Hall of Distinguished Educators

Corkran served the Bossier Parish School Board as director of bands at Greenacres Middle School from 1993-2021. In a teaching career that spanned 38 years, Corkran taught at the middle school, high school and college levels in New Mexico, Texas and Colorado before her arrival at Greenacres. While at Greenacres Corkran was a frequent supervisor of student band teachers, some from Centenary College, but most from NSU.

Corkran earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from NSU in 1982, a Master of Music from Eastern New Mexico University and completed postgraduate work towards the Doctor of Musical Arts. She performed on clarinet and bass clarinet with the Shreveport, Monroe, Longview, Texas, and Marshall, Texas, Symphonies, The Prevailing Winds, Centenary Summer Band, Centenary Wind Ensemble and the Red River Wind Ensemble.

Corkran’s professional affiliations included American Federation of Musicians, Louisiana Bandmasters Association, Louisiana Music Adjudicators Association, Louisiana Music Education Association, National Association for Music Education, Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity and Sigma Alpha Iota Women’s Music Fraternity. She passed away Feb. 27, 2025.

Lee was a retired educator whose career spanned 36 years, primarily in Natchitoches Parish, with early service in Red River and Rapides parishes. A 1983 honor graduate of St. Mary’s High School, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from Northwestern State University in 1986 and began her professional journey as a stockbroker with Edward D. Jones, but after one year, felt a deeper calling to education. She returned to NSU and earned a Master of Education degree in 1990, launching a lifelong commitment to early childhood education.

Her teaching career began in Red River Parish and continued in the Natchitoches Parish School District, where she taught kindergarten, special education preschool and served as an early interventionist. She retired in May 2024, leaving behind a legacy of compassion, dedication and impact on countless young lives.

Throughout her career, Linda pursued professional growth, earning a plus 30 credential and achieving National Board Certification. Her passion for teaching and nurturing young children was evident in every classroom she entered, and her influence continues to resonate in the lives of her students and colleagues. She passed away Nov. 19, 2024.

Scriber is a retired educator with more than 50 years of experience as a teacher, coach, principal and superintendent in Louisiana schools. He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Northwestern State College in 1964 and a Master of Education from Louisiana Tech University in 1969.

Scriber began his career teaching and coaching at Mid City Baptist School in New Orleans before returning to Claiborne Parish in 1967 to teach and coach at Summerfield High School. In 1971, he was named principal of Summerfield, a role he would hold for more than three decades.

From 1987 to 1994 and again from 2004 to 2007, Scriber served as superintendent of Claiborne Parish Schools, where he oversaw district-wide improvements and advocated for educational excellence. Even after his initial retirement in 2001, he returned to Summerfield as a teacher, coach and principal, demonstrating his enduring commitment to students and staff.

Martin graduated from Northwestern State in 1965. Her first job was at West Leesville Elementary. Because of the military base, students were constantly moving in and out and it seemed she had a new class each six weeks. The next year she taught first and second grade Westside Elementary in Winn Parish. While there, she taught first and second grade with classes of 30-35 children. Second grade was her favorite. She was teaching when the district implemented integration over the Christmas holiday. After the break, the number of children in the school had greatly increased, the teachers were paired up and classes were crowded.

In 1973 she completed her master’s degree and in 1975, earned 30+ from Louisiana Tech University. She added leadership certification, reading specialist and gifted education to her teaching certificate. She was selected as an Outstanding Elementary Teacher of America in 1973.

Martin served as a reading coordinator for Westside, and later Eastside Elementary and Sikes High School. In 1976, she became the PATL (Positive Attitudes Toward Learning) project coordinator. In 1977 she was the Title III gifted/talented teacher and parish coordinator. From 1980-1984, she was the SPUR (Special Plan Upgrading Reading) team leader.

Martin became principal of Winnfield Kindergarten School in 1984. She served as the president of the Louisiana Association of Elementary School Principals and as an executive board member for the Louisiana Association of Principals. She was initiated into Phi Delta Kappa in 1987.  In 1993, she was a Principal of the Year finalist and National Distinguished Principal Zone 8-Louisiana. She was named the Louisiana Elementary Principal of the Year and National Distinguished Principal in 1997. After her retirement, she was the executive director of the Louisiana Association of Principals for 16 years.

