Centenary in the Know

Three missionaries from First United Methodist Church of...

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 12:30:10 -0600

Three missionaries from First United Methodist Church of Shreveport announce their plans to continue their help for those in Haiti.

The group is launching the “City of Hope” at Centenary College’s Gold Dome. Starting Wednesday at 3:00 p.m., the group will build a tent city and sleep there for a week with hopes of raising $1 million to help orphanages in Haiti.

The three missionaries, Nycki Sorensen, 2009 Centenary graduate Britney Winn and Hu Debow, returned to the US Saturday evening from Port-au-Prince on a military cargo plane.

Shreveport Times photo gallery captures spirit of Centenary's Day of Service

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 09:54:00 -0600

Shreveport Times photo gallery captures spirit of Centenary's Day of Service

More than 200 students, faulty, staff and volunteers from the...

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 09:36:56 -0600

More than 200 students, faulty, staff and volunteers from the community took part in the 2nd Annual MLK Day of Service. The event was the kick-off of Dream Week 2010: Keeping the Dream Alive celebrating the life of Martin Luther King with activities designed to capture the spirit of his message, and provide the opportunity to reflect on the past while seeking hope, determination and an opportunity to act upon the promise of the future.

Centenary vs. IPFW photo gallery

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:17:41 -0600

Centenary vs. IPFW photo gallery

Rick Rowe from KTBS Channel 3 in Shreveport visited Centenary...

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:25:57 -0600

Rick Rowe from KTBS Channel 3 in Shreveport visited Centenary College and highlighted the success of the College in this segment that originally aired Dec. 3, 2009.

Centenary Film Society Kicks Off Fall Season With two different...

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:15:00 -0500

Centenary Film Society Kicks Off Fall Season

With two different film series, the Centenary Film Society kicks off its 26th year of bringing the best in international, independent, and classic cinema to the Centenary and Shreveport community.

This year, the film society will feature two different series including “Classic American cinema from the Great Depression era,” and a “French film series” which will be shown in French with English subtitles.

The film series runs now through December 2 with films showing Tuesday nights at the Robinson Film Center in the second-floor screening room, and Thursday nights on the Centenary campus in Jackson Hall, room 304. All screenings begin at 7:30 p.m. and are free to the public.

Category: Entertainment

Elizabeth Lyles ‘09 was one of eight recipients awarded...

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:46:58 -0500

Elizabeth Lyles ‘09 was one of eight recipients awarded foreign-study scholarships by the La Fondation Louisiane. Lyles, a French and communications major, received the Lois and John Breaux Scholarship to study at the University of Mons in Belgium. Elizabeth was recently featured on the LPB program Louisiana: The State We’re In. The program originally aired Friday, Sept 25, 2009.

Nursing is a work of ‘heart’The Tribune Monday, September 21,...

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:31:37 -0500

Nursing is a work of ‘heart’
The Tribune

Monday, September 21, 2009

Trilla Cook

Heather Sharp ‘02, a registered nurse in the Emergency Center at Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital in Humble, always had an interest in emergency medicine and loves the dynamics of the ER.

“You can have a patient with a toothache in one room and CPR in progress in the next. You never know what your next patient will be. There are so many opportunities in the ER to touch, change, or save a life. I have a very strong faith and I know in my heart that this was God’s plan for me. I am meant to be a nurse. This is my passion and there is nothing in the world that I would rather be doing,” Sharp said.

Sharp recently received the 2009 Excellence in Nursing Award in the small hospital category from the Good Samaritan Foundation of Texas. She was selected from among more than 100 nurses from Houston-area hospitals by a committee of respected nurses, and business and medical leaders. She was honored at the 5th Annual Excellence in Nursing Awards Luncheon on Sept. 17 at the Hyatt Regency-Downtown.

Sharp was also selected as the 2009 Clinical Excellence Award Winner – the top nursing award – at Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital.

Sharp earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Centenary College of Louisiana on an athletic scholarship and an associate’s degree in nursing from Lone Star College-North Harris.

