No.23 | wi N t e r 2 0 1 0 FORECAST: Blue sKies and sOnnY Dykes takes the ball at Tech distinguished alumni Seven stand tall see YOu AT the tOP Moving up – and up and up – in national rankings gReen’s the thing Research makes progress, money, and a difference Louisiana Tech universiTy www.latech.edu Alumni AssociAtion CONTENTS Officers Lomax Napper Marsha Jabour – President – Vice President 2 From the 16th Floor Jeff Parker John Allen Louisiana Tech – a good neighbor, a model – Treasurer – Past President citizen, a solid investment Cliff Merritt Daniel D. Reneau – Member-at-Large – Ex-Officio 3 ’39 and holding It’s been 70 years, but Tech still feels like home BOard Of directOrs John Allen, John Areno, 7 Leaps up the Ladder Darryl Asken, Ayres Bradford, Tech impresses in the national rankings Tim Brandon, Joe Brown, A Word from the Mark Colwick, Leigh Cordill, 8 They Stand for Tech Nathan Darby, Teena Doxey, alumni diRectOR James Ginn, Kenny Guillot, Louisiana Tech’s 2009 Distinguished Alumni Ben Haley, Andrew Hicks, The three A’s of Louisiana Tech – Academics, Athletics, and Alumni Relations – should Marsha Jabour, Larry Jackson, continue to make you proud to be a part of this University. 10 Alum of the Year: Drake Mills Bobby Jefcoat, Rex Jones, The start of this school year brought much excitement in the realm of academics. Fall Investing in Tech Tim King, Fred McGaha, enrollment remained strong, and the campus was filled with activity. The new freshmen were Cliff Merritt, James Moore, given a special welcome at the Freshman Convocation; each freshman received a commemorative 11 Young Alum of the Year: Lomax Napper, Caroline Reaves, medallion inscribed with the Tenets of Tech which they dropped into the Fountain of the Lady Elizabeth Mitchell Taylor David Rentrop, Michele Robinson, of the Mist, symbolizing their investment in and commitment to their education at Tech. The Dancing With the Stars Stephanie Sisemore, Ricky Stubbs, medallions will be returned to them at their commencement ceremonies, a permanent symbol of Julie Talbot, Brandon Walpole, their Alma Mater as they become alumni. 12 Distinguished Alumni of the Colleges Trey Williams Athletic contests bring excitement to any university campus, and game day at Louisiana Tech is Deborah Spann, George Cummings, Gerald fantastic! This past fall, students, alumni, and fans shared in this excitement as they tailgated prior Cobb, Charles Tullis, Wiley Hilburn alumni assOciatiOn staff to the home football games and entered the stadium ready to cheer on our Bulldogs. Despite the Corre Stegall challenging schedule that the team faced, the fans stood behind them and encouraged the players – Vice President for University Advancement who continued to show determination and represented Louisiana Tech with class down to the last 14 A Promising Enterprise Ryan Richard play of the year. Tech’s research park rises on the edge of – Director of Alumni Relations The team, alumni, and students received unexpected news in mid January when Derek Dooley campus, and on the edge of a bright future 1Sonny6 shines bright resigned to accept the head coaching job at Tennessee. The administration went right to work by Jackie Stevens Offensive-minded Sonny Dykes takes over – Coordinator of Advancement Programs naming Bruce Van De Velde acting athletic director and contracting with one of the nation’s most 19 Athletics as Louisiana Tech’s head football coach prominent search firms to assist the University in hiring the next coach. In less than five days, » Baseball continues the mission Barbara Swart President Reneau and the search committee interviewed and hired our 32nd Head Football Coach, » Golfers take dead aim at regionals – Administrative Coordinator Sonny Dykes. Coach Dykes brings a number of years of personal experience with him as well as » Weatherspoon heads to Hall, Techsters experience from his childhood when he watched his father, legendary Texas Tech Coach Spike climbing ladder Dykes, lead his teams to numerous victories and bowl appearances. We’ll all enjoy getting to know mArketing And » Bulldogs waking up echoes public relAtions Coach Dykes, his wife Kate, and their young daughter Ally over the coming months. The Spring Football Game, which is scheduled for Saturday, April 10, will be a great time for you to see Coach » Soccer deserves a hand Dave Guerin » Volleyball: Better by 11 – Director Dykes and next fall’s team in action. Watch our Web site for details. Alumni Relations had a great fall, hosting some of the largest tailgate parties in its history. Plans » A Buddy who does the write thing Teddy Allen for numerous events during 2010 are already being made. Crawfish boils, baseball game tailgates, – Writer/Editor road shows with Coach Dykes and the Athletic Department, and the Spring Football Game are 22 News Around Campus Mark Coleman some of the events we hope you will participate in over the coming months. Those of you who are – Designer unable to join us at these events can stay connected via our Web site www.latechalumni.org where 26 Foundation Spotlight Donny Crowe you can sign up for daily or monthly newsletters, view current University and athletics headlines, – Photographer and access a complete list of upcoming events. 