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From graduation to the Mayor’s Office: Southeastern Alumna serving as Mayor of Tangipahoa
Graduation Day for most students is a chaotic and exciting time, but for Southeastern
marketing major Trashica Robinson, it was especially so. Hours after walking across
the stage at Commencement last December, Robinson, 37, learned she had won the office
of Mayor for her hometown, the Village of Tangipahoa.
“After graduating I was stuck in traffic, trying to get back to the village to
make sure people were getting out to the polls,” said Robinson. “When I got back,
I was told that I wasn’t going to win, but it turns out those people were only looking
at absentee ballots. When I found out the actual results, I was numb, but I knew my
perseverance had paid off.”
A non-traditional student who works for the non-profit organization Southeast
Advocates for Family Empowerment, Robinson – along with other Southeastern students
– had an admittedly rough final semester. She had lost everything during the Great
Flood of 2016 and worked full-time while managing her courses at the university. It
was a burden that would have broken many students, but she credits her success to
her “amazing” support system.
“I want every student at Southeastern to understand that it doesn’t matter where
you come from, what you’ve done, or who you are. If you have the right support, you
can excel, and your dreams can become reality,” she said. “If it wasn’t for my family,
friends, and my professors, I wouldn’t have made it as far as I have.”
Robinson credits Southeastern’s College of Business with her success in the classroom
and in the real world. She said it not only gave her the technical knowledge she needed
to graduate, but also encouragement and emotional support during a very trying time.
“The College of Business is, as far as I’m concerned, the best on the campus,”
she said. “They make sure that by the time you leave the classroom, you’re world-ready.
Even outside the classroom they do everything they can for you. I was almost positive
I wouldn’t be graduating because I was dealing with losing my home to the flood, but
my professors sat down with me, calmed me down and help me figure out a plan.”
The newly elected mayor also credits the college for inspiring her to run for
office, one instructor in particular.
“One of my instructors, Anna Bass, always shared a ‘quote of the day’ with the
class before getting started. One in particular stood out to me,” said Robinson. “It
was something like ‘every day we should stop and appreciate everything around us.’
One day, I did that in my community, and I decided to make the wrong things right
and make the right things better.”
“I was so impressed when Ms. Robinson brought up in a class discussion in my
business strategy class that she was running for mayor of her hometown,” said David
Wyld, professor of management and business administration. “We talk so much about
getting young people involved in the political process and in making real change happen
in our communities, and she’s a wonderful exemplar of this. She faced long odds in
her run for mayor – running against an ex-NFL player and more factors – and yet she
took that brave step forward and actually won!”
Wyld added: I’d like to think that some of what she learned in my class – how
to better communicate, how to think more strategically, and how to effectively lead
change in organizations – will serve her well in office. All of us at Southeastern
should be so proud of her and use her story as an example for future students on how
to take what they have learned here and work to make a difference.”
Robinson campaigned on the idea of collaborating with surrounding communities
and small businesses to bring her small town into the 21st century. The Village of
Tangipahoa, located in the northern part of Tangipahoa Parish, is home to less than
a thousand people. Because it is so small, internet providers have not invested in
infrastructure there, making it difficult to connect with the outside world. Clean
water and proper drainage are other big challenges faced by the community. Robinson
is confident that her newfound business acumen can help create the partnerships the
village needs to help her neighbors and constituents.
“My immediate hope is that we can show our neighboring communities what we’re
willing to do in order to grow, and hopefully they will help us along the way,” she
said.
VILLAGE LEADER – Trashica Robinson left her commencement ceremonies at Southeastern last December
to learn she was elected mayor of the Village of Tangipahoa. The recent graduate of
the College of Business says the skills she learned at Southeastern have prepared
her to meet the challenges facing the village.
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Sims Library to honor graphic novelist Will Eisner
Ever read a graphic novel? If so, you have Will Eisner to thank. Eisner, a legendary
comic book artist, is considered the father of the modern graphic novel. Since this
year marks the centennial of his birth, Sims Library will host a celebration of Eisner
and his contributions to graphic novels and storytelling on Tuesday, March 7, at 5
p.m. at Sims Library.
“English Instructor Sherri Craig will host a celebration of Will Eisner and the
rise of the graphic novel, featuring an overview of Eisner’s contributions to the
genre,” said Sims Library Director Eric Johnson. “A panel of independent artists,
including Tedd Walley and Jessie W. Craig, will discuss their work and share advice
with budding graphic novelists and artists.”
The program is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Craig at 549-5787 or Sherri.Craig@southeastern.edu.
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Southeastern students to sponsor farmers markets all spring
The Southeastern student organization Reconnect is hosting a series of farmers markets
throughout the spring semester, with the first on March 8 in front of the Student
Union from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tentative dates for the others are March 22 and April 5. Each will feature locally
grown produce, arts and crafts, and freshly prepared foods such as honey and cheese.
