ByLion
IN THIS ISSUE, JULY 2, 2018

Summer semester sees growth
Criminal Justice program ranked
Alumni Board of Directors announced

Community Band to give free concert

Stutts establishes GA position
Teacher Leader Summit held

LionsTeach orientation held

Southeastern in the News
Professional Activities

BYLION STORIES

 

Southeastern reports positive growth for summer semester
Summer Smart

Southeastern’s summer semester has experienced its highest enrollment growth since 2014, university officials announced.
     Overall student numbers are up 6.9 percent, with undergraduate student growth at 6.2 percent and graduate student numbers increasing by 10.2 percent. The number of continuing Southeastern undergraduate students enrolled in the summer semester also increased by 8.9 percent.
Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management Kay Maurin said the increase in enrollment is due in part to Southeastern’s new Summer Smart program.
     “Last summer we introduced the Summer Smart program which included an increased number of online and hybrid courses to help ensure courses are available in accessible formats,” Maurin said. “Enhanced summer semester scholarships provide further evidence of Southeastern’s commitment to help students complete their degrees on time, with minimal debt.”
     “Online format and classes in the early mornings and evenings give students who also work the flexibility they need during the summer months,” she said. “Our faculty make that a priority when determining course offerings, and it’s a huge reason we’re seeing this growth in our summer enrollment.”
     Southeastern’s Summer Smart program now provides one of the best values among four-year colleges in south Louisiana. Summer semester terms range from four to eight weeks.

 

Online Criminal Justice Program ranked among top twenty-five most affordable
Southeastern has been ranked No. 23 nationally as one of the Most Affordable Online Bachelor’s Degrees in Criminal Justice Studies by the website thebestschools.org, a website dedicated to helping prospective students in their college searches.
     “Quality and value are two areas that students and their parents evaluate in looking at colleges and universities,” said President John L. Crain. “And, the availability of our online programs certainly contributes to the success of our students.”
     The website looked at six categories to compile the ranking: academic excellence based on a school’s curriculum, strength of faculty scholarship, reputation, financial aid, range of degree programs, and strength of online instruction methodology. The full report is available at https://thebestschools.org/rankings/most-affordable-online-bachelors-degrees-criminal-justice/.
     Southeastern’s criminal justice program includes subjects such as criminology, criminal law, the correction process, deviance and social control, juvenile delinquency, and race and ethnic relations. Students choose one of four minors, sociology, geography, anthropology, or geographic information systems, and gain practical experience through internships at criminal justice or law enforcement organizations.
     Students can join the Pre-Law Student Organization and the Alpha Phi Sigma National Criminal Justice Honor Society. Additionally, they can participate in the school’s annual Social Justice Lecture Series, during which international social justice activists speak to the community.
     Southeastern was also ranked in the top 100 Most Affordable Universities in the nation for 2018 by the website bestvalueschools.com.

Northlake Community Band to give free concert
The Community Music School at Southeastern will present the Northlake Community Band Summer Concert Tuesday, July 3, at 7 p.m. Scheduled in Pottle Auditorium on Southeastern’s campus, the concert is free and open to the public.
     B. J. Perez, principal clarinetist and retired school based administrator from T H Harris Middle School in Jefferson Parish, will conduct the concert that will include works by Sousa, McBeth, Osterling, Cohen, and more.
     “The concert will be presented in two portions, with the second portion having a patriotic theme,” Perez said. “The Northlake Community Band will also welcome Joy Ratliff, associate professor of voice at Southeastern, and James Square, recently retired director of bands at Ponchatoula High School, as guest narrators for two of the selections.”
     “The Northlake Community Band is a true musical jewel on the Northshore and the surrounding communities, and we are very proud to have them as part of the Community Music School,” said Community Music School Director Jivka Duke. “The band brings together musicians from various walks of life, from current and retired professional musicians to people who only recently started playing music again after many years of working in a different career field.”
     “The band also attracts many high school music students, especially in the summer months,” Duke added.
     Duke said the Northlake Community Band always welcomes new members.
     For more information, contact the Community Music School at cms@southeastern.edu or 549-5502.

Stutts’ Research Assistant Position for Graduate Education established 
Stutts research assistant position createdJames Stutts, an instructor in the Department of Industrial and Engineering Technology, established a graduate assistant position made available this summer. The position, funded by Stutts and the Carolyn and Charles Stutts Robotics Automated Manufacturing Fund, is geared toward providing financial assistance to graduate students while offering them with “hands-on” research experience as well. 
     Stutts, a Southeastern graduate of the Integrated Science and Technology (ISAT) program, stresses the importance graduate assistance positions play in sustaining graduate programs. 
     “I relied on a graduate assistant position when I was in graduate school, and it was extremely valuable to me, so I hope to provide the same opportunities for others,” he said. 
     Samantha Taylor is the first recipient of this award. She is an incoming graduate student in the ISAT program. Taylor is extremely excited to be provided with this opportunity and looks forward to working on various research projects this summer.

 

ABOVE: Pictured, from left, are Dean of the College of Science and Technology Dr. Daniel McCarthy, James Stutts, Samantha Taylor, and Director of Graduate Studies & Institutional Effectiveness Dr. John Boulahanis.

