Summer 2010 Cornerstone

2 CORNERSTONE • SUMMER 2010

A Publication Devoted to the Benefactors of the LSU Foundation

Director of Foundation Communications Sara E. Crow

EDITOR Scott M. Madere

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Amanda Eisman

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tammy Abshire

Ginger Guttner

Mimi LaValle

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Eddy Perez

Rachel Saltzberg

Jim Zietz

Cover: Gov. Bobby Jindal and LSU students celebrate thegroundbreaking of the Business Education Complex.

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Construction Commenceson LSU Business Education Complex

LSU Laboratory School Names HighSchool Wing HonoringWilliam Louis Albritton

LSU Rural Life Museum Opens New Visitor Center

Devon Wade Becomes LSU’s SixthTruman Scholarship Recipient

Amedisys Pledges $1 Million to Business Education Complex

LSU Hilltop Arboretum Receives Over $1 Million from Supporters

Chevron Presents $900,000 to College of Engineering

Alumnus Clarence M. Eidt Jr. Makes Generous Gift to Engineering

6 Entergy Gift to LSU Engineered to Develop Workforce for Louisiana

Les and Dot Broussard Honoredfor Campaign Gifts Benefiting Basic Sciences and Electrical & Computer Engineering

Janice H. Pellar and EMCOTechnologies Make Creative Arts Entrepreneurialship a Reality

Engineering Outreach Gets a Lift from BP Solar Buggy Donation

Campus Beautification Fund Supports First AnnualSpring Greening Day

Louisiana Business Emergency Operations CenterOpens at LSU

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SUMMER 2010 • Volume 22, Number 1

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A yellow-crownednight heron was thefirst non-oiled

injured bird broughtto LSU following the oil spill in theGulf of Mexico.

Dear Friends,

This is a very important time to be a

supporter of LSU. The current worldwide

economic situation is an historic challenge

that necessitates changes in the ways our

university operates and sets priorities.

Maintaining and cultivating our tradition of

student, faculty and research excellence is

critical—we have come too far to allow our

outstanding growth to come to a halt.

LSU has emerged as a destination for high-achieving

students and distinguished faculty, one that represents

what is best about the people and culture of Louisiana. We

continue to be a Tier One institution that is nationally

recognized for academic achievement and research. When

you support LSU academics through the LSU Foundation,

you send a signal that you have confidence in LSU, and

that efforts to support academic achievement are important

to you. There has never been a more important time to

send that message.

It is no secret that LSU is experiencing a budgetary crisis.

There is less state support available for LSU than in years

past, and changes will have to be made. Among these is a

greater commitment from our university community to

embrace private philanthropy as a means of supporting our

most critical goals. State funding has allowed LSU to

operate and to educate hundreds of thousands of alumni,

but it has not been enough to achieve the level of

performance expected of a national flagship institution.

That is where our responsibility as alumni and friends of

LSU begins.

What can we, as individuals, do to make a

meaningful impact? The Forever LSU

Campaign places a high priority on the areas

of faculty and student support. Specifically,

scholarships, professorships and fellowships

are areas of critical importance that we—

alumni and friends of LSU—can affect through

our giving. Growing LSU’s endowment is also

a very important priority; the health of the

endowment is directly tied to LSU’s ability to

both sustain itself and to reach the next level of

achievement as a university.

Your past actions in support of our university have

shown us the path forward. As we celebrate 150 years of

LSU this year, I hope you have taken or will take time to

visit the campus, re-engage with the things you love about

LSU, and get to know the students and faculty whom

you support.

LSU would not be the great university it is without the

involvement, vision and commitment of our loyal

supporters. We are grateful for your active role in shaping

LSU’s future.

Forever LSU,

Maj. Gen. William G. Bowdon, USMC (Retired)

President and CEO, LSU Foundation

5

In March, LSU Chancellor Michael Martin and E. J. Ourso College of

Business Dean Eli Jones co-hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the LSU

Business Education Complex, future home of the E. J. Ourso College of

Business. The crowd of ceremony guests, which gathered in the parking lot

east of Patrick F. Taylor Hall, included Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and

Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden.


“We made this historic investment because it was a

tremendous step to strengthen the future of our flagship

university,” Jindal said. “Indeed, this groundbreaking marks

an important commitment to helping LSU develop into a

highly competitive institution rivaling the very best

universities in the world. This project is truly a partnership

between the private sector and the

public sector, and it demonstrates our

shared vision of producing first-class

entrepreneurs of the next generation

right here in Louisiana.”

In November 2009, Jindal announced

the state’s $30 million commitment in

capital outlay funds for the BEC, in

turn immediately authorizing the

opening of the construction bid

process. The winning bid was

submitted by The Lemoine Company,

which counts among its completed

projects the Cox Communications

Center for Student-Athletes on LSU’s

campus and the LSU Museum of Art in

downtown Baton Rouge.

“This collaborative effort with the

state is a perfect example of how LSU

and the Legislature can support one

another,” Martin said. “For the past few

decades, the university has delivered on

its promise to the state to gain national

prominence. Building the Business

Education Complex and continuing to

educate tomorrow’s business and industry leaders with as

many advantages as possible is our next promise.”

Jones lauded Jimmy Maurin of Stirling Properties and Bill

Slaughter of SSA Consultants, co-chairs of the E. J. Ourso

College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council’s Louisiana

Business Building Oversight Committee.

“The leadership of Jimmy and Bill throughout this entire

process has been exemplary,” Jones said. “It is a reflection of

what we have seen all throughout the

DAC membership in regard to the BEC,

and I am grateful for all of their

guidance and assistance in making sure

this project was green-lit. We still have

a ways to go as far as fundraising for

the BEC is concerned, but we are

certainly nearing the point where the

premier business education facility in

which faculty will teach and conduct

research and tomorrow’s business

leaders will learn is within sight.”

The Lemoine Company took over the

BEC site March 1, and the anticipated

completion date for the complex is

spring 2012. The BEC will be composed

of a four-story rotunda, two banks of

pavilions housing classrooms and

departmental offices, and a structure

featuring an auditorium and graduate

classrooms.

A construction camera, a

construction blog and BEC floor plans

are available online at

www.bus.lsu.edu/building. •

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Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal addresses the crowd gatheredfor the groundbreaking of the new Business EducationComplex.

Top left: Dignitaries officially break ground on the massiveconstruction project, the completion of which is a central goal of theForever LSU Campaign.

Chancellor Emeritus William Jenkins signs his name on aconcrete slab that commemorates the groundbreaking.

Biedenharn graduated from LSU Laboratory School in 1974and was very active during her eight years at the school. She wasa member of the National Honor Society and active in StudentCouncil, serving as representative her sophomore year, secretaryher junior year, and president her senior year. Biedenharnrepresented the LSU Laboratory School at District and State Rallyin typing, placing first at State Rally two years in a row. She saysthese experiences “prepared me for life in general.” “No matter how long I am away, Baton Rouge is always home,

and I am always drawn to U-High,” she said. •

Aceremony was held January 15 to officially name the LSULaboratory School (“U-High”) high school wing forWilliam Louis Albritton, an LSU alumnus, a World War II

veteran, and father of Carol Albritton Biedenharn, a prominentLaboratory School supporter and alumna. The naming of W.L. Albritton Hall was made possible by a

contribution Biedenharn made to the LSU Laboratory SchoolFoundation, helping the LSU Laboratory School Foundationexceed its $5 million campaign goal. Gifts contributed by allsources to the LSU Laboratory School Foundation’s CapitalCampaign (currently totaling $6.3 million) are also countedtoward the university-wide Forever LSU Campaign.“I already had a pledge in mind, and when I saw the

opportunity to have the Albritton name on the high schoolbuilding, considering the history of my grandfather and father,both graduates of LSU, it seemed appropriate,” Biedenharnshared. “Everything I am and everything I have done in my life Iowe to experiences gained from U-High. I have been veryhumbled by the honors bestowed on me. The faculty, the serviceorganizations, many of the students both in my class and fromother classes, meant so much to me. I find myself fortunate tohave the means to help, and I was honored to have theopportunity to thank people who give back to the institutionthat helped mold me. I’ve grown to appreciate all my learningexperiences at U-High and have grown up to love and appreciateBaton Rouge.” Biedenharn’s father was a native and resident of Baton Rouge

for 86 years at the time of his passing, in 1994. Albritton was aNavy Lieutenant Commander of the U.S. during World War IIand a 1930 graduate of the LSU Law School. He was also amember of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, Baton RougeCountry Club, City Club, Baton Rouge Assembly, DucksUnlimited, and Baton Rouge Bar Association.

Dating back to LSU’s founding in 1860, numerousmembers of the Albritton family have

graduated from LSU. Biedenharn recollects, “My fatherwas extremely proud of his father,Alvin, who was recognized as one ofthe University’s youngest graduateswith a double major.” Alvin was also a native and

resident of Baton Rouge and was an1899 graduate of LSU’s CivilEngineering program and a memberof the first graduating class at theLSU Law School in 1908.

