Louisiana Tech Magazine
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NO.32 | SUMMER 2014 Louisiana Tech MAGAZINE MISSION 2020 Even Bigger, Even Better ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS Caroline Wilkerson Reaves, President CONTENTS Brennan Easley, Vice President Dave Matthiesen, Treasurer Cathi Cox-Boniol, Member-at-Large 2 From the 16th Floor Jason Bullock, Past President Leslie K. Guice, Ex-Officio 3 A World of Opportunities… Close to Home BOARD OF DIRECTORS 8 It’s FUN to be an ALUM Paula Hampton Aultman, Ed Chavanne, Philip Cole, Tony Corley, A Word from the 10 Tech@Work Lacie Frasier Covington, Lee Denny, True to their vocations and to their school: Corey Remerson Edwards, Ben Erwin, ALUMNI DIRECTOR Gunter, KC Ifeanyi, Jenee’ Jordan, Eric Geiger Kelly Harp Haber, Eric Johnson, Brandie McNabb Martin, Dear Alumni and Friends, 20 News Around Campus Paige Baughman Oliver, Phillip Parker, The old saying “time flies when you are having fun” is surely the case for me. It is hard to Cynthia Aillet Pettiette, Greg Ross, A college-by-college glance believe that I have been a part of the Division of University Advancement for more than 13 Mark Shoffner, Stuart Snook, Chris Stegall, years – first as a graduate assistant, then as a coordinator, and for the past nine years as the Kim Ashy Swart, Jeff Thompson, Director of Alumni Relations – and it has been FUN! The opportunity to interact with so 25 Tower Medallion Linda Simonetti Turner, Ray Weaver, many of you has been such a blessing to me, whether it was simply through these biannual Investiture of Keith Welch, Barry West, James Wilkerson, letters, at an athletic event or at one of our numerous gatherings of alumni and friends. 29 Faculty and Staff We Love: Trey Williams, Becky Turner Wilson, H.J. “Tony” Sachs Tech’s 14th Jason Zavala Earlier this summer, President Les Guice asked me to join his staff to assist with planning and advancement. This opportunity allows me to continue to interact with you, our most President ALUMNI ASSOCIATION STAFF dedicated alumni and friends, as well as with students, faculty and staff across campus. My 30 Foundation Spotlight: Corre Anding Stegall family and I are excited about the new adventure, especially since it allows us to remain at the Meet Your Newest Teammates 4 – Vice President for University Advancement university we love and where my wife and I met and earned our degrees. [email protected] So the question is – who will be the new Alumni Director? After reviewing numerous 32 News About You applications, we identified an extraordinary alum in Wes Cavin, Class of 2010. Wes will bring Wes Cavin wonderful new ideas to the division and will work hard every day to keep you connected to 40 Techipedia – Director of Alumni Relations your university. I know you will enjoy getting to know the Cavins and will be willing to assist [email protected] Wes in his efforts to continue to move our association and our university forward. To learn Bulldog in a bulb, and more Jimmy Washington more about Wes and his family, see Page 11. – Coordinator of Advancement Programs As I conclude my final letter for “Louisiana Tech Magazine,” I want to thank the Alumni [email protected] Association Boards that I have had the privilege to work with, the staff of the Marbury Barbara Britt Swart Alumni Center and you, our dedicated alums and friends, for your support through the years. – Administrative Coordinator I look forward to interacting with you as we all strive to make the Tech Family stronger each [email protected] and every day. Lisa Graves Smith – Director of Research/Editor [email protected] Mission 2020, Today UNIVERSITY Ryan W. Richard (’98/’02) COMMUNICATIONS Dave Guerin CONNECT WITH TECH – Executive Director Teddy Allen Marbury Alumni Center LaTechAlumni.org – Writer/Editor Louisiana Tech University Alumni Association, University Foundation and LTAC. Mark Coleman P.O. Box 3183 LaTech.edu – Designer Ruston, LA 71272 News for today’s and tomorrow’s students. Donny Crowe 1.800.738.7950 LATechSports.com – Photographer 318.255.7950 All Tech athletics, from tickets to game times. 318.251.8324 (FAX) Barbara D. Livingston Photography facebook.com/LaTech The Chicago Bears facebook.com/LaTechAlumni Tom Morris facebook.com/LATechAthletics 12 – Contributing Photographers All your Tech “friends” are right here! Athletics Roundup twitter.com/LaTech Louisiana Tech Magazine is published Get hooked up for quick answers to your Tweets. White Lightning semiannually by the Louisiana Tech Alumni youtube.com/LouisianaTech Association. Tech videos created by staff, faculty and students. We welcome your comments or flickr.com/photos/louisiana_tech/collections suggestions. Collection of recent Tech photos, updated regularly. From the 16th Floor A World of Opportunities… Louisiana Tech’s success is measured by the success of our students. Beyond all the Close to Home national rankings, recognitions and accolades we’ve received, student success is a principle that guides most of our actions. Two-are-better-than-one partnership creates Our students