Month: November 2023

Good Morning America Co-Anchor Robin Roberts, Gov. John Bel Edwards, representatives of Southeastern, and officials gathered together Thursday afternoon (Nov. 2) to celebrate the official ground-breaking for the construction of the Robin Roberts Broadcast Media Center and the $40 million renovation of D Vickers Hall.

The Robin Roberts Broadcast Media Center will add an additional 33,000 square feet to the 80,000 square foot academic building and will include three broadcast media studios – a newsroom, a film studio, and a multimedia studio.

The project will be paid for through state Capital Outlay funds and a sizeable donation from Roberts.

“This facility is greatly overdue, as our faculty and students have been operating with limited space,” said Southeastern President William S. Wainwright. “The new facility will greatly enhance the classroom and specialized lab space needed to provide modern instructional opportunities to our students.”

The finished 113,000-square-foot facility will continue to serve its existing academic programs in English, theatre, foreign language, and communication. However, the Communication and Media Studies department will include a major expansion of the curriculum for the cutting-edge broadcast/media facility. The new addition will feature not only film and TV studios, but also radio studios and foley and film audio studios and their associated control, support, and edit rooms.

The third floor will contain additional shared classroom spaces for all four departments within the building. A new reconfiguration of faculty office space will increase access to natural light and offer more opportunities for student/faculty collaboration.

In addition to the three broadcast media studios and upon completion of the renovation and construction, D Vickers will include 104 offices, 27 classrooms, two 100-seat lecture rooms, five computer labs, and four English/language labs.

Another major component of the renovation is a makeover of Vonnie Borden Theatre. The renovated theatre will seat 498 people and include scene and costume shops, a green room, and male and female dressing rooms.

The architect for the project is Holly and Smith of Hammond.

Southeastern’s campus radio station KSLU recently transformed into 90.9 The Lion, playing a format that focuses on classic rock, 80’s and 90’s music, and community-oriented programming.

Listeners have a multitude of ways to enjoy all the new programming. In addition to 90.9 on their FM radio dial, listeners can access an audio stream using either the TuneIn or MyTuner Radio smartphone apps – both of which are Apple CarPlay friendly – and on the station website at www.LionUpRadio.org.

As part of the new format, special emphasis will be placed on rock subgenres and the Louisiana artists that helped shape the sound of popular music throughout history.

Southeastern Athletics remains a key component of station programming. Student broadcasts of SLU Soccer and Volleyball join the Southeastern Sports Radio Network broadcasts of Baseball and Men’s and Women’s Basketball. Coverage of Lion Athletics also includes the weekly SSRN Podcast with Harris Beal, Robbie Rhodes, Allen Waddell, and Mark Willoughby at 5 p.m. every Friday.

The station’s weekly public affairs show, The Tangi Community Download, focuses on topics of interest to the university, Hammond, Tangipahoa Parish, and the greater Southeast Louisiana community. Tyler Thomas visits with community and campus leaders each Saturday at 7:30 a.m. discussing topics that range from community events to healthcare services. Guests interested in appearing on the show can contact Thomas, the station’s news and community affairs coordinator, by email at tyler.thomas-3@southeastern.edu.

Daily features include Today in Rock & Roll History, The Law of Rock & Roll, The Academic Minute, and STEM Radio with Rhett Allain. A Southeastern professor, Allain is a regular contributor to WIRED magazine and advises award-winning television shows that have included both MythBusters and MacGyver.

Joe Burns’ award-winning Rock School, which airs Thursday at 5 p.m. and repeats Sunday at 7 p.m., headlines several specialty shows that provide an education in rock-n-roll and music history. The Best of Rock School joins the lineup weekdays at 8 a.m.

BAM (The Best of America Music) with Davy Brooks and Dayne Sherman moves to a new timeslot at 9 a.m. on Saturdays. DJ Hoosier Mountain hosts A Bright & Blessed Morning, a two-hour gospel show airing Sundays at 8 a.m., as well as the eclectic Melted Vinyl now airing Tuesdays at 10 p.m.

The Dirt Road moves to the weekend as part of the Sunday Night Blues, a four-hour block of blues music beginning at 8 p.m. Joining the lineup is Louisiana Saturday Night, a two-hour show dedicated to Swamp Pop, Cajun and Zydeco, and the rich musical history of the Big Easy.

Other specialty shows include Stuck in the Psychedelic Era, Rockin’ in the Days of Confusion, Dead Air, BackTracking, and This Week in Rock & Roll History. A full on-air schedule is available on the station’s website.

Under athletic department management, the station returns to its rock roots as its 50th birthday approaches in November 2024. A CPB-qualified non-commercial, educational station licensed to the Hammond community, KSLU originally signed on the air Nov. 11, 1974.

