Jaguars send truckloads of donations to Lions, community When Joel and Tina Erdmann parted ways with Southeastern seven years ago, they said
the Hammond university would always hold a special place in their hearts. That sentiment led to five trucks loaded down with donated water, food, baby
supplies, pet food, cleaning materials and other items courtesy of the people of the
Mobile area who responded to the University of South Alabama’s (USA) call to help
the people of south Louisiana impacted by the recent floods. It was a special delivery
from the USA Jaguars and their community to the SLU Lions and their community. “I met with our staff and coaches last week and suggested we help, and they were
in full support,” said USA Athletic Director Joel Erdmann, who served as athletic
director at Southeastern from May 2007 to August 2009 when he returned to his alma
mater. “I knew we needed to do something, so we put out a call to the community for
supplies. I didn’t know what kind of response we would get. By the second day, I knew
we would need a second truck. The supplies kept coming in and we ended up with five
trucks full of supplies.” When Jamene Dahmer of the United Way of Southeast Louisiana saw the five large
trucks loaded with supplies pulling into the Daily Star newspaper’s parking lot Monday
morning, her first words were, “This is so heartwarming. It is an example of the best
of human kindness.” After dropping off half the supplies in Hammond, the trucks headed to Lafayette
to help the people in that area since USA plays in the Sun Belt Conference with the
University of Louisiana-Lafayette. Last Monday was the first day of classes at Southeastern, and most of the student-athletes
were in the classroom, so more than 40 coaches and staff members volunteered and worked
together to unload the trucks and sort them in the warehouse. Dahmer said the supplies would be distributed to area churches and other organizations
that are disseminating them to people in need. Southeastern Athletic Director Jay Artigues said he is impressed with the outpouring
of volunteerism and support the area is receiving from people and organizations. “Joel contacted us last week and said he wanted to do something to help our area,”
Artigues said. “It’s a very generous gesture.” “Our student-athletes gutted over 60 homes and worked in food banks and shelters,”
he added. Last Monday it was the staff and coaches’ turn to do their community service. In addition to the response of the student-athletes, more than 160 other students
worked cleaning and gutting more than 68 homes. On hand at the USA delivery was Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller. “This
is overwhelming,” he said, “and shows we have friends all over the region. Joel’s
efforts will make a real impact on those affected by the floods.”

UNLOADING SUPPLIES – Southeastern head women’s soccer coach Blake Hornbuckle hands off supplies destined
for flooded regions in the Hammond area. The supplies were collected through a drive
spearheaded by a University of South Alabama drive. Southeastern coaches and staff
unloaded the supplies and sorted them in the Hammond Daily Star’s warehouse under
the supervision of the United Way of Southeast Louisiana.
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Southeastern Disaster Relief Fund The Southeastern Disaster Relief Fund application is now available for students,
faculty, and staff affected by the recent flooding disaster. For those of you who still have an interest in helping faculty, staff, and students
affected by the flooding disaster, please click here and select the program to which
you would like to contribute (SLU Disaster Relief Fund for Students, SLU Disaster
Relief Fund for Faculty/Staff, or SLU Food Pantry Program).
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Community Music School registration now open The Southeastern’s Community Music School (CMS) will begin its fall session on Aug.
29. Registration has already begun and will remain open throughout the semester. Students of all ages may participate in private lessons on various instruments
and voice. Opportunities for group instruction and ensemble formation are also available. “In the fall 2016 semester, we will add two new faces to our instructional roster,
Katie Walker and Lisa Rhonis. Ms. Walker, a Southeastern voice student, will be teaching
voice at our Hammond location, while Ms. Rhonis, who holds a masters degree and is
also a certified Suzuki instructor, will teach guitar at our Mandeville location,”
said CMS Director Jivka Duke. “In addition, we hope to add a string orchestra class
on Saturday mornings on the Southeastern campus.” Duke said that due to sponsorship of the program by First Guaranty Bank this
academic year, the CMS will once again offer discounted tuition to students who are
on reduced or free lunch at their schools. For more information about CMS programs and general registration, call 549-5502,
or visit the CMS website at www.southeastern.edu/cms.
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Pelegrin pens new poetry collection Alison Pelegrin’s fourth poetry collection, Waterlines, has just been released by LSU Press. Pelegrin is the author of three previous poetry collections and the recipient of fellowships
from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Louisiana Division of the Arts. Her
essays and poems have appeared in Poetry, Ploughshares, and The Southern Review, as
well as on Poetry Daily, Verse Daily, and The Writer’s Almanac. Pelegrin’s book is available for purchase at local bookstores or at her office.
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Lefevor on exhibit at Southeastern Contemporary Art Gallery A photographic exhibition by artist and historian David LeFevor will be on display
from Sept. 8 - 29 at Southeastern’s Contemporary Art Gallery. LeFevor will also present
an artist lecture in the gallery’s lecture area on Sept. 27 at noon. The exhibit, “Cuba: Histories of the Present,” will feature 30 large format prints
taken in Cuba from year 2001 to 2015. LaFevor’s work in Cuba began as a student at
the University of Havana. The gallery will host an opening reception on Thursday, Sept, 8 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The gallery is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday
from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The exhibit is free and open
to the public. Gallery Director Dale Newkirk said, “These images focus on daily life, racial identity,
and material culture.” LeFevor is an assistant professor of Latin American History and Digital Humanities
at the University of Texas in Arlington. The exhibit is organized by UTA’s Center
for Greater Southwestern Studies. For more information, contact the gallery at 549-5080.