“Graduating from nursing school at the top of my class was a great success to me. My first daughter was only 10 weeks old when I started the program. I was also the Student Nurses Association president. I was completely shocked and honored when I learned that I was the recipient of the Memorial Hermann Northeast Clinical Excellence Award for 2009. I was speechless when I received the call from Ellen Tuffly to inform me that I had won the Good Samaritan Foundation Nursing Excellence Award. I had no idea that I was even nominated by my superiors and didn’t understand the magnitude of how awesome this award was. When I looked at the list of nominees I saw names of nurses who had influenced me in my career. They are the people that I look up to and hope to be like as I become more experienced. The selection committee for the GSF award is made of some of the most powerful and influential people in the medical community. I could never put into words how truly grateful, honored, and blessed I am to have been given this award. This is without a doubt the greatest success of my career. I imagine that when I’m old and retired, I will look back on this as the highlight of my career. This truly is one of my proudest moments of my life,” Sharp said.

As a student at LSC-North Harris, Sharp had worked her final two semesters of clinical rotations at Northeast Medical Center.

“I loved the community hospital setting and the staff was so friendly and supportive of nursing students. Working in the ER at Northeast after graduation was my goal, but I knew that it wouldn’t be easy getting directly into the ER as a graduate nurse. I was to the point of settling with my second choice when I got an offer from Northeast. I pulled my car over and cried with such relief because I had my heart set on working there,” said Sharp.

Sharp said the most fulfilling aspect of her work is when she clocks out and drives home she knows she just spent the last 12 hours making a difference.

“I may not get a thank-you from a patient, no matter how hard I work, but I can leave feeling confident that I did my best to care for my patients,” she said.

What she enjoys most about her work are the people she works with.

“Some of my strongest friendships have developed here. On the most physically demanding and most emotionally draining days, it’s my co-workers who get me through. We have such an incredible team of nurses in our ER,” Sharp said. “I can honestly say that when I am at work, I don’t even think of it as a job. It is such a pleasure and a blessing that I can come here, make a difference doing what I love, and get paid for it.”

Sharp was born and raised in Texas, leaving the state only to attended college. Before starting nursing school, Sharp was a volunteer at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands and plans to return to school in the near future for her Master’s Degree.

“My girls are still young and I want to spend my time with them outside of work. I don’t want my career or education to distract me from my family,” she said, adding she could never have accomplished her successes in nursing without the support and inspiration of her husband.

Photo By Trilla Cook

Review: 'Never the Sinner' humanizes two monsters

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:51:26 -0500

September 26, 2009

By Alexandyr Kent
akent@gannett.com

Marjorie Lyons Playhouse opened a gripping production of John Logan’s “Never the Sinner” on Friday. The drama revisits the 1924 trial of killers Leopold and Loeb with sharp character studies, a stark courtroom design and smart multimedia work.

Directed by Emily Heugatter with expert pacing, “Never the Sinner” features Destin Bass (Leopold) and Andrew Wood (Loeb) in a story about two privileged young murderers who consider themselves Übermensch. They kill a 14-year-old boy for the sake of committing a perfect crime, an “experiment” Leopold says is comparable to an entomologist pinning a bug.

Their real-life trial in Chicago was chronicled as a “trial of the century.” And the reportage, as told through “Never the Sinner,” becomes a sensationalized public dialogue about crime and the ultimate punishment: the death penalty.

What’s most engaging about this play is how it humanizes two monsters.

Leopold and Loeb aren’t just cold-blooded killers who confess their guilt and smile when gruesome details arise during their trial. They are egotists who secretly read their headlines with glee. They are lovers whose murderous experiment gets complicated by strange seductions. They are partners in crime who ultimately fail to retain their motive.

Bass and Wood deliver emotions that move the audience from laughter to silence to confusion and, perhaps, even to compassion. These shifts are fascinating.

