrimeSource Building Prod- ing with honors at Recruit Train- If you enjoy reading about where your former classmates are now and ucts Inc. in Fredericksburg, Va. ing Command, Great Lakes, Ill. what they’re doing, consider this: They’d like to read about you, too. PrimeSource is one of the largest She was then promoted to the building supply distributors in rank of petty officer 3rd class.

A lumni Please fill out the form below and mail it back to UL Lafayette or go to www.louisiana.edu/lalouisiane to submit the information online. North America. Amato holds a Louviere received a bachelor’s bachelor’s degree in general stud- degree in insurance and risk ies. He is married to Mary Booth- management from UL Lafayette. Name Amato. They have a son, Braeden First Middle Last Maiden name Booth, and a daughter, Riley GRACER A. MOTHA is manager of Madison Amato. GoRecroot in Danvers, Mass., which provides staffing services Address web ware for specialized online Street or Box 2001 job recruitment. He holds a JENNIFER GAUTREAUX DUHON is a bachelor’s degree in human City State Zip clinical dietitian resources from UL Lafayette. and director of Nutrition Ser- Phone vices at Acadian 2004 Home Office Medical Center RYAN PETTICREW was named in Eunice, La. marketing and E-mail Fax She is also a events manager diabetes educa- of Downtown tor for a Eunice Lafayette Un- Major & Date of Graduation health care center. Duhon re- limited in June. or the semester you last attended The University ceived Acadian Medical Center’s The nonprofit 2008 Mercy Award for volunteer- organization is Current Job Title ism. She was elected secretary for focused on the the Louisiana Dietetic Associa- preservation and tion for 2008-10. In 2007, Lynch vitality of the downtown district. Business Name earned the LDA’s Young Dietitian Petticrew will promote downtown of the Year Award. She holds a as an arts and cultural hub, foster Business Address bachelor’s degree in dietetics and partnerships and support upcom- a master’s degree in human re- ing branding efforts. Petticrew Professional Duties sources from UL Lafayette. Lynch earned a bachelor’s degree in pub- is married to WILLIAM DUHON, ’00. lic relations from UL Lafayette. They have two children, Rhett and Lauren. 2006 ELIZABETH T. BROOKS is participat- Accomplishments 2002 ing in City Hall Fellows, a new APRIL L. FOSTER received a master’s public policy program in Hous- degree in nurse anesthesia in De- ton. As a special project assistant, cember 2007 from Texas Christian she is developing and implement- University. As a graduate student ing public policies and initiatives there, she received the Harriet related to some of the city’s most Waring Award for dedication to pressing issues. Brooks graduated the profession of nurse anesthesia. cum laude from UL Lafayette with Spouse’s Name Foster, who holds a bachelor’s de- bachelor’s degrees in modern First Middle Last Maiden name gree in nursing from UL Lafayette, languages and environmental and Spouse’s USL or UL Lafayette Graduation Date is a certified registered nurse anes- sustainable resources. and major, if a former UsL student thetist for Northstar Anesthesia in Georgetown, Texas. She is married In Memoriam to DANIEL FOSTER, ’00. Children AGNES ANGELLE HARDY, ’28, died (if any are UL Lafayette students or USL graduates, please indicate) April 10, 2008, in Baton Rouge, 2003 La., at the age of 103. At the time ALLEN CLEMENTS is a digital media of her death, she was the second specialist and owner of Otaku oldest teacher receiving retirement Motion Digital Media Group in benefits in Louisiana. During her Lancaster, Pa. The company re- career, Hardy also served as a cently won a Healthcare Advertis- school principal. She was an ac- ing Award presented by Health- tive member of the St. Joseph’s La- Current Date care Marketing Report. Clements dies Altar Society and the Catholic received a bachelor’s degree in Daughters of America and held Please mail this form to La Louisiane, Box 41009, Lafayette, LA 70504-1009 business administration/market- several offices in those organiza- or send it online at www.louisiana.edu/lalouisiane ing from UL Lafayette. tions. She is survived by a daugh-

46 LA LOUISIANE | /FALL 2008 ter, MARY AGNES BELLEAU, ’63, of Baton Rouge; two sons, former A Look Back Louisiana Lt. Gov. PAUL HARDY, ’65, and Louisiana State Archivist DR. FLORENT HARDY JR., ’66, both of Baton Rouge; two granddaughters, Monique Breaux of Lafayette and YVETTE GROSS, ’97, of Baton Rouge; two grandsons, Dr. A .J. delaHoussaye IV of Houma, La., and Gregory Hardy of Lafayette; one great-grandson; and two great-granddaughters. She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Florent Hardy.

