La Louis Spring 06 (alum#190705 - University of Louisiana at

La Louis Spring 06 (alum#190705 - University of Louisiana at

ALUMNI
1963
is a senior fellow at
the Universities Space Research
Association in Houston, an
organization of about 100 colleges and universities that is furthering space science and technology. He is a specialist in space
life sciences, biomedical research
and mathematical modeling.
White holds a bachelor’s degree
in chemistry from USL. While
attending USL, he was an honors
student and served on the Student Council. He holds a doctorate in physical chemistry from
the University of Wisconsin in
Madison. White taught mathematics at USL from 1970-80 and
was the first director of its honors program. During his career,
he has served as a research professor of physiology at the Uniformed Services University of the
Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md.,
and has taught at Baylor College
of Medicine in Houston. He has
been chief scientist for life sciences at NASA Headquarters and,
subsequently, associate director
of the National Space Biomedical
Research Institute in Houston,
which studies astronaut health
and safety. White is married to
the former Margaret Launey; they
have three children and six
grandchildren.
RON WHITE
1975
is executive
director of the Energy Security
Council in Houston, a nonprofit
international security organization. He is a certified protection
professional and certified fraud
examiner. Boudreaux retired
from BP/AMOCO in 2005 after
20 years as a security manager.
He holds an associate degree in
criminal justice and a bachelor’s
degree in psychology from USL.
In 1976, he became the youngest
trooper in Louisiana State Police
history. Boudreaux is active in
Sending Out Servants, a mission
LA LOUISIANE
1980
recently
received a master of laws degree
in taxation from the University
of Alabama School of Law. He
and his wife, Gwenett, also an
attorney, are partners of DaGian
Law Offices LLP in Abbeville,
Ala. He holds a bachelor’s degree
in business administration, with
a concentration in management,
from USL. DaGian is a certified
public accountant and certified
financial planner.
GREGORY A. DAGIAN
|
SPRING 2006
research and planning at Georgia Military College in October
2005. She directs institutional
research, data collection and
analysis; chairs the Quality
Enhancement Plan for the college’s 2006 reaffirmation process
through the Southern Association on Colleges; and writes
grants for the college. Payne
edited a collection of essays in
2004, A Search for Meaning:
Critical Essays on Early Modern
Literature, published by Peter
Lang. Several contributing
authors are USL alums. It’s dedicated to Dr. Albert Fields, former chairman of the Department of English at USL from
1975-86. Payne holds a doctorate in English from USL. She
and her husband, Stephen, live
in Milledgeville, Ga.
agencies in the area each year to
recognize award recipients and
to celebrate Women’s Equality
Day. That observance celebrates
approval of the 19th
Amendment in 1920, which
gave women in the United States
the right to vote. Bourque holds
a bachelor’s degree in English
from USL and a jurisprudence
degree from Tulane University
School of Law in New Orleans.
She and her husband, Max
Patin, have two children and live
in the Huntsville area.
MELANIE C. HARPER recently
joined the faculty of Augusta
State University in Augusta, Ga.
She is an assistant professor of
counselor education in the
Department of Educational
Leadership, Counseling and
Special Education. She received a
bachelor’s degree in English from
USL, a master’s degree from
Texas State University in San
Marcos and a doctoral degree
from the University of North
Carolina at Greensboro.
JOHN C. PALMER is head football
coach and athletic director at
Port St. Joe High School in Port
St. Joe, Fla. The Sharks were
named 2005 football state champions in Class 1A after earning a
13-1 record. Palmer holds a
bachelor’s degree in general studies. He is married to Amy L.
Hicks Palmer; they have one
child, Morgan Palmer.
recently
received professional accreditation from the Universal
Accreditation Board, a consortium of 10 leading public relations organizations. She teaches
at Spring Hill College, where she
also advises student chapters of
the Public Relations Consultants
Association and the Advertising
Federation. A former executive
director of the UL Lafayette
Alumni Association, Broussard
is a doctoral candidate at the
University of Southern
Mississippi. She received a bachelor’s degree in public relations
from USL and a master’s degree
in public relations from the
University of Southern
Mississippi.
1986
1990
1993
is staff
architect for Lake County, Fla.,
where he manages design services for new and existing county
building projects. He is a certified
mediator and a Leadership in
Energy and Environmental
Design accredited professional.
Leblanc holds a bachelor of
architecture degree from USL. He
and his wife, Nydia, live in
Orlando, Fla.
was recently
honored as an outstanding
achiever by NASA. She is an
attorney-advisor in the Office of
Chief Counsel at NASA’s
Marshall Space Flight Center in
Huntsville, Ala. Bourque
received a Women’s Equality
Day award, which is presented
annually to exceptional federal
employees in administrative,
clerical, professional and
supervisory capacities. It is
awarded by the Combined
Women’s Federal Programs. The
Marshall Center’s Women’s
Program joins other federal
KEN J. MEYERS
RICHARD L. LEBLANC JR.
