Bookstore to host Faculty/Staff Appreciation Days The Southeastern Bookstore invites faculty and staff to an appreciation event Nov.
28 through Nov. 30. The Bookstore is offering 20 to 40 percent off clothing and gifts
during this time, and attendees can register to win one of four door prizes. Bookstore hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 28 and 30 and 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov.
29. For more information, contact the Bookstore at 549-5393.
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Southeastern Symphony Orchestra to present An Evening in Vienna
An Evening in Vienna, a concert by the Southeastern Symphony Orchestra, will be presented
at Pottle Auditorium on Nov 29. Featuring a variety of music from Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, the concert will
be held at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The program includes pieces composed in the classical style, such as Mozart’s
Overture to “The Magic Flute,” Beethoven’s “Romance for Violin and Orchestra Op. 50,”
and Haydn’s “Symphony No. 104” nicknamed “London.” The presentation is the inaugural concert for Orchestra Director and Assistant
Professor of Violin Victor Correa-Cruz, who joined the Southeastern music faculty
last month. “The composers featured in the concert used 18th century Vienna as their base
to learn and develop their careers, and from there they irradiated a strong influence
that has determined the path of classical music,” he said. “We seek to get lasting
inspiration from the music of these Viennese composers, whose creations have become
milestones in the history of Western music.” Correa-Cruz said these pieces are real challenges for any orchestra, and he is
excited about this concert as well as the future of the Southeastern Symphony Orchestra. “I look forward to presenting main symphonic works by the great masters of the
past, as well as promoting new music. Young and consolidated soloists will find their
space too, and future seasons will include family, pedagogical and pops concerts.”
Read more
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Southeastern’s Science on Tap presents ‘Why Did the Snake Cross the Road’ We’ve all heard the question ‘Why did the chicken cross the road?’, but have you
ever wondered why snakes attempt to do so? This topic is among the many studied by Southeastern Biology Instructor Cliff
Fontenot. Understanding why snakes cross or rather are unable to cross the road is
the topic of Southeastern’s next Science on Tap presentation scheduled Dec. 5. Sponsored by the Department of Biological Sciences, the presentation by Fontenot
will be held at 7 p.m. at Tope La Catering, 113 East Thomas St. in Hammond. Titled
“Why did the Snake Cross the Road?” the lecture is free and open to all ages. Doors
open at 6:30 p.m. Most animals cross roads in search of food, mates, or other resources, Fontenot
said. However, snakes tend to stop on roads to absorb heat, which increases their
chance of being killed by traffic. “I have been studying snake activity on the section of Highway 51 between Ponchatoula
and LaPlace for over 12 years, and found that more than 70% of the snakes on the road
are dead,” he said. “This amounts to more than 1,000 snakes per year killed by traffic.
So the question is really, ‘Why didn’t the snake make it across the road?’ And if
so many are being killed by vehicles, why are there still so many snakes?” Surprising answers to these questions, said Fontenot, come from differences in
body size and temperature, how different snakes respond to vehicles, and what snakes
do when it floods. For information on this or future Science on Tap presentations, contact the Department
of Biological Sciences at 549-3740.
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Southeastern vocalists claim awards at competition Seven Southeastern vocal students were finalists at the recent Southern Region Convention
of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Competition. A total of 26 Southeastern students competed in the competition, held earlier
this month at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, with 13 advancing
to the semi-final round. Cody Sires of Chalmette received second place, and Ryan Blanchfield of Baton Rouge
took fourth place in the older student adult men division. Rachel Denton of Jena took
fourth place in the senior women division, while Brennan Simmons of Walker placed
second and Wesley Newton of Bourg placed fourth in the junior men division. Additionally,
Caitlyn Rodrigue of Thibodaux earned fourth place in the freshmen women division. Also honored was William Dopp of Independence, a student in SLU’s Community Music
School, who placed second in the high school men’s division. “We were extremely proud of the representation of Southeastern’s Department of
Music and especially the vocal area at Southern Division NATS,” said Director of Choral
Activities Alissa Rowe. “All of our students sang with musicality and a desire to
inspire. It was an incredible learning experience for all.” Faculty and staff collaborative pianists Charles Effler and Mary Bresowar accompanied
the students during the competition. Additional Southeastern voice faculty members
who teach and mentor vocal students include Kristen Marchiafava, Joy Ratliff, Rowe,
Stephen Rushing and Kay Schepker.
SOUTHEASTERN STUDENTS WIN ACCOLADES AT COMPETITION Southeastern vocal students who were honored at the Southern Region Convention of
the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition held earlier this
month included, from left, Brennan Simmons, Wesley Newton, Ryan Blanchfield, Cody
Sires, Caitlyn Rodrigue, Rachel Denton, and William Dopp.
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Alumni Association to collect Toys for Tots The Southeastern Alumni Association requests your help in spreading holiday cheer
this season by donating new, unwrapped toys for children in need through Toys for
Tots.