The Biedenharn family stands in front of the newly named W.L. AlbrittonHall at U-High.

Ceremony guests celebrate the naming of W. L. Albritton Hall.

8 CORNERSTONE / SUMMER 2010

The LSU Rural Life Museum’s newly renovated, expandedVisitor Center opened January 15. The 20,000-square-foot

addition includes a lobby, an expanded gift shop, a multiuseinterpretive movie room, exhibit space, classroom/lecture space,restrooms and administrative/volunteer offices. The purpose ofthe new facility is to enhance the visitor experience, protectvaluable collections, and ensure successful future growth of the museum.“This is an important day for LSU and for our visitors from

around the state and beyond,” said LSU Rural Life MuseumDirector DavidFloyd. “We have acommitment toeducate ourstudents andvisitors, and thecompletion of thisbuilding is animportant steptoward fulfillingour mission. I believe Steele andIone Burden wouldbe proud of whatwe haveaccomplished.”The Visitor

Center expansion

and renovation was made possible by the Whispers of Changefundraising campaign, initiated by the Friends of the LSU RuralLife Museum. Donors generously gave more than $5 million tocomplete this transformative project. John and Frances Monroe,general chairs, and John Barton Sr., Dr. Paul Murrill and SueTurner, honorary chairs, led efforts to build community support.The LSU Rural Life Museum is located on property donated to

LSU by Steele and Ione Burden and Mr. and Mrs. Pike Burden. Themuseum provides insight into the lifestyle and culture of 18th-and 19th-century Louisianans. It features the largest collection of

material culture of 19th-century Louisiana andcontains 32 historic buildings on 25 acres. Designers of the Visitor Center took

special care to preserve the rural setting andfeel of “days gone by,” in keeping with theBurden family’s vision for the museum and gardens. •

LSU Laboratory School faculty, parents,

alumni and students gathered May 6 to

officially break ground on a new gymnasium

and physical education and performing arts

center. This is the latest in a series of

improvements that have transformed LSU

Laboratory School’s campus environment in

recent years. The new structure will provide

an assembly area capable of hosting the school’s

entire elementary, middle and high school

student population. The school’s athletic teams

and various student organizations will also have

space to compete and perform within the

new facility. •

A mule “breaks the gate” on the new facility.

Construction Underway on New U-High Gymnasium

LSU and Rural Life Museum officials stand beside thelocomotive in the new Visitor Center courtyard onopening day.

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ExxonMobil employees and retirees continued their longstanding support of LSUacademics with a $1,129,585 gift from the ExxonMobil Foundation, presented April 30to the LSU Foundation and the Forever LSU Campaign. Included were many individual

gifts that were eligible for ExxonMobil’s Educational Matching Gift Program in 2009. This isthe third consecutive year in which LSU has received more than $1 million in matching fundsfrom ExxonMobil. “The consistent and generous support of ExxonMobil and its employees, retirees and

annuitants means so much to the students and faculty of our university,” said Maj. Gen.William Bowdon, president and CEO of the LSU Foundation. “We are honored to haveExxonMobil as a friend of LSU, and we thank them deeply for the leadership and vision theyshow to higher education through their matching gift program. This is only one of manyexamples why ExxonMobil is admired in our community and across the globe.”ExxonMobil’s Educational Matching Gift Program is a leader in private industry, having

donated to colleges and universities nationwide for several years. In 2008, LSU became thefirst university in the world to receive more than $1 million in matching funds fromExxonMobil in one calendar year.“These generous donations from ExxonMobil employees and retirees validate their belief in

higher education as an investment for the future,” said Baton Rouge Refinery Manager SteveBlume. “This focus on education is paving the way for leaders of tomorrow who will be crucialfor the continued success of our country.”Participants in the ExxonMobil Educational Matching Gift Program include current

employees, retirees, annuitants and surviving spouses of former employees and companydirectors. Since its inception in 1962, the program has provided more than $423 million tohigher education in the U.S. •

ExxonMobil representatives and LSUofficials celebrate the third consecutiveyear in which the University hasreceived more than $1 million inmatching funds from the organization.


Roger H. Ogden Recognized for Outstanding Support of the LSU Honors College

Devon Wade Becomes LSU’s Sixth Truman Scholarship Recipient

The LSU Honors College and the Forever LSU campaignrecognized longtime supporter Roger H. Ogden at a

ceremony held March 16 in the historic LSU French House.Ogden’s vision for and generosity toward the Honors College’sstudents, faculty and staff was most recently exemplified by hisgift to create the Roger H. OgdenDeanship, a $1 million professorship thatprovides endowed support to the dean inhonor of Ogden’s son, Roger Hadfield“Field” Ogden. “As Louisianans, one of the most

important things we can do for thefuture of the state is to support theflagship university and, in particular, theHonors College. The LSU Honors Collegeis our best bet for keeping the very bestand brightest in Louisiana. It is theseyoungsters who qualify to go to theHarvards, Stanfords or Dukes that wemost desire to keep in Louisiana andwho, together with LSU, will lead thisstate to unimaginable heights in thisnew century,” Ogden said of his support.Created in 1992, the LSU Honors College is a four-year

residential college comprised by 1,500 of LSU’s highest achievingstudents in all majors. They are served through a dynamicinteraction of outstanding instruction, innovative research and

public service. The college’s selective admissions programrequires a 30 ACT and a 3.5 GPA.

“The goals of the LSU Honors College go beyond academicexcellence,” said Nancy Clark, dean. “The Honors Collegeexperience fosters community and develops leaders in an

environment that challenges andenlightens. There is certainly no betterexample for our students and faculty toemulate than Roger Ogden, whoconsistently provides the type ofleadership that impacts learning acrossLSU’s campus.” Ogden is a 1968 business graduate of

LSU who has led a lifetime of service tothe university, beginning with his role asstudent body president and continuinginto professional life through hisinvolvement with multiple colleges atLSU, among them the Honors College,the E. J. Ourso College of Business andthe College of Art & Design. Ogden hasalso served on the LSU Board ofSupervisors, including as its chair. He is

a resident of New Orleans and owns Ogden Development andInvestments, which specializes in commercial real estatedevelopment. He is also a founding partner of Stirling Properties. •

(L-to-R): Maj. Gen. William G. Bowdon, president andCEO of the LSU Foundation; Nancy Clark, dean of theHonors College; Roger Houston Ogden; Roger Hadfield“Field” Ogden; Astrid Merget, former LSU executivevice chancellor and provost; and Michael Martin, LSU chancellor

This spring, Devon Wade became the sixth LSU studentand first African American LSU student to be awarded

the prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship. Wade, 20, isa rising senior at LSU double-majoring in Sociology, witha concentration in Criminology, and African & AfricanAmerican Studies. He will graduate in December 2010.A true example of defying the odds, Wade and his three

brothers were raised by their maternal grandparentsbecause Wade’s father is in federal prison and his motherhas been in and out of state prison. He grew up wanting tobe a law enforcement officer and to major in African and AfricanAmerican studies to learn about his roots.“My grandmother always told me to be at the top of everything

I do, so I figured being an FBI Special Agent was at the top becausethey need a four-year degree,” Wade said. While in high school, Wade earned college credits at Houston

Community College and spent a summer abroad studying at theUniversity of Dar es Salaam in Africa. At LSU, Wade is involved inthe local NAACP chapter and College Democrats. He also serves asa mentor for No More Victims, Inc., an organization that providesaid to children of incarcerated parents.

“They do not have to be a victim of their circumstancesor surroundings,” Wade said of his passion to inspirechildren from disadvantaged backgrounds. “I want toshow them that I did not let that determine my path inlife, and neither should they,” Wade said. Wade is one of 60 Truman Scholars this year—selected

from a pool of 576 candidates—who collectively represent54 colleges and universities nationwide. Wade is the onlyrecipient chosen from Louisiana and the first LSU recipientwho is not also a part of the Honors College. He follows in

the footsteps of Micaela de Gruy (2009), Claire Kendig (2008),Cynthia “CC” Dubois (2006), Jacob Landry (2005), and AllenRichey (2003). An LSU student has reached the finalist stage of theTruman Scholarship process in seven of the past eight years.The Truman Scholarship Foundation was established in 1975 by

Congress as the federal memorial to the late President Harry S.Truman. The purpose of the scholarship, which provides up to$30,000 for graduate study, is to recognize college students withexceptional leadership potential who are committed to careers ingovernment, the nonprofit or advocacy sectors, education orother areas in public service. •

Devon Wade

11

Amedisys Home Health Services, a leading provider of home health care and

hospice services, pledged $1 million to the Forever LSU Campaign for the

construction of the LSU Business Education Complex, the new home for

LSU’s E. J. Ourso College of Business.

“At Amedisys, we believe learning provides the impetus for a substantial

competitive advantage in the marketplace,” said Bill Borne, Amedisys’ chief executive

officer and chairman of the board. “As a learning organization, we are fully

committed to supporting the university’s efforts to enhance learning opportunities

for students in the E. J. Ourso College of Business. Our $1 million gift represents our

commitment not only to learning within our organization, but also to the greater

community that we serve.”

