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“Bayou Dilemma” Book Launch Reception

Visit the Southeastern Alumni Visitor Center on November 14 to celebrate the launch of Bayou Dilemma: Louisiana in Crisis and Change. Scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m., the event is free and open to the public.

In the fall of 2022 a diverse group of leading Louisiana scholars, along with Governor John Bel Edwards, gathered for a symposium hosted at Southeastern to present views on the challenges that define life in Louisiana. As a product of the symposium, the book was born.

“The book includes contributions from renowned scientists, historians, political scientists, geographers, and journalists, including Robert Mann, Pearson Cross, and Adam Fairclough, among others,” said Samuel Hyde, professor of history and director of the Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies at Southeastern, who edited the volume. “It offers an unprecedented compilation of studies examining the social, political, environmental, and economic hurdles pervasive to the Gulf South that prove acute in Louisiana.”

The book contributors will be honored at the reception, where Southeastern President William S. Wainwright will preside, and former Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne will provide a short presentation on the new book’s relevance and potential impact on future policy planning in Louisiana. Books will be available for purchase, courtesy of Bayou Booksellers in Hammond, and the contributors will be on hand for book signings.

For more information on the book launch/reception or the book itself, contact the Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies at 985-549-2151 or email selahistory@southeastern.edu.

Beginning Our 100th Year

Southeastern is now in its 100th year! To commemorate this auspicious occasion, the university kicked off the year-long Centennial celebration on October 1.

Guest speakers, including Louisiana’s Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed and Parish President Robbie Miller, reflected on the importance of Southeastern and this monumental milestone, and alumna Robin Roberts made a surprise video appearance to announce Southeastern’s $100 million fundraising campaign. During the presentation, Southeastern’s Centennial painting by artist Becky Fos was also unveiled, as was the first installment of a new video series on Southeastern’s history and a trailer for the Centennial. Attendees additionally enjoyed exclusive giveaway items, birthday cake, and an opportunity to be the first to sign Southeastern’s Centennial Signature Book.

“Opening its doors on Sept. 14, 1925, Southeastern Louisiana University celebrates a century of impact! Awarding over 95,000 degrees since its inception, our beloved university has strengthened communities, built economies, and advanced generational prosperity for families throughout Southeast Louisiana, our nation, and across the globe,” said Southeastern President William S. Wainwright.

Through 2025, Southeastern will offer a wide array of opportunities to get involved with the celebration. Everyone is encouraged to log their volunteer hours to reach 100 collective weeks of volunteerism, area restaurant partners will offer signature 100th anniversary dishes or drinks, special lectures and performances will be held during the fall 2025 Centennial Fanfare, and so much more. At most events, attendees will have the opportunity to sign their name in the Centennial Signature Book, which will be archived for future generations to cherish.

For more information about current and upcoming Centennial programs and events, visit southeastern.edu/100. To learn more about the fundraising campaign, visit southeastern.edu/get-there-together.

Enrollment Continues to Grow

Southeastern’s fall semester has once again shown enrollment growth, achieving its strongest overall enrollment since COVID-19-19 and superseding its pre-COVID enrollment. With an overall enrollment increase of four percent at 14,440 students, Southeastern experienced growth in several categories.

Undergraduate enrollment rose by 3.9 percent.
Graduate enrollment rose by 4.7 percent, reaching the highest graduate student population in over a decade.
New first-time freshmen increased by 2.3 percent.
New incoming transfer students rose by 3.3 percent.

“Students and families understand the value in a Southeastern education,” said Southeastern President William S. Wainwright. “As we enter our 100th year, we are confident in our ability to prepare the next generation of entrepreneurs, nurses, teachers, leaders, and citizens of Louisiana—continued strategic enrollment growth honors our commitment and validates our mission.”

“A strategic initiative of our state is to better prepare high school students for college by earning college credit while still in high school,” Wainwright explained. “Southeastern continues to lead in this area in alignment with the Board of Regents’ Master Plan for Louisiana.”

With over a $1 billion economic impact on the region, Southeastern currently offers over 150 programs of study, including many that are regionally and nationally ranked. To apply, visit southeastern.edu.

