Southeastern students named ambassadors for ‘Real-World Ready’ promotion
Tuesday, September 15, 2015 
by: Rene Abadie
SOUTHEASTERN NAMES STUDENT AMBASSADORS – Southeastern Louisiana University has named five student ambassadors representing the university’s academic colleges to the Office of Experiential Learning in the promotion of its Real-World Ready initiative. Pictured are, from left Caroline Pixberg, College of Education; Nisha Lama, College of Science and Technology; Tony Miller, College of Nursing and Health Sciences; Rian Earnest, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; and Mikayla Shippy, College of Business.
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| Rian Earnest | Nisha Lama | Tony Miller | Caroline Pixberg | Mikayla Shippy |
HAMMOND – Five Southeastern Louisiana University students have been awarded scholarships
by the Office of Experiential Learning for their role in helping to promote the university’s
Real-World Ready (RWR) initiative.
Real-World Ready is part of Southeastern’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) that
is tied to its application for reaccreditation by the Southern Association for Colleges
and Schools Commission on Colleges.
“Experiential learning includes internships, practicums, service-learning courses,
study abroad trips, research and other opportunities that link class work with hands-on
experience and is intended to help students to prepare for the workforce,” said Jayetta
Slawson who is coordinating the QEP.
Named Student Ambassadors and the colleges they represent are Rian Earnest of
Ponchatoula, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Nisha Lama of Nepal,
College of Science and Technology; Tony Miller of Hammond, College of Nursing and
Health Sciences; Caroline Pixberg of Mandeville, College of Education; and Mikayla
Shippy of Pueblo West, Colo., College of Business.
Slawson said the students were selected to represent their colleges based on academic
standing, previous experiences in experiential learning and work ethic. As part of
their duties, they are required assist the director in promoting the project.
“Our colleges have selected a wonderful team of students that is committed to
excellence and who understand firsthand the power of experiential education as a valuable
tool for creating a stronger learning climate at Southeastern,” said Slawson. “These
student leaders will speak to student organizations, assist with developing a one-day
student conference on experiential learning in the spring semester, and serve as a
subcommittee on the RWR Advisory Council.”
Earnest is a senior history major with double minors in international studies
and French who has studied abroad in England and France. She is a member of the Louisiana
Reading Council and the Southeast Reading Council and intends to pursue future studies
in comparative law.
A junior physics major, Lama is involved in several campus organizations, including
the Society for Physics Students, the Physics Club and the Nepalese Student Association.
She plans to continue studies to become a medical physicist.
Miller is a senior athletic training major who plans to attend physical therapy
school and specialize in athletic rehabilitation following graduation. He recently
completed an internship with the New Orleans Saints’ athletic training staff.
Pixberg is a senior middle school education major with a focus in math and social
studies. She is the president of the Southeastern Education Organization for Students
and has assisted in classrooms in various schools in St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, East
Baton Rouge and Livingston parishes.
A senior accounting major, Shippy is currently the captain of the Southeastern
volleyball team. She completed an internship last summer with a CPA firm and plans
on working with a public accounting firm in Oklahoma City following graduation.
For more information on the experiential learning program, contact Slawson at
985-549-3340 or visit the website at www.southeastern.edu/acad_research/programs/el/index.html.
