ByLion
IN THIS ISSUE, NOVEMBER 6, 2017

She Kills Monsters opens Nov. 7
Veterans Day lecture set Nov. 9
Parole hearings to be held on campus
Nursing students to offer training

Risher receives national award
Strawberry exhibit to open
International Night scheduled
Nurse practitioner program recognized

Campus to host Chamber Luncheon

Southeastern in the News
This Week in Athletics
Professional Activities

 

BYLION STORIES

She Kills MonstersVonnie Borden Theatre prepares to unleash a monster of a spectacle
In the early days of November, the proscenium of Southeastern’s Vonnie Borden Theatre will host its most ambitious spectacle in recent memory. From the geeky mind of Qui Nguyen, She Kills Monsters is a comedy of two sisters set in the backdrop of the iconic Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) mythos.
     Instructor of Theatre Jim Winter said this action-packed production follows Agnes Evans, played by Elizabeth McCoy of Mandeville, as she dives into the fantasy world of her recently deceased sister Tilly, played by Gabrielle Nixon of Walker, after discovering her D&D notebook. On Agnes’ ensuing journey of self-discovery and coping with her loss, she encounters psychopathic fairies, bloodthirsty ogres, ninth-grade boys and 90s pop cultural references, making for an adrenaline-fueled homage to everyone’s inner warrior geek.   
     Evans and Nixon will share the stage with Emery Foster of Hammond, the narrator of the story; Megan Blomquist of Prairieville, as both Farah and Evil Gabbi; Jessica Mansour of Slidell, as Vera; Ally Holloway of Hammond, as Kaliope; Madison Wilson of Baton Rouge, as Lilith; Jeremy Guillot of Denham Springs, as The Demon Prince Orcus and Ronnie; Gavin Gaudry of Lafitte, as Chuck; Colin Ross of Baton Rouge, as Miles and finally Chaz Montaldo of Maurepas as Steve.  
     True to the genre of sword and sorcery, this action packed play will feature fight choreography using custom made medieval-weapons. Winter said that, while impressive, these scenes are tricky to get right.
     “We have a certified fight director in Ben Norman, who knows how to deal with young actor combatants to ensure everything is both amazing and safe,” said Winter, who also serves as the play’s director. “They need a lot of time to learn the fights. They’re like a dance; you have to learn the individual steps, put them together and move into performance speed. They actors have basically had a month of stage combat before I even started acting rehearsals with them.”
     Winter is particularly excited about the combat props that were custom made for this show.
     “Usually you rent weapons from a prop house, but Veronica Hall, an undergraduate student from Destrehan, designed all the weaponry and built them herself in the sculpture lab out of aircraft aluminum,” he said. “They’re combat ready, custom made weapons; nobody does that outside of Broadway.”
     Most impressive, however, will be the appearance of monsters and creatures fans of D&D know and love, like bugbears and gelatinous cubes. Among them is Tiamat, the five-headed dragon goddess of avarice and mother of evil dragons, who will make an appearance as a fully practical effect.
     “Avery Brent is an alumnus who has designed puppets for me before and is designing all the puppets for this show as well,” said Winter. “Tiamat’s going to be in there and she’s big - very big. At minimum, we are looking at nine operators for this one puppet alone.”
     Bringing these fantastical and frightening creatures to life will be Thomas Murphy of Metairie, DeJuan James of Hammond, Taylor Meng of Gonzales, Elizabeth Odom of Covington and Payton Core of Folsom.
     Dungeons & Dragons is enjoying a surge in popularity in recent years, being the focus of several television and streaming shows like Adventure Time, Stranger Things and Critical Role just to name a few. Winter, who grew up in the years of the first and second editions of the game, says that this resurgence did not inspire his decision to choose this play for the stage. Instead, he saw the script and his crew’s passion for the game as an opportunity to push the limits of what they had done before.
     “I was never a big D&D player and had to do a fair amount research going into this show,” he said. “My research is usually very actor-centric in smaller theatres, so we’re really swinging for the fences. We have this huge proscenium, so we have decided to go big and bring the D&D world to life. I don’t think you’re going to see too many productions of this show that go as big as we’re going to go.”
     She Kills Monsters opens Nov. 7 on the Vonnie Borden Theatre stage and runs nightly at 7:30 p.m. through Nov. 10. Ticket information and further details can be found at www.southeastern.edu.  

SWORDSMANSHIP – Visual Art + Design faculty members Steve Schepker, far left, and Jeff Mickey discuss the custom-made medieval-weapons created by student weapons and props designer Veronica Hall. The weapons were specifically made for Southeastern Theatre’s upcoming production of She Kills Monsters scheduled Nov. 7 – 10 in Vonnie Borden Theatre.

