December 2024

Ranked a Top School by U.S. News and World Report

Southeastern has earned three rankings from U.S. News and World Report, again being named among the top universities in the region. The university was listed as one of the top 50 public schools and one of the top 100 universities (private or public) in the South. Southeastern also was named as one of the top national performers for the social mobility of its students.

“These accolades are yet another testament to the tremendous support Southeastern students receive from our faculty and staff,” said Southeastern President William S. Wainwright. “We are wholly committed to the academic success of every student.”

Every year, U.S. News and World Report publishes college rankings in the United States. Colleges and universities are reviewed based on academic quality and measures, such as graduation rates, retention rates, and social mobility.

“Although the methodology is the product of years of research, we continuously refine our approach based on user feedback, literature reviews, trends in our own data and availability of new data. We also regularly engage with institutional researchers and high-ranking academic officials, including presenting at higher education forums and conducting interactive webinars,” U.S. News said. “Our detailed methodology is transparent in part for use by schools and academics, but mostly because we believe prospective students will find our rankings more useful if they know what the rankings measure.”

Graduation rates for first-generation college students were once again factored into the ranking’s overall methodology. The ranking “evaluates which schools best serve underrepresented students” and analyzes enrollment and graduation rates of low-income students with Pell Grants. Southeastern was ranked 117th nationally in social mobility.

The rankings can be accessed here.

Offering a New Medical Sales Certificate

Southeastern’s College of Business is now offering an undergraduate certificate in sales leadership.

The Medical Sales Certificate program allows students from all majors the opportunity to upskill and enhance their degree. Sales skills are relevant for a variety of roles, including, but not limited to, sales and sales leadership, said Interim Department Head of Marketing and Supply Chain Management April Kemp.

“In an increasingly competitive job market, this program offers comprehensive training in medical products, sales strategies, and effective communication techniques tailored for healthcare professionals,” Kemp said. “The Medical Sales Certificate enhances students’ resumes and connects them with industry leaders and potential job opportunities, positioning graduates for career success.”

The program curriculum was designed using an interdisciplinary approach by faculty in both the College of Business and The College of Nursing and Health Studies and an advisory board of medical sales professionals to ensure students would gain knowledge and experience to set them up for success. Courses include topics in medical terminology, applying evidence to improve healthcare outcomes, professional selling, and opportunities for internships and surgical observations.

Travis McCoy, a leader in the industry with 20 years of experience in domestic and international healthcare sales, serves as the Southeastern Medical Sales Advisory Board Chair.

“The demand for skilled medical sales representatives is on the rise, and this program aims to serve as a gateway to rewarding career paths,” said McCoy. “Southeastern faculty and the advisory board members are committed to providing students with industry knowledge and the networking opportunities they need to thrive.”

For more information about the Medical Sales Certificate program, contact the Southeastern Department of Marketing and Supply Chain at marketing@southeastern.edu or call 985-549-2277.

Empowering Future Hispanic Leaders

Southeastern’s Latin American Business Development Initiative recently concluded its Young Hispanic Pre-College Preparation and Leadership Program, an initiative that brought together 30 high school seniors from Hammond, Independence, and Ponchatoula. The program, held several Saturdays in September and October, aims to prepare Hispanic students for higher education and leadership roles in their communities.

The program addresses a critical need in the region. According to recent data, the U.S. Hispanic population grew by 2% from 2013 to 2022, close to half of the nation’s overall population growth of 5.5%. Hispanics in 2022 represented 19.1% of the total U.S. population. Despite this growth, Hispanic students face persistent challenges, including lower college enrollment and completion rates. ( Pew Hispanic Center)

In fall 2022, the number of Hispanic students enrolled in U.S. degree-granting postsecondary institutions was 3.8 million. Twenty-one percent of U.S resident students enrolled in degree-granting institutions were Hispanic/Latino. However, according to Latin American Business and Leadership Development Initiative Director Aristides Baraya, gaps in educational attainment remain, making programs like Southeastern’s Pre-College Preparation and Leadership Program vital in addressing these disparities.

“The Fall 2024 program featured dynamic workshops on leadership, personal branding, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, workforce readiness, STEM, artificial intelligence, and ACT preparation,” Baraya said. “Participants engaged in a rigorous schedule that blended academic instruction with real-world skill development.”

Recognizing the importance of parental involvement, Southeastern also hosted a dedicated session for parents, Baraya explained. The daylong event covered vital topics, including preventing substance abuse, online safety, understanding vaping risks, and navigating financial aid options at Southeastern.

“This impactful program was made possible through partnerships with such prominent organizations as JPMorgan Chase and Co., Shell, Miguel A. Elias – A Professional Law Corporation, Chick-Fil-a, and others,” he said. “These collaborations underscore the commitment of both the private and academic sectors to supporting the Hispanic community.”

