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Southeastern students, alumni invited to Career Fair Sept. 19
Southeastern students and alumni are invited to participate in Career Fair 2013, the
Office of Career Services' annual university wide career event.
Held as a benefit exclusively for Southeastern students and alumni, Career Fair
2013 will have over 130 organizational participants and will be held Thursday, Sept.
19, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Pennington Student Activity Center on the corner
of University Avenue and General Pershing.
Representatives from various companies and associations, government agencies,
business, engineering, finance and banking industries will be onsite to answer questions
and take resumes.
"Career Fair provides Southeastern students and graduates the opportunity to
obtain that much needed face time with recruiters to set themselves apart from the
rest of the pack and all of those faceless resumes that come their way," said Ken
Ridgedell, director of Career Services. "There is no other venue that will allow
you to directly interact with recruiters and managers from over 130 employers and
leave a lasting, positive impression. In fact, it would take you months to speak with
as many recruiters as you can in one day at Southeastern's Career Fair 2013."
To get the most out of the fair, Ridgedell said students and alumni should bring
copies of their resumes; be prepared to briefly discuss career interests, goals, knowledge
and skills; and collect brochures and business cards.
For additional information on Career Fair 2013, visit www.southeastern.edu/careerfairinfo or contact Career Services at 549- 2121 or careerservices@southeastern.edu.
Prepping for Career Fair -- Anna Bass, instructor in the Department of Management and Business Administration, addresses a standing room only crowd of students on the basics of business etiquette at last Thursday's seminar. The program is held annually to help prepare students for Southeastern's annual Career Fair to be held this Thursday in the Pennington Student Activity Center.
Southeastern designated a Military Friendly School for third consecutive year
For the third consecutive year, Southeastern has been named a Military Friendly School
by Victory Media, publisher of G.I Jobs, the premier magazine for military personnel transitioning to civilian life.
According to the company, the 2014 listing honors the top 20 percent of colleges,
universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace the nation's military
service members and veterans and spouses as students and to ensure their success on
campus.
"Inclusion in this list is one indicator of Southeastern's commitment to our
veterans and their educational success," said President John L. Crain. "It is an honor
to be included in this listing and to know that we are among the top institutions
helping those individuals who have made great sacrifices in service to our state and
nation."
The 2014 list of Military Friendly Schools shows the commitment of those institutions
in providing a supportive environment for military students, according to Sean Collins,
vice president at Victory Media.
"The need for education is growing and our mission is to provide the military
community with transparent, world-class resources to assist in their search for schools,"
he added.
Now in its fifth year, the list was compiled through extensive research and a
data-driven survey of more than 10,000 Veterans Administration-approved schools nationwide.
Methodology, criteria and weighting for the list were developed with the assistance
of an Academic Advisory Board consisting of educators from schools across the country.
The survey tabulation process that comprised the 2014 list was independently verified
by Ernst and Young.
Victory Media is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business founded in
2001. In addition to G.I. Jobs, the company also publishes the magazines Military Spouse and Vetrepreneur.
Fernandez to present Southeastern Constitution Day Lecture
Southeastern's Department of History and Political Science will celebrate Constitution
Day, Wednesday, Sept. 18, with a lecture by Mark Fernandez of Loyola University of
New Orleans.
A professor of history at Loyola, Fernandez will present "Woody Guthrie, 'Racey
Hate,' and the Artist's Struggle for Civil Rights," at 1 p.m. in Southeastern's Student
Union Theatre. The presentation is free and open to the public.
"We are delighted to have as this year's Constitution Day speaker Dr. Mark Fernandez,
a distinguished constitutional scholar, an engaging and entertaining lecturer, and
a longtime friend of many faculty in the Department of History and Political Science,"
said Bill Robison, head of the department. "His talk is sure to be both enlightening
and fun!"
Fernandez is a native of New Orleans, who received his bachelor and masters degrees
from the University of New Orleans and his doctorate degree from the College of William
and Mary in Virginia. He teaches courses in Early America, the South, the West, and
the American Hero. The Loyola Student Alumni Association has twice recognized him
for meritorious teaching.