28 News About You With your continued support and the faculty and staff’s commitment to continuing the rich Tom Morris, latechsportspix.com tradition of providing its students the highest quality education, the University will continue MARRiAgES, Births and DeathS, – Contributing Photographer to excel in all areas. President Reneau and the administration are continuing wise and prudent financial management in the face of the State’s budgetary problems; the core of Louisiana Tech formerly an insert, is now a part of Louisiana Tech Magazine is published remains strong and vibrant! Thank you so very much for your interest and support, and please the News About You section. semiannually by the Louisiana Tech know how important it is for every alumnus to remain an active part of the Tech Family. Alumni Association. We welcome your letters: 4 Louisiana Tech Magazine P.O. Box 3183 | Ruston LA 71272 Tech Goes Green On-campus research and developed technology to benefit the www.latechalumni.org environment draws international recognition Ryan W. Richard ’39 and hOlding Seventy years after graduating, a pair of alums enjoy Homecoming Two graduates of the Louisiana Tech Class of 1939 to the bare minimum and kept the best professors and teachers. I fRoM THe 16TH flooR returned to a bigger campus but a familiar feeling when they took had a math teacher who pulled out an old dusty book that looked part in Homecoming in October. like it was from the early 1900s, and he’d test us straight out of “It’s just grown, but it’s not a whole new place,” said Juel Downs that. I remember he taught us how to calculate interest in three A comprehensive study this year of the economic and And in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2010 Best Colleges Chappell, who lived in Farmerville for more than 50 years before or four different ways. That’s how I got my first accounting job community impact of Louisiana Tech University gives evidence to rankings this year, the University was elevated to a higher tier recently moving back to Ruston. “It’s still the place where I went to in Nashville, in a mortgage loan department. The treasurer there something the Tech family already knew: status, placing us among the elite of public schools nationally. school.” asked me to figure the interest on something, I did it, he looked at Louisiana Tech is a good neighbor, a model citizen, and a solid Tech was also one of only four public state institutions to make “It appears to me to be in good hands; Tech’s doing a good job,” it and said, ‘That’s right, but that’s a way to do it I’ve never seen or investment for the state. Washington Monthly’s 2009 Best Colleges list. said Terry LaGrone, who settled in San Diego after serving in the heard of before. You’re hired.’” The University of Louisiana System’s study concluded that Also making their University look good are this year’s military in World War II. He was also a member of The Tech Talk staff and wrote a Louisiana gets eight dollars in return for every dollar it invests distinguished alumni; we are proud of them and their A Monroe native, LaGrone visited the campus this fall with his column called “The Tech Tattler.” in Tech. Your University improves the state’s workforce, fuels accomplishments, and we are happy to share in the joy and the wife of 62 years, Marge, a California girl. “It was all about who said what and did what on campus,” he economic growth, and enhances lives. benefit their careers and influence have on the entire Tech family. “We appreciated all the little courtesies we were shown while we said. “I did that and had a couple of other jobs on campus. One But that’s old news to members of the Tech family. In this Much more news is included here, from the athletic fields and were there,” he said. was in the dining hall helping serve about 500 students three meals edition of our Louisiana Tech Magazine, you can read more about the classrooms and the research labs. As always, it has been a busy “It’s always been a friendly place. But in other ways, Tech’s a day. A bell would ring, we’d say a blessing, and then everybody the concrete ways in which Tech makes a difference.