Named a Governor’s Military and Veteran Friendly Campus

Southeastern has received the Silver designation for the 2024-2025 Governor’s Military and Veteran Friendly Campus. The achievement reflects the university’s commitment to supporting military-affiliated students through various initiatives.

Southeastern enrolls 492 veterans, dependents and military service members. The university maintains a Veterans Upward Bound program; provides academic and other counseling services; offers scholarships specifically for military students and veterans; and maintains a wide range of online and distance learning programs that provide students with flexibility in scheduling.

“We are proud of this recognition, as it illustrates Southeastern’s continued commitment to serve active military, veterans and their families,” said President William S. Wainwright. “Most importantly, we know the designation means we are doing our best to serve those who have made many sacrifices in service to our nation.”

This fall Southeastern designated a special housing unit specifically for military students, veterans, or those whose parents are veterans. The first of its kind in the state, the housing unit allows military-affiliated students to get to know one another and support each other while enrolled.

Another addition to campus is the Southeastern Student Veterans Association, a group open to veterans, reservists, spouses, dependents, and ROTC participants attending both Southeastern and Northshore Technical Community College. The association was founded to provide opportunities for veterans to meet one another and build a community, help the university administration better understand and meet the needs of veterans and their families, and help civilians better understand the military experience.

The university’s ROTC program, which returned to campus in 2016 with 10 cadets, has seen significant growth and success. The program now enrolls over 50 cadets and is expected to continue to grow.

Southeastern also serves as a resource center for thousands of Louisiana veterans in an effort to help active-duty military service men and women successfully transition to college through a new program called LaVetCorps, and has a specific office dedicated to serving veterans and their family members. The Office of Military and Veteran Success processes all education benefits sponsored by the VA and DOD, conducts VA benefits counseling, offers priority registration for classes and on-campus housing, and more.

Director of Military and Veteran Success Emily Anthony, who is currently serving as a Captain in the Louisiana Army National Guard, said Southeastern recently became designated as a Purple Heart University by the Military Order of the Purple Heart, signifying an unwavering commitment to continuously improve services to combat-wounded veterans.

“The Southeastern community is passionately committed to serving our veteran community, and it truly shows through our customer service across campus,” said Anthony. “Each office works collaboratively to ensure a seamless experience for our students, and we continue to improve every day. We have created a network of resources involving countless local businesses and organizations that provide services to veterans. As a veteran myself, I am extremely proud to work here because of what we represent.”

Senator Bill Cassidy recently visited campus to meet with a distinguished group of student veterans, hear their stories, and gain insight on their experiences navigating the VA system, utilizing benefits, and juggling school with military service, Anthony explained. She said the university plans to host another student veterans roundtable in the near future.

Southeastern has also been named a Military Friendly® School for 12 consecutive years.

Advancing Teacher Preparation

The undergraduate teacher preparation program at Southeastern has been recognized by the National Council on Teacher Quality for its pioneering efforts in supporting aspiring teachers as they complete their clinical practice experiences, also known as student teaching.

The Southeastern case study, featured in NCTQ’s new Clinical Practice Action Guide, details how Southeastern built strong partnerships with local school districts to improve the clinical practice experience for aspiring teachers. It also illustrates how Southeastern incorporated high-quality instructional materials and data throughout the program to enhance aspiring teachers’ instructional impact.

“Southeastern Louisiana University is an excellent example of a teacher prep program getting clinical practice right,” said NCTQ President Heather Peske. “As a national leader on this front, Southeastern is helping to strengthen the teacher pipeline in Louisiana and improve teacher preparation.”

Critical to their successful partnerships, Southeastern relies on data from its clinical practice program to drive changes, such as identifying additional professional learning for program faculty supervising student teachers. This effective communication, coupled with robust data collection, supercharges Southeastern’s ability to make meaningful improvements at the program level.

Southeastern’s College of Education Dean Paula Summers Calderon said the work is important because across the country too many new teachers are unprepared for the realities of the classroom since they haven’t had enough high-quality “hands-on” practice, and their students lose out on learning because of it.

“Stronger clinical practice partnerships between school districts and teacher prep programs can address the hiring challenges many districts face by creating a pipeline of teachers who have experience in the types of districts where they will eventually teach, which increases their efficacy and likelihood of staying in the classroom,” Calderon explained. “Without quality student teaching experiences, new teachers are often left to learn on the job. Research shows that providing aspiring teachers with clinical experiences under an effective mentor can give a first-year teacher the boost they need to be as effective as a teacher in their second or third year, which is a huge win for students.”

