SLU awards more than 1,000 degrees

• By ADVOCATE STAFF REPORT
• Published: May 18, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Twitter
• Social Media

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

HAMMOND — Southeastern Louisiana University conferred degrees on more than 1,000 graduates Saturday at the university’s spring commencement exercises.

Louisiana Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu was the keynote speaker at the 10 a.m. ceremony in the University Center arena. The university also presented its Golden Ambassador Award to Southeastern alumni Wayne and Manuel Dugas in recognition of the brothers’ outstanding service, achievements and humanitarian efforts.

Both former Southeastern football players, the St. Charles Parish natives are among Southeastern’s largest donors, having contributed nearly $1.4 million to the fundraising drive to re-establish the football program and to scholarships for student-athletes. The university’s athletic building is named in the Dugas brothers’ honor.

Manuel Dugas worked for the Internal Revenue Service before embarking on a three-decade career as a State Farm Insurance agent. Wayne Dugas served as a high school football coach before joining Dollar General, at the time a small company. He retired as one of the national discount chain’s top procurement specialists.

At the commencement exercise, the university also awarded its highest academic honor, the President’s Medal for Academic Excellence, to 13 students with the highest cumulative grade point average in the university’s five colleges and Division of General Studies. In three colleges, multiple awards were presented to students with perfect 4.0 grade point averages.
Medal recipients are:

- College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences: mass communication major Jessica L. Cressionnie, Ponchatoula; art major Heidi Ann Elbers, Mandeville; psychology major Mary Elizabeth Illg, Slidell; and art major Ivana Vasic, Novi Sad, Serbia.
n College of Business: marketing major Camille Elizabeth Fontenot, Baton Rouge; finance major Tim Laborde Jr., Slidell; and accounting major Anthony Miles Rutledge, Franklinton.

- College of Science and Technology: biological sciences major Jean Pierre Elbers, Mandeville; chemistry major Tao Lin, Slidell; and mathematics major Brooke Erin Lockhart, Christchurch, New Zealand.

- College of Education and Human Development: elementary education major Keri Lynn Cognevich, Slidell, 4.0 gpa.

- College of Nursing and Health Sciences: Nursing major Hattie Reeb Dobson, Hammond and Chalmette, 3.930 gpa.

- Division of General Studies: General studies major Anecia Denise Samons, Ponchatoula, 3.978 gpa.

Area students receiving associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees are:

Acadia Parish
Bachelor’s Degrees
Church Point: Alayna M. Bellard, Criminal Justice.
Rayne: Alison N. Camp, Nursing; Kaysha L. Cormier, Kinesiology.

Ascension Parish
Master’s Degrees
Prairieville: Brian T. Devall, Business Administration; Jason M. Drewes, Business Administration; Catherine C. Durnin, Secondary Education; Joshua M. Graham, Business Administration; German R. Hernandez, Business Administration; Matthew D. Jones, Nursing; Shannon L. Mocanu, Curriculum and Instruction; Andria M. Rossi, Mild/Moderate Special Education.
St. Amant: Nancy V. Elfer, Curriculum and Instruction.
Sorrento: Rebecca D. Bradley, Business Administration.
Bachelor’s Degrees
Darrow: Kristy H. Jenkins, Social Work.
Donaldsonville: Greg M. Landry, Biological Sciences.
Geismar: Jacie A. Argrave, Nursing; Chris M. Markerson Jr., General Business.
Gonzales: Kayla L. Addison, Nursing; Jared M. Braud, Art; Susan F. Chmurka, Elementary Education Grades 1-5; Erin E. DeRosa, General Business; Kasey B. Ford, Communication Sciences and Disorders; Michael J. Janis, General Studies; Cali R. McQueen, Music Education; Stephanie M. Myers, Social Studies Education; Megan M. Nelson, Sociology; Jason S. Pasqua, Criminal Justice; Megan B. Reid, General Studies; Matthew P. Taranto, Art; Kimberly T. Tullier, Elementary Education Grades 1-5.
Prairieville: Jacey E. Babin, Elementary Education Grades 1-5; Brad A. Berthelot, General Business; Kelly A. Blanchard, Management; Kara L. Cannon, Early/Childhood Education Grades PK-3; Elyse A. Coburn, Finance; Jessica L. Cornett, Nursing; Leigh-Ann Curtis, Finance; Dianne N. Groome, Nursing; Kimberly M. James, English Education; Kevin C. Layton, Industrial Technology; Jessica L. Persac, General Studies; Heather M. Tregre, Finance; Christy L. Trotter, Management; Tiffany L. Truxillo, Psychology.
St. Amant: Nolie M. Bourgeois, Early/Childhood Education Grades PK-3; Joseph N. Danehower, History; Brandy M. Didier-Silvio, Occupational Health, Safety, and Environment.
Sorrento: Courtney N. Kerek, Social Studies Education.
Associate Degrees
Prairieville: Jessica L. Richard, General Studies.