AA January 2021 Email Newsletter

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION JANUARY 2021
NEWSLETTER

Connecting the past, present, and future
 for a stronger LSUS

IN THIS ISSUE Jennifer Thomas Prime, BGS '04
Doctor of Internal Medicine
BRIAN SHERMAN Willis-Knighton Health System
JANUARY 2021 FEATURED
ALUMNUS ON CAMPUS COVID Unit

AN IN DEPTH LOOK AT THE January 2021 Featured Alumna
CAREER OF THE 2020
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI THE
HONORABLE JUDGE JEFFREY
COX

LSUS ATHLETICS BASKETBALL
PARTICIPATES IN HUGS4KIDS

LSUS GRADUATES OVER 2000
STUDENTS IN FALL 2020
GRADUATION

NEW YEAR, NEW CAREER -
LSUS CONITNUING EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OFFERING
UNIQUE COURSE

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION JANUARY 2021
NEWSLETTER
Jennifer Thomas Prime, Bachelor of General
Studies '04, is an Internal Medicine Specialist
for the Willis-Knighton Health System in
Shreveport. She is board certified and has
been a hospitalist with the Willis Knighton
Health Care System for the last 8 years. Since
March 14, 2020, Jennifer has been the
physician who takes care of the majority of the
patients in the COVID unit at Willis Knighton.
In the past, she has tended to patients with
various issues from a heart attack, stroke,
COPD, and sepsis, but most recently, her focus
has been only on COVID patients.

PHOTO COURTESY OF J. THOMAS PRIME

Jennifer began her educational career at LSUS as an Education major. "While I loved the subject and the teachers, it
became clear to me that it was not the career path for me; my heart just wasn't it. I changed my major to General
Studies so the hours would transfer, and I could complete a degree." Jennifer found her coursework for Psychology
of Addiction to be fascinating. "Dr. Guy Brannon taught the course, and he spent a lot of time focusing on
neurotransmitters and brain physiology. Dr. Brannon told me that I should consider a career in medicine since I was
so interested." Jennifer had never thought of medicine as a career path. "The thought had never crossed my mind,
but once he mentioned it, it sounded right. I walked over to the bookstore, bought an MCAT prep book, and started
taking the med school prerequisites as electives for my general studies degree. In 2004, I interviewed and was
accepted at LSUHSC Shreveport for medical school. After four years there, I completed an Internal Medicine
residency. And now here I am, a practicing physician in Shreveport because Dr. Brannon, a professor of an elective
course, mentioned that I should consider medical school!"

Jennifer graduated from Mansfield High School in 1997, got married, and had her first child at age 18. When deciding
where to start school, Jennifer had her young family to consider. She stated, "I heard great things about LSUS, and
my dad had actually attended before being accepted to law school [while LSUS was still a two-year school]. I
decided to stay here where I had family support, and I have never regretted that decision. Interestingly, the child I
had at 18, Jake, graduated from LSUS on December 18, 2020. My youngest son, Jesse, is now attending LSUS. I am
also currently enrolled in the MPH program and hope to one day use my degree to bring better health care to
underserved areas." Jennifer's advice for students interested in the medical field is wise. "Medicine is competitive;
you have to make school a priority. It is a lot of work and takes a lot of commitment. If you don't succeed the first
time, try again. Volunteer, read, be active in your community. Set yourself apart from other applicants in some way.
Be a well-rounded person-not just to get into medical school but for the rest of your life!"

When asked about her toughest professional challenge, Jennifer's answer was clear. "My toughest professional
challenge has definitely been within the last year taking care of COVID patients. To date, I have lost 101 patients to
this disease since March 14, 2020. It's long hours and hard work. It's heartbreaking and joyful and exhausting and
exhilarating." When discussing her personal challenges, she noted, "Succeeding in college and medical school with 2
children under the age of three was challenging. There were lots of early days and late nights to get everything
done. Also, I've been a member of the recovery community in Shreveport for the last 4 years, which has been one of
the greatest blessings of my life. I would encourage anyone suffering from problems related to alcoholism or
addiction to reach out for help." Her greatest life lesson; "Stand up for what's right even if the opinion is unpopular.
Never assume anything. Be kind. There is a world outside of the city you grew up in-travel; it will change your life."