MARGARET STEPHENS JOCHEM, ‘32, died July 25, 2007, in Fairfax, Va., after a brief illness. She was 94. Stephens was the daughter of Edwin L. Stephens, first president of Southwestern Louisiana Indus- trial Institute (now known as UL Lafayette) and Beverly Stephens, one of SLII’s first faculty members. Jochem received a bachelor’s Lafayette businessman Maurice Heymann is surrounded by volunteers who degree from SLI and a master’s de- helped raise funds in 1925 to build a new football stadium for SLI’s 25th gree from George Peabody College birthday. for Teachers in Nashville, Tenn. She was a teacher for many years 1925 and also worked as the Reading barrier that is used throughout 1975 to 1986, Fields received a doctorate in Room Supervisor at the Folgers Orange County to intercept trash died June English and philosophy from the Shakespeare Library in Washing- before it reaches the ocean. 2, 2008. He University of Kentucky. He is sur- ton, D.C. Jochem is survived by a was named a vived by his wife, JoAn Fields of granddaughter, Molly Jochem of Elemore Morgan Jr., an ac- Distinguished Jamestown, Ky.; two sons, Chris- Portland, Ore.; a niece; and two claimed artist Professor by the topher Fields of Costa Rica and nephews. She was preceded in and UL Lafay- UL Lafayette Anthony Fields of New Mexico; death by her husband, Frederick ette professor Foundation in a daughter, Sarah Beth Fields of Jochem, and a son, Frederick emeritus, died 1971 and was California; two sisters; a brother; Stephens Jochem. May 18, 2008. editor of USL’s Levy Humanities and many nieces, nephews and He was 77. Series from 1977 to 1983. Fields cousins. NELIA MYRHAUGEN, ’72, died June Morgan is best was an officer and board member 22, 2008, in Lafayette. She was known for of many professional associations 87. Myrhaugen held a bachelor’s his paintings and represented the United States degree in home economics from of Acadiana prairie landscapes. at several international academic USL. She was honored as an out- He taught at the university from conferences. He served in the U.S. standing alumna by the Home 1965 until 1998. This year, he Army before earning a degree www.athleticnetwork.net Economics Department and the was presented the SPARK Life- from Centre College in Kentucky. College of Applied Life Sciences. time Achievement Award by UL Myrhaugen created an endowed Lafayette’s College of the Arts. His scholarship in memory of one of art was shown in galleries in the her sons, Lance Cpl. Daniel Lewis. United States and Europe. Mor- UL Lafayette Alumni Association Survivors include two daughters, gan received a bachelor’s degree Joyce Lewis of Houma, La., and in art from LSU in Baton Rouge, Become a Member Because It Matters Evelyn Lewis of Harrisburg, Miss; La., before serving in the U.S. Air one sister; six grandchildren; Force during the Korean War. He eight great-grandchildren; and then earned a CFA at The Ruskin two great-great-grandchildren. School of Fine Arts at the Univer- Join Online or Contact Us: sity of Oxford. Survivors include Phone: (337) 482-0900 MICHAEL LEE BOUDREAUX, ’76, died his wife, Mary Morgan of St. Mar- April 14, 2008, in a motorcycle tinville, La.; three daughters, Lu- Fax: (337) 482-0931 accident in Aguanga, Ga. He held cia Saperstein of Jacksonville, Fla., a bachelor’s degree in architec- Olivia Morgan of St. Martinville Email: ture from USL. At the time of and Emily Morgan of Leroy, La.; [email protected] his death, he was a principal of and three grandchildren. Website:

Morse-Boudreaux Architects in D enise G allagher Newport Beach, Calif. Boudreaux Albert “Bert” Fields, head of www.LOUISIANAalumni.org developed a storm drain debris USL’s English Department from

LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 47 Foundation

Major Makeover New website design offers convenience, expanded content

upporting the University of Lou- keep information current. We also wanted isiana at Lafayette is easier than ever. it to be a useful tool for our trustees, S The UL Lafayette Foundation’s whose commitment of time and expertise upgraded web site enables donors to make is invaluable to us,” she said. contributions securely via the Internet. But The Foundation staff first determined that’s just one of its features. what elements were needed to make the web site a comprehensive resource. It then hired a Lafayette firm to create a design that would be visually appealing and user friendly. To make a contribution to the Foun- dation, for example, a user clicks the “Do- nate” button. After setting up an account, he or she can indicate how the contribution is to be used. “It allows an individual to donate to a particular college or program or to the university in general,” Falgout said. The donor gets an automatic e-mail confirma- tion receipt and can request additional information online. The site relies on PCI DSS, which stands for Payment Card Industry Data Se- curity Standard. It ensures that the Foun- dation is following established procedures that prevent credit card fraud and make online financial transactions secure. Foundation trustees can securely obtain information related to their duties. “It will also allow them to communicate with each other,” Falgout said. The web site redesign dovetails with a new accounting system the Foundation recently implemented. “It has totally inte- grated our entire endowment portfolio. It Users can obtain information about has actually made many of our business pro- the Foundation’s programs, events and cesses much more efficient,” Falgout said. leadership. There are also links to other The system can analyze data in “real university web sites. time.” So, members of Foundation commit- Julie Falgout, executive director of tees can obtain up-to-the-minute informa- the Foundation, said the web site was tion that can help them make sound finan- developed with two groups in mind – the cial decisions. “In today’s world, it’s even public and members of the Foundation’s more important for us to have the capability board of trustees. to do that,” Falgout said. n “We wanted a flexible, sophisticated web site that would enable us to easily www.ullafayettefoundation.org

48 LA LOUISIANE | FALL 2008 Get in gear!

Ragin’ Cajuns® apparel and merchandise are manufactured by more than 220 licensees nationwide. More than 20 local companies are licensed to produce products bearing UL Lafayette trademarks and logos. For a list of licensed manufacturers, visit www.louisiana.edu/Advancement/PRNS/licensing

Support

by Wearing Red

Local retailers that sell Ragin’ Cajuns® merchandise include: Academy Sports and Outdoors Golfballs.com University Bookstore 4533 Johnston Street 126 Arnould Boulevard 600 McKinley www.louisiana.edu/bookstore Albertsons LIDS 2678 Johnston Street Acadiana Mall Walgreens 4400 Ambassador Caffery 5725 Johnston Street 2700 Johnston St. 2863 Ambassador Caffery www.LIDS.com 2822 Ambassador Caffery 1818 NE Evangeline Thruway 1850 W. Pinhook Louisiana Hot Stuff 3747 Moss St. Bell’s Sporting Goods 4409 Ambassador Caffery 2517 Kaliste Saloom 4313 Johnston Street Pieces of Eight Wal-Mart Busch Fireplaces 902 Coolidge Boulevard 2428 W. Pinhook Road 406 Settler's Trace Sports Avenue 3142 Ambassador Caffery Follett’s—The Book Store Acadiana Mall 1229 NW Evangeline Thruway 210 E. St. Mary Boulevard www.efollett.com Teche Drugs and Gifts 501 Jefferson Street Make a PassGet Down Come See Translation: Drop by for a visit. In Cajun country,

we’ll make you feel right at home - whether you prefer

to dance at a festival or catch a sunset over the cypress trees.

With Zydeco rhythms, Cajun & Creole flavors,

Louisiana scenery and Southern hospitality

you’ll agree – there’s no place like Lafayette.

Lafayette Convention & Visitors Commission www.lafayette.travel 337.232.3737 800.346.1958

Non-Profit Org LaLouisiane US Postage Paid P.O. Box 41009 Burlington, VT 05401 Lafayette, LA 70504-1009 Permit No. 329