Borne founded Amedisys in 1982. His leadership

has resulted in the company being recognized by

various media outlets, including Inc. magazine,

Investor’s Business Daily, Forbes magazine,

TheStreet.com, CNBC, BusinessWeek and

Fortune magazine.

In 1990, Borne was named The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report’s Young

Businessperson of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2004, Forbes magazine

named him its Entrepreneur of the Year, and he received the Guardian Angel Award

from the Caring Institute. Three years later, Borne served as a speaker for the LSU Flores

MBA Alumni Association-Louisiana Chapter’s “Louisiana Looking Up 2007” event. He

currently serves on the E. J. Ourso College’s Dean’s Advisory Council and was inducted

into the college’s Hall of Distinction in 2009. •

(L-to-R): Michael Martin, LSU chancellor; BillBorne, chief executive officer and chairman ofthe board for Amedisys; Eli Jones, dean of theE. J. Ourso College of Business; Maj. Gen.William G. Bowdon, president and CEO of theLSU Foundation


Where Am I?

How well do you know campus? Can you identify where

this campus detail resides? The answer appears later in

this issue! •

13

LSU Hilltop Arboretum Receives Over $1 Million from Supporters

LSU’s College of Science and itsDepartment of Geology & Geophysics

held a ribbon-cutting ceremony March 31for the grand opening of the newlyrenovated Clarence P. Cazalot,Jr./Marathon Oil Corporation Atrium inthe Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex.Funds for the renovation were donated tothe project through the LSU Foundationas a gift to the Forever LSU Campaign.The atrium, which has been heavily

used by students as a gathering place, isnow a multipurpose showplace that offersroom for lectures, meetings, presentationsand recruiting programs for Geologystudents, who are recruited bypetrochemical, engineering, construction,design and other organizations worldwide,as well as by top graduate programs for careers in academia.Clarence P. Cazalot Jr., a 1972 graduate of LSU with a

bachelor’s degree in Geology, became president and CEO of

Members of the Friends of Hilltop have, along with otherindividuals, corporations and foundations, collectively

contributed $1,066,494 in cash and pledges to the Forever LSUCampaign for the construction of an enclosed educationalfacility at the LSU Hilltop Arboretum on Highland Road. Since 1998, Friends of Hilltop has

included in its long-range master planan enclosed facility that would serve as amodel of sustainable building practicesand environmental stewardship for theresidents of Louisiana. This newstructure is part of Lake/Flato Architects’original architectural design, whichincludes the buildings that now houseHilltop’s administrative offices, library,gift shop and open-air Margaret HomesBrown pavilion, built in 2000.Lake/Flato of San Antonio, Texas, isinternationally recognized forenvironmentally responsible design. As LSU’s first LEED-certified structure,

the new building will be both aneducational tool and an example to thecommunity. LEED, an acronym for Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design, is the international benchmark for

sustainable building.The LSU Hilltop Arboretum strives to be a nationally

recognized center for the study of plants and landscape design.The 14-acre nature preserve is noted for its collection of morethan 150 species of plants native to Louisiana, its unique

topography, and its reputation as areadily accessible space where peoplecan experience and learn about nature,plants and the Louisiana landscape. Stewardship of Hilltop is shared by the

LSU Reich School of LandscapeArchitecture and Friends of Hilltop.Hilltop is an integral part of the school,which uses the Arboretum in itsresearch, teaching and service activities. Friends of Hilltop is a nonprofit

corporation established to maintain andimprove the property donated by EmorySmith to LSU in 1981. In addition tomaintaining and improving the site,Friends of Hilltop annually hostseducational activities and programs formore than 5,000 people, including

children of all ages, adults and professionals seeking continuingeducation credits. •

Cazalot-Marathon Oil Corporation Atrium Opens

Marathon Oil Corporation in 2002. He isthe only CEO of a Fortune Top 50company who graduated from a school inthe Southeastern Conference. Cazalot’s generosity and commitment

to LSU are directly responsible for thecreation of the Marathon GeoscienceDiversity Enrichment Program, whichprovides funding for 20 undergraduatescholarships and five graduate fellowshipsthat target high-achieving students fromunderrepresented groups. In addition, his personal gifts and those

made through Marathon have created theMarathon Oil Corporation DistinguishedSpeaker Series and provided support forthe renovation of the LSU Geology FieldCamp outside Colorado Springs, Colo.

Cazalot and Marathon Oil Corporation are the principalsupporters of the Applied Depositional Geosystemsprogram, an industry-focused graduate curriculum. •

The ribbon is cut on the newly renovated Cazalot-Marathon Oil Corporation Atrium. (L-to-R): Maj. Gen.William G. Bowdon, president and CEO of the LSUFoundation; Michael Martin, LSU chancellor; ClarenceP. Cazalot Jr., president and CEO of Marathon OilCorporation; and Kevin Carman, dean of the College of Science

(L-to-R): Dr. Paul W. Murrill, co-president of the Friendsof Hilltop Board of Governors; Jeff McLain, vice presidentfor development for the LSU Foundation; Cathy Coates,co-president of the Friends of Hilltop Board of Governors;Michael Martin, LSU chancellor; and David Cronrath,former dean of the College of Art & Design

Chevron recently presented a $900,000 pledge payment tothe Forever LSU Campaign as part of its ongoing “Achieving

Excellence Together” partnership with LSU. The gift is acomponent of the company’s University Partnership Program.Programs supported by the gift are the Chevron Petroleum

Engineering Emerging Faculty Recruitment Fund in the Craft &Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering; the ChevronEngineering Professorship Support and Development Fund, inseveral engineering departments; the Chevron Engineering Post-Doctoral and Graduate Student Fellowship Fund, in engineeringdisciplines for which awards will be given competitively toqualified applicants, with preference to underrepresented groups;and the Chevron Engineering Multi-disciplinary ReservoirVisualization Center, a program that will be based in theCraft & Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering tobenefit students in Petroleum Engineering, Geology &Geophysics, and Information Systems & Decision Sciences.“LSU’s College of Engineering has enjoyed a strong and

productive relationship with Chevron that has expanded overmultiple decades,” stated Richard Koubek, dean of the College ofEngineering. “Chevron’s gift showcases the positive influence ofthe college’s partnership with industry to transform lives throughour students, research, alumni and global community. We aregrateful to have the support and cooperation from an energy

leader such asChevron.” More than 400

current Chevronemployees worldwidereceived degrees fromLSU. Each year,Chevron matchesabout $150,000 inemployee gifts to LSU, doubling the impact of its employees’philanthropic support. “Chevron has an unwavering commitment to being a goodpartner focused on building productive, collaborative, trustingand beneficial relationships,” said Clay Neff, Chevron generalmanager of operations. “Chevron still believes there is nobetter example of that commitment than our continued

partnership with LSU.”On February 28, 2008, LSU announced a $4.75 million gift

commitment from Chevron Corporation—the largest one-timecorporate cash donation to the LSU Foundation in its history. Thecurrent $900,000 pledge payment is the second installment of thatcommitment. Prior to the gift announced in 2008, ChevronCorporation had given more than $2.4 million to LSU, primarilythrough gifts designated to the College of Engineering. •

Clarence M. Eidt Jr. recently donated $600,000 to the GordonA. & Mary Cain Department of Chemical Engineering. Eidt

is a two-time LSU alumnus, holding bachelor’s (1956) andmaster’s (1962) degrees in Chemical Engineering. “Mr. Eidt’s contribution to the department will help us

tremendously with our drive towards acquiring the private fundsnecessary to make our new chemical engineering building areality,” explained Dr. K.T. Valsaraj, chair of the Gordon & MaryCain Department of Chemical Engineering. Most of Eidt’s gift ($500,000) will help fund the new Chemical

Engineering Building, while the remainder will contribute to histwo existing Chemical Engineering professorships. This $100,000portion is eligible for a state match, thereby increasing thedonation by $40,000. Eidt said of his decision to donate, “Having personally benefited

from the generosity of earlier alumni, with an out-of-statescholarship, it simply seemed appropriate for me to now do mypart. I’m also convinced that a much stronger tradition of alumnisupport is critical to the College of Engineering and the ChemicalEngineering Department achieving ever higher levels ofperformance and recognition.”A native of Natchez, Miss., Eidt started his career in engineering in

1956 with Exxon’s Research and Development Laboratories in Baton

Rouge. He held severalpositions with thecompany, rising topresident of ExxonResearch and Engineeringin October 1993. Eidt heldthis position until hisretirement in December1997. During his careerwith Exxon, Eidt receivedmultiple patents fortechnological advances in his field and authored several publications. Eidt is a member of the American Institute of Chemical

Engineers, the American Petroleum Institute, and the Society ofAutomotive Engineers. He was a chair of the LSU ChE IndustryAdvisory Board and was inducted into the LSU Engineering Hallof Distinction in 1985. With regard to LSU’s role in his career in engineering, Eidt said,

“In addition to acquiring a sound foundation in chemicalengineering fundamentals, my experience with departmentfaculty sparked a lifelong interest in technology and technologydevelopment. This was subsequently satisfied by a rewarding 42-year career with Exxon involved in industrial R&D andengineering work.” •14 CORNERSTONE • SUMMER 2010

Chevron Presents $900,000 to College of Engineering

Alumnus Clarence M. Eidt Jr. Makes Generous Gift to Engineering

(L-to-R): Richard Koubek, dean of the College ofEngineering; Bill Hunter, manager of ChevronCorporation’s University Partnership Program andLSU alumnus; Michael Martin, LSU chancellor;Stuart Watkins, Student Government president

Clarence Eidt Jr. and Jeff McLain, vicepresident for development for the LSUFoundation

15

The future of engineering and nuclear physics in Louisiana got a boostlast November, when Entergy and the Entergy Charitable Foundation

awarded $249,972 to the Forever LSU campaign for multiple initiatives. Thegift will allow LSU to strengthen the power program in ElectricalEngineering and jump-start a nuclear engineering and health physicsprogram aimed at encouraging students to pursue careers in nuclear powerproduction. The program will be held jointly in the Colleges of Engineeringand Science.

