Lake Charles, Louisiana Volume 57, Issue No. 1 September 2008 Homecoming Brings Back Memories It’s not every day that you see a conga line winding through McNeese campus or downtown Ryan Street, but back in the 1950s, you could see it at least once a year, and one of those drumming to the beat was Kalil Ieyoub, now vice president of administration and student affairs at McNeese, but then just a chemistry student working for a Vice President of Administration and Student Affairs bachelor’s degree. Kalil Ieyoub talks to current SGA President Morgan Verrette. Over the past half-century, Ieyoub, who celebrated his 50th year as a McNeese alum this year, has seen his university grow from a small college in the middle of farmland into a 121-acre main campus, with a 503-acre Farm, a 65-acre athletic plant, student apartment complexes, the Louisiana Environmental Research Center, Burton Coliseum and Cowboy Stadium. Enrollment is nearly four times larger than it was during Ieyoub’s student tenure, and the dirt roads of Ryan Street have long been paved and surrounded with hundreds of Lake Charles businesses. There is one element of campus life that has remained unchanged, however: The fervor of Homecoming. “Homecoming was a big thing in the 50s. On Fridays, school would let out so the students could go to the pep rally in what is now the Memorial Gym. The cheerleaders, band and football team would be there and the students would cheer them on,” Ieyoub said. “After the pep rally, some of the band members would take their instruments, form a conga line and snake through campus. There weren’t as many buildings back then, so they could go through the classrooms. Students and faculty would join the conga line, then we’d go downtown and do the same thing for businesses on Ryan Street.” Members of the community would often join the line – an activity that lasted all of Friday afternoon. Even bigger than Friday afternoon, however, was the Homecoming parade on Saturday. According to Ieyoub, students would spend weeks working on their floats, many of which had moving parts other than the wheels. After the parade was “the game,” which was a huge event at Wildcat Stadium. Ieyoub also reminisces about his days in the military-issued Quonset hut that served as the university’s student union before there was an Old Ranch, or even a fifth building, on campus. “The Quonset hut had ping-pong, a card table and a concession,” Ieyoub said. When Holbrook Student Union was built in the mid-1950s, it was the talk of campus. “We held all our socials in there. It was a very big deal to have a student union with air conditioning. I can still see the girls in their long gowns and the boys in their tuxedos and suits, dancing.” Ieyoub said the student representative body of 1958 had grandiose plans for McNeese, such as a campus radio station. Unfortunately, the student government had little access to funds. Today, the SGA receives a portion of student assessment fees every semester. “The student government is much more sophisticated now than it was then,” Ieyoub said. “But some things haven’t changed.” Ieyoub said McNeese was a close-knit community when he was a student in the 50s, with faculty who were ready and willing to help – an attribute that still holds true today. www.mcneesealumni.com 1 McNeese State University Alumni Association THE ROUNDUP Fall 2008 Vol. 57 No. 1 Published annually McNeese Alumni/ Dr. Robert Hebert PetroChem University President Tailgate Events HOMECOMING 2008 Richard Reid, (’87) Vice President Everyone attending the McNeese Development and Public Affairs “The Cowboy Way” Alumni/PetroChem tailgate event before each home football Monday, Oct. 13-25 game in the Alumni Grove will be Joyce Patterson (’76, ’82) Paint the Town Blue and Gold encourages local businesses Director of Alumni Affairs required to show a drivers license surrounding the campus to fly special homecoming flags from the or an official photo ID in order MSU Alumni Association during Homecoming Week Oct. 18-25. to receive an entry band. Current Stephanie Clark (’06) members of each organization are Asst. Director of Alumni Affairs Saturday, Oct. 18 also reminded to bring their entry The 28th annual Ladies Champagne Bingo will be held from ticket or Rowdy Card with them. Jackie Adams 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in Parra Ballroom. Hundreds of Cowboy fans gather Office Administrator, Alumni Affairs This year’s theme is “Saddle Up” and tickets must be bought in in the Alumni Grove for food, advance. drinks and music prior to kickoff Contact for Office of Alumni Affairs at Cowboy Stadium. MSU Box 90775 Tuesday, Oct. 21 Lake Charles, LA 70609 Reception to be held honoring Alumni Past Presidents at McNeese 600 E. McNeese Street President’s home. 2008-2009 Lake Charles, LA 70607 Corporate & Associate (337) 475-5232 