Their work is made more potent by Don Hooper’s exacting set and lighting design. The wood-decked flooring of the courtroom thrusts to a point at the apron, and the trial is played to the audience that’s singled out as a judge. Above the central witness stand is a screen for a multimedia projection (designed by Scott Gibbs). This is where photographic trial evidence, newspaper front pages and title screens transform a murder trial into kind of distant, silent newsreel.

This interplay makes for an interesting dynamic between the present and history. To reduce these killers to facts and photographs is chilling because it suggests that time ultimately will erase their humanity.

Supporting players also deserve mention. The best work comes from Erik Champney, who plays Robert Crowe, the state’s attorney pushing hard for the death penalty. The actor’s illustration of vengeance is mapped out with a desperate voice, an indignant face and one hell of a closing argument.

David Fitzgibbons plays defense attorney Clarence Darrow, who argues against the death penalty. The actor provides a calm but impassioned counterbalance to Champney’s anger.

In the contentious space between the attorneys, it’s clear what this trial is really about: a conflict between a society hellbent on vengeance and a minority arguing for mercy.

After all, “Never the Sinner” is not simply a trial about killers who are as monstrous as they come. It’s about a culture of violence made equally monstrous by its embrace of eye-for-an-eye punishment. That idea is made crystal clear in this production, which I recommend wholeheartedly.

Reporter Erica Bennett from NBC 6interviews Dr. Harold...

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:58:40 -0500

Reporter Erica Bennett from NBC 6interviews Dr. Harold Christensen, Professor of Economics, on the state of the current economy.

Going “green” in college campus cafeterias is a...

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:06:12 -0500

Going “green” in college campus cafeterias is a growing trend around the country. Centenary College has started a program that uses reusable Eco-friendly containers for “to-go” containers instead of styrofoam containers, creating less waste in the landfills and saving the college $8,500 each year. Shelli Briery from KTAL NBC6 visited the College recently and files this report.

Rick Rowe of KTBS visited Centenary College and talked with...

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:51:00 -0500

Rick Rowe of KTBS visited Centenary College and talked with Professor of French, Dr. Dana Kress, about how students at the College are helping preserve a piece of Louisiana History.

The annual Centenary Book Bazaar takes place Friday, Sept. 11...

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:51:00 -0500

The annual Centenary Book Bazaar takes place Friday, Sept. 11 and Saturday, Sept. 12 and returns to the Gold Dome on the Centenary College campus. Doors will be open from 4 until 9 p.m. Friday, and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission is FREE and open to the public.

The Bazaar, now in its 24th year, is organized and sponsored by the Centenary Muses with proceeds used to fund projects and programs for Centenary students. A Centenary staple for years, the bazaar has raised about $50,000 each of the past three years and has helped pay for items such as computers, rocking chairs for residence hall porches, and athletic equipment.

“Magnificent, Marvelous, Martele: American Art Nouveau...

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:44:06 -0500

“Magnificent, Marvelous, Martele: American Art Nouveau Silver” opens Saturday at Meadows Museum, Centenary College, with a by-invitation-only reception, and to the public on Sunday.

September 10, 2009

Silver collection to be shown at Meadows Museum

By Maggie Martin
maggiemartin@gannett.com

What is “Magnificent, Marvelous, Martele: American Art Nouveau Silver”?

It is a silver collection owned by Robert and Jolie Shelton of Lafayette.

The exhibit opens Saturday at Meadows Museum, Centenary College, with a by-invitation-only reception, and to the public on Sunday.

“The Sheltons have assembled the finest and most extensive collection of Gorham’s Art Nouveau Martele silver in the world,” said a Meadows brochure about the show.

The name of the hand-wrought silver, Martele, is taken form the French marteler, to hammer, said the brochure. “It was the only line of hand-crafted Art Nouveau silver produced in the country.”

“The Shelton collection is considered the most comprehensive assemblage of this luxurious line of entirely hand-wrought silver in the world,” said Sean O’Con, president of Friends of the Meadows, in a news release.