We are thankful for an ANCHORED ALUMNA like Jennifer, making the world a better place one patient at a time.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION JANUARY 2021
NEWSLETTER

How do you create a graduation ceremony for
around 2,000 students in a global pandemic? You
do it by trying something you’ve never done
before. In August 2020, we created a virtual portal
for students to watch videos and view slides
celebrating their graduation from the university.
While we received positive feedback for our
efforts, we also heard from others their
disappointment in not having something live,
much less in person. Based on that feedback, we
decided to try again, but with a more robust and
interactive live offering for our graduates. We
created a hybrid model, projecting students on a
twenty-foot video wall through Zoom while I
engaged with them and introduced segments live,
all of which was broadcast on Facebook Live.

It was an ambitious effort, and one that neither we, nor any other regional university, had ever tried. We
pulled it off, and while it was not a perfect substitute for a face-to-face graduation, we received far more
positive feedback this time around. The graduation ceremony was a microcosm of the university’s response
to 2020. We answered the fundamental questions we have had to ask ourselves repeatedly as we explored
how to operate during a pandemic. In answering these questions in 2020, we have had to pull off many
firsts. We’ve never had to go fully remote before, nor did we ever have to plan for a return to campus with
strict protocols in place to limit the potential spread of a virus. We’ve had to rethink the way we do almost
all events, from graduation, to our faculty and staff Halloween party, to student events such as Fall Fest.

It has not all been reactive, however. As far as firsts go, we worked hard to build out our campus
infrastructure and provide a more well-rounded student experience. We added the Stacks Smoothie and
Tea bar in the library. We welcomed students this fall to our fully owned and rebranded Pilots Pointe
Apartments campus housing. We also embarked on a massive tree trimming and culling project, not just for
the safety of the campus, but also for the trees themselves. Our campus looks beautiful, and had we not
done the trimming before Hurricane Laura hit, we could have sustained much more damage to our
facilities.

We completed a search that began in 2019 for our inaugural Assistant Provost for Diversity, Inclusion, and
Community Engagement, Dr. Kenna Franklin. This was an important milestone for us and our efforts to
create a welcoming and supportive environment for all. On the academic side, we opened the Cyber
Collaboratory to the campus and our community. We are also the fastest growing college or university in
Louisiana for the past 5 years, and continue to break enrollment records.

Looking ahead to 2021, we know that the pandemic will still be with us, and we will continue to adapt our
operations as necessary. We will also continue to enhance our facilities, with a new Business Intelligence
Lab under construction, a state-of-the-art Performance Testing Facility coming to the HPE building, and
state funding approved for a vehicular bridge connecting campus to Pilots Pointe. I am confident we will
rise to the occasion, and continue to develop into the hub for academics and the community in this region,
and beyond. It’s true that adversity can lead to opportunities, and those opportunities can mean trying
something new for the first time. It is an historic time for LSUS, one of great challenges, opportunities, and
firsts.

2021

May your 2021 be filled with

joy and adventure !

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION JANUARY 2021
NEWSLETTER

PHOTO COURTESY OF B. SHERMAN Brian Sherman, BA '01

Dean, Noel Memorial Library

Featured Alumnus on Campus

Brian Sherman graduated from LSU
Shreveport in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree
in Secondary Education. During his
undergraduate years, he served as a peer
counselor in the LSUS Student
Development and Counseling Center and
later as a student worker in the library.
Upon graduation, he took a part-time
position as a research services assistant in
the library, which led to a full-time staff
position at the end of 2001. While moving
and shaking through various library
positions, Brian obtained a master’s in
History at Louisiana Tech University in
2005 and a master’s in Library Science from
the University of North Texas in 2007.