Veterans Day lecture to focus on Louisiana maneuvers in World War II
An Iraq War veteran and museum curator will present Southeastern’s Department of History and Political Science’s annual Veterans Day lecture at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9, in Pottle Auditorium.
     Titled “The Louisiana Maneuvers 1940 – 1944: The Anvil that Shaped the United States Army,” the presentation by Captain Richard Moran, curator of the Louisiana Maneuvers and Military Museum in Pineville, is free and open to the public.
     “We are delighted to have Captain Richard Moran, co-chair of the advisory committee for the National World War II Museum’s special exhibit, ‘The Pelican State Goes to War: Louisiana in World War II,’  as our Veterans Day speaker this year,” said William Robison, head of the Department of History and Political Science. “The maneuvers conducted in Louisiana and adjacent states from 1940 to 1944 were critical to the Allied victory in World War II, and many of the biggest names in American military history were involved, including Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower, George Marshall, and George Patton. Nobody knows more about the maneuvers than Captain Moran. He is also a very engaging speaker and a really nice guy.”
     Robison added that as a bonus this year they will offer a second lecture on Nov. 16, at 1 p.m., in the Student Union Theatre featuring Harry Laver, former Southeastern professor of history and now a faculty member at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Leavenworth, Kan. Laver will speak about General Eisenhower’s role in the war.
     For more information on either lecture, contact Robison at 549-2109.

Nursing students to offer bleeding control training
A group of senior Southeastern nursing students has joined a community training program effort called “Stop the Bleed” geared toward improving bystander response to trauma through bleeding control know how.
     The national program will be locally administered by Southeastern’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences and North Oaks Health System Trauma Program with support from Louisiana Council of Emergency Nurses and the Rho Zeta Chapter of the national nursing honor society Sigma Theta Tau International.
     “Victims of trauma can die quickly from uncontrolled bleeding – within five to ten minutes,” said nursing student Gabriella Pastore. “Recent active shooter events have certainly heightened awareness for public response to traumatic injury.”
     The students will be offering hands-on training on how to control bleeding after an injury through proper tourniquet and pressure dressing use. They will train Southeastern students and faculty on Nov. 8, from 3 – 4:30 p.m. in the Kinesiology and Health Studies building, located at 400 Mane St., room 2007. 
     Free training will also be offered to the public on Nov. 11, at Beacon Light Baptist Church, 500 E. Hanson St. in Hammond from 2 to 4 p.m. No registration is required for this training.
     No experience is necessary to receive the training, and certificates of participation will be distributed upon completion of the program.
     Supported by the Department of Homeland Security, American College of Surgeons and other stakeholders, “Stop the Bleed” is a grassroots effort to empower bystanders to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives, Pastore added.
     The students are conducting the program as part of their capstone nursing course, a community outreach research course required of all senior nursing students at Southeastern. Nursing Instructor Melissa Wafer is serving as the faculty mentor on the project and said she is proud of how her students partnered with North Oaks for the project. She said North Oaks plans to continue the training sessions long after the capstone project is complete.
     “North Oaks will continue the training for the community on an ongoing basis as an outreach of their trauma program,” Wafer said. “We are very excited to partner with them, as they have always supported nursing education excellence at Southeastern.”

International Night scheduled
The Department of Languages and Communication is sponsoring International Night on Nov. 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Student Union Grand Ballroom. The event includes a variety show and an international buffet and is free to all. Come celebrate cultural diversity and unity.  
     For more information contact Aileen Mootoo-Robertson at amootoo@southeastern.edu.

Southeastern nurse practitioner program listed as ‘Top Value’ in the nation
Southeastern’s nurse practitioner program in psychiatric mental health has been listed as one of the most affordable online programs in the nation.
     NursePractitionerSchools.com cited Southeastern as a “Top Value,” ranking the university’s program 19th in the top 20 in the nation. Southeastern was the only university in Louisiana listed in the ranking.
     “The need for mental health practitioners is growing in our nation, and nurses with advanced degrees in psychiatric mental health care are playing an important role in filling this need,” said Ann Carruth, dean of the Southeastern College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
     She said these doctoral-level providers assist in diagnosing disease, developing multi-pronged treatment plans, and educating patients and their families.
     The report can be found online at www.nursepractitionerschools.com/online/dnp/psychiatric-np#most_affordable.
     Southeastern’s School of Nursing offers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees, preparing students with the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in their field while meeting local workforce demands.
     The school consistently receives numerous awards and accolades for excellence in nursing education and has been recognized with the Nightingale Award for Outstanding Nursing School of the Year three times in the last several years. The School of Nursing was also cited by the Louisiana Nurses Foundation as the best program for advanced practice in nursing, and the graduate program also was named one of the best programs in the country by www.mastersdegreeonline.org.  
     For more information, contact the School of Nursing at 549-2156 or visit www.southeastern.edu.

