ULL names 2008 outstanding graduates

• Advocate Acadiana bureau
• Published: Dec 19, 2008 - Page: 1BA - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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LAFAYETTE — Outstanding graduates chosen to represent the eight academic colleges at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette will be honored during commencement exercises Saturday.

The ULL Alumni Association will name the fall 2008 outstanding graduate during graduate school ceremonies at 5:30 p.m. in the Cajundome.

The eight finalists were nominated by the deans of their respective colleges. The award is based on leadership, scholarship and service.

This year’s finalists are as follows:

• College of Liberal Arts — Lauren Duffy, daughter of Lloyd Duffy and Karen Duffy of River Ridge. She is a visual arts major with a concentration in ceramics. Duffy is a member of several honor societies including Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society and Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society.

She says she plans to apply for graduate school in the spring, wants to open her own studio and someday become a university professor.

• B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration — Kyle Kellner, son of William and Mary Kellner of Lafayette. An accounting major, he is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, the Phi Beta Delta International Honor Society and the Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society.

Kellner is the founder and project manager of UniversityNotes.net — a Web site created in 2006 for students nationwide to rate teachers and share notes. He is interning at Broussard, Poche, Lewis and Breaux and plans to take the required tests to become a licensed securities dealer and stockbroker. He plans to take the certified public accountant exam next spring.

• College of Education — Jamie Lynn Oplt of Lafayette is a secondary education major in Social Studies and French. Oplt volunteers her time with the Master’s Commission Leadership/Service School, the Hope Center Food Pantry, Alliance Francaise, Le Pique-Nique, which she co-founded, and teaches Sunday school at Our Savoir’s Church in Broussard.

After graduation, she plans to teach in Louisiana.

• College of Engineering — Eric Lege, son of Herman and Alice Lege of Abbeville, is a petroleum engineering major. While finishing his undergraduate studies, Lege was accepted to be dual enrolled in graduate school and has completed nine hours towards his MBA.
  

He was recruited as a freshman by Chevron Corp. and has worked for the company since. He spent four summers working as an engineering intern in Louisiana, Texas and California. Lege accepted a full time position with Chevron as a drill site manager.

• College of General Studies — Karli Sherman, daughter of Ken and Anne Sherman of Albany, is a general studies major in Arts and Humanities. She holds a 4.0 grade-point average and has been honored as Outstanding Sophomore, Junior and Senior at the honors convocation and is the recipient of the Alpha Lambda Delta Jo Ann Trow Scholarship, the SGA Scholarship and the UL Lafayette Academic Scholarship.

After graduation, she plans to work at Walt Disney World Resort as part of the Disney College Program. She also plans to pursue a career as a special- events coordinator and wedding planner.

• College of Liberal Arts — Nicole Langlinais, daughter of Monica and Justin Langlinais of Erath, is a speech pathology and audiology major with a 4.0 grade-point average. She is the Fall 2008 Outstanding Graduate in the Communicative Disorders Department. She is a member of several honor societies, including Alpha Lambda Delta, Blue Key Honor Society, Communicative Disorders Honor Society and Phi Kappa Phi.

After graduation, she plans to begin graduate school to become a certified speech-language pathologist. She wants to work with children who have autism, Down Syndrome or other language disorders.

• College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions — Cynthia Moore-Landry, wife of Kenneth Landry Sr. of Broussard, is a nursing major. She is the daughter of Bill and Gale Moore of Florida.

She received the Lafayette Business and Career Solutions Scholarship for 2006, 2007 and 2008. She was named an Outstanding Volunteer by the Navy Sea Cadets in 2006 and was Volunteer of the Month last March with the Lafayette Community Health Care Center. Following graduation, Moore-Landry will work for Lafayette General Medical Center in the emergency department.

• College of Sciences — Kevin Suir, son of Burton and Linda Suir of Lafayette, is a computer science major and a member of the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society and the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society.

After graduation, Suir plans to attend graduate school, earn a doctorate and continue working at the National Wetlands Research Center.