He has published on topics ranging from the law in the antebellum South, including
"A Law Unto Itself? Essays in New Louisiana Legal History," and "From Chaos to Continuity:
The Evolution of Louisiana's Legal System," which won the Louisiana Literary Award
from the Louisiana Library Association. Fernandez has also served as President of
the Louisiana Historical Association and on the Board of the Tennessee Williams Festival.
The lecture is sponsored by the Department of History and Political Science and
a generous group of citizens from Hammond. This year's lecture was organized by Ronald
Traylor, Southeastern instructor of history.
For more information about the lecture, contact Robison at 549-2109.
Southeastern Psychologist links Andes crash and survival story to human evolution in new book
The story of the Uruguayan rugby team, whose airplane crashed in the Andes Mountains
in 1972 and had to resort to cannibalism to survive until their rescue, has strong
roots in the history of human evolution, according to a Southeastern psychology professor.
The 16 young men – who endured 72 days of bitter cold, a lack of food and other
resources – saw their lives suddenly reduced to the basics of daily survival. The
men, most of whom were members of the Old Christians Rugby Club from Montevideo, Uruguay
and alumni of Stella Maris College, were on their way to play a rugby match in Chile,
were the only survivors of the crash that carried 45 people, including the crew and
family members. The others either died during or right after the crash or in a major
avalanche that occurred several days later.
"They survived by accessing the resources of their own human legacy, which was
enhanced because they were already a team," said Matt J. Rossano, author of the just
published book Mortal Rituals: What the Story of the Andes Survivors Tells Us about Human Evolution.
Rugby was introduced at Stella Maris College by the Irish priests who taught
there and favored the game over the Latin American-preferred game of soccer. For this
team, Rossano said, rugby was similar to a more ancestral way of thinking and prepared
them for the rigors of survival. Rugby, he said, requires a smothering of the ego
and complete submission into a team effort.
"Our human ancestors, Homo erectus, were odd-ball primates whose fate depended
on their smarts, tools and the ability to work together," he explained. "Left on his
own, Homo Erectus didn't have a chance. The group was life, while separation was a
death sentence. The same applied to the Andes survivors."
He said the group was saved through teamwork, faith and a well-organized social
system that was reinforced by ritual.
Rossano discusses how a hierarchy of leaders and workers was established among the
group, which included two natural leaders; several lieutenants, mostly young boys
who did the odd jobs assigned by the leaders; the medical crew who took care of the
injured; a group he describes as "workers and parasites," the complainers who drifted
into complacency and a state of constant complaining; and the expeditionaries, who
would be seeking a way through the mountains for rescue.
All of them together formed a hierarchical community with the primary focus of
survival, a trait likely inherited from a common ancestor to early man and all the
great apes, he explained.
Rossano – who writes frequently on religion, science, evolution and human behavior
– relied heavily on first-person accounts of the survival story mainly taken from
the books Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors by Piers Paul Read and Miracle in the Andes: 72 Days on the Mountain and My Long Trek Home by Nando Parrado, one of the survivors.
As the meager supplies in the plane dwindled, the group was forced by the circumstances
to decide to break a long-standing taboo, the consumption of deceased fellow passengers.
"Then days into their survival, they confronted what had previously only been
private thoughts of just cautious whispers," he said. "That was eating the dead. It
eventually was suggested by one of the medical students on the team."
"Certainly this was taboo, but they had to push aside revulsions and their own deep
conflicts," Rossano added. "They saw it as the only way to survive. For some of the
more devoutly religious ones, it was seen as a moral duty to try to survive. That
became the only relevant issue."
As all of the team members were from a Catholic tradition, they employed ritual
to keep their spirits up in the face of worsening conditions. Nightly discussions
and debate followed by rosary recited in unison in the fuselage of the plane helped
maintain a unity of purpose, explained Rossano, author of the "Supernatural Selection:
How Religion Evolved."
"This ritual meant different things to different people," he said. "For the devout,
it was a heartfelt petition to their God for strength, mercy and even a miracle. For
the skeptical, it was a means of mental relaxation, something that helped preserve
their sanity and help them sleep. No one put himself above the ritual. The solidarity
of the group was more important than any single person's doubts or misgivings about
the supernatural. They used these rituals and routines to recognize their fates were
interlocked. They were family."