After obtaining his Library Science degree, Brian accepted a position as assistant professor and Head
of Acquisitions at Frazar Memorial Library at McNeese State University. This position provided an
unparalleled experience, as it involved working with the opportunities and challenges that came with
a post-Hurricane Katrina / Rita environment in south Louisiana. During his time at McNeese, Brian
served as an instructor in the university’s first freshman seminar course initiative and also served as
an adjunct instructor for children’s and young adult literature courses. Brian returned to LSUS in 2011
as an assistant librarian and Head of Access Services and Systems at Noel Memorial Library. “LSUS
has always been family. My first day back at LSUS was like coming home and it was like I never left,
except every computer in the library went down within 15 minutes of my walking back in and I was
now the one responsible for fixing the problem in my new job.” He assumed the duties of interim
Library Dean in 2015 and subsequently Library Dean, upon the retirement of Dr. Alan Gabehart.

Over the years, Brian has stayed active with professional library organizations at the state and
national level, striving to ensure that LSU Shreveport maintains a voice that is as loud as that of larger
research institutions. He has served on the board of directors for two international library software
user group organizations, the executive board for the state’s academic library consortium, and the
Louisiana Library Association. He founded the Conference for Young Adult Literature Louisiana three
years ago, a conference dedicated to professional development for educators, scholars, and librarians.
When not being shushed in the library for being too loud, he spends his time renovating a home that
will never be finished, building furniture, and stacking an infinite number of unread books on a
nightstand.

Brian brings a level of life and excitement to his position as Dean of the Noel Memorial Library at
LSUS, and we are proud to have him as an ANCHORED ALUMNUS.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION JANUARY 2021
NEWSLETTER

THE HONORABLE JUDGE Jeff Cox serves as Judge for the Louisiana
JEFFREY S.COX Second Circuit Court of Appeals. He
previously served as District Judge for
2020 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI Bossier and Webster Parishes in Division C.
Judge Cox is a past partner with the law
firm of Mills, Turansky & Cox, P.C., where
he specialized his practice in the area of
estate planning, wills, successions, elder
care law, and business. Judge Cox served as
an Assistant District Attorney for Bossier
and Webster Parishes, where he prosecuted
crimes against the elderly, crimes against
juveniles, white-collar crimes, felonies,
and misdemeanors. Judge Cox received his
Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from
Louisiana Tech University, his Master of
Business Administration Degree from
Louisiana State University in Shreveport,
his Juris Doctorate with magna cum laude
honors from Southern University Law
Center, and his Legal Law master’s degree
in Taxation from Southern Methodist
University in Dallas, Texas.

Judge Cox was inducted into the Southern University Law Center Hall of Fame in 2014 and included on the Southern
University Judicial Wall of Fame in 2016. He currently serves on the Louisiana Law Enforcement Commission and
the Advisory Board for the Bossier Parish Community College Criminal Justice Program. Judge Cox served as King of
the Krewe of Justinian for the 2020 Mardi Gras Season and as a Duke in 2007. He served on the Board of Directors
for the Volunteers for Youth Justice, as Bossier District Chairman for the Norwella Council of the Boy Scouts of
America, and as an instructor at Bossier Parish Community College for the Notary Preparation Class. Judge Cox
assists with training cadets at the Bossier Sheriff's Training Academy and instructs Law Enforcement Officers all
over the state of Louisiana on legal concepts. Judge Cox regularly teaches legal concepts to area lawyers for their
Continued Legal Education requirements. He has been a long-time member of the Shreveport-Bossier Military
Affairs Council.

Judge Cox has served as President and a Board Member for the Caddo Council on Aging RSVP Program, 2nd Vice-
President, Secretary and Board Member of the Bossier Council on Aging, former Legal Counsel for the Ark-La-Tex
Chapter of the National Stroke Association, and Board Member of the Shreveport-Bossier Tax and Estate Planning
Council. Judge Cox has served on the Board of Directors and is the Shreveport Bar Association Pro Bono Project's
Past Chairman.