Vendors include Covey Rise Farms, Berry Hill Farms, and various independent artisans.
“We want to promote supporting a local economy by promoting local farmers and
artisans,” said Reconnect President Jessica Bell, a sophomore sociology major. “For
us, it’s all about promoting awareness of the importance of buying locally grown food,
rather than food that is grown thousands of miles away and eating sustainably.”
Student vendors are encouraged to participate in the markets by emailing Reconnect
at realfoodselu@gmail.com. A table is provided at no charge.
A student environmental club, Reconnect participates in the Real Food Challenge,
a national effort among college students to promote the use of locally grown, healthy
and sustainable food products.
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Southeastern Symphonic Band to perform concert March 13
The Symphonic Band of Southeastern will perform a concert Monday, March 13, at 7:30
p.m. in the Pottle Music Building Auditorium.
The concert is free and open to the general public, said Derek Stoughton, conductor
and associate director of bands at Southeastern.
The concert will open with performances by members of the saxophone and tuba/euphonium
studios. Alto saxophonist students Brady Burkett of Baton Rouge and Lian Warner of
Metairie will perform music from J.S. Bach’s “15 Two-Part Inventions.”
The Tuba/Euphonium Studio, under the direction of instructor Brian Gallion, will
perform Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man,” Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for
Strings,” and “Down in the River,” a traditional American folk song.
Stoughton said the Symphonic Band will perform Brant Karrick’s “Songs of Old
Kentucky; Eric Whitacre’s “The Seal Lullaby,” with student Tara Hymel of Denham Springs
as guest conductor; and “The Machine Awakes” by Steven Bryant, featuring student Sharie
Mahler of Destrehan as guest conductor.
The band will conclude its concert with David Maslanka’s “Illumination.”
“The students have been working exceptionally hard preparing for this concert,
which should be entertaining for people of all ages,” Stoughton said.
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Bunko is Back! Tickets now on sale
Bunko is back! The popular “Bunko for Basketball” benefit for Lady Lion basketball
is returning on April 29.
Hosted by the Lady Lions’ mentoring and support group PRIDE, Bunko for Basketball
features fun, fast-paced games, prizes, food and libations, and a silent auction.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. at the Student Union Ballroom with Bunko games beginning
at 7 p.m. Tickets – $40 in advance or $45 at the door – will be available from PRIDE
members and at the Dugas Center for Southeastern Athletics.
For more information, call 549-2395 and look for PRIDE on Facebook.
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Southeastern Community Music School to host Summer Music Celebration
The Southeastern Community Music School (CMS) is hosting “Summer Music Celebration
2017,” a series of summer programs for young musicians.
“Summer Music Celebration 2017 includes a middle school band camp, guitar workshop,
chamber music workshop and a beginners’ string orchestra workshop,” said Community
Music School Director Jivka Duke.
Musicians in grades five through eight have until May 1 to register for the middle
school band camp, which will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 19-23, with a concert
at 7 p.m. on June 23 at the Pottle Music Building. Tuition is $225, which includes
lunch each day, as well as dinner on Friday, June 23. Registration is open until the
first day of camp; however, a $20 late fee will apply to registrations postmarked
after May 1.
Southeastern’s Associate Band Director Derek Stoughton will coordinate the middle
school band camp, Duke said. Along with the concert band, the camp will also offer
private lessons and masterclasses, jazz combos, lessons in improvisation and theory
classes.
The chamber music and guitar workshops are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. June
26- June 30, with a concert at 1 p.m. on July 1. Tuition cost is $170, which includes
lunch on Friday, June 30. Registration is open until the first day of the workshop;
the $20 late fee will apply to registrations postmarked after May 20.
Students participating in the guitar workshop will learn how to approach and
arrange music that is typically presented by experienced musicians, Duke explained.
This workshop is open to guitar students 10 years of age and older with at least one
year of previous guitar experience. Enrollment is limited is 20 students. Pat Kerber,
Southeastern’s guitar instructor, will teach this workshop.
The chamber music workshop is open to violin, viola, cello and piano students
of any age who have at least one year of previous experience, Duke said. The workshop
will focus on chamber music repertoire, including but not limited to duets, piano
trios, and quartets. Students will have the opportunity to improve their, sight-reading
skills and instrumental technique, as well as develop stronger ensemble skills.
The beginners’ string orchestra workshop will take place from 4 -5:30 p.m., June
26 to June 29, and on June 30, from 10:30 am -12 p.m., with a concert at 1 p.m. on
June 30. The workshop, suitable for first to third-year violin, viola, cello and bass
students, will be taught by Duke. Through various fun activities, students will improve
upon sight-reading and performance skills, as well as knowledge of music theory. The
cost of the workshop is $125.