Ritual was employed by the expeditionaries whose job it was to trek from the
crash site, over the mountains in order to find help. Eight times they left the wreckage
in attempt to climb the mountain peak and find the valleys of Chile. As each attempt
failed, they knew they had to continue.
"Ritual can harness the mind's power to endure," said Rossano. "Their ally was
their minds."
Using the ritual of focusing on one step at a time, frequently accompanied by
a prayer used as a mantra, the expeditionaries pushed on. Rossano said they learned
what Tibetan monks had known for centuries – which ritual can be used as a strategy
for overcoming pain and as a way of increasing endurance.
"It's using the mind as a way of coping with suffering," he added. "Studies have
shown that meditation can have strong positive health benefits, including lower blood
pressure, reduced heart rate, and overall mental health."
Rossano said the community of survivors demonstrated a sense of self that was
also known to man's ancient ancestors. "It was a sense of self, not as a separate
individual agent, but as someone embedded within a tight-knit community. It was a
sense of self cultivated in the game of rugby and essential to the ultimate survival,"
he said.
Mortal Rituals is heavily footnoted, referencing numerous academic sources Rossano uses in his presentation.
The book was published by Columbia University Press.
Southeastern computer science programs accredited
The two degree programs in computer science offered at Southeastern have received
national accreditation through September 2019.
The accreditations of the bachelor of science degree programs in computer science
and in information technology were awarded by the Computing Accreditation Commission
of ABET, formerly known as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
"Accreditation means the programs meet set national standards of academic quality,
including faculty qualifications, facilities and equipment," said Daniel McCarthy,
dean of the College of Science and Technology. "It is one of the primary factors that
employers use when deciding which graduates they want to hire."
Sebastian van Delden, head of the Department of Computer Science and Industrial
Technology, said the accreditation came following an extensive self-study and a site
visit by members of the Computing Accreditation Commission's team. The team's report
stated that no deficiencies, weaknesses or concerns were found with either program.
"For a degree program to receive ABET accreditation without any reported shortcomings
whatsoever is quite remarkable and testament to the high quality of our computer science
faculty members," van Delden added.
He said the program in Information Technology – which was just elevated to a
degree program this year – is being accredited for the first time. Previously information
technology was offered only as a concentration in the computer science degree program.
"Both programs are important to the economic development and workforce needs
of our region," van Delden said. "Technology companies increasingly are moving into
southeast Louisiana, and we expect our graduates to enjoy the employment opportunities
this will generate."
More than 350 students are enrolled in the university's computer science programs,
he added.
Southeastern website: Did you know?
Southeastern's new website features an online chat tool that allows future and current
students to connect with the Student Technology Center during designated hours. In
just one week, more than 100 students used online chat to get quick answers to a variety
of questions.
This Week in Fine and Performing Arts
August 29 through October 1
Man and Nature, Southeastern Contemporary Art Gallery
September 19-20 at 7:30 p.m.
Southeastern Opera/Musical Theatre presents: John Bucchino's It's Only Life
at the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts. Call 985-543-4371 for ticket information.
For more information on these and other upcoming events in Southeastern's Department of Fine and Performing Arts, call 549-2184, 549-2193 or visit www.southeastern.edu/fpa.
Southeastern biologists to offer seminar series Science on Tap
The Southeastern Department of Biological Sciences, in cooperation with Tope lá Catering
of Hammond, will present Science on Tap, a year-long, informal seminar series for
the public on a variety of scientific topics.
The presentations will be held the first Tuesday of every month at Tope lá Catering,
113 East Thomas St. in Hammond. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the seminars starting
at 7 p.m. The presentations are free and open to all ages.
“There are many areas in the diverse field of biology that are of interest to
people outside of science” said Professor of Biological Sciences Brian Crother, who
is coordinating the series with Professor Kyle Piller. “Our intent is to present these
topics in a layman-friendly fashion to increase the knowledge and awareness of biology
and its vital role in the ecosystem and in all our lives.”