Donations will be accepted until Friday, Dec. 1, and can be dropped off at the
Alumni Center, located at 500 W. University Ave. For more information, contact
the Alumni Association at 549-2150.
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Chamber Luncheon to be held on campus Mark your calendars now for the Greater Hammond Chamber luncheon on Dec. 12. The luncheon
will be held in the Student Union Grand Ballroom from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will
feature the President of the University of Louisiana System Dr. James Henderson as
guest speaker. Please make plans to attend and show your support for Southeastern and the University
of Louisiana System. As a reminder – all employees of Southeastern are entitled to the privileges of membership
through the university’s umbrella membership in the Greater Hammond Chamber. You may
select the non-member option that does not require a passcode since there is not a
pricing difference for members vs. non-members for the luncheon.
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Resident Assistants win “Most Spirited” at state conference
University Housing student and professional staff proudly represented Southeastern
at the 2017 Equipping Resident Assistants Conference at Tall Timbers Baptist Retreat
Center in Forrest Hill, La. The conference, held Nov. 3-4, was sponsored by the Louisiana
Association of Housing Officers and allowed Residential Life staff to network with
representatives from nine other state and private institutions of higher education
throughout Louisiana. The delegation represented Southeastern well, winning the most coveted award at the
conference, the “Most Spirited” award. The attendees participated in educational workshops about social justice, team/staff
development, sexual health/ legal rights/consent and career readiness, as well as
networking with keynote speaker and University of Houston Student Affairs professional,
George Hill. Attendees included Brianna Carter, Calyn Landaiche, Helen Launey, Mitchell Bosman,
Brady Perque, DeQuaz Humphries, Jada Nathan, Stephanie Stevens and Area Coordinator
Aaron Johnson. Aaron Johnson, member of the LAHO Executive Board will serve as the
2018 ERA Conference Coordinator. “This was my first time attending ERA, and I enjoyed interacting with the other schools’
delegations. The programming opportunities were also a great benefit,” said Cardinal
Newman Hall Resident Assistant Jada Nathan. “I’m look forward to applying everything
that I learned at ERA at Southeastern. I will definitely be attending again next year!” For more about the ERA Conference, visit laho.org.
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Annual Faculty and Staff Holiday Open House scheduled The annual Faculty and Staff Holiday Open House will be held at the President’s Residence
Wednesday, Dec. 6, between 3:30 and 5 p.m. We hope you will join us!
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Southeastern to play vital role in producing graduates for global technology company Southeastern will serve as one of the lead higher education institutions through
a public-private partnership to meet workforce demands created by the arrival of DXC
Technology, the world’s leading independent Information Technology (IT) services and
solutions company, in southeast Louisiana. The Virginia-based company recently announced it will establish a Digital Transformation
Center in downtown New Orleans where it will depend upon Southeastern and three other
higher education institutions to increase the number of degrees awarded in crucial
areas in order to provide a professional employment pipeline. The center will initially
hire 300 IT and business enterprise professionals in 2018, then increase to 2,000
jobs over five years and an annual payroll exceeding $133 million by 2025. DXC serves
nearly 6,000 major clients across 70 countries, and the New Orleans center will support
a global clientele. As part of the endeavor facilitated by Louisiana Economic Development, the State
of Louisiana will fund a $25 million higher education initiative to meet workforce
demands and expand the number of degrees awarded annually in computer science, management,
science and technology, engineering and math, or other STEM-related studies. Recognized as a leader among and one of the state’s fastest-growing computing
and information technology programs, Southeastern will collaborate with DXC Technology
to supply students for real-world experience internships, as well as graduates for
full-time employment. “With enrollment that has more than doubled over the past decade, Southeastern’s
highly-regarded Computer Science and Information Technology programs stand ready as
pivotal partners in Louisiana’s growing technology sector,” said President John Crain.
“And, with a newly-constructed 70,000 square-foot Computer Science and Technology
Building, Southeastern is poised for continued program expansion.”
Read more
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Choirs to present choral performance Nov. 30 The Southeastern Concert Choir and Women’s Chorale will present “Carols for the Holidays,”
an evening of candlelit holiday carols in preparation of the holiday season, on Nov.
30. Sponsored by the Department of Music and Performing Arts, the free performance
is scheduled for 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church, located at 401 W. Morris in Hammond.