Numbering more than 400 pieces, it was assembled in only six years, O’Con said.

The couple bought their first Martele, an 1898 iced water pitcher, at a New Orleans auction in 1995.

Other items include tea-and-coffee services, punch bowls, candelabras, vases and centerpieces.

The show opens from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday with “Magnificent, Marvelous Martele, Members’ Preview” for Friends of the Meadows Museum members only, but anyone can join Friends. Annual dues start at $35, individual. You can pay at the door.

The schedule, with everything free and at Meadows, unless otherwise indicated:

* 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday. Gallery talk: “The Making of the Martele Collection with the Sheltons,” by the Sheltons. Light refreshments.

* 2 to 4 p.m. Oct. 3. Object identification session with a focus on silver. John Webster Keefe, the RosaMary Curator for The Decorative Arts at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Light refreshments.

* 5:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 4. Friends Gala, Ernest’s Orleans Restaurant, 1601 Spring St., Shreveport. Dinner and art auction with cash bar. Admission, $60 for members of Friends of Meadows Museum, and $75, non-members.

* 2 to 3 p.m. Oct. 11. Lecture: “Gardens of the Art Nouveau Period” by Denyse Cummins of the LSU AgCenter in Northwest Louisiana. Light refreshments.

* 9 a.m., breakfast refreshments, and 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Oct. 24, gallery talk: “Flowers and Plants of the Art Nouveau Period” by Sheila Wiggins, Centenary College grounds coordinator.

* 10:30 a.m. to noon. Oct. 24. Friends Art Nouveau Bulb Sale on the grounds of Meadows. Light refreshments. “The bulb sale has been curated as an Art Nouveau Bulb Sale, that is, the bulbs we are selling are from that period in particular,” O’Con said.

Regular Meadows hours: noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; noon to 5 p.m. Thursday; and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Admission: free.

Information: (318) 869-5040.

The Times photo gallery of the Centenary Kilowatt 5K held at the...

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 07:34:21 -0500

The Times photo gallery of the Centenary Kilowatt 5K held at the Gold Dome, Saturday, Aug. 29. Click the photo for the gallery.

August 27, 2009 Rhyme University takes hip hop to schoolBy...

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 08:49:00 -0500

August 27, 2009

Rhyme University takes hip hop to school

By Donecia Pea
doneciapea@gannett.com

In the world of Southern hip hop, Atlanta is the land of crunk and snap, Houston is the home of chopped and screwed and Shreveport is better known as Ratchet City.

However, one rap duo is carving their own space on the local hip hop landscape.

Charles “Black Caesar” Iyoho and his brother Tony “Bustrip” Iyoho, known collectively as Rhyme University, are gaining fans and popularity with their alternative hip hop style.

Their thought-provoking, message-filled lyrics strewn over old school beats make them easily reminiscent of conscious lyricists such as Common, Talib Kweli and The Roots.

“I’d say our style is a little more geared toward the young college audience or music fans looking for meaningful songs,” Charles said.

Although that description may go against the grain of some commercially mainstream hip hop, as far as Charles is concerned, that’s not such a bad thing.

“I like Soulja Boy, it’s not my style, but he’s good at what he does. At the same time, I respect artists like Kanye West because he has a very soulful, meaningful style,” he said. “It’s good to have that balance and range of hip hop music because it only increases the audience.”

For the past two years, Rhyme University has been performing throughout the area at night spots, including JOSH Lounge, Noble Savage Tavern, the former Actor’s Café (now Bear’s), Centenary College and more. They will celebrate the independent release of their sophomore album, “Sunshine Tears,” with a CD release party Saturday at Little Joe’s Tavern.

After listening to “Shine,” the first single from their new album, it’s easy to compare Rhyme University to burgeoning underground rap stars like Kid Cudi and Wale. In fact, Charles Iyoho names them among his favorite new hip hop artists on the scene. However, they bring a unique perspective of their own.