Throughout her career, Martin served on numerous local, district, state and national committees, task forces and teams. She delivered numerous hours of professional development to assist other educators and has been a faithful advocate for public education.  She was honored as a 50-year member of the Omicron Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa International Teachers’ Sorority. Through the years, she has held many chapter offices and volunteered for numerous committees. She has been an active wife, parent, grandparent and great grandparent while serving her school, church and community. Two of her children and two of her grandchildren entered the field of education.

Morrison is a retired educator with 30 years experience in teaching and administration at the district and state levels.  He earned his bachelor’s degree from NSU in 1983, and in 1997 earned a Master’s of Education in Educational Technology from NSU.  In 2000 he earned a Doctor of Education from NSU in Educational Technology.  In addition to his experience in PK-12 teaching and administration, he has 25 years higher education experience in graduate-level teaching/academics and program development and administration.

Morrison began his career as a secondary math and science teacher in Rapides Parish.  After several years, he went into the private sector for nine years where he worked for an educational technology company and for five years owned his own technology company that specialized in educational systems, custom programming, and networking.  He then returned to education in Rapides Parish as the Technology Specialist for the Special Education Department where he was responsible for technology staff development, assistive technology assessment and implementation, and technology budgeting and purchasing for the Special Education Department.

In 1997, Morrison became the first director of Technology for Rapides Parish.  As the district’s chief technology officer, he was responsible for all instructional and administrative technology for the 50-school district with 24,000 students.  In this role he and his team wrote and received over $13 million in competitive federal, state and private grants for educational technology.  Additionally, the department received a grant for and implemented a regional technology training center that served eight districts in central Louisiana and provided training to over 1,400 teachers annually for almost 10 years.  During his 15 years as Technology Director, his department networked all 54 district schools and offices with fiber optics and brought over 10,000 computers into the district.

Morrison’s last two years with the Rapides Parish School Board saw him serve as the Assistant Superintendent of Administration for the district.  In this role he assisted the superintendent in all administrative responsibilities for the district including personnel matters (3,400 employees), district purchasing, interface with budgeting and finance, bids, surveys, litigation and court actions, supervision of district plant facilities and maintenance, construction, school food services, child welfare and attendance, transportation, insurance and risk management and working with principals, staff and parents to ensure that school board policies were implemented.

From Rapides Parish, Morrison moved to the Louisiana Department of Education as the Assistant Superintendent of the Office of Assessments.  Here, he led the state’s work for all areas of PK-12 statewide assessment including the development, administration and reporting of large-scale summative assessments including LEAP, iLEAP, End of Course Examinations and the statewide management and administration of other assessments such as the ACT.  In this role, he also served as the Louisiana assessment lead and liaison to the U.S. Department of Education and other state education departments to establish and maintain productive relationships with key national organizations involved in assessment issues and represent the LDOE in cross-organizational activities.

For the final seven years of his career, Morrison served as a tenured associate professor in NSU’s School of Education

A 1974 honor graduate of Leesville High School, Toro earned a degree in social studies education with minors in English and Spanish in 1978, a master’s degree in secondary teaching in 1984, and master’s degree +30 graduate hours in school administration in 1986.  Toro is an educator with 39 years of experience that includes teaching, secondary school administration and elementary school administration in Louisiana (20 years) and Texas (19 years).  His teaching and administrative experience includes 13 years as a secondary school teacher, 20 years as a secondary school principal and six years as an elementary school principal.

In 1979, Toro began his teaching career at Leesville Junior High School as a seventh grade reading and spelling teacher.  The following school year, he was transferred to Leesville High School where he taught U.S. history, civics, and Spanish.  In 1986, Toro was voted as Leesville High School “Teacher of the Year” by the LHS faculty.In 1987, he was promoted to assistant principal of Leesville High School.  Major responsibilities included the areas of curriculum, discipline and implementation of the school’s new administrative computer software program.  While assistant principal, he served two years as an adjunct instructor at NSU’s Leesville/Fort Johnson campus.

