Captain of the Ship
Southeastern prepares alumna for public affairs success
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
When Alejandra “Alex” Juan completed her military commitment to the Air Force, she didn’t expect to end up as the “captain” of a warship.
Juan, a 2007 graduate of Southeastern’s organizational communication program, is the executive director of the USS Kidd Museum in Baton Rouge. A retired Navy destroyer launched in 1943, the Kidd saw service in World War II and the Korean War. The Kidd was transferred to Baton Rouge in 1982 to serve as a memorial and is permanently dry-docked on the Mississippi River.
A native of Guatemala, Juan graduated from high school and immediately entered the Air Force, where she served in a security forces squadron. She and her husband, Senior Master Sgt. Craig Juan, met on an M-16 firing range during her tour of duty. As a member of the Louisiana Air National Guard, she earned the rank of captain. She and her family moved to Baton Rouge following Hurricane Katrina.
“I wanted to finish my college education. My husband was a graduate of Southeastern (’95), and he talked about how much he enjoyed his experiences there,” she said. “It sounded perfect for me. Since I had been in the military, I knew that it was very, very difficult to complete college while facing the possibility of being activated. Southeastern had the environment I was looking for.”
After attending college as a non-traditional student, Juan was accepted into the Defense Information School, a competitive international military and public affairs program at Fort Meade, Md. She graduated with honors and became a public affairs officer. She credits Southeastern for preparing her for that challenge.
“The education that Southeastern provided me was a great stepping stone to get into that career field,” she said. “I was passionate about public affairs, and I felt very well prepared for what the real world was going to be like, based on a lot of the cases and scenarios we had in my classes. “
After separating from the military, Juan took a job at the Kidd as the executive assistant to the director. Upon her retirement, Alex applied for the position and, after a nationwide search, was chosen by the Louisiana Naval War Memorial Commission to serve as the new executive director. Her combined strong leadership skills, public relations background and passion for community service made her the right candidate for the job.
In her role at the Kidd, Juan is earning a reputation for leadership. She was recently awarded the 2015 Espirit de Femme Award by LSU’s Women’s Center. The honor acknowledges individuals who have made exceptional efforts toward the advancement of women.
“At Southeastern, you really are a part of a family,” she said. “Out of all the programs I could have chosen to study, this path has opened the most doors and prepared me the best in life.”