“This is a strategic investment in the future workforce of Louisiana tomake our state more attractive for energy research, development andmanufacturing,” said Renae Conley, president and chief executive officer ofEntergy Louisiana, Inc. “The students who graduate from this program willbe an incredible resource not only for Entergy, but also for businesses andindustry throughout Louisiana.” A portion of the gift will establish the Entergy Doctoral Scholars Program

in Power Systems to support faculty and research for power education in theDepartment of Electrical & Computer Engineering. Entergy has also donatedfour power simulators for use in the ECE PowerSystems Laboratory.“We’re extremely thankful to Entergy for

this generous grant to help us better equipLouisiana State University’s students for futurecareers right here at home,” said LSU Chancellor Michael Martin. Producing electricity using nuclear energy is becoming more relevant as

the benefits to customers—including lower fuel costs and less impact on theenvironment—become more obvious.The award will facilitate the design and implementation of a workforce

development program provided through a unique collaboration betweenLSU’s Departments of Physics & Astronomy and Mechanical Engineering.The program will prepare students for a variety of careers in the field ofnuclear power production. Young people in Louisiana need to know that Entergy is a leader in the

power industry, and that there are many opportunities for future careers intheir own backyard,” said John Herron, president and chief executive officerof Entergy Nuclear. “ •

Rick and Holly Wolfert of Greensboro,Ga., recently donated $500,000 to the

Forever LSU Campaign for theconstruction of LSU’s Business EducationComplex. The Wolferts previouslyestablished the Frederick E. “Rick” andHolly A. Wolfert Professorship in Business. “Holly and Rick’s dedication to the

Business Education Complex istremendous,” said E. J. Ourso College Dean

Eli Jones.“We thanktheWolferts fortheirgenerosityand theirtime. They

truly exemplify the spirit of LSU.”Rick is the president and chief executive

officer of Tygris Commercial FinanceGroup, Inc., a commercial financecompany that provides liquidity andgrowth capital to middle-marketcompanies throughout North America,and he has held a number of executive andmanagement positions with otherfinancial services companies. He is amember of the Louisiana Business BuildingOversight Committee on the E. J. OursoCollege Dean’s Advisory Council and hasbeen inducted into the college’s Hall of Distinction. “When the Business Education Complex

is completed, LSU students and faculty willhave the benefit of a modern facility that

is critically needed to attractoutstanding students and faculty andallow the college to pursue its vision to berecognized as one of the nation’s premierbusiness schools,” said Rick. “Holly and Iare excited to see the terrific progress thathas been made with the buildingcampaign and are pleased to have played apart in it.”Rick and Holly Wolfert graduated from

LSU in 1976, earning bachelor’s degrees insecondary education and marketing,respectively. Rick is also a graduate of theStonier Graduate School of Banking at theUniversity of Delaware. During his time atLSU, Rick played basketball under CoachDale Brown. •

(L-to-R): Richard Koubek, dean of the College of Engineering;Michael Martin, LSU chancellor; Renae Conley, presidentand chief executive officer of Entergy Louisiana; Timothy G.Mitchell, senior vice president of Engineering and TechnicalServices for Entergy Nuclear; Astrid Merget, former executivevice chancellor and provost; Kevin Carman, dean of theCollege of Science

Entergy Gift to LSUEngineered to

Develop Workforcefor Louisiana

Wolferts Donate to the Construction of New Business Education Complex

Holly and Rick Wolfert

Les and Dot Broussard were honored by the university with acelebratory luncheon recognizing their philanthropic gifts to

the Forever LSU Campaign.“On behalf of the students, faculty and

staff, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Lesand Dot. Their gift further underscores thecouple’s commitment to the future ofengineering education,” said Dr. JorgeAravena, interim chair for the Departmentof Electrical & Computer Engineering.The Broussards established an alumni

professorship in the College of Science and ascholarship in Electrical & ComputerEngineering, and provided support for theECE Revitalization Initiative.The ECE Revitalization Initiative seeks to

improve and enhance programs andfacilities in the ECE Department byproviding the financial resources forsignificant and much-needed upgrading of ECE’s laboratories andequipment, as well as for important enhancements to current andplanned ECE educational programs. “State-of-the-art facilities and modern programs are essential to

maintaining outstanding quality ECE graduates,” said Aravena.“Dot and I are pleased to support LSU’s academic mission

through the Forever LSU Campaign. I am indebted to LSU for myprofessional accomplishments and believethat the University’s preparation of itsgraduates is second to none,” said Les of hislongstanding support of LSU. “LSU is abeautiful place where my son and I wereprepared to venture out into the real world.” Les is a 1958 Electrical Engineering

alumnus who retired as plant manager fromMobil’s Beaumont facility in 1993. He heldvarious management positions inengineering, maintenance, economics &planning, operations, and plant and refinery management in his 36 years withthe company. The recipient of the Les and Dot Broussard

professorship in Science is Dr. Brian J. Hales,an adjunct professor of biophysical/bioinorganic chemistry whohas held the professorship since February 2006. His research focuseson the different roles trace metals play in biology. •

Les and Dot Broussard Honored for Campaign Gifts Benefiting Basic Sciences and Electrical & Computer Engineering

CSRS, Inc., a Baton Rouge-based engineering, architecturaland program management firm, pledged $180,000 to

establish and fund an endowed distinguished professorship inCoastal Engineering in the Department of Civil &Environmental Engineering.“This gift will be a tremendous asset in helping us to retain top-

quality faculty for our new Coastal Engineering program,” statedGeorge Z. Voyiadjis, Boyd Professor and chair of the Department ofCivil & Environmental Engineering. “We are very appreciative tothe CSRS partners, including LSU Engineering alumni MichaelSongy and Ron Rodi, for their generous support of this vital effort.”The CSRS Distinguished

Professorship in CoastalEngineering is the first giftestablished to supportfaculty for LSU’s newCoastal Engineeringprogram. The CoastalEngineering program atLSU was developed inresponse to the increasedemphasis placed statewideon addressing the crisis ofLouisiana’s deterioratingcoastline. The programprovides a uniqueopportunity for thosechoosing to pursue a

career in coastal protection and restoration engineering.“This professorship marks a progressive step of paramount

importance for the LSU Coastal Engineering program and ourefforts to provide research and development of engineeringsystems and processes for estuarine-based coastlines,” said Collegeof Engineering Dean Richard Koubek. With an expected match of $120,000 from the Louisiana Board

of Regents, the professorship will help LSU faculty address thecontinuous threat of coastal flooding, the erosion of Louisiana’sbarrier islands, and the loss of coastal wetlands.“As first-hand observers to the very real challenge of protecting

and restoring Louisiana’scoastline, CSRS iscommitted to helping LSUinitiate this unique andpromising program aimedat the development ofengineering systems andprocesses for coastalrestoration,” said CSRSPrincipal Ronald Rodi, P.E.“While this gift is the firstof its kind, it is our hopethat our gift willencourage others in thecommunity to similarlyshow their support for thisprogram.” •

(L-to-R): Dr. Jorge Aravena, interim chair for theDepartment of Electrical & Computer Engineering;Les Broussard; Dot Broussard; Richard Koubek,dean of the College of Engineering

CSRS, Inc., Pledges $180,000 Civil and Environmental Engineering


(L-to-R): Michael Martin, LSU chancellor; Dr. George Voyiadjis, chair, Boyd Professor andBingham C. Stewart Distinguished Professor for Civil and Environmental Engineering; AstridMerget, former executive vice chancellor and provost; Garret Graves, director of coastal activities forthe Office of the Governor; Ron Rodi, principal for CSRS; Michael Songy, principal for CSRS; ChrisPellegrin, principal for CSRS; Curt Soderberg, principal for CSRS; Richard Koubek, dean of theCollege of Engineering; Maj. Gen. Bill Bowdon, president and CEO of the LSU Foundation

