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				Contact: Christine Payton	Dec. 10, 2007
				(337) 482-6397, payton@louisiana.edu
				Related News: Fall 2007 Outstanding Graduates
				NATION’S TWO LONGEST-SERVING UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS TO BE HONORED Dr. Norman Francis, Dr. Ray Authement at Graduate School Commencement Dec. 15
				It’s not often long-time friends Dr. Ray Authement and Dr. Norman Francis are together at an event. But, on Dec. 15, the UL Lafayette president and the Xavier University president will both be honored at Graduate School commencement ceremonies at the Cajundome. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. In addition to being friends, the two are the longest-serving university presidents in the country – Authement at a public university and Francis at a private university. Both have served for 33 and 39 years, respectively. Francis will be awarded an honorary doctorate degree in Higher Education Leadership. In addition, he will recognize Authement’s life-long service to UL Lafayette during his keynote address. A special presentation will be made to Authement at the end of the ceremony. Francis was named president of Xavier University in1968. He is credited with being the catalyst for nearly every building constructed on the campus during the past 39 years. Among his major accomplishments is the successful completion of Xavier’s first two capital campaigns. The Forward Fund drive netted more than $19 million and the Future Fund drive netted $51 million. Named by his peers as one of the 100 most effective college and university leaders, Francis is often cited for his involvement in the community and his work on the national, state and local level to improve education. Earlier this year, he was named recipient of the nation’s highest civil award: The Presidential Medal of Freedom. He is chair of the Louisiana Recovery Authority and on the national level has served as past chairman of the boards of Educational Testing Service and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching among many others. The full list of commencement ceremonies by location and time on Dec. 15 follows: Cajundome • 9 a.m. College of General Studies - Charles Cain, a system administrator and Lt. Deputy Sheriff for the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office, will give the keynote address. He is a 1994 graduate of UL Lafayette. He’s worked for the Acadia Sheriff’s Office since 1984 as a deputy sheriff of the Warrant Division, a 911 dispatcher and as a system administrator for the fingerprint identification system. He received post certification from the state in 1986 and was also part of the 39th Basic Training Academy with the Acadiana Law Enforcement Academy that same year. • noon College of Liberal Arts - Louisiana’s newest Poet Laureate and professor emeritus at UL Lafayette Darrell Bourque will give the keynote address. Bourque succeeds Brenda Marie Osbey as the state’s poet laureate. He has four published collections including “The Blue Boat,” which was the first issue of special editions at the Center for Louisiana Studies. • 3 p.m. B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration - Patrick Little, CEO, chairman and president of Teche Federal Bank, will address graduates. A UL Lafayette graduate, Little joined Teche Federal Bank in 1980 and became a member of the Board of Directors in 1989. He has served as president since 1991 and as chairman since 1999. He received a degree in management at UL Lafayette and completed the Graduate School of Savings Institution Management Program at UT Austin. He also completed the School for Executive Development at the University of Georgia. In recent years, he attended executive sessions of the Aspen Institute and Harvard Business School. • 5:30 p.m. Graduate School - Dr. Norman Francis, who will be receiving an honorary doctorate of Higher Education Leadership, will deliver the keynote address. He will also recognize Authement, who announced his retirement from UL Lafayette in April. Cajundome Convention Center (Exhibit Hall - First Floor) • 9 a.m. College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions. No keynote address. • noon College of Education - Jessica Oalmann, the college’s top graduate and its Outstanding Graduate, will be the keynote speaker. Oalmann, a Special Education (Mild/Moderate) major of Lafayette, will graduate with a 4.0 GPA. She is the daughter of Raymond and Peggy Oalmann of Katy, Texas. Oalmann has been the recipient of numerous scholarships and is a member of several honor societies. In the community, Oalmann has been involved in Best Buddies and is an active member of the Student Council for Exceptional Children and Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana. Following graduation, she plans to teach special education in either Lafayette or Houston. Eventually she plans to pursue a master’s degree in special education. • 3 p.m. College of Engineering - William Vidacovich, vice president for Materials Management and Fleet Maintenance with Acadian Ambulance, will speak to graduates. He is a 1975 graduate of UL Lafayette and is on the college’s advisory board. He’s been with Acadian Ambulance since 1973. In the community, Vidacovich is president of the Acadiana Safety Association, president of the Boys and Girls Club of Acadiana and is a member of the UL Lafayette Industrial Technology Advisory Board where he serves as chairman. He is a graduate of the Leadership Lafayette Program and in 2004 was National Industrial Technologist of the Year. Cajundome Convention Center (Festival Ballroom - Second Floor) • noon College of Sciences - Katherine Zaunbrecher, the college’s Fall 2007 Outstanding Graduate, will give the keynote address. Zaunbrecher, the daughter of Philip and Elizabeth Zaunbrecher of Rayne, will receive her bachelor’s degree in Physics. She has interned at the USGS Wetlands Center in Lafayette, at the National Center for Physical Acoustics in Mississippi, and at the American Institute of Physics in College Park, Maryland. She is a member of the Honors Program, the Society of Physics Students, stage manager of the UL Lafayette School of Music Opera Production, The Medium, and cofounder of the UL Lafayette’s Juggling Association. After graduation, Zaunbrecher is planing to attend graduate school for a Ph.D. in Experimental Physics. Upon completion of her postdoctoral work she hopes to do research and teach at the university level in Louisiana. Angelle Hall Auditorium • 11 a.m. College of the Arts - Lacey LeBlanc, the college’s Fall 2007 Outstanding Graduate, will deliver the keynote address. She, the daughter of Terry and Katherine LeBlanc of Lafayette, will receive her bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts/Dance. During her time at UL Lafayette LeBlanc has performed in both State of La Danse and Evening of Dance every year. She has also performed in the Gala Concert at American College Dance Festival in Austin, Texas where she ranked in the top 10. After graduation, LeBlanc plans to continue teaching dance at Delarue Dance Centre and pursue other dancing opportunities.

Document last revised Monday, December 10, 2007 11:43 AM

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