Organized by the Office of the Latin American Business Development Initiative, Baraya said, the program exemplifies Southeastern’s dedication to supporting underserved communities and fostering a sense of belonging.

“For more than 24 years, LABDI has strengthened leadership and educational opportunities for the Hispanic population, both locally and internationally,” he said.

For more information, contact Baraya at abaraya@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-2171.

Caring Doesn’t Take a Break

One Staff Member’s Unexpected Journey into Filling a Gap for International Students

By Brock Sanders

Josh Randall, the production manager at Southeastern’s Document Source Print and Mail Center, started the Fall 2023 semester with a surprise visit from a student asking about mail. The simple interaction between Randall and Imole Olugbola, a student from Nigeria studying music performance, opened the doors to a problem in dire need of a solution.

Olugbola had come to the Mail Center to ask about the delivery of his Social Security card, which would allow him to work at the on-campus dining services. Working on campus provided Olugbola with finances to pay for his off-campus apartment and not need transportation to work. However, the card never came in after weeks of asking. Randall took it into his own hands to produce results that the Social Security card office was not providing to Olugbola.

“Let’s just get in my Jeep and drive to the Social Security office to figure this out,” Randall said.

The pair were told that the paperwork had gone through some rerouting but would arrive. Olugbola received his paperwork days later and was able to work on campus. However, this wasn’t the end of their friendship.

Randall inquired about his new Nigerian friend at lunch after the mystery of the lost Social Security card was solved. Olugbola grew up in an impoverished area of Nigeria, according to Randall, and learned how to play the violin at his local library where YouTube was accessible on the free computers. He later moved to Hammond, Louisiana, on a scholarship to play the violin in the Department of Music and Performing Arts.

Throughout the semester, Randall readily kept up with Olugbola until the cusp of finals in November. It was then that the international student came to the Mail Center asking about job opportunities over the winter break when the university would be shut down.

Due to departments being closed, Olugbola would be out of a job for close to three weeks. An initiative to produce results and try to find a solution drove Randall down a rabbit hole of more questions than answers.

Lack of a work visa or transportation posed a precarious situation in finding a job for one international student and an even larger problem when Ogubola introduced his friend.

“[Ogubola] came in one day and asked, ‘Mr. Josh, I have a friend who is in the same shape and needs a job, can you help him too?’” Randall said.

Curious as to how many other international students were in the same boat as Ogubola and his friend Ayomide Olubuse, Randall asked if a poll could be done. The survey, conducted by Olubuse, produced a list of 34 students at Southeastern from Nigeria who were going to be without a job or family during the winter break.

“It was Christmastime, and you can’t go pinching pennies at Christmastime. That’s not what we do here,” said Randall.

Randall, again, pushed himself to try harder.

He contacted business owners, department heads, and members of the Greater Hammond Chamber of Commerce to give these students a chance to not only live but thrive during the four-week break.

“If there is something that can be done, why can’t it be done?” Randall said, living by the mantra to help people where help is needed.

This urge to help flows into his pastimes, where he is a volunteer fireman; assistant director at his local youth association in Springfield, Louisiana; and the owner of a 20-year-old jeep club.

Randall said he only brings problems to the table if solutions are readily available. He proposed that departments that have to work over winter break and have room on their budget from students who return home promote those open positions for students who are eager to work. Forming a network of business owners who could offer jobs for short periods could also open a larger door for other international students that attend Southeastern.

Randall is hopeful and driven that he will do his part to be part of the solution. “I promise you I will do what I can to not let this happen again,” he said.

To further help combat this predicament, the Office of Student Engagement jumped in to arrange a food program to provide for international students remaining close to campus during the break through the Lion Pantry food pantry program. The Lion Pantry provides perishable and non-perishable items to any active Southeastern students who are in need of services throughout the year, and during breaks, this critical resource can make an especially big difference to members of the campus community.

Within the Office of Student Engagement, Southeastern’s Multicultural and International Student Affairs (MISA) office provides support services, along with social and leadership opportunities, to international students throughout the year, including hosting a popular International Night and housing international student organizations. MISA and other university departments are continuing to investigate additional ways to make sure all students have everything they need to achieve a successful and happy experience at Southeastern, no matter the time of year.

There are close to 160 international students currently enrolled at the university, a number which continues to rise as Southeastern’s reputation for academic excellence mixed with caring support in a welcoming community continues to grow across the globe.

During the Hammond Christmas Parade in December, Southeastern President William Wainwright was adamant that a magnet be placed on one of the floats stating “We love our international students.”

“At Southeastern, you matter here,” Randall said. “I live by that.”