Crother said the series would be especially beneficial to students who may be
considering career choices and professions that involve the sciences.
A full year of presentations is planned. Currently on schedule for the fall are:
Oct. 1, “Tales of a Traveling Fish Biologist,” by Piller, an expert on fish;
Nov. 5, “The Conservation of Sea Turtles: Why Are They Cool and Important?” by Roldan
Valverde, associate professor and current president of the International Sea Turtle
Society; and
Dec. 3, “Why Does a Tadpole Change into a Frog, by Chris Beachy, head of the Department
of Biological Sciences.
Crother said a full slate of seminars in the spring will include presentations
on wetlands restoration, flowers and the role of insects and bugs in our lives.
For additional information on the seminar series, contact the Department of Biological
Sciences at 985-549-3740. The full seminar series is posted on the department’s web
page at http://www.southeastern.edu/acad_research/depts/biol/dept_seminar/pdf/science_on_tap.pdf.
New eBook Collections at Sims Library
Sims Memorial Library recently acquired several new ebook collections that are now
available for students and faculty at Southeastern. Collections include SAGE Knowledge,
College Complete, e-Duke Scholarly Books, and the Project Muse UPCC collections.
These collections are accessible both on and off-campus, and ebooks are available
to multiple simultaneous users. Titles in the collections appear in the library catalog,
and are also discoverable by searching the databases listed below. 
College Complete (ebrary)
College Complete is an interdisciplinary ebook collection that contains over 30,000
titles from a number of academic subjects. The collection contains current and backlist
titles from multiple publishers, with new titles added periodically. To access College
Complete, visit the library website, click on the “Articles” tab, select the C-D database
list, and scroll down to College Complete.e-Duke Books Scholarly Collection
The e-Duke collection contains over 1,400 titles published by Duke University Press
and includes titles in the humanities and social sciences published in 2012-2013.
e-Duke titles are hosted on the ebrary platform with content from College Complete.
The list of Duke titles can be viewed from the advanced search option by searching
“Duke University Press” in the publisher field. To access the e-Duke collection, visit
the library website, click on the “Articles” tab, select the E-G database list, and
scroll down to e-Duke Books Scholarly Collection.Project Muse UPCC ebooks
The Project Muse ebook collection includes the complete 2012 frontlist of UPCC (University
Press Content Consortium) titles and a recently purchased collection of 2013 Southern
U.S. Regional Studies titles. The UPCC Muse collection currently contains over 1,800
ebook titles published in the humanities and social sciences by multiple university
presses. To access Project Muse ebooks, visit the library website, click on the “Articles”
tab, select the N-P database list, and scroll down to Project Muse ebooks. SAGE Knowledge ebooks
SAGE Knowledge subject collections include ebooks in Education, Business and Management,
Counseling and Psychotherapy, and Health and Social Care. The SAGE platform delivers
both scholarly monographs and eReference content published from 1996 to the present.
The SAGE collections currently contain 1,533 ebook titles. To access SAGE Knowledge,
visit the library website, click on the “Articles” tab, select the R-S database list,
and scroll down to SAGE Knowledge.
Phi Kappa Phi newsPhi Kappa Phi fall meeting
Student, faculty, staff and alumni members of Southeastern’s chapter of the National
Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi are invited to attend the fall general membership meeting
on Tuesday, October 8, at 3:30 p.m., in the Student Union’s Pelican Room.
Among the items on the agenda will be discussion of the annual Quiz Bowl tournament,
set for Tuesday, October 22, from 2-5:30 p.m. The Quiz Bowl will be held in the Student
Union Ballroom and team applications are due to Joan Faust by October 17 at 4 p.m.
The membership will also vote for new undergraduate and graduate members. A nomination
form for any faculty, staff, or alumni member to nominate colleagues is available
on the chapter’s Web site, www.southeastern.edu/phikappaphi, under the “Forms” link.
