THETHE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF OF NewNew Orleans Orleans OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF UNO Fall 2007 Birds of Orleans 26 In the World of the Birds of New Orleans, Strange Things Are Occurring 20 Freighter Repo Man 34 UNO Cartoons Basketball Season 38 Looking Solid IR EL A N D I N C L U D E D F E A T U R E S in the West Country • Accommodations for six nights at the Old Ground Hotel. M AY 1 - 8 , 2 0 0 8 • An Orientation Tour of the hotel iscover beautiful County Clare on Ireland’s dramatic West neighborhood. D coast. Clare offers travelers a chance to experience the Irish • A lecture by a local historian about lifestyle that largely is unspoiled by outside influences. Irish history and genealogy. During the day, admire the stark beauty of the Burren’s limestone • An evening of Irish storytelling. fields, a haven to many species of flora and fauna. Listen to the waves • S e rvices of a friendly and of the Atlantic Ocean crash against the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher. experienced A H ITravel Director Wander through prehistoric stone fortresses. Attend a lecture by an throughout your trip. expert from the Clare Heritage Centre about the Famine of 1845-49 • An AHI Hospitality Desk and its impact on Irish emigration. No trip to Ireland would be conveniently located in the hotel. complete without experiencing the Irish pastime of storytelling. Spend • Welcome and Farewell time with an Irish storyteller, who will share with you secrets on the receptions. art of storytelling as well as a few yarns. County Clare has long been • Full Irish breakfast buff e t known as a hub for traditional Irish music and dancing. At night, the s e rved daily. towns and villages of this county come alive! Throughout the county, • Detailed travel and destination you can find musicians playing lively Irish music in pubs nearly every i n f o rm a t i o n prior to your night of the week. You’ll likely make new friends as you enjoy the departure to help you with your music and maybe even try dancing! travel planning. From approximately $1,295 per person, plus airfare, based on double occupancy. VAT is an additional $95 per person. An air program will be offered. For more information please contact AHI Travel 800-323-7373 or visit us at www.ahitravel.com MESSAGE FROM THEChancellor Dear UNO Alumni and Friends, Just over a year ago, I put We look forward to establishing a full Honors College and to together a team to revisit, bringing back a popular National Merit Scholars Program, reconstruct and in some achievable with the continued and loyal support of you, our cases update the University’s alumni and friends. Strategic Plan. The strategic planning team chaired by Though I have mentioned only a few of our goals and Dr. Scott Whittenburg, was strategies, the plan sets goals for improvements in resources very broad and included and support available to our outstanding faculty and staff, University administrators, and resources for campus facilities and international faculty, students, alumni and educational programming. community representatives. Additionally, members were The strategic plan is lofty and the UNO community is added as resources and committed to seeing it through. This plan will require experts in specific areas such participation from our entire University family…students, as Athletics, Marketing and faculty, staff and alumni. As we set forth on implementation, Student Recruitment. My a major key to our success will be to generate additional charge to the group was to set the course of this institution for funding both through private contributions and state and the next several years. These individuals worked diligently federal resources. over the course of the 2006-2007 academic year to complete the plan. As we approach the end of this calendar year, please add your commitment to the bright future of The University of New I want to extend my sincere thanks to each individual who Orleans and consider making a generous contribution to contributed to this extensive document, a true working your University. document, and a plan that clearly outlines the steps needed to achieve ongoing success for our students and ultimately for The administration, faculty and staff wish you and yours a the institution. Holiday Season filled with joy and peace. The strategic plan outlines strategies to improve Sincerely, graduation and retention rates, strategies to enhance and revitalize campus life for our students; and following Katrina, to bring UNO athletics back to meet all NCAA Division 1 requirements. Timothy P. Ryan We will be working to recruit students nationally and Chancellor internationally by emphasizing our outstanding academic programs of distinction. As we work toward these goals, success in recruitment efforts will positively augment the dynamics of our campus community with an even more diverse and culturally rich student body. THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS OFFICIAL MAGAZINE 1 2 TABLE OF Contents Features 26 Events . .4 News Briefs . .11 Birds of Orleans Strange Things Are Occurring Faculty Focus . .16 Student Spotlight Nepal Students Find UNO . .18 Repo Man UNO Cartoons Freighter Repo Man . .20 The Birds of Orleans . .26 Sidebars 20 34 A Life of Adventure Library Collection Perimeter Road Construction . .29 Creole Creamery . .30 UNO Basketball New Student Housing Opens . .32 Looking Solid Highlights Chancellor 38 Timothy P. Ryan (LA 71) Library Collection – UNO Cartoons . .34 Vice Chancellor of Advancement Sharon W. Gruber Giving . .37 Editor Mike Rivault Athletics Contributing Writers Sarah Bergez (LA ’01) Rob Broussard Basketball Season Looking Solid . .38 Monique Gardner (GR ’87) Marcelle Highstreet (LA ’82, ’83, GR ’86) Amanda Davis Hoskins Allison Hotard (BA ’06) Randy Horner – Head Swimming Coach . .41 Jason Plotkin Mike Rivault Johanna Schindler Forman Leads Volleyball Team . .42 Editorial Assistance Sheila Hayes, Hayes Media Alumni Photography Mike Rivault Letter from the President . .44 Tracie Morris Schaefer Johanna Schindler Magnus Sundholm Beth Wiggins Alum Notes . .45 Layout & Design Articles represent the opinions of the authors and do not neccesarily reflect the views of UNO Creative Services anyone but the authors. Letters to the editor are welcome and should be submitted via e-mail or typewritten and signed. Letters must include the writer’s name and telephone Send Correspondence to number for verification. All letters are subject to editing for brevity. UNO Magazine Editor, University of New Orleans, Homer L. Hitt Alumni Center, To inquire about alumni events or to join the UNO International Alumni 2000 Lakeshore Dr., Association, contact: New Orleans, LA 70148 Office of Alumni Affairs, The University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70148 Phone: 504.280.1158 phone: 504.280.2586 • Fax: 504.280.1080 • E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 504.280.1080 email: [email protected] © 2007 The University of New Orleans Foundation THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS OFFICIAL MAGAZINE 3 Events BEACH CLEAN-UP The UNO International Alumni Association sponsored a volunteer sweep of Pontchartrain Beach and Lakeshore Drive on Saturday, August 25. The teams picked up dozens of bags of garbage from the beach and surrounding area. UPWARD BOUND UNO Upward Bound students dodged the raindrops on a July morning to help out at the Musicians Village, a new residential community being built by Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans Ninth Ward neighborhood. Shan’tra Henry, left, and Alyson Nicholas team up Julien Raymond, Jamie Johnson, Nathaniel Burton, to haul a box of supplies at the Habitat for Humanity Keira Garrison, Ariane Bowie and Raven Armant Musicians Village. spread dirt in front of a home in the Habitat for Humanity Musicians Village 4 WELCOME WEEK 2007 Meet the Dean – Dr. Russell Fresh Fest – A representative of Trahan, dean of the UNO College the Student Activities Council of Engineering, welcomes students, visits with a fellow student during faculty and staff at The Coffee Welcome Week 2007. House That Engineering Built. Join the Circle – Krystle Balancing Act – A student finds Chatman, right, treasurer of another function for his skateboard Circle K talks about club activities at the College of Liberal Arts with a visitor to Fresh Fest. Welcome Week barbecue. Sweet Treat – Student Rebecca Back to School with a Splash – Finney dives into a colorful, cool Jumpstart New Orleans at UNO treat at the Snowballs with SAC team leader Leighann Delatte event on August 20 at Welcome works in the yard at the UNO Week 2007. Children’s Center. Jumpstart New Orleans at UNO Corps members prepared the play yard for the 2007-2008 school year then socialized with a mid-day barbecue during Welcome Week 2007. UNO INDIAN STUDENTS SHARE THEIR STORIES Anirudh Mohan Paduru, left, a master’s electrical engineering student, and Avishek Ghosh, right, a junior business administration major, were among UNO students from India interviewed and filmed on October 18 for the U.S. Department of Commerce Electronic Education Fair in India. The interviews with the UNO students, along with Indian students from several U.S. universities, will be broadcast throughout India to encourage more scholars to study here. THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS OFFICIAL MAGAZINE 5 Events ALUMNI BOARD PARTY 2007 A D Party-goers enjoyed music performed by UNO Jazz Studies students and delicious dishes prepared by Saffron Caterers at the annual Alumni Board Celebration on September 8. The annual gathering unites UNO International Alumni Association Board members with University administrators for fellowship and camaraderie. B A Sonja Nagy and Ted Stacey with College of Engineering Dean Russell Trahan and wife, Lynette. B Zack Bergeron, Scott Sanchez, Cheryl Champagne and Ingrid Abud C Chancellor Tim Ryan, from left, with J. Richard “Rick” Gruber, director of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, Sharon Gruber, vice chancellor for advancement; Terry Verigan and Barry and Theresa LeBlanc.