The CMS will also offer private instrumental and vocal lessons from June 5 to
July 20.
For more information on any of these programs, go to www.southeastern.edu/smc or call 549-5502.
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Southeastern scholarships offered to high school seniors
More than 200 area high school seniors and their guests attended Southeastern’s Scholars
Showcase events recently, where students were presented with special academic and
housing scholarship options.
The event celebrated the academic success of future Southeastern students and
introduced them to special offerings Southeastern has for students with high academic
credentials. In addition to scholarships, attendees were introduced to the possibility
of participating in Southeastern’s Early Orientation, Honors Program courses and the
Scholars Program, which invites qualified students to begin Southeastern with tuition-free
summer semester classes.
Held in the university’s Student Union Grand Ballroom, attendees visited with
faculty members representing the university’s colleges and academic offerings. Recent
graduates also shared their experiences while at Southeastern, and encouraged the
future students to become involved in campus life as a way to fully appreciate the
university experience.
STUDENTS HONORED AT SCHOLARS SHOWCASE - Staci Taylor, assistant professor of nursing at Southeastern, talks with Bryson
Bond of Slaughter about the Nursing Program at the university’s Scholars Showcase.
More than 200 prospective Southeastern students were present at the showcase.
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Impact to traffic and parking due to Harlem Globetrotters event
Beginning on Sunday, March 5, areas around the University Center were barricaded and
closed to parking due to the Harlem Globetrotters event at the University Center Monday.
The following areas will be barricaded and unavailable for parking until after the
event ends Monday night: Cook Field Lot, University Center Sections 1, 3, 5, 7, and
North University Center Lot (partially blocked) and, starting at 4 p.m. today, Alumni
Center Lot and East University Center Lot (Driving Range Lot).
For more information regarding the Harlem Globetrotters event, please contact
the Southeastern Ticket Office at 549-5466 or lionsports.net.
For information on purchasing reserved parking for the event, please contact
the Lion Athletics Association at 549-5091.
For information regarding parking and traffic rules on campus, please contact
the University Parking Operations office during regular business hours at 549-5695
or email at parking@southeastern.edu.
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Southeastern celebrates 2017 Women’s History Month
The Department of History and Political Science will coordinate Women’s History Month
throughout March with a series of free presentations.
“Women’s History Month will feature a variety of interesting topics that focus
on an interdisciplinary approach to women’s history,” said William Robison, head of
the Department of History and Political Science and coordinator of the series. “We
are pleased that colleagues from other institutions and departments are joining us
in providing a diverse program throughout the month.”
All of the programs are free and open to the public and will be held in the Student
Union Theatre.
Robison will open the series at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7, with a lecture that
bridges Black History Month and Women’s History Month. Using audio and video examples,
his talk – “Who’s Got Natural Rhythm? Racial and Gender Stereotypes in the Music World”
– will shatter common stereotypes about the supposed differences in the ability of
men, women and various ethnic groups to play particular kinds of music, whether it
be classical, jazz, blues, gospel, country, rock or hip hop.
The schedule for Women’s History Month also includes:
Wednesday, March 15, 2 p.m., LSU Associate Professor of History Leslie Tuttle,
who teaches courses on the history of magic and witchcraft and the history of food,
will speak on “Cooking with Demons.”
“The lecture will probe the connections between the longstanding social expectation
that women feed others and the fear that witches, with the aid of their demonic helpers,
used food as a vehicle for harm or possession,” she said. “The logic of the connection
was sustained by folk and expert knowledge about the effects of food in the body.”
Wednesday, March 22, 2 p.m. Southeastern Professor of Political Science Margaret
Gonzalez-Perez will present “Pretty Smart: Women in Science.”
“Over the last century, enormous advances have been made in science and technology,
and the women responsible for many of these achievements have gone largely unnoticed,”
she explained. “Female physicians have developed treatments for cancer and revolutionary
heart surgery. Women chemists have decoded molecular structures and expanded our knowledge
of genetics, while female biologists have identified significant developments in our
environment that impact human society. Women mathematicians are even responsible for
helping develop the space program. Using the power of their intellect, these women
not only overcame the scientific challenges of their disciplines, but also overcame
the societal restrictions placed on women in male-dominated fields.”
Tuesday, March 28, 12:30 p.m., Southeastern Assistant Professor of English C.
Denelle Cowart will address “From Fascist to Duchess: The Tangled Relationships of
the Mitford Sisters,” discussing ways in which the lives of six aristocratic British
sisters, spanning the years 1904 through 2014, were interwoven with many of the most
important events of the 20th century.
“Two of the sisters were indeed Fascists and were close friends with Hitler.