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ByLion takes a break Due to the Labor Day Holiday next Monday, ByLion will not be published. The next edition
of ByLion will be Sept. 12.
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Southeastern offers Lion Ride Share to help students, faculty and staff In order to help those struggling with transportation to and from campus following
the recent historic flooding, Southeastern has created Lion Ride Share. “When communicating with students, faculty and staff who suffered from flooding,
one common concern was finding transportation to and from campus after having lost
their vehicles,” said Executive Director of Public and Governmental Affairs Erin Cowser.
“Lion Ride Share was created to help facilitate a means for those who could use a
ride to class or even a ride home for the weekend to help with recovery work.” Both those in need of a ride and those willing to share a ride are invited to
connect with fellow students, faculty and staff members through the website www.southeastern.edu/lionrideshare. As an added bonus, Lion Ride Share allows users to determine their own criteria
for choosing a fellow rider. “We hope you find this resource useful. Remember to buckle up and Lion Up,” Cowser
added.
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Impaired Faculties releases original song to support flood relief Impaired Faculties, a local rock band whose members also happen to be Southeastern
professors, has released an original song, Waterline, intended to raise funds for students and their families affected by the recent floods. The song, written by Communication Professor Joseph Burns and produced by bassist
Randy Settoon, was recorded by the band one week after the historic floods devastated
southeast Louisiana. Waterline reflects on the nature of flooding in Louisiana and the resilience and hope of its
people in the face of disasters. Burns said the song is being sold for $1 through the website impairedfaculties.com,
and can also be purchased as CDBaby.com and will be available on iTunes and Amazon.com soon. A purchaser of Waterline will also be allowed four other songs by the group free of charge if purchased on
the website. The band has pledged all proceeds from the sale of the single to the
SLU Disaster Relief Fund, a collection point for donations to aid students impacted
by the flooding. In addition to Burns, members of the group include Dan McCarthy, guitar and vocalist,
dean of the College of Science and Technology; Bill Robison, guitar and vocalist,
head of the Department of History and Political Science; Professor of Business Settoon,
bass guitar and vocalist; and Ralph Wood, drums, assistant dean of the College of
Nursing and Health Sciences. The song is the first release by the band since its 2015 debut album, Lipstick and Whiskey.
SUPPORTING FLOOD RELIEF – Impaired Faculties, a local rock band whose members also happen to be Southeastern
professors, has released an original song, Waterline, which is being sold online with proceeds going to the SLU Disaster Relief Fund.
The group includes, from left, Professor of Business Randy Settoon, Dean of the College
of Science and Technology Dan McCarthy, Professor of Communication Joe Burns, Head
of the Department of History and Political Science William Robison, and Assistant
Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences Ralph Wood.
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Peace and Purpose Committee hosts Mindfulness Series at Sims Library Introduction to Mindfulness is a series of meditations and discussions for students,
faculty, and staff. Join us Thursday, Sept. 1, at 4 p.m., at Sims Library, room 252.
This four-part series meets the first Thursday of each month during the fall
semester. For more information, email Roxanne Stoehr at roxanne.stoehr@southeastern.edu.
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Fresh water fishes of Louisiana is topic of Science on tap presentation Southeastern’s Department of Biological Sciences will launch its fourth year of Science
on Tap, a series of scientific discussions geared to the layperson, with a presentation
on fishes of Louisiana on Tuesday, Sept. 6. Professor of Biological Sciences Kyle Piller will address “Inland Fishes of Louisiana:
An Overview of a Unique and Underappreciated Fauna” at the presentation scheduled
at 7 p.m. at Tope Lá Catering, 113 East Thomas St. in Hammond. The lecture is free
and open to all ages. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. “Fishes are the most diverse group of vertebrates on the planet,” said Piller,
an ichthyologist or fish specialist. “Although many of Louisiana’s marine fishes –
such as the redfish and speckled trout – are familiar to Louisiana’s sportsmen, the
state’s freshwater fish diversity remains unfamiliar and underappreciated. This is
despite the large number of species in our streams, rivers, bayous and lakes.” Piller said the presentation will provide an overview of Louisiana’s inland freshwater
diversity and will highlight some of the interesting life-histories, behaviors, and
habitats of the many freshwater fishes in the state. For information on future Science on Tap presentations, contact the Department
of Biological Sciences at 549-3740.
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Employers invited to participate in Southeastern's Career Fair Sept. 15 Southeastern’s Office of Career Services is recruiting employers and businesses to
participate in its annual Career Fair scheduled this year for Thursday, Sept. 15. An event planned exclusively for Southeastern students and alumni, Career Fair
2016 will be held in the Pennington Student Activity Center on the corner of University
Avenue and General Pershing from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Ken Ridgedell, director of Career Services, said the fair typically attracts
more than 130 area and national employers. “Career Fair 2016 gives employers the ability to conveniently interact directly
with over 1,000 students and alumni ready to learn about career opportunities,” Ridgedell
said. “The event allows employers to more effectively identify candidates with the
right mix of qualifications, personality, attitude, ability, and desire that best
fits their organization’s culture, philosophy, and job openings whether those openings
are available now or in the near future.” Ridgedell added that many Southeastern students express an interest in meeting
with employers who offer national, regional and local opportunities. For additional information on Career Fair 2016 or to register as an employer
participant, visit www.southeastern.edu/careerfair or contact Career Services at (985) 549 2121 or careerservices@southeastern.edu. Deadline to register as an employer participant is Sept. 1.
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