Classroom Naming Acknowledges Richard and Seola Edwards’ Contributions

College of Engineering and Fluor Bolster Safety Education

Richard “Dick” and Seola “CeCe” Edwards were officiallyrecognized for their contributions to French Studies at LSU

with the naming of the Seola Arnaud Edwards and Richard V.Edwards Jr. Classroom. Located in 424 Hodges Hall in theDepartment of French Studies, the classroom is equipped formultimedia presentations and lectures. The Edwards have given more than $250,000 to LSU during the

Forever LSU Campaign, gifts that reflecttheir enduring support for French languagestudies and for preserving Louisiana’sFrench cultural heritage. In addition to theiractive participation in the Friends of FrenchStudies at LSU, they have established threeendowed professorships in French Studies,including one honoring Jacques Arnaud,CeCe’s ancestor and the founder ofArnaudville, La., and another honoring herparents, Albert and Angelle Arnaud. “Dick and CeCe Edwards’ endowment of

three professorships in French Studies, andthe time they have devoted, particularly to the Ubaye Valleyprogram, have transformed the lives of many of our students andenhanced the quality of one of the College of Arts and Sciences’most distinguished departments,” said Gaines Foster, interim deanof the College of Arts & Sciences.The Edwards have recognized CeCe’s family’s connections to

the town of Arnaudville and Jausiers, its sister city in France, by

establishing the Ubaye Valley Program Endowed Professorship,honoring Mr. and Mrs. Jean Mercier, Mr. and Mrs. Jean Robert,and Mr. and Mrs. Pierre Martin Charpenel. This professorship wasestablished in recognition of three couples who are civic leaders inthe Ubaye Valley in southeastern France and who have played acrucial role in providing local community support for theimmersion program that enables 20 LSU students to study in

France each summer. The region is theancestral home of the Arnauds, and theEdwards have been tireless financial andmoral supporters of the program, its facultyand the LSU students who have studiedthere.“Mr. and Mrs. Edwards’ personal

investment in the French Department atLSU is immeasurable,” commented KevinBongiorni, currently the Ubaye ValleyProfessor of French Studies. “Thedepartment’s flagship program, LSU in theUbaye Valley program, would not existwithout them.”

The Edwards’ contributions to the Forever LSU Campaign alsoinclude an endowed professorship in the College of Science andgifts to the College of Engineering, the LSU Alumni Association,the LSU Rural Life Museum, and the LSU Ag Center. Dick, a 1952LSU graduate in Electrical Engineering, and CeCe, a native ofArnaudville, La., reside in The Woodlands, Texas. •

Dick and CeCe Edwards cut the ribbon to theclassroom named in their honor.

17

Fluor Corporation recently announced a $200,000transformational gift to the Forever LSU Campaign to accelerate

progress of the Industrial Safety Research Laboratory, housed inLSU’s Department of Construction Management & IndustrialEngineering. Fluor’s contribution will help the CMIE Departmentlead the College of Engineering’s efforts to enhance the currentIndustrial Safety Program, integrating safety management, fireprotection, risk assessment, conservation of resources,sustainability and field/site engineering and construction. “Louisiana and the Gulf Coast Region are the geographic focal

points of much of the nation’s oil and gas industry,” said Collegeof Engineering Dean Richard Koubek. “With global demandsincreasing, the need for a qualified, highly trained and safety-minded workforce is critical.” The competencies of LSU engineering students are greatly

enhanced by their access to lab experience, participation indesign projects, and exposure to modern technology andequipment. Fluor has announced an additional $50,000philanthropic gift for the College of Engineering and LSU CareerServices to promote multiple industrial initiatives, includingstudent organizations, diversity camps and student projectdesign and production projects. “Partnering with a major university like LSU that maintains a

premier engineering program helpsFluor in its strategic recruitmentand hiring of the next generationof quality personnel who will helpour company provide theengineering, procurement,construction and maintenanceservices for many of the world’smost complex and challengingcapital projects,” stated JimKenney, LSU alumnus and Fluor’sexecutive sponsor for LSU College Relations.LSU became a Fluor Partner University in 2007, though Fluor’s

historical support of LSU began in 1996. Total contributionsexceed $400,000. “Our objective is to build an industrial safety program into a

premier venue for conducting health, safety and environmentalresearch and imbuing crucial safety values to engineeringstudents,” said Koubek. “Fluor’s generous gift will help make thatgoal achievable by providing funding to renovate the facility andpurchase equipment vital to hands-on safety instruction that isboth smarter and safer.” •

(L-to-R): Maj. Gen. WilliamBowdon, president and CEO of theLSU Foundation; Jim Kenney,assistant general counsel and LSUexecutive sponsor for Fluor Corp.;Jim Lilly, vice president of powersales for Fluor Corp.; and RichardKoubek, dean of the College ofEngineering


Ascholarship fund honoringNancy Norris, a 1973 graduate of

the Manship School of MassCommunication, has been enhancedgreatly by an estate gift left by herparents, Iris and James Norris.Approximately $125,000 inscholarship support has beenallotted to the fund by the will ofthe elder Norrises, who passed awayin recent years.Linda Villemarette, niece of Iris and

James Norris, describes her aunt and uncle’s gift as a fittingmemorial to their daughter, who died in September 1994 dueto complications associated with asthma. “Nancy was a really loving, moral lady who I respected and

loved,” said Villemarette. “My aunt and uncle honored herwith this scholarship, and to me it just sealed their love for herwith an eternal kiss. Few children are ever honored this way,with such a wonderful perpetual gift from their parents.”Sandra Cordray, a friend of Nancy, created the Nancy Norris

Memorial Scholarship fund in 1994. The support allotted tothe scholarship fund in the will of Iris and James Norris has aunique feature that will provide a source of continuousfunding to Manship students who will benefit from thescholarship in future years. “In addition to the lump sum that was given to Nancy’s

scholarship fund, one half of my uncle’s interest in our familyproperty’s mineral rights has been given to the fund, too,”Villemarette explained. “This will mean that Nancy’sscholarship fund should continue to stay ‘endowed’ as long asthe earth produces gas here in the Ruston, Louisiana area. ““The Norris family trusted the LSU Foundation with their

ultimate gift. Nancy Norris will be remembered forever throughher scholarship,” said Gwen Fairchild, director of plannedgiving for the LSU Foundation.Though Nancy’s undergraduate work was done at Northeast

Louisiana University, she earned her master’s degree at LSU.Villemarette says Nancy always valued her opportunity at LSUand was a tiger her entire life. “Just going to LSU was a treat forher. Tiger fever stayed with her.”After Nancy’s death, Villemarette says Iris and James Norris

eagerly awaited news of which Manship student wouldcontinue Nancy’s legacy as her scholarship recipient. “She wastheir only child, so their family line was ending. They decidedto set up this scholarship so that she would be rememberedand her ‘line’ would continue,” Villemarette said. “My auntand uncle cherished receiving the notification as to whoreceived the scholarship and what the recipient’s personalstory happened to be.”“I am very appreciative of the Norris Memorial Scholarship

because, without scholarships such as this one, I wouldn’t havebeen able to continue my education at LSU,” said Leigh Phillips,the most recent recipient of this scholarship. “I believe thecommitment of the Norris family to the Manship School will becarried on by the students they help to educate here.” •

LSU’s College of Engineering is known for producingpractical, solution-oriented graduates. George W. “Bill”

and Stephanie Barineau’s $100,000 pledge to LSU’sEngineering Communication Studio will help these graduatesbetter express their ideas in the workplace. The pledge, which includes a match from ExxonMobil,

represents the first private gift that the College of Engineeringhas received for the studio since its founding as a jointinitiative of the college and the Communication across theCurriculum Program. The Bill and Stephanie BarineauEngineering Communication Enrichment Fund will be used toupgrade studio equipment and technology, such as 3-Dscanning and printing. “Bill is a 1957 Petroleum

Engineering graduate andretired employee of Exxon.During his 35-year careerwith Exxon, he enjoyedworking in the coalindustry and engaging inassignments worldwide. Itwas this experience thatinterested him indeveloping thecommunication skills ofengineering students.“I am amazed at the

advancements in theindustry and technology,”said Bill. “LSU taught methe ins and outs of engineering, but we didn’t have theadvantage of extensive communication training when I was in school. I remember when I was in management at Exxon, I would see so many capable students who were truly well-versed in engineering but would struggle to communicatetheir ideas and present themselves. So, I am pleased andexcited to see that LSU is taking the lead in preparing studentsbeyond the traditional nuts-and-bolts curriculum.”Stephanie, a former educator, concurs. “LSU students have

always been well-prepared and technically bright, but likestudents around the world, they need to refine theircommunication skills to be successful. The work that theCommunication across the Curriculum and EngineeringCommunication Studio does touches so many students andfaculty, while reaching out across disciplines. That is what welove about this particular gift—the interdisciplinary, cross-communication nature of the program. It is one of the mostworthwhile things we have invested in, and we stronglyencourage others to support this much-needed program.”The Barineaus have generously supported many educational

enhancements at LSU, including specific gifts to the College ofAgriculture for the George Barineau, Jr. Distinguished Professorof Wildlife and Fisheries, in honor of Barineau’s father, and twoprofessorships for the College of Music & Dramatic Arts. In2006, the Barineaus also established the George WilliamBarineau, III Endowed Professorship in the School of the Coastand Environment. •