NCTQ used a variety of sources to identify the prep programs, districts, and states to feature in the case studies included in the action guide. Sources included past NCTQ Teacher Prep Review ratings of prep programs on the Clinical Practice standard; a scan of state policies related to clinical practice; a scan of large district policies related to clinical practice; surveys of districts, prep programs, and states; and input from an expert advisory panel and qualitative feedback from the field and interviewees. They conducted semi-structured interviews with stakeholders and invited them to review the draft about their entity prior to publication to check for accuracy.

Creating a Lasting Impact: Steven Cossé

By Aleigh Sanders

Steven Cossé, a Southeastern alumnus, is undoubtedly leaving a lasting impact on his alma mater. His generosity has allowed for the creation of four First Generation Scholarships.

Cossé graduated from Southeastern in 1969, earning a bachelor of arts degree. He later graduated from Loyola University in 1974, earning a juris doctorate.

In 2012, Cosse’ was awarded the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Award. The Alumni Association Awards Program recognizes Southeastern alumni who have made significant contributions to society and whose accomplishments, affiliations, and careers have honored the legacy of excellence at the university. Recipients of the Alumnus of the Year Award have reflected outstanding qualities as a Southeastern student, have excelled in their field after graduation, and have continued to be supportive and active in Southeastern’s future. Cossé has demonstrated and continues to demonstrate each of these qualities.

At the time of his recognition, Cossé served as president and CEO of Murphy Oil Corporation. The company hoped to create a scholarship in his honor, which inspired the first of the four First Generation Scholarships. The Steve Cossé/Murphy Oil First Generation Scholarship was established shortly after his recognition in 2012. It was matched by the Louisiana State Board of Regents in 2013.

Cossé continues his support of Southeastern through the establishment of three successive endowments. The first was the Steve Cossé First Generation Endowed Scholarship, which was matched in 2022. The Steve Cossé First Generation Endowed Scholarship No. 2 was established a year later, and it was matched in 2023. The Steve Cossé First Generation Endowed Scholarship No. 3 was most recently established, and it was submitted for matching in 2024.

Several recipients of the First Generation Scholarships have thanked Cossé for his generosity that has ultimately allowed them to attend the university.

One recipient of the Steve Cossé/Murphy Oil First Generation Scholarship, Marissa Pareti, thanked Cossé saying, “What you did was so thoughtful, and so appreciated.” She went on to say how his generosity meant the world, as this support allowed her to continue her education at Southeastern and to continue chasing her dreams. Upon graduation in 2003, Pareti enrolled in Southeastern’s RN-BSN nursing program and is now on her way to becoming a labor and delivery nurse, a career which will in turn allow her to also help countless others.

Teresa Huerta, another recipient and current health sciences major, said that “If it wasn’t for this scholarship, I probably wouldn’t have been able to fully afford to come to Southeastern. . . . I am really glad and thankful for it.”

The university is and will forever be thankful for Steven Cossé. He continues to leave a lasting impact on the university through his support to students receiving an education at Southeastern.

Endowed scholarships, such as those established by Cossé, allow students to focus more on their studies, to boost their academic success, and to help them graduate within four or five years.

If you are interested in establishing a scholarship, please contact the Office of Development by calling 985.549.2239 or emailing advancement@southeastern.edu. For more information on applying for a scholarship, contact scholarships@southeastern.edu.

Student and Professor Receive Prestigious Louisiana Contemporary Art Awards

A Southeastern professor and student have been selected as winners of the 2024 edition of Louisiana Contemporary, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art’s annual juried exhibition, presented by The Helis Foundation.

Professor of New Media + Animation Cristina Molina received The Helis Foundation Art Prize for Best in Show with her work The Memory of Miss River, 2023, a multi-channel video installation, while Southeastern student Ginina Biondini of Covington won first place for her work I didn’t know You then but I know You now, 2023, a work of inherited fabric, fiber fill, thread, wood, and lace. Molina also received an unrestricted $5,000 grant as part of her award.