The pair grew up in the Midwest as two of four children of Nigerian immigrants who moved to the country to pursue better jobs and opportunities. The brothers would eventually go their separate ways to attend college and make a life for themselves. But they always bonded over their lifelong love of hip hop.

“We’d been freestyling since we were young, and we eventually started e-mailing rhymes to each other while I was in high school in the Middle East. That’s when I crafted my style,” Charles said.

Eventually, Charles landed in the Houston area before coming to live in Shreveport, while his brother moved to Peoria, Ill., where he now resides. The brothers’ commitment and love for the art form is what makes Rhyme University work. Charles regularly travels to Peoria to record their music and Tony regularly comes here to perform with his brother. They both also perform at venues throughout the country. But for Charles, there’s just something special about Shreveport.

“I was looking for a hip hop scene that wasn’t too competitive, but burgeoning and had potential and I’d gone to a lot of cities, but what struck me about Shreveport is that there’s a lot of opportunity for artists, but it’s not very competitive”» For the most part, we’ve had a positive response,” Charles said.

Rhyme University is ranked among the top artists at Centenary College’s KSCL 91.3 FM radio station. “When we acquired their first CD and started listening to it, we just loved it. “» We put it on our top 10 hip hop list and just started pumping their music. Then, Charles came to the station and we became friends right then and there. He’s even done a concert for us here at Centenary,” said Cazes Verbois, KSCL co-music director.

“They just sound different. They definitely try to incorporate acoustic sounds in their music. And their rhymes and music are just uplifting, feel-good music.”

Local singer Latosha Thomas said she was immediately struck by the pair when she first heard them perform at JOSH Lounge. “They actually have something to talk about. Their lyrics have substance. I love great dance rap and everything, but sometimes you just wish someone would have something important to say,” Thomas said. “I was very surprised to hear that kind of style, especially with this being Ratchet City and everything. It’s so refreshing.”

Centenary College freshman Jamie Dyche received the 25,000th...

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:04:07 -0500

Centenary College freshman Jamie Dyche received the 25,000th Leadership Scholarship from Chick-fil-A Founder and CEO S. Truett Cathy.

August 26, 2009 Learn from hard times, Chick-fil-A founder...

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 06:29:00 -0500

August 26, 2009

Learn from hard times, Chick-fil-A founder advises Centenary students

By Icess Fernandez
ifernandez@gannett.com

The greatest lessons are those learned during time of poverty, the founder and chairman of a national fast-food chain said Tuesday.

S. Truett Cathy, founder and chairman of Chick-fil-A Inc., was guest speaker for Centenary College’s convocation. The annual event marks the beginning of the academic year. The tradition brings two of the college’s classes to the same event — the senior class lines the walkway outside Brown Memorial Chapel as incoming freshmen enter.

“I’ve had the privilege to be brought up in poverty and the privilege to be brought up in times of plenty. There are lessons to be learned in times of poverty.”

Truett started the business in 1946 when he and his brother, Ben, opened a diner called The Dwarf Grill. In 1967, Cathy opened the first Chick-fil-A.

Cathy talked about his early lessons growing up and how he started having a business mind early in his life. One of the first purchases he made was a bicycle.

“I never bought anything that I was more proud of than that bicycle.”

During his speech, Cathy gave students life lessons that he still lives by: the importance of pleasing a customer, of doing something and doing it right, the importance of a good name, the call of serving people and how actions speak louder than words.

“You wanna grow up and change something and be somebody, don’t you?”

Centenary College President B. David Rowe’s speech echoed some of the same themes: growing up to effect change.

“Centenary College will define church-related liberal arts education for the 21st century,” he said. “Think about the bold and challenging statement I just issued and reflect on the 185-year history of this institution and tell me if there is an institution better equipped to stand up and define church-related liberal arts education can and ought to be.”

During Rowe’s speech, his first as the college’s president, he outlined how the college has a responsibility to educate future leaders as natural resources become scarce.