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. If your schedule permits, please plan to attend by making your reservation at http://business.hammondchamber.org/events/details/luncheon-featuring-dr-henderson-president-of-the-university-of-louisiana-system-1423.

Southeastern to host parole hearings as part of real-world ready opportunity
Southeastern’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences is hosting parole hearings on campus Nov. 16 as part of a real-world ready educational opportunity for students. The hearings will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the third floor Student Union Ballroom and continue throughout the afternoon.
     Retired Judge James E. Kuhn of the First Circuit Court of Appeals, a 1968 Southeastern graduate from Ponchatoula who also brought appellate court hearings to campus, has played a major role in making the hearings possible.
     Southeastern has been working with the Pardon and Parole Board and law enforcement officials to coordinate the event. Students, faculty, staff and the community at large are invited to drop in throughout the day as part of a live audience.
     “Southeastern is delighted to host the Parole Board hearings on campus,” said Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Karen Fontenot. “The opportunity to attend these hearings provides our students with a great learning experience and is an excellent real-world ready opportunity.”
     The offenders will be video streamed during the hearings and not actually present. The hearings could include emotional testimony and may contain disturbing content.
     Law enforcement will be stationed at the entrance door to let attendees in and out between each parole hearing case. Attendees are permitted to bring keys, paper and pens to the hearings. No book bags, purses or cell phones will be allowed. Audience members must remain quiet throughout the proceedings.
     For more information, contact the office of Pardons and Parole at 225-342-5424 or 225-342-9191.

Jeff Risher

Southeastern logistics specialist receives national award
Jeffrey J. Risher, a transportation and logistics specialist with Southeastern’s College of Business has been recognized by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals for his doctoral dissertation research.
    Risher, assistant professor in the Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, received the award at the council’s recent annual conference held in Atlanta. Established in 1963, the council is the leading international association dedicated to education, research and advancement of the supply chain management profession.
     Risher’s study, “From Offshoring to Reshoring: A Conceptual Framework for Manufacturing Location Decisions in a Slow-Stream World,” explores the outcomes of firms that are reintroducing domestic manufacturing in the United States. The research was completed as part of Risher’s studies at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Ga., where he was awarded a doctorate in marketing.
     After graduating in marketing from Mississippi State University, Risher worked in several positions with Con-Way Freight before being promoted as linehaul coordinator in Fort Worth, Tex. He worked as a logistics planner with Matheson Tri-Gas in Irving, Tex., and later accepted a position as logistics planner with Transport Service Company in Geismar. He also worked as terminal manager for Central Transport in Baton Rouge.
     Risher received his master of business administration degree from Southeastern and joined the faculty in 2016.

Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies to open exhibit
On Nov. 13, Southeastern’s Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies will unveil an exhibit designed to reveal how a small fruit revolutionized the economy and cultural identity of the Florida Parishes. The exhibit titled “Fruit Revolution: The Impact of Strawberry Farming on Southeast Louisiana” emerged as the idea of three graduate research assistants from the Center said Director Samuel Hyde, who is also Leon Ford Endowed Chair and Professor of History at Southeastern.
     “The students came up with the idea, extensively researched the topic, and performed 100% of the exhibit construction. All I and Assistant Director Keith Finely did was answer a few questions and comment on how great a job they were doing,” Hyde said.  
     Faith Allen, Blake Constant, and Sarah Pardue, with some assistance from undergraduate staff member Emery Foster and intern Bailey Hall, worked for nearly four months researching and constructing the exhibit, Hyde added.
     The exhibit reveals that, with the demise of cotton farming due to the arrival of the boll weevil and destruction of the timber forests, the region went into a sharp economic decline that had a devastating impact on society. The introduction of strawberries, which developed a unique flavor and texture due to the soil quality of the region, rescued the area from its economic malaise and brought other new industries with it, such as box and crate plants and refrigeration companies.
     The emergence of the strawberry industry was not without controversy and conflict. One portion of the exhibit explains the heated dispute between unions, big industry, and small independent farmers.  
     “The controversy propelled some well-known regional figures to local stardom, including Congressman Jimmie Morrison,” Pardue said.
Allen said part of the challenge for the students was keeping the exhibit from getting too big.     
     “Strawberries have had such a huge impact on the region that we had to place parameters on the size of the exhibit, or we would have worked on it for years,” she said.
     The exhibit, located in the Center on the third floor of Sims Library, will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. until noon on Friday, and it promises to be educational and entertaining, Constant said.  
     “I never knew such a little berry could have such a large impact on an entire state,” she said.  
     For more information, contact the Center at 549-2151.