Nancy Norris

Barineau’s CommitmentSharpens EngineeringCommunication Skills

Estate Gift Honors theMemory of ManshipSchool Graduate Nancy Norris

(L-to-R): Students Joshua Board, CivilEngineering; Lauren Pattee, PetroleumEngineering; and Elizabeth Beard,Mechanical Engineering, with Stephanieand George W. “Bill” Barineau

19

LSU alumni Beverly and Jerry E. Shea Jr. donated $100,000 tothe Forever LSU Campaign for the construction of the new

Business Education Complex.“Jerry and Beverly Shea are dedicated LSU alumni whose gift to

the BEC exemplifies their commitmentto making LSU truly exceptional,” saidE. J. Ourso College of Business Dean EliJones. “We are so appreciative of theirloyalty and support of this mostimportant endeavor.”Beverly earned a bachelor’s degree in

home economics in 1972 and a master’sdegree in human ecology in 1975. Jerryreceived a bachelor’s degree inpetroleum engineering in 1972 and anMBA in 1974. “It is of utmost importance that LSU

be able to graduate the next generationof entrepreneurs to allow the great stateof Louisiana to move forward,” Jerrysaid. “This complex will aid in keepingthe best and brightest of Louisiana at

home to study and to build newbusiness opportunity.”Jerry is managing director of Business Development for The

Bayou Companies, Inc., an Insituform Company headquartered inNew Iberia, La. He is a member and pastchairman of the LSU Board ofSupervisors, served as chairman of theLSU Alumni Association Board ofDirectors, and has been inducted intothe LSU Alumni Association’s Hall ofDistinction.

“The greatest resource of anyuniversity is its people. Jerry andBeverly Shea reinforce that idea everyday through their personal involvementwith LSU and through the impact oftheir giving to LSU academics,” saidMaj. Gen. William G. Bowdon,president and CEO of the LSUFoundation.The Sheas are members of the LSU

Foundation Laureate Society.•

(L-to-R): Jerry and Beverly Shea receive an LSU FoundationLaureate Society plaque from Maj. Gen. William G.Bowdon, president and CEO of the LSU Foundation.

The generous, long-term contributions of Janice H. Pellar havemade possible the creation of the Janice H. Pellar

Entrepreneurialship in the Creative Arts. The project will promote careers in digital media, arts

administration and internet-based business, introducing LSU’sfuture professional artists to entrepreneurial concepts andallowing them to design methods for achieving their career goals.The Pellar Entrepreneurialship will focus on real-world challengesand experiential learning and encourage students to explorecareer possibilities beyond traditional professions, such asperforming or teaching. “The only sure thing about the vocational and economic

futures of our students is uncertainty,” said Laurence Kaptain,dean of the College of Music & Dramatic Arts. “With that inmind, we need to continue providing high-level artistic andscholarly training, but also assure that our students can identifyand develop the transferable skills that will sustain them for alifetime of contributions to society and self-fulfillment.”The Pellar family is a longtime contributor to LSU. Janice

Harvey Pellar earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Education fromthe LSU School of Music in 1973. In 1988, she was namedpresident of EMCO Technologies, a position she continues todayas the company’s chief operating officer. Pellar attributes her LSUeducation in music and her strict, disciplined regimen as a skilledartist to her success as a businesswoman.

“Janice Pellar is a role model for our community, students and

faculty. She has taken her LSU degree and experience in musiceducation and applied the skills she gained here to build a verysuccessful communication technologies firm, EMCO. We are proudof Janice Pellar. We appreciate her generosity, and the permissionto use her name, and her company’s name, to launch this originaland valuable two-year project for our students,” said Kaptain.Janice and Gerald Pellar have also made an estate gift to the

College of Music & Dramatic Arts that will provide meaningfulsupport for the School of Music. •

(L-to-R): Maj. Gen. William G. Bowdon, president and CEO of the LSUFoundation; Michael Martin, LSU chancellor; Janice H. Pellar; Gerald W.Pellar; Lawrence Kaptain, dean of the College of Music & Dramatic Arts; Jane Cassidy, interim director for the School of Music

Janice H. Pellar and EMCO Technologies Make Creative Arts Entrepreneurialship a Reality

Sheas Donate to Business Education Complex


Sigma Consulting Group, Inc., established the Mike Dooley, P.E., Professorship in Civiland Environmental Engineering through a pledge to the Forever LSU Campaign. The

$60,000 professorship will qualify for an eventual state match of $40,000. This gift will be used to support professors and promote both undergraduate and graduate

studies in CEE, an essential component to help find effective solutions for problemscurrently faced in the state of Louisiana. Sigma President Miles Williams said, “The folks at Sigma are thrilled to be able to honor

our founder, Mike Dooley, by establishing this endowed professorship. One of the manythings that Mike has passed along to our staff is a sense of commitment to our community,and especially to the young people that are about to enter our profession.” Dooley, a 1974 LSU alumnus who also earned an MBA from Arizona State in 1981, has an

extensive connection with LSU. His years as a student-athlete culminated in him beingnamed an All-SEC Diver and captain of the swimming team in 1973. Dooley has remainedcommitted to his alma mater, specifically to the CEE Department. He served as an adjunctinstructor for several years and was instrumental in establishing and chairing the CEEProgram Advisory Committee, which facilitates interaction between the faculty andpracticing engineers.Dooley began his engineering career at the Louisiana Department of Transportation and

Development as a bridge design engineer and then a field project engineer. He worked forseveral consultants before establishing Sigma in 1987. •

BP America gave $75,000 to the Forever LSU Campaign tobenefit the College of Engineering. Included in BP’s donation

is a new BP Solar-Powered Buggy to be used for K-12 outreachprograms and with LSU Mechanical and Electrical Engineeringstudents.“BP’s philanthropy has made an immediate impact by providing

state-of-the-art resources for student success at LSU,” stated RichardKoubek, dean of the College of Engineering.

Presenting the BP Buggy and an additional $65,000 to be used forenhanced global awareness initiatives for LSU engineering studentswere BP employees Bob Fryar, CEO of the Angola business unit andPetroleum Engineering alumnus; Luis Aguillar, operations engineerand Chemical Engineering alumnus; Keith Seilhan, operationsdirector for the Gulf of Mexico and Mechanical Engineeringalumnus; and Karl Connor, government affairs director forArkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Koubek noted, “These LSU engineering alumni from

BP showcase the strength and dedication of our alumnito give back to the college and advance our program.”These students are the backbone of our industry and

will be developing and applying the technologies oftomorrow that will enable us to continue our successfultrack record of providing energy to America,” said Fryar.The solar-powered, all-electric buggy is a modified Bad Boy

standard all-terrain vehicle. This unique buggy uses solar panelsmounted on the roof to charge the power cells. It represents asustainable form of energy and mobility and has a 30 horsepowermotor, providing more than 170 foot-pounds of torque. Thevehicle has room for four passengers, with a load capacity of 880pounds, and can pull a small trailer loaded with 1,500 pounds.Only for off-road usage, it has a maximum speed of 22 miles per hour. •

(L-to-R): Don Eisenberg, associate director ofdevelopment for the College of Engineering,and Dr. Warren Waggenspack, associatedean for academic programs in the Collegeof Engineering, with Sigma ConsultingGroup, Inc., employees Mike Dooley,director; Miles Williams, president; StevenBrasuell, director; and Greg Sepeda, vicepresident and chief engineer

Above: (L-to-R) Bob Fryar, CEO of BP’s Angolabusiness unit; Michael Martin, LSU chancellor;

Richard Koubek, dean of the College ofEngineering; Astrid Merget, former

executive vice chancellor and provost

Engineering OutreachGets a Lift from BP Solar Buggy

Donation

Professorship Honors Engineering Alumnus Mike Dooley

Kappa Delta’s Epsilon chapter is celebrating its 100thanniversary at LSU by pledging $100,000 to create a

gateway sign at the intersection of Dalrymple and LakeshoreDrives. Since summer 2009, chapter members and alumnaehave generously given $60,000 toward that goal.“The Kappa Delta chapter members told us they wanted to

do something that would have a lasting and permanent valueon campus, as they feel Kappa Delta has had over the course ofits first century,” said Kathy Marcel, member of Kappa Delta’sEndowment Committee for its anniversary celebration. “Theyhope that other student organizations will join the effort tohelp our university reach its campaign goal and move forwardas one of the top institutions from not only an academicstandpoint, but a student life standpoint.” The gateway sign will be a key part of LSU’s Wayfinding

Project, which aims to revolutionize how visitors receiveinformation about where to go and what to see on campus.Central to that effort is finding a better means of simply lettingpeople know where LSU’s property lines begin.Kappa Delta’s drive to attain support for this project

represents one of the largest student initiatives benefiting theForever LSU campaign. Of significant note is that this projectdemonstrates the impact a student organization can have onthe future of LSU, even its physical appearance, byspearheading private philanthropy. •

Dr. Farrokh Shokooh, a successful entrepreneur and anElectrical & Computer Engineering alumnus, recently

returned to LSU to host a seminar and reception for students,faculty, alumni and industry representatives. Now presidentand CEO of Operation Technology, Inc., in Irvine, Calif.,Shokooh created the world’s industry-leading electric powersystem analysis and designsoftware—known simply as ETAP. OTI, the designer and

developer of ETAP, wasdeveloped in 1986 tocommercialize the ETAPproduct, software thatfound its origins in LSU’selectrical engineering powerlabs. The Electrical TransientAnalyzer Program is theindustry leader usedworldwide in all types andsizes of power systems.Currently, 94 percent of U.S.nuclear energy companiesuse ETAP in theirinstallations.