Judge Cox has also served as a Louisiana State Delegate to the American Bar Association National Conference of
State Trial Judges and has served on the Executive Council of the Louisiana District Judges Association. Judge Cox
currently writes a monthly article for The Best of Times Magazine. He has written this column for over 18 years,
providing legal awareness to the community on a wide range of legal topics. He has also contributed articles to City
Lights Magazine, the Bossier Press-Tribune, and the Minden Press-Herald. Judge Cox is a member of the Harry V.
Booth and Henry Politz American Inns of Court and is a member of the American, Louisiana, Shreveport, Bossier,
and Webster Bar Associations.

Judge Cox currently serves as a Deacon at First Bossier Church of Bossier City, Louisiana. He is a greeter at the front
door and teaches an Adult Co-Ed Sunday School Class. Judge Cox is married to Susan Cox. They have two children,
Gabrielle and Stephen.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION JANUARY 2021
NEWSLETTER

In Memoriam

Dr. Rosetta Reed

Dr. Rosetta Reed began working in Claiborne Parish in 1956. She
worked for Caddo Parish Schools from 1959-1981. She began
working there as a school secretary, and after a couple of years,
she began her teaching role as a Business Education Instructor.
She received her doctorate in 1978 and began her career with LSUS
in 1981 at the same time as Chancellor Larry Clark. Dr. Rosetta
Reed was hired as an Assistant Professor of Management in the
College of Business. She was promoted to the rank of a tenured
Associate Professor. Dr. Reed was very actively involved in the
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. It was very important to her to be
involved on campus. Some folks even described her as "feisty." Dr.
Reed retired as an Associate Professor of Management in 1992. Dr.
Reed passed away on December 13, 2020, at the age of 86. She is
survived by her loving children, Michael and Sonya.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION JANUARY 2021
NEWSLETTER

In Memoriam

Sally Douglass Montgomery

Sally Douglass Montgomery died in her home at The Oaks of Louisiana on Monday, December
21, 2020, a week after turning 100. Sally was born in Conway, Arkansas on December 14, 1920,
one of four children, of Chester Ernest Douglass and Sallie Pearl Haller. She married James
Alexander "Gabe" Montgomery at the age of 17. In 1937 she and her spouse moved to
Shreveport and joined Noel Memorial United Methodist Church. While Sally was raising their
three children, she was also active in several ministries of the church but especially loved
working with children. She participated in Methodist district and conference work and
authored several issues of children's curriculum for the United Methodist Publishing House.
Sally has remained a faithful member of Noel church for 80 years.

In 1987, with her husband deceased and her children grown, Sally was ready for something
new. At the age of 66, she began taking classes at LSU-S. She had always been interested in
history so she took some history classes. Surprising herself, in 1992 and at the age of 71, she
earned a bachelor's degree in liberal arts with a major in history graduating magna cum laude.
After her graduation, Sally began a career at LSU-S working in the history department, the
Noel library and the Noel archives. In 2004, at 86 years old, she retired to spend more time
with the family. Sally also enjoyed traveling. In addition to traveling in the United States, she
traveled to New Zealand and the British Isles. She especially enjoyed the latter as both
Douglass and Montgomery families came from Scotland and Ireland. This spurred an interest
in researching genealogy which was a special passion with her two sisters.