R. GARY BOUDREAUX
40
organization, and is in leadership roles in his church. He is
married to Karen C. Boudreaux.
The couple have two children,
Conan Boudreaux and Briana C.
DePaolis.
1987
was named vice
president for institutional
PAULA H. PAYNE
1988
PAMELA BOURQUE
SHAREE BROUSSARD
is resident branch
manager of Wachovia Securities
in Lafayette. He has been a
financial adviser for 12 years.
Meyers was a member of the
Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team
from 1988-92. He was inducted
into the USL Athletic Hall of
Fame in 1998 and the Abbeville
High School Athletic Hall of
Fame in 2001. Meyers received a
bachelor’s degree in business
administration from USL. He is
married to AMY LEBOUEF MEYERS,
who holds a nursing degree.
They have three children: Caroline, Kate and Cameron.
A Look Back
recently
joined Russo Ad
Group of
Lafayette. She
has more than
20 years experience in all
aspects of public
relations. Most
recently, she was
director of Public Relations at
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Medical Center. Broussard is chair
of Elder Voice, an eight-parish
organization dedicated to making
sure elderly citizens are properly
cared for during natural or manmade disasters. She received a
bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from UL Lafayette. In 2004,
Broussard completed the university’s first internship program with
the Lafayette Parish Office of
Homeland Security and Office of
Emergency Preparedness.
LEE ANN BROUSSARD
1959
IN MEMORIAM
BELLA NICKERSON CHAPPUIS
Members of Blue Key, a student service organization, met with Sen. John F.
Kennedy in October 1959 when he attended the Crowley Rice Festival during
his campaign for the presidency of the United States. From left, are Roland
Guidry; Jay Honeycutt, vice president of Blue Key; P. J. Laborde; Kennedy;
Jackie Burson; and Doug Adkins, president of Blue Key.
1995
is an acute
care nurse practitioner and director of clinical operations and
research at Cardiovascular Associates in Covington, La. She graduated from the University of Texas
at Arlington in December 2005
with a master’s degree in nursing
from the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program, with a subspecialty in cardiology. Ducombs-Isa
received the UTA 2005 Award for
Clinical Excellence and Outstanding Nursing. She also earned the
Delta Theta Chapter of Sigma
Theta Tau Award for Academic
Excellence. Ducombs-Isa holds a
nursing degree from USL. She is
married to George F. Isa.
husband, Marcus, have two children, Merideth and Avery.
STACEY DUCOMBS-ISA
1999
was recently promoted to assistant real estate
manager for CB Richard Ellis
Hawaii, one of the largest commercial real estate firms in
Hawaii. She assists the senior
staff at Koko Marina Shopping
Center. Clark earned a master’s
degree in business administration
from the online University of
Phoenix and a bachelor’s degree
in mass communications from
UL Lafayette.
HEATHER CLARK
2001
teaches science at SouthDoyle High
School in
Knoxville, Tenn.
During the summer of 2005, she
spent eight
weeks at the Oak
Ridge National
BRIDGETTE BOUDREAUX
is prevention coordinator of the Lafayette
district of Louisiana’s Office of
Public Health. She provides education throughout the community
to help prevent children’s accidental injuries and deaths. Lemaire
holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from USL. She and her
TRACY LANKAU LEMAIRE
ABRAMSON, ’37,
Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tenn.,
researching how oak trees endure
drought. She was participating in
the Department of Energy’s Laboratory Science Teacher Professional Development program. When
she returned to her classroom at
South-Doyle, she helped 28 students develop their own experiments. Boudreaux had conducted
research at Oak Ridge National
Laboratory as an undergraduate at
UL Lafayette, where she earned a
bachelor’s degree in biology.
1900-1921
2004
is communications director for Acadian Home
Builders Association in Lafayette.
She is responsible for coordinating
all correspondence to more than
700 members, assisting with publicity, presiding over Association
committees as staff liaison and
helping to coordinate AHBA community events, such as the Parade
of Homes and the Blueprints
home, garden and leisure show.
Breaux holds a bachelor’s degree in
public relations from UL Lafayette.
ADRIENNE BREAUX
died in Lafayette
on May 21, 2005, at the age of 88.
She graduated cum laude from
Southwestern Louisiana Institute
with a bachelor of arts degree.
While a student at SLI, she was
crowned Camellia Queen in 1935.
In 1937, Abramson reigned as
Queen Evangeline IV in the
Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras
Association Ball. She later served
on the Greater Lafayette Mardi
Gras Association’s board of directors and, in 1990, was parade
marshal of the King’s Parade.