“The challenges that you face in the 21st century are different than what we faced,” he said. “We need you to be wise and moral leaders. We also must depend on your moral compass, “» especially in the gray areas where right and wrong aren’t always so clear.

“The world of higher education and Centenary College are at a crossroads. We have an enormous opportunity to fail. And we have a narrow privilege and responsibility not only to succeed for the sake of 185-year institution but an enormous responsibility to succeed for the sake of a peaceful, a just, and prosperous and sustainable planet.”

Zoe Auld, a freshman, said the event had meaning for her.

“I thought it was special that he had a kinship with us,” she said. “(Cathy’s) personal story was good.”

Delisha Powell, a sophomore, said she enjoyed the speeches.

“I’m glad to have a president that has some of the same beliefs I do,” she said. “I’m glad he had the courage to say it.”

Don Adley, a freshman, said Cathy’s story inspired him.

“I like our guest speaker,” he said. “I never went to Chick-fil-A, but now I might go.”

August 23, 2009...

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:28:00 -0500

Dr. B. David Rowe

Dr. Robert Barish

Jim Henderson

August 23, 2009
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20090823/OPINION03/908230343/1007/OPINION

Q&A with new higher ed chiefs

Three of Shreveport-Bossier City’s higher education institutions have new leaders this year. Here’s what they have to say about improving education, college life and plans for their schools.

The Rev. David Rowe, Centenary College president

Background: Previously vice president for advancement at LaGrange College in LaGrange, Ga., Rowe succeeds Ken Schwab who retired after last year.

Enrollment: 839 in Fall 2008; average of 877 over past 10 years. 60 percent are from Louisiana.

Faculty: 70 full time and 16 part time

Degree programs: Life sciences is the largest program. Others include Communication/English; Business (Business/Accounting/Finance), Psychology, Music, and Health/Exercise Science.

Economic Impact: Centenary maintains an annual budget of about $27 million and employs about 250 full-time people.

Graduation rate: 57 percent of each freshman class will graduate after four years.

What is the school’s single biggest challenge?

One of the biggest challenges is communicating clearly and compellingly the great gift Centenary College has to offer a world in need of bright, talented, ethical leaders.

What is your biggest recruiting obstacle for students and faculty?

It is tough to disseminate good news quickly and broadly. When Princeton Review and Forbes declare that Centenary College is one of the best colleges in the nation, we need to be able to spread the objective third party endorsements to students and faculty who are looking for the right institutional affiliation to nurture and strengthen their own vocational commitments.

If you could start any program, what would it be?

My imagination is engaged by the emerging Energy Business Center at Centenary. As we think carefully about energy resources for the future, I am eager for the college to educate current and future leaders about responsible exploration for and effective management of those resources.

What book would you recommend to all your students? Why?

Centenary actually requires all incoming students to read “Fast Food Nation” by Eric Schlosser. The book helps students understand the importance of reflecting critically on information as it is presented, and to learn how to investigate data on their own rather than simply adopt others’ conclusions. Fast food consumption is not only the object of the research presented in the book but a disturbing image of society’s failure, generally, to reflect critically on the ways we live our lives.

Dr. Robert Barish, LSUHSC-Shreveport chancellor

Background: Came to Shreveport in the spring after serving as vice dean for clinical affairs and professor of emergency medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. He succeeds Dr. John McDonald, who retired in December.

Enrollment: 464 in School of Medicine; 264 in School of Allied Health Professionals; 80 in School of Graduate Studies.

Faculty: 497 full time; 102 part time

Economic impact: A 2006 economic impact study determined that LSUHSC-S is a “significant economic driver” in both the Shreveport-Bossier Metropolitan Statistic Area and in Monroe (home to E. A. Conway Medical Center), as well as the State of Louisiana. LSUHSC-S accounted for one of every 13 jobs in the Shreveport-Bossier MSA.

What does LSUHSC-S do best?