have been successful, both inside and outside the classroom, and our graduates have distinguished themselves in so many professions and walks of life. Whether more graduates, jobs and economic opportunities. through graduation rates, retention rates, degree completion times, national competitions or demonstrated competencies such as communications, creativity and leadership skills, Two organizations in the business of solving our students rank at the top in the state and among the best in the nation. big challenges have partnered in hopes that together, they Through those successes, Louisiana Tech has established a first-rate reputation, and we can do twice as much good for north Louisiana and beyond. see the positive impacts of that every day by an ever-increasing number of high-achieving The payoff for Louisiana Tech graduates and students is a students who desire to join the Tech Family. new kind of home field advantage. We also see evidence of student success through the large number of employers who Louisiana Tech’s partnership with global information have been drawn to our campus and our region, seeking our graduates. Some companies technology leader Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) have even set up operations on our campus to take advantage of easy access to our talented opens the door for an increase in comprehensive and students. more convenient cyber-related education and a projected One global information technology company, Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), 800 jobs statewide during the next four years. The union recently announced their selection of Bossier City to open an innovative Technology is a culmination of efforts between Tech, CSC, Louisiana Center which will bring 800 high-tech jobs to the area. What was the primary factor in Economic Development and the Cyber Innovation their decision? It was the tremendous opportunities they saw to work with Tech because Center (CIC) in Bossier City, which has enjoyed a strong, they know that we can produce the talent they need to be successful as a company. Once collaborative relationship with the University during the again, evidence that the quality of our students is synonymous with the strength of past several years. Louisiana Tech. CSC is establishing a 116,000 square-foot technology This partnership with CSC, along with others like the one with CenturyLink, is creating center at CIC, the anchor tenant for the 3,000-acre National significant opportunities for our students and graduates right here along the I-20 corridor. Cyber Research Park in Bossier City; CSC selected the site The State of Louisiana will provide $14 million in We are also seeing the likely impacts for more economic prosperity for our region as more after considering 134 locations around the country. funding during the next 10 years to expand higher- businesses follow. “Today’s technology companies need a capable education programs designed primarily to increase the We know that the employees of these companies will see Louisiana Tech as a great place workforce, new employees with the right education, and number of annual graduates in computer science and to further their education, to participate in sporting events and recreational activities, skills that are current with the continuously changing cyber-related fields. Tech will receive at least 65 percent of and to enjoy cultural experiences and performing arts. These companies will actively seek IT sector,” said CIC president Craig Spohn (above right). these program expansion funds. So as a key result of the out our students and graduates from business, communications, design and many more “These businesses and agencies are impressed with our partnership, Tech’s computer science program is expected disciplines. They already are. region because our Louisiana Tech graduates not only to soon rank among the nation’s Top 20 for the number North Louisiana needs a major national research university to support its educational possess those skills, but also have a strong work ethic and of bachelor’s degrees awarded annually by an engineering and social needs and to be a catalyst for economic development. We have demonstrated patriotic sense. school; the number of Tech’s cyber engineering graduates that Louisiana Tech is meeting those needs. However, to continue to support this as our “This alliance is truly transformative for our region,” he will likely rank even higher. Tech’s number of computer region and State grow, we recognize that we must grow as well. And to achieve that, we said. information systems graduates should quadruple during the have set a goal of 15,000 students by the year 2020 – clearly an ambitious goal, but one “This partnership is going to have an enormous impact next five to six years. we believe to be achievable. As we pursue this objective, quality won’t be sacrificed for across this region and across this state,” said Tech president Also in the alliance are Bossier Parish Community quantity, and we will seek to continually increase the strength of the student we recruit as Dr.