Abramson was a member of many
organizations, such as the
Acadiana Arts Council and the
Southwestern Louisiana
Industrial Institute
1921-1960
Southwestern Louisiana
Institute
1960-1999
University of Southwestern Louisiana
1999- PRESENT
University of Louisiana
at Lafayette
LA LOUISIANE
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SPRING 2006
41
ALUMNI
ALUMNI INFORMATION FORM
If you enjoy reading about where your former classmates are now and
what they’re doing, consider this: They’d like to read about you, too.
Please fill out the form below and mail it back to UL Lafayette or go to
www.louisiana.edu/lalouisiane to submit the information online.
NAME
FIRST
MIDDLE
LAST
MAIDEN NAME
CITY
STATE
ZIP
HOME
OFFICE
ADDRESS
STREET OR BOX
PHONE
E-MAIL
FAX
MAJOR & DATE OF GRADUATION
Council for the Development of
French in Louisiana. She was a
charter member of the Junior
League of Lafayette. A member of
St. Genevieve Catholic Church
for most of her life, she was chosen queen of the Bishop’s Charity
Ball in 1995 for her support of
the Catholic Church and Catholic
education. Survivors include two
sons, Richard D. Chappuis III and
John N. Chappuis; a daughter,
Cherie Chappuis Kraft; seven
grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; one great-grandchild;
and four step great-grandchildren. Abramson was preceded in
death by her first husband, Col.
Richard D. Chappuis Sr., and her
second husband, Dr. Samuel
“Pete” Abramson. She was also
preceded in death by one son,
Edward Randolph Chappuis; one
sister; and two brothers.
Contributions may be made in
her name to Hospice of Acadiana,
the UL Lafayette Foundation or
the Carmelite Monastery.
OR THE SEMESTER YOU LAST ATTENDED THE UNIVERSITY
CARMEN MILLER, ’48,
died Sept. 17,
2005. He taught in Basile, La.,
and Eunice, La., for 29 years and
was principal at St. Francis
School in Iota, La., for two years.
Miller was also an entomologist.
He earned a bachelor’s degree
from SLI and a master’s degree
from LSU. He acquired 30-plus
hours from the University of
Texas at Austin and other universities. He is survived by his wife,
the former Mattie Langley; and
six sons, Mac, Steve, Carmen,
Willie, Mark and Jeff.
CURRENT JOB TITLE
BUSINESS NAME
BUSINESS ADDRESS
PROFESSIONAL DUTIES
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
FORREST K. DOWTY SR., a philanthropist and long-time supporter
of UL Lafayette, died Dec. 9,
2005, in Lafayette. He served on
the Board of Trustees of the UL
Lafayette Foundation for many
years. The Foundation’s office on
St. Mary Boulevard is named in
honor of him and his wife,
Chantal. Dowty founded
Magnolia Liquor, a liquor and
wine wholesaler serving southwest Louisiana. He was named its
president in 1970 and chairman
of the board in 1977. Dowty
retired from the company in
2001. He is survived by Chantal
Dowty; two daughters, Rhany
Dowty Friloux and Kathleen
Dowty Falgoust; eight grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
RUSSELL MILLER FAULKINBERRY,
head football coach at USL from
1961 to 1973, died Nov. 15,
2005, in Lafayette. He was 77.
Teams he coached won the Gulf
States Conference Championship
in 1965, 1968 and 1970. He was
named Conference Coach of the
Year four times and was named
Louisiana Coach of the Year
once. After leaving coaching,
Faulkinberry spent 15 years as an
administrator for alcohol and
drug programs in hospitals. After
retirement, he served as a private
coach to Jake Delhomme, now
quarterback of the Carolina
Panthers, and Brandon Stokley,
who is a wide receiver for the
Indianapolis Colts. In 2000,
Faulkinberry was selected to the
All American Coach’s Hall of
Fame. Survivors include his wife,
Bonnie Faulkinberry of Lafayette:
two daughters, Lee Faulkinberry
Morgan of Orlando, Fla., and
Mary Faulkinberry Helenius of
UL Alumni Association
SPOUSE’S NAME
FIRST
MIDDLE
LAST
600 E. St. Mary Boulevard
P.O. Box 40151
Lafayette, LA, 70504-0151
MAIDEN NAME
SPOUSE’S USL OR UL LAFAYETTE GRADUATION DATE
AND MAJOR, IF A FORMER USL STUDENT
CHILDREN
(IF ANY ARE UL LAFAYETTE STUDENTS OR USL GRADUATES, PLEASE INDICATE)
Please mail this form to La Louisiane, Box 41009, Lafayette, LA 70504-1009
or send it online at www.louisiana.edu/lalouisiane
42
LA LOUISIANE
|
SPRING 2006
DENISE GALLAGHER
CURRENT DATE
Phone: (337) 482-0900
Fax: (337) 482-0931
Email:
[email protected]
Website:
www.louisianaalumni.org
ALUMNI PROFILE: STEVE ELLIS
Alum’s community service earns president’s praise
WHITE HOUSE / PAUL MORSE
award honorees because the president was running late.