“I found that what Ideveloped as a graduatestudent at LSU was better than any software in the world,”Shokooh shared. At age 17, Shokooh moved from

Tehran to Baton Rouge, where hesubsequently earned bachelor’s, master’sand doctoral degrees in Electrical Engineering at LSU.Originally majoring in Basic Sciences and MechanicalEngineering, Shokooh found his niche in ElectricalEngineering. Following graduation, Shokooh spent a yearteaching at LSU as an assistant professor before leaving tobegin his career in the power industry.During his recent visit to campus, Shokooh graciously

donated 20 licenses of ETAP software to LSU. “I owe this product to the education I received at LSU. This

gift is a homecoming of ETAP, and this visit is my homecomingas well,” announced Shokooh. The donation will provide essential learning tools for

students interested in a career in power engineering.•

Dr. Farrokh Shokooh

Kappa Delta SupportsForever LSU withWayfinding Project

Alumnus Returns Homeas SuccessfulEntrepreneur

Above: (L-to-R) From Kappa Delta’s Epsilon chapter, Samantha Navarra,vice president of public relations; Brooke Barnett, advisory board chair;Lauren Musso, 2009 Panhellenic delegate; and Carra Jane Williams, vicepresident of recruitment, with Dr. K.C. White, dean of students; JasonSoileau, assistant director of physical plant and facility services; and JamieSegar, director of development for LSU’s Division of Student Life

21

Dozens of volunteers from across campus rolled up theirsleeves April 30 to help beautify LSU’s grounds on the

University’s first annual Spring Greening Day. The day markedthe first major campus project undertaken by the LSUFoundation’s Campus Beautification Fund, supported by agenerous contribution from Raising Cane’s.The Campus Beautification Fund supplied materials to volunteers

on 30 campus sites. Volunteers planted flowers, ground cover andornamental shrubs; laid sod; and spread mulch. Included amongthe site projects were permanent improvements to ornamentalplantings, like azaleas and camellias, and ground cover, likejasmine and ivy, to minimize seasonal planting.“We are excited about the students joining our staff as we all

work together to enhance the incredible natural beauty of ourcampus during this special sesquicentennial celebration. What aperfect year to kick off this event!” said Fred Fellner, assistantdirector of Landscape Services.Spring Greening Day allowed LSU’s Landscape Services to get

summer plantings in place in a single day, as opposed to several weeks. “By pulling students outside their niches and into the open air to

plant flowers for the LSU community, we can establish roots inorganizations that would otherwise have no ties with greeninitiatives,” said Elizabeth Hingle, member of the Spring GreeningDay Student Advisory Committee. “Spring Greening Day events alsohelp students open their eyes to a brighter future for LSU’s campus

and the Baton Rougecommunity throughsustainability in a funand interactive way.”The Albermarle

Foundation, LSUStudent Governmentand the StudentActivities Board fundedadditional activities heldin conjunction withSpring Greening Day.“In my opinion, an

event like SpringGreening Day gives theaverage student a senseof ownership over theircampus,” said CasSmith, member of the Spring Greening Day Student AdvisoryCommittee Member and director of sustainability for LSU StudentGovernment. “Additionally, the event’s sustainable message is agreat opportunity to advocate for ways an individual can protecttheir planet.”Part of the funding for campus beautification comes from

proceeds associated with the sale of the official LSU ornament,available at www.lsuornament.com. All proceeds from the ornamentbenefit the LSU Foundation’s Campus Beautification Fund. •

Top: A volunteer plants ground cover.

Middle: The LSU swim team pitches in to createlandscaping beds in front of Lockett Hall.

Bottom: Raising Cane’s is one of the partnersthat made Spring Greening 2010 possible.


23

LSU Wildlife HospitalProvides Care for Animals Injured in Oil Spill Zones

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine’s WildlifeHospital of Louisiana was invited by the

Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries toprovide veterinary medical care for non-oiled injuredanimals from areas affected by the oil spill. As part ofits mission—and in an effort to allow theorganizations in charge of caring for oiled wildlife toexpend their resources effectively—the WHL canprovide veterinary care to injured wildlife.The WHL received the first non-oiled injured bird, a

yellow-crowned night heron, on May 1. The heron wasfound by Tri-State Bird Rescue and transferred to theWHL by the Louisiana State Animal Response Team.LSU has since also treated brown pelicans, whitepelicans and cormorants.The number of injured wildlife not affected by oil

will likely increase as more people begin to work inwhat normally would be a low-populated area. Thiswill lead to the identification of injured animals thatotherwise may not have been identified by thegeneral public. The Wildlife Hospital cares for wildlife at no charge

to the individual or agency bringing in the animal.The hospitalrelies onmonetary giftsto cover the costof veterinarycare for theseanimals, whichare treated fordisease and/orinjury and thenrehabilitatedbefore beingreleased backinto the wild. •

Dr. Javier Nevarez, director of the WildlifeHospital of Louisiana at the LSU School ofVeterinary Medicine, examines a yellow-crowned night heron that was brought toLSU May 1.


LSU teamed up with several public, private and academicpartners in Louisiana to create a business-oriented emergency

operations center for the state. The Louisiana BusinessEmergency Operations Center will work to enhance the state’semergency management efforts by supporting the continuity ofbusiness and industry during and after a crisis or emergency.The LA BEOC, located at LSU’s South Campus on GSRI Avenue

in Baton Rouge, officially opened June 2 with a press conferenceand ribbon-cutting ceremony. The facility is a partnership amongthe LSU Stephenson Disaster Management Institute, LouisianaEconomic Development, the Governor’s Office of HomelandSecurity and Emergency Preparedness and the University ofLouisiana at Lafayette’s National Incident Management Systemsand Advanced Technologies Institute.The mission of the LA BEOC is to support disaster management

in Louisiana by developing an accurate understanding ofeconomic impacts to critical infrastructures and major economicdrivers, as well as coordinating businesses and volunteerorganizations with the public sector. Through the LA BEOC, thestate will work to improve disaster preparedness and response;reduce reliance on FEMA and other federal assistance; maximizebusiness, industry and economic stabilization; and return thebusiness environment to normal operations quickly.“The LA BEOC will provide real support to Louisiana’s business

community by providing a direct line of communication forcritical industry associations to state government agencies so thatresources can be committed to help them get businesses back upand running as quickly as possible. The center’s value has alreadybeen realized through its involvement with the Gulf of Mexico oilspill response efforts,” LSU Chancellor Michael Martin said.The LA BEOC was funded by the partnering agencies, as well as

other corporate partners. In addition, Entergy Louisiana, LLC, andEntergy Gulf States Louisiana, LLC, presented the Forever LSUCampaign with a $250,000 gift for the LSU Stephenson Disaster

Management Institute. The LSU Stephenson Disaster ManagementInstitute will use the donation to complete the final phase of theLA BEOC, which includes a full suite of operations offices,technology, furniture, communications and filing systems, twoexecutive conference rooms with video conference capabilitiesand a break room.“Entergy’s donation of $250,000 is an investment in preparation

and collaboration as we respond together to the needs of citizensduring times of disaster,” said Renae Conley, president and chiefexecutive officer of Entergy Louisiana, LLC and Entergy GulfStates Louisiana, LLC. “It will help all of us work together toimplement smart, collaborative emergency management when itis needed most.”In connection with the LA BEOC, Louisiana will be the first

state in the nation to release a public version of Google Earth, andcitizens of Louisiana will now have access to Louisiana Earth.During a disaster, the LA BEOC will provide critical information toLouisiana Earth, which will be maintained by GOHSEP. This is thefirst time this technology will be used in such a unique way forthe public.

The LA BEOC will be both a physical and virtual structure thatwill house up to 40 key representatives from the businesscommunity, volunteer organizations and state government. Whenactivated, the LA BEOC and its representatives will make disasterrecovery recommendations to LED, GOHSEP and the UnifiedCommand Group.Louisiana businesses are encouraged to register at

www.LABEOC.org to provide information about the productsand services they can provide to support the state’s disasterresponse plan. The website also provides a secure way to donatemoney, goods and services during times of disaster, and willprovide information about the economic impact of disasters onthe state. •

Louisiana Business Emergency Operations Center Opens at LSU

Above: Officials from state government andLSU cut the ribbon on the LA BEOC.