We hope to see you at the meeting on October 8.Phi Kappa Phi sponsors Southeastern Quiz Bowl
Trivia is no trivial matter as Southeastern’s chapter of the national honor society
of Phi Kappa Phi hosts its annual Homecoming Intramural Quiz Bowl Tournament. Phi
Kappa Phi is recruiting eight teams to compete in the Quiz Bowl, scheduled for Tuesday,
Oct. 22, from 2-5:30 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom.
Teams, which should include four members and one alternate, can be made up of
any combination of students, faculty, staff and alumni. Phi Kappa Phi will award $100
to the top faculty and student teams. Second place teams in each division will earn
$50.
To register, teams should call Dr. Joan Faust at 549-5477 or e-mail her at jfaust@southeastern.edu
by 4 p.m., Oct. 17. Registration is $25 per team. Applications can be found on the
Phi Kappa Phi website at http://www2.southeastern.edu/orgs/PhiKappaPhi/quizbowlform2013.pdf. A practice session is scheduled for 2-4 p.m., Monday, Oct. 21, also in the Student
Union Ballroom.
Quiz Bowl is a question and answer game of general knowledge and quick recall.
Game questions cover every conceivable topic, from history, literature, science, multiculturalism,
religion and geography to current events, the arts, social sciences, sports, and popular
culture.
The tournament will be a double-elimination contest, faculty vs. faculty, student
vs. student teams until final Championship Game: top faculty vs. top student team
to determine the overall Quiz Bowl Champion.
Southeastern non-credit courses
Basic Film Acting
(Sept. 19 – Oct. 24; Instructor, James Winter)
Louisiana has become the "premier location for film and television production in the
U.S.," according to the lafilm.org website. Don't miss out on the opportunity to become
part of the action. This course is designed to teach novice actors basic film audition
techniques, on-set behavior, and how to find legitimate film acting work in Louisiana.
For more information, visit http://www.southeastern.edu/acad_research/programs/noncredit/continuingu/basicfilm_acting/index.html.
How Money Works for Teachers (part one)
(Sept. 18; Instructors, Liz Reno and Shannon Bernard)
Financial success on a teacher salary can happen. This course will introduce students
to major concepts necessary to make informed decisions regarding finances. There are
no technology requirements or prerequisites for this class, and no charge to attend.
Register athttp://www.southeastern.edu/acad_research/programs/noncredit/continuingu/how_money_works_teach_pt1/index.html.
Basic Video Production and Editing
(Sept. 17 – 26; Instructor, Sharon Edwards)
The course will teach basic script development, camera shots and movement, screen
direction, and video and audio post production editing. This is a hands-on workshop,
where students will shoot and edit a short 3-5 minute video in a small crew environment.
No previous experience is required. What is learned in class can be used for individual
interest in video production and editing. Get started at http://www.southeastern.edu/acad_research/programs/noncredit/continuingu/basic_vid_editing/index.html.
Introduction to Screenwriting
(Sept. 18 – Oct. 16; Instructor, James Winter)
This course will provide an introductory knowledge base for those interested in pursuing
screenwriting. Students will learn professional formatting and techniques, as well
as how and where to submit their written screenplays for professional production.
Learn more at http://www.southeastern.edu/acad_research/programs/noncredit/continuingu/screenwriting_intro/index.html.
ABC News (Good Morning America)Robin Roberts takes you back to SLU (video)
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/robin-roberts-takes-back-southeastern-louisiana-university-20233649
Action NewsGMA spotlights SLU, Hammond
http://www.actionnews17.com/news/all/artmid/494/articleid/7898/good-morning-america-spotlights-slu-tune-in-thursday-
SLU, students, alumni invited to Career Fair Sept. 19
http://www.actionnews17.com/news/all/artmid/494/articleid/7905/slu-students-alumni-invited-to-attend-career-fair-on-sept-19-
Good Morning Hammond, America! TV Host Roberts shines spotlight on SLU
http://www.actionnews17.com/news/all/artmid/494/articleid/7927/good-morning-hammond-america-tv-host-roberts-shines-spotlight-on-slu
SLU makes list of Military Friendly Schools
http://www.actionnews17.com/news/all/artmid/494/articleid/7920/slu-makes-list-of-military-friendly-schools
Associated PressGMA set to feature scenes from Southeastern
http://www.wafb.com/story/23388112/gma-set-to-feature-scenes-from-southeastern-louisiana-university
Thursday's GMA to feature scenes from Southeastern
http://theadvocate.com/home/7018155-125/thursdays-gma-to-feature-scenes
Hammond Daily NewsSoutheastern on Good Morning America
http://www.hammondstar.com/news/article_b9cd3d68-19c0-11e3-91b6-0019bb2963f4.html
Funding plan for universities hurt Southeastern
http://www.hammondstar.com/opinion/article_56ede08a-1687-11e3-9787-001a4bcf887a.html
During this week in Southeastern Athletics, the football team closes out its non-conference
road schedule, while the volleyball and soccer teams open up Southland Conference
play.