STEVE ELLIS, ’80, was impressed with President George W. Bush
IBM’s National Black Family Technology Awareness Program
when the two met in February.
is intended to help bridge the “digital divide.” A 2004 national
Bush was impressed with Ellis, too.
study showed that computer use by blacks lags behind that of
The former USL track team member was one of five people
Bush honored during an African American History Month ceremo- non-Hispanic whites by 14 percent. Internet use by blacks trails
that of non-Hispanic whites by
ny at the White House. Each
almost 20 percent.
earned the President’s Volunteer
Ellis said IBM’s program is
Service Award.
intended to show the benefits of
In a speech that day, Bush
computer and Internet use. It
described the award as “the highstresses web sites that provide supest level of commendation a presiport, such as tutoring or assistance
dent can give in recognition of
with job searches.
those who have contributed their
“Even though you may not
time and their talent and their enerown a personal computer, you can
gy to helping others.”
still have access to a computer,” he
Ellis was cited for his particicontinued, citing public libraries as
pation in the National Black Family
a resource.
Technology Awareness Program
Ellis grew up on a sugar cane
sponsored by his employer, IBM. It
plantation in Thibodaux, La. He and his
provides African American families
older brother, Curtis, were recruited for
access to technology training, prothe USL track program by Harold
motes the importance of technoloPorter, who was a stellar member of
gy education and encourages stuthe team at that time.
dents to pursue careers in science
“That’s not a coincidence. It’s
and engineering.
an example of someone reaching
Ellis coordinates the program
back to help,” Ellis said.
for six schools and community cenWhile a student at USL, he was a
ters in the Dallas/Fort Worth-MetroOn his first trip to Washington, D.C., Steve Ellis, ’80,
founder of Black Progressive Students,
plex area. He also teaches basic
met President George W. Bush. Ellis was invited to the
a campus political action organization.
and advanced computer classes to
White House to receive the prestigious President’s
He was also a member of Kappa Alpha
parents and students.
Volunteer Service Award.
Psi, a service-based fraternity.
The USL grad spent about 10Ellis participates in several serv15 minutes with Bush while photos
ice organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity and the Plano
of award recipients were taken. “He’s just a regular person. He’s
Boys and Girls Club Saturday Tutoring Program.
really personable and engaging . . . He’s passionate about
He and his wife, Erane, involve their three daughters in
African American history and focuses awareness on African
their volunteer efforts. “Community service,” he said, “is a way
American history being American history,” Ellis said.
of life.” ■
Ellis also met Vice President Dick Cheney, who greeted the
Tampa Fla.; four step-children,
Isaac Hanks and Cherami Hanks
Bass of Baton Rouge, La., Robert
Hanks of Crowley, La., and
Mitchell Hanks of Covington, La.;
two grandchildren; and nine stepgrandchildren. Contributions may
be made to the Coach Russ
Faulkinberry Memorial Athletic
Fund through the UL Lafayette
Office of Development.
died Feb.
10, 2006, in Lafayette at age 88.
Prior to his retirement in 1981, he
JOHN WENDELL GILFRY
was employed with the Music
Department at UL Lafayette for
more than 25 years. Before joining the university’s faculty, he
taught music at Lafayette Senior
High School, Lafayette
Elementary School and Clinton
Kelly High School in Portland,
Ore. Gilfry was a member of
many organizations, including the
Louisiana Music Educators
Association, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi
Beta Mu, the Veterans of Foreign
War and the American Legion. He
was a retired lieutenant colonel in
the U.S. Air Force and a decorated
World War II veteran. He was a
recipient of the American Theater
Service Medal, the Asiatic Pacific
Theater Service Medal and the
World War II Victory Medal. He
continued serving with the U.S.
Air Force Reserves, through the
Korean and Vietnam wars, until
his retirement.
Philanthropist EULA “LULU”
BURTON HILLIARD died Nov. 24,
2005, in Lafayette. An avid tennis
player and fan, she helped form
the Tennis Association of Lafayette
Ladies, which assists and supports
tennis clinics for children in lowincome areas. She and her husband, Paul Hilliard, were major
benefactors of an art museum on
UL Lafayette’s campus that opened
in 2003. It was named in their
honor. In addition to her husband,
she is survived by two sons, David
B. Roemer and Lamar B. Roemer;
four step-daughters, Diane
Hilliard, Paula Breaux, Linda Rava
and Donna Phillips; 21 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
LA LOUISIANE
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SPRING 2006
43