Sally was involved with numerous organizations in the church, LSU-S and the community. She
especially enjoyed her involvement on the Library Board in the development of several Shreve
Memorial Libraries. She was proud and privileged to serve on the board. Sally was also a
beloved member of Chapter M of the P.E.O. sisterhood for 72 years.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION JANUARY 2021
NEWSLETTER

In Memoriam

Dr. Barbara Zimmerman

Dr. Barbara Zimmerman was the Director of Mollie Webb Speech
Pathology and Hearing from 1973-1979. She also worked at LSUHSC-
S from 1980-1998 as a Speech Pathologist. Dr. Zimmerman began
working at LSUS in 1998 as an Associate Professor in the
Department of Communications. She retired from LSUS in 2003. Dr.
Zimmerman passed away on December 11, 2020, after a lengthy
illness. Dr. Zimmerman indicated many years ago that there would
be no funeral as she would donate her body to "medical
experiments." Kristin Fiser stated, "I always enjoyed my chats with
her each year around annual enrollment as she told lots of stories
about her lifelong friendship with her dear friend, Dr. Anne
Torrans. She considered her more of a sister than a friend." She is
survived by her sons, Michael Zimmerman and Craig Zimmerman.
Her sons are planning a road trip to Kentucky to honor her
memory.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 JANUARY 2021
NEWSLETTER

LSUS GRADUATES OVER 2,000 STUDENTS IN THE FALL 2020
SEMESTER

The LSUS Fall 2020 Virtual Graduation took place on December 18t, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. The
ceremony was broadcast live on the LSUS Facebook page
(https://www.facebook.com/LSUSPilots). Students, faculty, staff, friends, and family
members watched the live feed to celebrate the Fall 2020 graduates. Viewers can watch
graduation in its entirety at any time on the Facebook page or view individual portions of
the event with individual graduate recognition slides on a special web page shared with
the LSUS community.

LSUS added a live participation opportunity exclusively for the graduates via Zoom. They
were able to take part in their own private watch parties! Graduates had the chance to be
visible at times on the video wall behind Chancellor Clark during the event that featured a
live broadcast of Chancellor Larry Clark, who introduced segments of the program. There
were also addresses from Provost Helen Taylor, Alumni Affairs Director Laura Beeman
Nugent, and a keynote introduction by Department of Arts and Media Associate Professor
Allen Garcie.

The keynote speaker, Bill Burnett, is an award-winning Silicon Valley designer and the
Executive Director of the renowned Design Program at Stanford University. He is the co-
author of Designing Your Life and Designing Your Work Life, empowering books that show
people of any age how to design a life in which they can thrive.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 JANUARY 2021
NEWSLETTER

LSUS DEBATE PLACES SECOND IN ABILENE CHRISTIAN CONTEST FOR
SEASON BEST FINISH

LSU Shreveport’s Debate Team took second place overall at the Second Annual Joseph
Cardot Speech and Debate Tournament hosted by Abilene Christian University on
December 5 and 6, 2020. According to the International Public Debate Association, this
marks the team’s best finish of the season and vaults LSUS into fourth place in the nation.
In the individual contests, LSUS had four debaters in the elimination rounds. Freshman
novice debater Mallory Taylor was a quarter-finalist in only her second-ever collegiate
debate tournament.

Varsity debaters made a mark in the competition as Dom Mercer placed third in speaking
and Ethan Arbuckle placed second in speaking with advancement to the finals. Arbuckle
dropped the final round on a split decision, taking home a second-place trophy. It was his
second-straight finals appearance.

In the professional division, LSUS earned two additional speaker awards as well as two
advancements to the elimination rounds. JJ Thompson finished fourth in speaking while
Mary Catherine Procell placed third. Tommy James advanced to the semi-final round while
Matthew Gedeon advanced to the finals and missed the victory on a split decision. Gedeon
placed second overall for the tournament.

LSUS finished the fall semester strong after a semester of hard work and growth. The
Debate Team will resume competition in mid-January at the University of Southern
Mississippi virtual tournament.

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ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 JANUARY 2021
NEWSLETTER

MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAMS WITH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION FOR
ANNUAL HUGS4KIDS

BY LSUS ATHLETICS

Even in a COVID-filled year, the Men's Basketball team has found a way to give back to
area kids during the holiday season. Once again, the team participated in the Hugs4Kids
Toy Program, sponsored by the LSUS Alumni Association. The Hugs4Kids Toy Drive
brings toys to the Children's Hospital Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport. This year, instead
of going to each child's hospital room, the Men's Basketball team FaceTimed with the
children bringing smiles and spreading joy to those who need it most.