This year’s exhibition features 41 works by 37 artists from over 1,000 submissions and is on view at the Ogden Museum in New Orleans, located at 925 Camp St., through Oct. 13. Head Curator of Governor’s Island Arts and Vice President for Arts and Culture at the Trust for Governors Island, Lauren Haynes served as the 2024 guest juror.

“I was truly honored to be selected as the juror for the 2024 edition of Louisiana Contemporary,” Haynes said. “I enjoyed having the opportunity to see over 1,100 artworks by 367 artists living and working in Louisiana.”

Calvin Fayard Selected as Alumnus of the Year

Nationally recognized lawyer, negotiator, and legal strategist Calvin C. Fayard, Jr. has been selected as the Southeastern Alumni Association 2024 Alumnus of the Year. A 1965 graduate of Southeastern, Fayard will be honored at the Alumni Association’s annual awards evening Friday, Oct. 18, during Homecoming Week.

“An Alumnus of the Year is someone who not only embodies the core values of Lion pride, excellence, caring, and service, but also goes above and beyond in their commitment to making a difference,” said Vice President of University Advancement Wendy Lauderdale. “This year’s recipient, Calvin Fayard, exemplifies these qualities in every way. His unwavering dedication to Southeastern is unparalleled.”

“Calvin has not only been a steadfast supporter, but has also played a pivotal role in shaping the future of our institution. His generosity, vision, and leadership have paved the way for countless students to achieve their dreams,” Lauderdale explained. “The transformational opportunities he has created are a testament to his belief in the power of education and his desire to leave a lasting legacy. Calvin Fayard’s impact on our community will be felt for generations to come, and we are profoundly grateful for his contributions.”

A native of Springfield, Fayard is a nationally known trial attorney, renowned for his negotiation and settlement skills. He majored in agronomy while at Southeastern, went on to graduate from LSU Law School in 1969, served in the Louisiana Air National Guard until 1974, and also served as an elected delegate to the 1973 Louisiana Constitutional Convention.

In addition to practicing law, Fayard currently serves the US Diplomatic Consular Corps as Honorary Consul to the Principality of Monaco for Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. He is also recognized for his support of educational and community causes, particularly in the parishes of Livingston, Tangipahoa, and Orleans.

Fayard was instrumental in the return of football to Southeastern in 2003 and the opening of the Livingston Parish Literacy and Technology Center in 2005, served as president of the Southeastern Alumni Association in 1979, and was the recipient of the Golden Ambassador Award in 2000. Fayard Hall, located in the center of campus, is named in honor of his late mother and father.

Industry Connect Distinguished Lectures Return September 19

Southeastern’s Department of Computer Science is hosting the first of the fall Industry Connect Distinguished Lectures Sept. 19, at 4 p.m. Scheduled in the Envoc Innovation Lab, located in room 2026 in the Computer Science and Technology Building, the free lecture is titled “Cybersecurity – The Elephant in the Room.” Senior Director of Cyber Resilience with CommonSpirit Health Andres Calderon will serve as guest speaker.

Calderon has over 30 years of experience in strategic and information technology roles. Previously, he was the cyber resilience officer at Centura Health and held various IT leadership positions at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana.

Throughout his career, Andres has taught master’s level courses in analytics, cybersecurity, and information technology. He has extensive expertise in aligning analytics, cybersecurity, and technology with corporate vision, as well as in business development, product design, system architectures, and decision support systems.

Guests are welcome to join in person at the Computer Science and Technology building or virtually via Google Meet. To be added to the RSVP list and receive all event details, email industryconnect@southeastern.edu.

For more information, contact the Department of Computer Science at 985-549-5740.

Training Educators from Around the World through the International Baccalaureate Program

Southeastern’s College of Education offers courses leading to the International Baccalaureate (IB) Educator Certificate in Teaching and Learning for both elementary and high school credentials. The students who successfully completed the courses in the spring 2024 cohort hail from Hong Kong, Great Britain, Uganda, Texas, North Carolina, and Louisiana.

Four of the students were so impressed with Southeastern that they are continuing with a graduate degree in curriculum and instruction. Those students represent Uganda, Texas, and Louisiana. The International Education Program is able to reach and influence teachers globally.

For more information on the IB Educator Certificate, please visit southeastern.edu/department-of-teaching-and-learning/ib/.