LSUHSC-S is noted nationally for producing health care students and specialists with superior clinical training. I know from personal experience at the University of Maryland that when students from the LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport would come there for clinical rotations, my colleagues and I were eager to supervise them because they were consistently excellent.

How can you improve the image of LSUHSC nationally?

Many of our researchers, educators, physicians and other staff are among the leaders in their fields. We need to make sure that we tell the community, the Ark-La-Tex region, the state and nation what happens here. … By publishing more, our discoveries will become better recognized. Improving an institution’s national profile takes time — and rest assured — many more people will be paying attention to Shreveport in the not too distant future. Stay tuned!

What one skill should all your students have when they graduate?

Learning to learn is probably the skill that is absolutely essential for every one of our graduates — whether a Ph.D. who works in a research laboratory, a physician or an allied health professional. There is an explosion of knowledge in the biomedical sciences. No one can learn everything in their schooling and training. Even if it were possible, by the time you are ready to enter your profession, much information will have changed significantly.

What book would you recommend to all your students? Why?

I would probably suggest “Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story.” This tells the story of a young boy with school problems who overcame obstacles to become a world-renowned neurosurgeon. This is truly an uplifting and inspirational story based on Dr. Ben Carson, whose lifelong journey led him to become the chief of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital and a recent recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Jim Henderson, Bossier Parish Community College chancellor

Background: A Shreveport native, he previously served as senior vice president of Career and Technical Education for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. He succeeds retiring Chancellor Tom Carleton.

Enrollment: 2,838 full time; 2,148 part time. 72 percent are from Caddo and Bossier parishes.

Faculty and adjunct faculty: 110 full time and 176 part time.

Programs: 21 associate degree programs including business administration, computer information systems, music, teaching, pharmacy technician; 12 certificate and technical degree programs, including computer aided drafting, legal secretary and culinary arts. General studies and business administration are the most popular.

Economic impact: Students who graduate with a two-year degree earn an average of $252,243 more than someone with a high school diploma.

What is BPCC doing best?

Our new slogan at BPCC is “It’s about you.” Expanding access to students, whether they are seeking marketable skills for a career or planning to transfer to a four-year institution, and ensuring their success is what BPCC does best. BPCC is renowned for utilizing innovative delivery mechanisms, from traditional online instruction to LCTCSOnline, to iTunes U, ensuring students have access to learning whenever and wherever they choose.

What is your biggest recruiting obstacle for students and faculty?

Louisiana was late to embrace the community college concept. Conveying the message to students (and their parents) that Bossier Parish Community College offers the same quality education as any university, while also providing pathways to rewarding careers, is a challenge. In terms of recruiting faculty, one look at the exemplary team of educators assembled at BPCC shows we have little trouble recruiting the very best.

What book would you recommend to all your students? Why?

Of the classics: Dante’s “Inferno,” Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and Machiavelli’s “The Prince” present morality and ethics in challenging ways. Perhaps more practical, “Blue Ocean Strategy” by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne challenges readers to think beyond what they know and suggests the exploration of uncharted seas as the pathway to growth.

The TimesAugust 23, 2009 Education’s future bright but...

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:23:38 -0500

The Times
August 23, 2009

Education’s future bright but barriers hinder progress, leaders say

By Icess Fernandez
ifernandez@gannett.com

Education in the Shreveport-Bossier City area is on the dawn of a new era, but barriers at the local and state levels could stifle the potential for improvement, new local education leaders said.

“What education will look like in 10 to 15 years will not be recognizable to many of us because of the ways it will be delivered and ways we will be cooperating,” said Centenary College President B. David Rowe. “The ones who don’t cooperate, the ones who don’t change, the ones who don’t collaborate will be left behind.”

Rowe, Caddo schools Superintendent Gerald Dawkins, Bossier schools Superintendent D.C. Machen and Bossier Parish Community College Chancellor Jim Henderson are among the area’s newest educational leaders. Between them, they are responsible for educating about 70,000 students.