Director of Choral Activities Alissa Mercurio Rowe will conduct the choirs. “The concert includes a lovely holiday program with many festive carols that the
audience will know. We are featuring a number of solos and asking the audience to
sing along,” said Rowe. “It should get everyone in the holiday spirit.” The concert begins with “Ding Dong Merrily on High” arranged by Barbara B. Kinyon
and also includes “Masters in This Hall,” arranged by James McKelvy; “O Come, O Come
Emmanuel,” by Thomas Helmore; “O Holy Night,” by Adolphe Adam and arranged by James
Nathaniel Holland; “Angels from the Realms of Glory,” arranged by Dan Forrest; “In
the Black Midwinter,” by Gustav Holst; “Silent Night,” arranged by John Rutter; “O
Come All Ye Faithful,” arranged by Dan Forrest; “Wexford Carol,” arranged by Dorothea
Baker; “I Wonder As I Wander,” by J. Aaron McDermid; and “Some Children See Him,”
by Alfred Burt. Audience members are invited to sing along to “Hark the Herald Angels Sing;” “Go
Tell It on the Mountain;” “Away in a Manger;” and Joy to the World.” For their finish, the combined choirs will perform “Many Moods of Christmas Suite
4;” arranged by Robert Shaw and “Betelehemu” by Jonathan Crutchfield. For more information on the concert, contact the Department of Music and Performing
Arts at 549-2184.
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Northlake Community Band to give free concert The Community Music School at Southeastern will present the Northlake Community Band
Concert Tuesday, Dec. 5. “Valkyries, Nobles, and Princesses! Oh My!” is scheduled
at 7:30 p.m. in Pottle Auditorium on Southeastern’s campus and is free and open to
the public. Conducted by Jerry Voorhees, the concert will feature works by Wagner, Rimsky
Korsakov, Ravel, Sousa, Sullivan, Williams, Menken and others. “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 School Music 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. “We are very thankful for Dr. Jerry Voorhees’s vision of founding
this ensemble and for volunteering his time to make the Northlake Community Band such
a great asset to our community’s music life.” 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.
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Sims Library is the Destination for Finals Week Ready or not, it’s time to prepare for final exams. During the last two weeks of the
semester, Sims Library will host a study strategies workshop, provide “study breaks”
for stressed out students, and offer extended hours for late night studying. “Students are our top priority,” said Director of Sims Library Eric Johnson. “We want
students to think of the library as their go-to place when preparing for final exams.
Besides extended hours, we have study breaks, too. Follow us on social media for details.” Extended library hours will be offered now through Wednesday, Nov. 29, until midnight.
For final exams week, the library will be open Saturday, Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to 6
p.m. Sunday hours are 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. Then, Monday through Wednesday, the library
will open 30 minutes earlier and remain open two hours later, until 1 a.m. A free student success workshop titled “How to Prepare for and Ace Your Finals” is
scheduled twice on Tuesday, Nov. 28 and Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 3:30 p.m. in room 252. Sims Library is also offering students “Take a Breather” study breaks, where focused
breathing and mindfulness techniques offered will help students remain calm and focused
for final exams. Kay Grest, a nurse with the student health center, will conduct each
20-minute session. Interested students should meet near the 3rd floor elevators at
Sims Library on Monday, Nov. 27 at 5:15 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 8 p.m., Monday,
Dec. 4. at 5:15 p.m., and Tuesday, Dec. 5, at 8 p.m.
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Phi Sigma Iota inducts students
Earlier this month, the Department of Languages and Communication inducted a new group
of students into the Zeta Alpha Chapter of Phi Sigma Iota, the International Foreign
Language Honor Society. Phi Sigma Iota is the highest academic honor in the field
of foreign languages. This is the eighth time that the department has recognized the
outstanding ability of its students. This year inductees are students who major or minor in Spanish, French, and Italian.
Inductees included Kerry Taylor, Victoria Brigalia, Cassandra Schweibert, Daniel Berroa,
Courtney E. Bruno, Jennifer Spivey, Simone Bringhenti. After the initiation ceremony, faculty and students enjoyed a dinner together.
The initiation ceremony took place in the restaurant Michabelle and was presided over
by Lucia Harrison, head of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures and
Agnieszka Gutthy, PSI faculty advisor.
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Faculty Excellence presents video workshop The Center for Faculty Excellence recently hosted Gayle Campbell’s Fall 2017 workshop
series “Create A Video - Visually Demonstrate Content Relevancy!” Video has become an integral part of online courses in higher education. Research
has shown that it can help establish teacher presence and enhance learning if consideration
is given to the elements of good design and implementation. The following faculty participated in this series of workshops on design and
implementation of video at the Center for Faculty Excellence during Fall 2017: August
Kuiper, Cheryl Breaux, John Hatcher, Margaret Gonzalez-Perez, Andrea Alexander, Staci
Taylor, Corrie Kiesel, Debbie Dardis, Francesco Fiumara, Dianna Laurent, Claudia McCalman,
Amber Narro, Jane Opiri. Campbell instructed faculty on what it means to create a quality video, but she
and CFE interns also worked individually with each faculty member in the video lab
to create their own amazing videos. The energy and enthusiasm was infectious during
this time, as faculty were so excited about the finished products they created. Plans are underway to make some of the videos available to all faculty as examples
of how videos can enhance their online courses.
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