The Lions (1-2) will face another tough challenge away from Strawberry Stadium, when they travel to Birmingham, Ala. for a 2 p.m. game at Samford on Saturday. Last week, Southeastern outgained the No. 6 team in the Football Championship Subdivision by nearly 200 yards, but could not overcome six turnovers in a 34-26 loss at South Dakota State. Samford opens its home schedule on Saturday, after defeating Florida A&M, 27-20, in its last outing.
The game will be broadcast on KSLU 90.9 FM, the flagship station of the Southeastern Sports Radio Network, as well as Northshore Broadcasting stations Kajun 107.1 FM and The Joint 104.7 FM. Fans can listen online at www.LionSports.net or on their smart phone using the TuneIn Radio app. Live video and stats will be available for free at www.samfordsports.com.
After winning the Tangi Tourism Lion Classic with a 4-0 record, the Lady Lion volleyball team (6-6) heads into Southland Conference play with momentum. Southeastern will face Northwestern State in the league opener on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Natchitoches. Stephen F. Austin awaits the Lady Lions on Saturday for a 1 p.m. match in Nacogdoches, Texas.
The soccer team (5-1-1) will also open its Southland schedule on the road this week. On Friday, the Lady Lions take on Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 4 p.m. before heading to McNeese State for a 1 p.m. match on Sunday.
The men's and women's cross country teams will also be back in action this week. The Lions and Lady Lions will compete in the LSU Invitational on Saturday in Baton Rouge. The women's race begins at 8:05 a.m., followed by the men's race at 9:15 a.m.
Barefootin' -- Head Coach Ron Roberts went shoeless during pre-game preps for Saturday's football game against South Dakota State Saturday evening in support of the Samaritan's Feet International's Million Shoes Initiative. Both Roberts and South Dakota Head Coach John Stiegelmeier were barefoot in honor of the cause, which donates new shoes to impoverished children and adults around the world.
Thursday, September 19
Volleyball, at Northwestern State, Natchitoches, 7 p.m.*
Friday, September 20
Women's Soccer, at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, Texas, 4 p.m.*
Saturday, September 21
Football, at Samford, Birmingham, Ala., 2 p.m. (Southeastern Sports Radio Network)
Volleyball, at Stephen F. Austin, Nacogdoches, Texas, 1 p.m.*
Men's and Women's Cross Country, at LSU Invitational, Baton Rouge, 8:05/9:15 a.m.
Sunday, September 22
Women's Soccer, at McNeese State, Lake Charles, 1 p.m.
* - Southland Conference contest
Professional activities
Wynn Gillan, Millie Naquin, and Ashley Bowers (all of Kinesiology and Health Studies), along with Marie Zannis (ret., Nicholls
State University), Julie Brewer (former graduate student), and Sarah Russell (former
graduate student) received word that their article, "Correlations among Stress, Physical
Activity and Nutrition: School Employee Health Behavior" has been accepted for publication
in Volume 8, Number 1 of the 2013 ICHPER-SD Journal of Research.
David Armand's (English) second novel, Harlow, has just been released by Texas Review Press, a member of the Texas A&M University
Press Consortium.
ByLion is published weekly online (bi-weekly during the summer session) for the faculty and staff of Southeastern Louisiana University. Send submissions to publicinfo@southeastern.edu, SLU 10880, fax 985-549-2061, or bring to University Marketing and Communications Office in East Stadium. Submission deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.
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