"What an awesome experience for our guys today. Even though we were not able to
deliver gifts due to COVID restrictions, it almost felt as if we were able to connect with
the kids a little better this year. Our players did a really great job of engaging and
interacting with them through FaceTime. We had a blast singing Christmas songs while
sharing laughs, smiles, and holiday cheer with all the kids and hospital staff," said LSUS
Men's Basketball Head Coach Kyle Blankenship.

"I'm so proud of what Coach Blankenship and our men's basketball team stands for. Year
in and year out, they are one of the best teams in the country, but what they do for our
community outside of basketball is what makes them special. The joy that they bring to
these kids during the holiday season is not only remembered by the kids who are
spending their holiday in the hospital, but it's a special experience remembered by our
student-athletes as well. I wish all the best to the children and their families during this
difficult time," added Director of Athletics Lucas Morgan.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 JANUARY 2021
NEWSLETTER

ROBERTSON NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN

BY LSUS ATHLETICS

Pilots baseball student-athlete, Payton Robertson has been named to the NAIA Preseason
All-American list, the NAIA announced yesterday. The Pilots are about a month and half
before 2021 opening day. Robertson and the #6 ranked Pilots look to continue where
they left off last season after COVID shut down all sports.

The Pilots were 22-4 before the shutdown and hitting on all cylinders. The Pilots have
added some key pieces to last year's squad and expectations remain high. Head Coach
Brad Neffendorf added, "Payton is an unbelievable athlete and can play all over the field
for us. He is electric and produces runs several different ways for us. He is also an
unbelievable person and teammate. With what we have coming back and what we've
added this year, Payton will be a key piece to making us go."

Robertson, the reigning RRAC Conference Player of the Year, comes into the year with
the following numbers: 86 games, .376 batting average, 123 hits, 85 runs, 36 extra base
hits, 63 RBI, 63 stolen bases. The No. 6 Pilots begin their season February 4-6 when (RV)
Tabor and No. 9 Freed Hardeman come to town for a three team series.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 JANUARY 2021
NEWSLETTER

Featured Course-Careers in Cannabis

Louisiana State University in Shreveport will offer a "Careers in Cannabis" course beginning in
the Spring of 2021. The legal cannabis industry is predicted to outpace all other industries in
terms of job growth by 2030, and LSUS wants to be at the forefront regionally for education
surrounding this new emerging market.

"Our mission as an institution of higher education is to ensure we are preparing people in this
region to be successful in their future careers," said Dr. Julie Lessiter, Ed.D., Vice-Chancellor of
Strategic Initiatives for Louisiana State University Shreveport. "We are offering this course to
gauge the level of interest in the community, and also to provide a much-needed discussion
and education around the topic of the legal cannabis industry."

The four-week course starts in February and will meet twice a week. A live streaming option
will be available for those who cannot attend in person or who are uncomfortable being in the
classroom setting in the current pandemic. Topics covered by local industry specialists will
include growing hemp, basic plant biology, basic and clinical research on cannabinoids, jobs,
laws and regulations, and the marketing of products made with cannabis.

Three canna-tech companies currently operate in Shreveport at the Biomedical Research
Foundation. Expansion of these companies with a qualified workforce is paramount, not only
to the company's success, but also to new workforce development opportunities that will form
in this region around the cannabis industry.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 JANUARY 2021
NEWSLETTER

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION JANUARY 2021
NEWSLETTER

LSUS ALUMNI MASKS

Any individual who joins the LSUS Alumni Association as
an annual member will receive an LSUS Alumni face mask
in addition to an LSUS Alumni Association hand sanitizer!
Need an extra mask? After joining, members can purchase
additional masks for $5 each. Email [email protected] for
more information.

For our 2019 graduates who enroll or renew an Alumni
Association membership - you will receive two masks!