Strawberry exhibitFRUIT REVOLUTION - The Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies graduate research assistants pose with the exhibit “Fruit Revolution:  The Impact of Strawberry Farming on Southeast Louisiana,” located on the third floor of Sims Library. From left are Faith Allen, Blake Constant, and Sarah Pardue.

SOUTHEASTERN IN THE NEWS

Baton Rouge Advocate
Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette area Business Honors for Nov. 5, 2017

 

The News Star
Want to go to Panama and Japan? Check out Hammond and Monroe

THIS WEEK IN ATHLETICS

The Southeastern basketball teams will open their 2017-18 seasons, the volleyball closes the 2017 campaign and the cross country team will participate in the NCAA Regional Championships during this week in Southeastern Athletics.
     The Lion basketball team will have one last tune-up before the season opener when it hosts William Carey for a 7 p.m. exhibition Tuesday in the University Center. On Friday, SLU officially opens the regular season with a 7:30 p.m. home contest versus Centenary.
     The Lady Lions will also open the regular season at home on Friday, hosting Alcorn State at 5 p.m. Freshmen Morgan Carrier and Caitlyn Williams will be Friday’s Spotlight Players of the Game, as the first 150 fans will receive a trading card featuring the SLU newcomers, courtesy of PRIDE.
     Southeastern will close out its opening week on the road, traveling to LSU for a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee in Baton Rouge. The game with the Tigers will air on SEC Network Plus.
     Friday’s doubleheader and Sunday’s contest will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the TuneIn Radio app. LionVision subscribers will be able to access a live video stream of Tuesday’s exhibition and Friday’s doubleheader at www.LionSports.net/watch.
     The SLU volleyball team (3-25, 1-13 Southland) will close out the 2017 season on the road this week with a pair of Southland Conference matches. On Tuesday, the Lady Lions travel to New Orleans for a 6:30 p.m. match at UNO. The regular season finale is set for Saturday, when Southeastern visits Houston Baptist for an 11 a.m. match.
     The men’s cross country teams will compete in the NCAA Regional Championships this week. The Lions will be in College Station, Texas on Friday to participate in the regional meet.
     The Ron Roberts Radio Show will air on Monday at 7 p.m. from Tope La Catering on East Thomas St. in downtown Hammond. The show is hosted by Allen Waddell and Roberts. It will air on the Southeastern Sports Radio Network (KSLU 90.9 FM, Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM, WFPR 1400 AM). Fans can also listen to the hour-long show online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the TuneIn Radio app.
 

MON

NOV 6

Football, Ron Roberts Radio Show, Tope La Catering,

7 p.m. (KSLU 90.9 FM, Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM, WFPR 1400 AM)

   
TUES
NOV 7

Men’s Basketball, vs. William Carey (Exhibition), University Center, 7 p.m. (LionVision)
Volleyball, at New Orleans, New Orleans, 6:30 p.m.*

   
FRI
NOV 10

Men’s Basketball, vs. Centenary, University Center,

7:30 p.m. (KSLU 90.9 FM) (LionVision)
Women’s Basketball, vs. Alcorn State, University Center, 5 p.m. (KSLU 90.9 FM) (LionVision)
            - Morgan Carrier/Caitlyn Williams Trading Card Day
Men’s Cross Country, at NCAA Regional Championships, All Day, College Station, Texas

   

SAT

NOV 11

Volleyball, at Houston Baptist, Houston, Texas, 11 a.m.*

   

SUN

NOV 12

Women’s Basketball, at LSU, Baton Rouge, 2 p.m. (SECN+) (KSLU 90.9 FM)

Southeastern home events in bold.
* - Southland Conference contest

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Gary Keown (Visual Art + Design) presented a paper at the SECAC National College Art Conference in Columbus, Ohio, Oct. 25 - 28. The title of his paper was “Preparing the Student for Entry into the Graphic Design Field,” where Southeastern graphic design student portfolios, internship projects and student self-promotion materials were highlighted.

Librarians from Sims Library presented at the LOUIS Users Conference in Baton Rouge on Oct. 18 and 19. Angela Dunnington presented “Enhancing Your Institution’s Language and Cultural Programs through Campus Partnerships” and Ben Bell presented “Critically Rethinking Critical Thinking.”
     Nan B. Adams (Educational Leadership and Technology) presented “The Knowledge Development Model:  Responding to the Changing Landscape of Learning in Virtual Environments” to the Cognition and Exploratory Learning in Digital Age (CELDA) Conference in Algarve, Portugal, Oct. 18-20.

 

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