For more information, contact Assistant Athletic Director for Broadcast Services Damon Sunde at (985) 549-3774 or damon.sunde@southeastern.edu.

Southeastern’s College of Business launched its third cohort of the Hispanic Leadership Program as part of the celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month and the university’s commitment to the social development of the Hispanic population. The cohort includes 57 students from high schools in Tangipahoa and Livingston parishes.

“The College of Business has a very long and rich history of Hispanic programs from study abroad programs to Costa Rica and Panama, to providing business training for economically disadvantaged populations in Latin American countries, to our present Hispanic Youth Leadership program with area high schools,” said Dean of the College of Business Tara’ Lopez. “We value the vibrant culture and resilience of the Hispanic community and our students at Southeastern.”

“Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month is not only a symbol of respect for Hispanic culture and diversity, but also a sign of Southeastern’s commitment to the progress of the Hispanic community,” said Latin American Business and Development Institute Director Aristides Baraya.

According to the Pew Hispanic Institute, the U.S. Hispanic enrollment at postsecondary institutions in the United States has increased over the last few decades, rising from 1.5 million in 2000 to a new high of 3.8 million in 2019, partly reflecting the group’s rapid growth as a share of the overall U.S. population. In 1980, about 470,000 Latinos were enrolled at degree-granting, postsecondary institutions, accounting for four percent of all students. By 2000, Latino enrollment increased to 1.5 million or 10 percent of all students. And by 2020, 3.7 million Latinos were enrolled, accounting for a fifth of all postsecondary students.

Southeastern’s HLP is focused on supporting underserved Hispanic youth and families, emphasizing character and leadership, and generating permanent and outstanding academic progress, Baraya explained. The program also empowers young Hispanics in entrepreneurship, financial education, preparation for the workforce, and more.

“The Southeastern Young Hispanic Pre-College Preparation and Leadership program is an outstanding opportunity for Hispanic students to discover new faces in their lives and to put their leadership skills to work in practical and real-world applications,” he said.

For over 25 years, Southeastern has worked with the Latin American community through the Latin American Business and Development Initiative.

This year, parallel to the Youth Leadership program, Florida Parishes Human Services Authority, in alliance with the LABDI, will offer a workshop to educate parents about alcohol, tobacco, opioids, and drugs. The program seeks to raise awareness of these situations, Baraya said.

For more information, visit the program website at southeastern.edu/lai.

Former Southeastern President John L. Crain has been awarded the title of President Emeritus by the University of Louisiana System Board. The term “Emeritus” is a title awarded to only a few select individuals in recognition of distinguished and extraordinary service.

“The depth of service Dr. Crain has given to Southeastern over his enduring career is rare and admirable,” UL System President and CEO Jim Henderson said. “His invaluable contributions will forever be a source of inspiration to the Lions and the higher education community.”

A 45-year member of the Southeastern family, Crain obtained a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Southeastern, as well as a master of business administration, and served as a faculty member, faculty senate president, department head, and later as provost and vice president for academic affairs. He was appointed interim president of Southeastern in July 2008 and then served as president from February 2009 until June 2023.

“The Board of Supervisors extends its heartfelt congratulations to President Crain as we honor his distinguished service and exceptional leadership,” UL System Board Chair Liz Pierre said. “This prestigious title is a testament to his transformative contributions.”

“As president, with his accounting background and keen aptitude in financial matters, Dr. Crain was truly the ‘right man at the right time,’ guiding the university through many consecutive years of budget cuts by the state,” Southeastern President William S. Wainwright said. “His calm, professional demeanor helped the university and surrounding community navigate through snow storms, hurricanes, floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic, not only to emerge stronger, but to thrive.”

Throughout those difficult times, Wainwright explained, Crain remained focused on strengthening the university’s position as a major regional educational resource, launching several new academic programs and new academic support and campus life initiatives.

During his tenure as president, Crain was instrumental in making significant facility and infrastructure improvements, such as completion of the new Student Union, new residential facilities, renovations and upgrades to numerous academic buildings, unprecedented successes in Lion athletics, and significant expansion in fundraising through the Southeastern Foundation.

Also under Crain’s leadership, a unified brand platform was launched with the goals of giving the university a higher profile in the region and state and of positively impacting student recruitment and retention.

“Dr. Crain fully embraced the university’s Core Values of ‘excellence and caring’ and repeatedly voiced his belief in the importance of ensuring Southeastern’s students receive the very best higher education experience,” Wainwright said. “Those beliefs and his strong leadership have positioned the university and its students to make a meaningful difference in the community, the region, and the world.”