Thursday, Oct. 23 Sponsors 1-800-475- ALUM MSU Homecoming Parade will roll down Ryan Street to Cowboy Stadium, followed by a pep rally and a fireworks display sponsored [email protected] by the McNeese Alumni Association. Corporate Cameron State Bank Friday, Oct. 24 CITGO Petroleum Corporation 2008-09 Board of Directors Alumni and Friends Golf Tournament will be held at Mallard First Federal Bank of Louisiana L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort Mike Doland (’77) President Cove with a noon shotgun start. Format is a 4-man scramble. Lake Charles Coca-Cola Moby Goodwin (’93) President-elect Saturday, Oct. 25 Cheryl Fuselier (’72, ’80) Treasurer Lake Charles Toyota Pre-game activities in the Alumni Grove from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Maureen Stewart (’84) Secretary Lake Charles Rubber & Gasket Co. with music by “City Heat.” Must have Rowdy Card and photo ID Louisiana Tank, Inc. to enter Grove. Barbara Bailey (’74) McNeese Federal Credit Union Meyer & Associates, Inc. Kevin Caldwell (’92) Homecoming Game—McNeese vs. Nicholls State at 7 p.m. Powell Timber Kendall Duplechain (’92) in Cowboy Stadium. Maria Faul (’03) Surgicare of Lake Charles Ricky Hanks (’81) W.G. Ragley Lumber Company Pat Hay (’74) Wendy’s Blake McCaskill (’87) Westlake Chemical Corporation Keith Monroe (’86) Women and Children’s Hospital Dr. Ken Moss (’76) John Myers (’78) Associate Blanche Pete (’74) Dr. A.T. Ordinario, Jr., LLC Danny Pundt (’79) Dr. Eric Sanders, DDS Larry Roach (’83) Gordon Drug Store Richard Rhoden (’83) McElroy, Quirk & Burch, APC Nickie Vest (’95) Partners in Physical Therapy Mike Wittler (’73) Scalisi, Myers & White, APC 2 www.mcneesealumni.com Two Alumni Presented with Prestigious Awards Dr. Sam Andrews Michael (Mike) P. Terranova The McNeese Alumni program of the Louisiana State includes three doctors, of the which time he oversaw the new Association will present two University Health Sciences popular “Sugar Busters” diet design of the Rowdy mascot prestigious awards at a reception Center where he earned his book that came out in the late and costume, established the Nov. 7 at the Stream Alumni medical degree. Following 1990s. This low-sugar, high- McNeese Mavericks volunteer Center. The recipients will then graduation, he completed his fiber diet book topped the program, instituted the Golden be honored during halftime internship and residency at bestseller lists from New York Scholars Reunion Weekend of the McNeese vs. Stephen F. Charity Hospital in New Orleans to Los Angeles. He has also and helped to create and obtain Austin football game at 7 p.m. and completed an endocrinology co-authored the “Quick and funding for the new position of Nov. 8 in Cowboy Stadium. fellowship at LSU. Easy Cookbook,” the revised assistant alumni director. and updated “The New Sugar Dr. Sam Andrews, an He has been on staff at Ochsner Busters” book and “Sugar Terranova was a founding endocrinologist and director Medical Center since January Busters for Kids.” member of the McNeese of the diabetes program at 2006 and has directed the Tip-Off Club and is currently Ochsner Medical Center in diabetes program since May. Michael (Mike) P. a member of the McNeese New Orleans as well as co- He is board certified in internal Terranova, a certified public Foundation, McNeese author of the best-selling book, medicine and endocrinology accountant and partner in the Quarterback Club, and Alumni “Sugar Busters,” has been and his specialties include firm of Terranova and Prejean Diamond Donor. He served as named the 2008 Distinguished thyroid nodules, thyroid in Lake Charles, has been an alumni liaison to the MSU Alumnus. ultrasound, metabolic syndrome named the recipient of the 2008 Foundation Board of Directors and diabetes. Distinguished Service Award. and to the McNeese Faculty This award is the highest Athletic Committee. award presented by the Andrews has authored many This alumni award recognizes an McNeese Alumni Association, publications, participated in alumnus who has given years of He serves as a director of First which recognizes individual several drug studies in the field personal and professional service Federal Bank of Louisiana, achievement by graduates who of endocrinology and served as to the alumni association and the treasurer of Christus-St. have distinguished themselves in a member of the LSU Medical university. Patrick Hospital Foundation, their chosen field of endeavor Center Pancreatic Transplant and a member of the Board and whose work appropriately Team. He is a fellow in the He received his accounting of Directors for the Krewe of reflects on the university. American College of Physicians degree from McNeese in Contraband. He also served on and the American College of 1976. He served as an officer the Lake Charles High School Andrews entered McNeese in Endocrinology.