Another migrated to the United States, where she first became a member of the Communist
Party and later a muckraking journalist,” Cowart said. “The oldest was one of Bright
Young Things of the Roaring Twenties and later a bestselling novelist, while the youngest
became Duchess of Devonshire. All the Mitford sisters were gifted writers, and their
published works, as well as their letters, tell a fascinating story of their interactions
with each other as well as with famous figures ranging from Winston Churchill to John
F. Kennedy.”
For additional information about Southeastern’s Women’s History Month, contact
the Department of History and Political Science at 549-2413 or wrobison@southeastern.edu.
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“L.I.V.E. the Code” Nominations
The Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability works with students to encourage
honorable behavior that models the Code of Conduct. Live the Code is a campaign to
recognize students, who uphold worthy characteristics such as leadership, integrity,
values, excellence, responsibility, and citizenship.
Students may be nominated by University Administration, Faculty and Staff, or
recognized by an active student organizations’ president. Only one Live the Code award
will be recognized at the DSA Annual Convocation each spring.
Eligibility:
1. Sophomore status or above
2. Must be free of any infraction of the Code of Conduct
3. Considered in “Good” Disciplinary and Academic standing.
4. Enrolled full-time (12 hours or more)
5. Cumulative GPA of 3.0+
6. Must be active in one or more extracurricular activities or organizations on campus
and demonstrate leadership and involvement.
7. Has shown outstanding contributions in the community on and off-campus, going above
the call of a traditional student.
Selection Process:
A committee of representatives from a variety of areas on campus will review
the applications and make a selection based on the criteria above. The award is based
on involvement in student organizations, committee appointments, honors/awards, community
service and GPA.
Nominations may be submitted to www.southeastern.edu/live, and the deadline is Friday, March 10.
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Conference celebrates Women in Business
The Louisiana Small Business Development Center at Southeastern, along with Tangipahoa
Professional Women, will host Women Mean Business 2017 on Thursday, March 23, from
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The conference will be held on Southeastern's campus in the Student Union Ballroom.
“The Women Mean Business Conference will provide high impact strategies to help
women of all ages survive and thrive individually and professionally,” said Sandy
Summers, assistant director of the LSBDC. “This full day event will be jam packed
with knowledge, tools, resources and connections.”
Women Mean Business presenters include International Speaker and Leadership Coach
Dima Ghawi and President and CEO of North Oaks Health System Michele Sutton.
The event will also feature an informative panel of experts that will address
the top wellness issues for women in 2017. Panelists include Dr. Kimberly Guillory
with Magnolia OB/GYN, Paige Moody of Southeastern’s Health Center and Dr. Denise Rollette
of Rollette Chiropractic.
A new feature for this year’s conference will be the Business and Career Success
Panel, which will concentrate on areas of growth and success for female business owners
and professional women. Panelists include Ghawi, Danielle Munro with Home Instead
Senior Care, and Tammy Earles with Edward Jones.
Women Mean Business 2017 will provide opportunities to network with other professionals
and local business owners. Table, vendor, and ad sponsorships are available for businesses
interested in participating in this event.
Cost to attend the event is $35, $45 on event day, and includes lunch; Southeastern
students may attend at no charge with code WMBLIONUP, but advance registration is
necessary.
To register for Women Mean Business or receive more information about sponsorships,
log on to www.tangipw.org/WMB or contact LSBDC at 549-3831 or lsbdc.slu@lsbdc.org.
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Students visit Chick-fil-A in Atlanta
A group of Southeastern students and recent graduates traveled with Career Services
staff to the Chick-fil-A Support Center in Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 23 – 24, to attend a
recruiting open house.
Recipe for Success, the inaugural event hosted by Chick-fil-A, introduced attendees
to the company’s employment opportunities and provided a look into its corporate culture.
Students and alumni participated in campus tours, interactive panels, and presentations
focusing on career preparedness and job success. Southeastern was the only school
from Louisiana invited to attend the event. Students and alumni majoring in business,
communications, and technology had the opportunity to explore specific departments
of interest – marketing, supply chain, information technology, and financial services.
“The trip was amazing. I absolutely loved visiting Chick-fil-A because I was
shocked at how different the culture is compared to the stiff idea we generally have
about corporate environments. It was unlike anything I expected, it was almost Google-esque,”
said Ian Squires, senior accounting student and attendee.
 CHICK FIL-A VISIT - Southeastern alumnus and Chick-fil-A Vice President of Supply Chain Rob Dugas,
center, joins Southeastern students in a “Lion Up” at the company’s headquarters in
Atlanta during their visit to “Recipe for Success,” an opportunity for students to
learn hands-on about the corporate culture of the firm.
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Premier Sponsor – Regions Bank