Would you like secure,

DR. MARY LOU APPLEWHITEChair, College of Science / Forever LSU Campaign Cabinet

“This is the best investment I have ever made. I only wish I had chosen a larger amount.”

A charitable gift annuity through the LSU Foundation will allow you to both

a two-life annuity for you and your spouse (or other designee). Upon your

of your choice.

-

60 5.2 70 5.8 80 7.2 90+ 9.5

Sample Age Yearly Rate

Gwen FairchildDirector of Planned Giving

225-615-8914 or 1-800-452-7928

Jane HensleeAssociate Director of Planned Giving

225-615-8914 or 1-800-452-7928

Forever LSU Student Video Contest PlacesCampaign Message inCreative Hands

Armed with video cameras of allshapes and sizes—and ideas to

match—LSU students last fall took on thechallenge of creating promotional videosfor the Forever LSU campaign. Aftermonths of shooting, editing and refining,a winner was chosen for the Forever LSUstudent video competition. ElizabethScott and Leah Steven’s “LSU is…Forever” video, available atwww.foreverlsu.org/students, was selectedby vote of the student body in February. Students were asked to create and

submit videos that best summarize theForever LSU campaign spirit and howfellow students can contribute to thefuture of LSU. In November, a panel ofstudents and judges whittled down awide field of two- and three-minutevideos to three finalists. Each finalistthen received mentoring from Emmy®Award-winning producer, director andLSU alumnus Robert Zimmerman.Zimmerman helped the finalists reshootand edit their videos on professional-grade equipment and refine their ideasinto final form.For their outstanding efforts, all three

finalists received 32-gig iPod Touches.The grand prize winner of thecompetition received a 13-inch 2.53GHzMacbook Pro and a one-year Central “B”Parking pass and Easy Streets wand. Scott and Steven’s video is being used

in conjunction with Forever LSU’smarketing and public relations efforts,giving these young filmmakers anopportunity to have their work seen bythousands of tiger worldwide. •


Meet Gloria Peters...LSU Foundation Employee of the First Quarter, 2010

Gloria has worked on campus for 29 years, 14 years with the LSU Foundation and15 years with the Alumni Association.

She is an Accounting Tech in the LSU Foundation’s gift processing department, whereshe is responsible for updating and processing payroll and Smart Call pledges andposting thousands of gifts to the donor’s record on the Tails database.If Gloria could be anyone on LSU’s campus for a day, she “would want to be Les Miles

on the day he plays against Nick Saban.”Most of Gloria’s co-workers don’t know that Gloria had the privilege of seeing several

former U.S. presidents when they attended the dedication of the Lod Cook building. Abrick with Gloria’s name was placed at the entrance of the Lod Cook building. She feels very fortunate to have spent her entire career at LSU and has developed

many close friendships with her co-workers. “It is truly a blessing and a joy to be a part of this university,” Gloria said. •

L S U F O U N D A T I O NCS

Jacob Fontenot...LSU Foundation Employee of the Fourth Quarter, 2009

Jacob Fontenot, assistant director of research, is responsible for the research andmaintenance of the alumni database. He joined the LSU Foundation in May 2007,before which he worked at LSU’s Middleton Library.In his free time, Jacob enjoys watching movies, playing computer strategy games, and

reading about current events, history and popular science. Jacob likes walking aroundcampus and playing basketball.As an alumnus of LSU, Jacob has great memories of classes with his favorite professors,

and of “nights at the dorm talking politics and life with guys from the U.K. and theformer Soviet Republics.”Asked whom he would be if he could be anyone at LSU for one day, Jacob answered,

“Instead of filling someone’s shoes, I’d like to shadow President Lombardi for a day. Iwould like to see what’s involved in steering the entire LSU system through thesecomplicated times.” •

Meet Josh Dicharry...LSU Foundation Employee of the Third Quarter, 2009

Josh joined the LSU Foundation in June 2006 after earning a bachelor’s degree inBusiness, concentrating on entrepreneurship, that May. While working at the LSUFoundation, Josh completed his MBA, with a focus on finance, in May 2009.Josh is the assistant director of the LSU Funds office, where he operates the LSU

Foundation’s alumni call center, TigerTalk, and helps coordinate annual fundraisingefforts across campus. Josh played football at LSU from 2002 to 2006. His favorite memories include his first

time running out of the tunnel on a Saturday night in Death Valley, his first walk downVictory Hill, watching the final seconds tick off the clock in the game against Oklahomain 2004, meeting the president at the White House, and the smell of the grass in anempty Tiger Stadium during summer conditioning drills.If Josh could be anyone on campus for one day, he would be his favorite professor, Dr.

Tommy Karam. “He introduced me to a whole new way to view sports, marketing andbranding,” Josh said. •

27

LSU FOUNDATION

Board of DirectorsOFFICERS

Charles A. Landry (Baton Rouge, La.)Chairman of the Board

Laura L. Dauzat (Marksville, La.) Chair-elect of the Board

Maj. Gen. William G. “Bill” Bowdon (Baton Rouge, La.)President and Chief Executive Officer

Jeffery McLain (Baton Rouge, La.)Vice President for Development

Gina Dugas (Baton Rouge, La.)Chief Financial Officer

William L. Silvia Jr. (Baton Rouge, La.)Corporate Secretary

George Moss (Baton Rouge, La.)Chief Investment Officer

DIRECTORSMark K. Anderson ..............................(Monroe, La.)Jeff H. Benhard .................................(Palmetto, La.)J. Herbert Boydstun ....................(Baton Rouge, La.)J. Terrell Brown ...........................(Baton Rouge, La.)Robert H. Crosby III ......................(Mandeville, La.)Robert Daigle ....................................(Lafayette, La.)William T. Firesheets II ...............(Baton Rouge, La.)T. Cass Gaiennie ............................(Shreveport, La.)G. Lee Griffin..............................(Baton Rouge, La.)Frank W. “Billy” Harrison III ........(Houston, Texas)Gene W. Lafitte...........................(New Orleans, La.)Gary L. Laborde..........................(New Orleans, La.)Laura A. Leach ............................(Lake Charles, La.)David B. Means III...........................(Mansfield, La.)William B. Owens..........................(Alexandria, La.)James R. Peltier ..............................(Thibodaux, La.)John F. Shackelford III ..........................(Bonita, La.)Robert M. Stuart Jr. .....................(Baton Rouge, La.)Sue Turner...................................(Baton Rouge, La.)Burton D. Weaver....................................(Flora, La.)Felix Weill ...................................(Baton Rouge, La.)William H. Wright Jr. ...............(St. Francisville, La.)J. Lanier Yeates ..............................(Houston, Texas)

EX-OFFICIOJohn Lombardi .....................President, LSU System

Michael V. Martin.................Chancellor, LSU A&M

William B. Richardson..Chancellor, LSU Ag Center

Jack Weiss...............Chancellor, Hebert Law Center

Staff NewsJennifer Broadwell is a research associate for the LSUFoundation. She is an LSU alumna with a B.A. in Business

Administration and Marketing.

Sarah Burdeaux is the LSU Foundation’s receptionist and

administrative assistant. She is a graduate of Louisiana Tech

and previously worked at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Jeff Crow is the associate director of development for

Construction Management & Industrial Engineering and

Biological & Agricultural Engineering in the College of

Engineering. He is an LSU alumnus with a bachelor’s degree

in Sociology. He previously worked at Allegis Group/TEK

Systems, Inc.

Sara Exner Crow is the LSU Foundation’s director of

foundation communications. She is an LSU alumna with an

M.S. in Human Resource Education & Workforce Development

and a B.A. in Mass Communication. She previously worked at

LSU Career Services.

Chandler Debetaz Dupont was promoted from

research associate to associate director of development for the

School of the Coast and Environment. Chandler is an LSU

alumna with a B.A. in Mass Communication.

John McGehee is the associate director of development

for Petroleum and Chemical Engineering in the College of

Engineering. He is an LSU alumnus with a B.S. in General

Studies. He previously worked at McKernan Law Firm and has

experience in business development, administration and the

pharmaceutical field. •

If you guessed the newlyrenovated Cazalot-MarathonOil Corporation atrium, you areright! The Allosaurus skeleton isa popular feature for visitors tothe Howe-Russell GeoscienceComplex.Look for a new “Where Am I?”

challenge our next issue!

A Publication Devoted to the Benefactors of the LSU Foundation

LSU Foundation3838 West Lakeshore DriveBaton Rouge, LA 70808

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDBaton Rouge, LAPermit No. 9

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

The observatory atop Nicholson Hall opened in 1939. The

Department of Physics & Astronomy held a public

grand reopening in November 2005, at the time

of Mars’ closest approach. After almost two

decades of inactivity, the Clark telescope

showed beautiful views of the sky to

students and Baton Rouge residents.

At this time, the observatory was

named the Landolt Astronomical

Observatory, in honor of

Professor Arlo U. Landolt’s

long-standing

contributions to

astronomy at LSU,

in the U.S. and

worldwide.

Documents

Summer 2010 Cornerstone