Alumni Association announces board of directors
Beth Carney Ebberman of Metairie has been elected president and chairman of the board of directors for 2018-19 Southeastern Alumni Association.
     A 1977 graduate of Southeastern with a bachelor of arts degree in history, Ebberman is an account executive with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana and has won Account Executive of the Year multiple times. She serves as president of the New Orleans Central City Lions Club, on the Bissonet Civic Association Board of Directors and was National Vice President for Alpha Sigma Tau.
     Joining her on the Executive Committee will be President-Elect Richard “Dickie” Whitson, a retiree of Allegiance Health Care Corp; Secretary Stephanie Kropog of North Oaks Health System; and Treasurer Kristen Bell with Northshore Technical Community College.
     Executive Director of Alumni Relations Michelle Biggs said board members commit their time and expertise to fulfill the association’s mission of strengthening ties between the university, alumni and community.
     “The board is comprised of a wide range of individuals who represent the entire alumni base. Each member serves a two-year term, and their job is to assist in promoting the mission of the Alumni Association in tandem with that of Southeastern,” said Biggs. “They promote pride, help in student recruitment efforts, act as mentors, preserve traditions of the university and encourage active membership in the association.”
     Also serving on the board are Patrick Brazan with Magnolia Wealth Strategies; Heidi Rogers Kinchen with Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services; Jay Prather with Elos Environmental LLC; Heather Bush Seal with Latter and Blum Classic Homes and Properties; Dennis “Danny” Wallette with Tangipahoa Mosquito Abatement; Alicia Motichek Himber with Lakeshore High School, Sonja Ragusa Newman with United Way of Southeast Louisiana; and Gina Giacone Laird with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana.
     Biggs said that as part of Ebberman’s incoming president’s duties she has appointed two one-year termed board members to round out the membership representation in the year ahead. These include Christopher “Chris” Barcelona with the U.S. Department of State and Troy Green with White Castle High School.
     Ex-Officio members of the board include Immediate Past President Brad Stevens of Edwards and Stevens Law Firm in Amite; Past President Mayson Foster, former mayor of the City of Hammond; Southeastern President John L. Crain; Vice President of University Advancement Wendy Lauderdale; and Biggs.

Alumni Association Board of Directors

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ANNOUNCED – The Southeastern Alumni Association announced its 2018-19 Board of Directors. Seated in the front row, from left, are Treasurer Kristen Bell, President-Elect Dickie Whitson, President Beth Carney Ebberman, and Secretary Stephanie Stafford Kropog. Standing, from left, are Chris Barcelona, Alicia Motichek Himber, Patrick Brazan, Heather Bush Seal, Heidi Rogers Kinchen, Past President Mayson Foster, Executive Director Michelle Biggs, Danny Wallette, Sonja Ragusa Newman, Troy Green, and Immediate Past President Brad Stevens. Not pictured are Gina Giacone Laird and Jay Prather.

Southeastern plays part in Teacher Leader Summit 2018
Over 6,500 educators recently gathered for various professional and training sessions at Teacher Leader Summit 2018, hosted by the Louisiana Department of Education. Southeastern, along with a cadre of preparation providers, shared insights on developing and sustaining partnerships to address educator workforce needs.  
     Dr. Paula Calderon, dean of the College of Education, along with Jordan Ahrend, transition coordinator, served as panel members of two sessions titled “Building a Strong Educator Workforce: Understand and Use Educator Workforce Data” and “ Building a Strong Educator Workforce: Maximizing Partnerships between Preparation Providers and School Systems.”
     Southeastern’s College of Education currently has five partnering districts, including Ascension, Livingston, St. Charles, St. Tammany, and Tangipahoa. Each partnership is dedicated to addressing, assessing and implementing policies and strategies which best address workforce and student needs.

LionsTeach 2018-2019 Residency Cohort orientation held
LionsTeach resident student teachers and their mentor teachers kicked off their partnership with a joint orientation on Tuesday May 29.    Approximately 120 resident student teachers, mentor teachers, university site coordinators, and district partners attended the full-day training.
     The event was conducted by Jordan Ahrend, the College of Education transition coordinator, along with the Director of Student Teaching Dr. Ellen Ratcliff, and is an annual event which occurs at the beginning of the capstone year for all students pursuing degrees in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Middle School Education and Special Education.
     Within the next two years the year-long residency program will extend to all education programs.
     For more information about the LionsTeach residency program, contact Ahrend at jordan.ahrend@southeastern.edu or Ratcliff at mratcliff@southeastern.edu.

SOUTHEASTERN IN THE NEWS

Baton Rouge Advocate

SLU’s Epsilon Phi Chapter of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity named to top 10 list

Southeastern reports positive growth for summer semester

Southeastern student chosen for new Governor’s Fellows Program in Louisiana Government

SLU Alumni Association names board of directors

SLU students win journalism awards

Southeastern Louisiana baseball players help rescue woman from burning car in Canada

Livingston Parish News
Southeastern Louisiana University Alumni Association announces board of directors
New Orleans Times Picayune

Southeastern players help pull woman from a wrecked car: report

WBRZ-TV

SLU baseball, summer league rescue woman from burning car in Canada

 

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Dr. Philip Schuessler (Music) recently had the score for his music composition Sunburst Carousel for saxophone quartet published by Murphy Music Press, LLC. He has also recently had his works performed at music conferences and festivals this summer in New Orleans, (Brain Gas for open quartet); Ruston, (Intervals II for tuba and piano); Knoxville, Tenn. (Liminal Bridges for saxophone, guitar, piano, and percussion); and New York City, (Fireflies Were Making Decodable Signals for bass clarinet and percussion). The above-mentioned Sunburst Carousel also receives its international premiere at the World Saxophone Congress in Croatia later this summer by the Louisiana-based saxophone quartet Quartetto Obrigado.

     Southeastern’s Writer-in-Residence David Armand (English) recently published a new poetry chapbook titled Debt with Blue Horse Press.
     Beth Stahr (Sims Library) wrote a chapter titled “Preparing for Genealogical Reference Work” in the newly released book Genealogy and the Librarian: Perspectives on Research, Instruction, Outreach and Management edited by Carol Smallwood Vera Gubnitskaia and published by McFarland.

 

 
 

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