They all have vast experiences in education from working with the state’s technical and community colleges to more than 30 years in the same local school system. All four leaders, however, are relatively new to their positions — ranging from a few weeks to about one year on the job.

These leaders stopped by The Times recently to talk about the future of education in northwest Louisiana and their role in its improvement.

They all say it’s an interesting time for education in the area. With a statewide focus on education and economic development, northwest Louisiana can be the model for the rest of the state.

They also say the dynamics are interesting — two large school districts and four universities and colleges, one of which was named one of the best colleges in the nation. But the barriers that keep education in the area from reaching the next level — funding woes, misconceptions about accountability standards and lack of resources — are an everyday battle. And solutions won’t come from the state capital, the leaders say.

“The solutions are at the local and regional level,” Henderson said.

The barriers

There are barriers to improving education. Among them is a misconception about Louisiana education, Machen said. Comparing Louisiana to other states doesn’t paint an accurate picture, he said. Other things need to be part of the picture, including the number of students living in poverty and the state’s accountability system, which is tougher than the federal No Child Left Behind law, Machen said.

“I would not say that the Louisiana system is behind in comparison to any other state. There are times that we impose mandates and guidelines that actually cripple us.”

Dawkins sees as a barrier the lack of early education for some students. Not every child comes to the classroom with the same resources, he said, and that can make a difference.

“Now, basic skills have expanded beyond writing and reading. It’s all of our core subjects as well as some exposure that some of these youngsters won’t get.”

On the higher education side, less state money and shrinking endowments are barriers. During the past year, state allotments for public colleges and universities have decreased.

At Centenary, the private Shreveport school’s endowment had shrunk 21 percent by the end of last year. While private colleges and universities have endowments, budgets for public colleges consist of other revenue sources such as state funds. Private colleges are not funded by the state and rely more on endowment money. Centenary’s endowment is about 30 percent of its budget.

“One thing that a tighter budget causes you to do is to determine clearly what your priority, purpose and mission is,” Rowe said. “When the economy rebounds and those budgets become roomy, it will come in and provide resources behind those purposes.”

Although money from the stimulus package helped cushion some of the blow, BPCC cut $1.75 million from its budget this year.

“If you look at (the local) educational infrastructure, we’re well aligned,” Henderson said. “But … when you have dire budget situations, the tendency is to make across-the-board cuts. The state knows what’s important in terms of rhetoric, but to go from rhetoric to the state appropriations bill is the challenge.”

Working together

Those barriers have been an albatross on local education. Despite the challenges, the leaders say, the future is bright and solutions will come with collaboration and taking local ownership of students’ education.

“Education needs to be nimble; it needs to be quick, responsive and be able to adopt new ways of communicating, collaborating and sharing resources,” Rowe said. “Whether it’s Baton Rouge or conservative traditions of a system that has been in place for a long time, you can think of immediately three or four challenges to moving quickly and nimbly and being able to adapt and barriers to sharing resources and collaboration and that can be dispiriting. Think it’s up to us to lift that vision high and that possibility high not only for us, for our students, but our institutions.”

Collaboration is a solution to lift some of those barriers, Machen said. Dawkins agrees that collaboration and tough decisions will raise student achievement. Some collaborative efforts include dual enrollment classes for high school students, and teaching internships or jobs for college students pursuing alternative certification.

“I think the future is absolutely bright,” Dawkins said. “I think, among our institutions, we have some talent to make some remarkable things happen. I look forward to working with this team to make some of these things happen. We can’t work anymore on our own.”

Funding carries a lot of weight in the state, Henderson said. That can aid in a solution to removing the barriers when the money is used for innovation.

“If we keep funding the same behaviors and the same tired systems that haven’t gotten us where we need to go, then we’re never going to get any place.”

But the solutions will come locally, Henderson added. Once those in the capital see the local solutions and collaboration, one barrier would be overcome.

“The success we are going to have, the solutions we are going to have will happen at the local and regional level. The policy makers in Baton Rouge need to understand that; they need to embrace that.”