In 1990, Toro became principal of Natchitoches Central High School.  He devoted much time and energy improving the school climate and curriculum, believing a safe and well-disciplined school is essential for learning to take place.  During his nine-year tenure at NCHS, Toro was named “Administrator of the Year” by the Louisiana Association of Computer Using Educators (1994), “Natchitoches Parish Principal of the Year” (1997), and “selected Region III Secondary Principal of the Year” (1997).  In November 1992, Toro with the assistance of an outstanding faculty and staff led NCHS to become one of five Louisiana school nominated to be a Blue Ribbon School.

In 1999, Toro retired after 20 years from the Louisiana Education System and became principal of San Marcos High School in San Marcos, Texas.  In three years, under his leadership and the assistance of a remarkable faculty and staff SMHS was named a Texas Education Agency “Recognized Campus.” Toro would complete the last six years of his career at the Grand Prairie Independent School District in Grand Prairie, Texas, working as a principal at the elementary school level.  His elementary schools covered Pre-K through 6^th grade and included Two-Way Dual Language classrooms and Full-Day Pre-School Program for Children with Disabilities (PPCD). He retired from the from the Texas Education System in June 2018 after working in Texas for 19 years.

Burroughs served as dean and professor of science in the Division of Nursing and Allied Health at Bossier Parish Community College from 2008-2022.  As dean, she was responsible for the academic leadership of the 14 science, nursing and allied health programs offered by the Division, ensuring the continual development and accreditation of programs and developing schedules to meet the needs of the students. She also served on the BPCC Planning Council, evaluated division employees, compiled and analyzed division assessment and effectiveness documentation and provided administrative guidance in the initiation, implementation, and accreditation of new programs in Nursing (Registered), Practical Nursing, and Fire Science.

Burroughs earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology Education at NSU in 1976, Master of Education at LSU-Shreveport in 1983 and 12 graduate hours in life sciences at Louisiana Tech in 1995. She began her career as a high school biology teacher and coach in Louisiana and Texas before joining the faculty of Bossier Parish Community College in 1984 where she taught courses and lab instruction in biology, anatomy and physiology.

Beginning in 1997, Burroughs served as division chair and associate professor of science responsible for academic leadership and administration for the academic division offering courses in science, as well as serving as program director.  In 2003, she was named division chair and associate professor of Science and Allied Health where she was responsible for the initiation, implementation, accreditation, administration, and continued development of 12 allied health programs in addition to the science program and faculty. She also provided classroom instruction of biological sciences and administrative guidance in the initiation, implementation, and accreditation of the Occupational Therapy Assistant, Paramedic, and EMT programs.

Moreau has 47 years of teaching experience with15 years in mentoring and supervision.  She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education at NSU in 1976 and went on to earn a Master’s in Education, +15 (Academically Gifted) and +30 (Elementary Education).

Moreau began teaching at elementary schools in Rapides Parish while also serving as sponsor of school 4-H Clubs and yearbook and working as a Gifted mentor and for the Louisiana Department of Education in test preparation and writing curriculum guides.  She later focused on Gifted education, serving as Rapides Parish Gifted Coordinator and supervisor of Summer Horizons Gifted Summer Program, establishing Gifted programs at qualifying Rapides Parish high schools and developing the Rapides Parish Enrichment Academy for identifying gifted minority students. Moreau was a presenter at the National Special Education Super Conference and the Louisiana Special Education Super Conference, was a teacher and test administrator for Sylvan Learning center for 10 years and was a teacher for the Louisiana College CATS summer program.

Since 2011, she has been at Grace Christian School providing teacher in-services, analyzing test scores, training and mentoring teachers and observing and evaluating PK-12 teachers.  She is also responsible for planning and coordinating several programs, fund raisers and service projects at the school. In addition to earning numerous professional honors, Moreau is involved in numerous civic and professional organizations and an active member of St. Frances Cabrini Church.

Maggio is an educator with 30 years of early childhood experience that includes teaching, supervision of staff, budgeting meeting state and national early childhood program standards.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education at NSU in 1992 and a Master’s of Education with a concentration in early childhood education in 2006.  Her academic and teaching experience includes eight years as a prekindergarten 3-year-old classroom primary teacher, 21 years as a prekindergarten 4-year-old classroom primary teacher and 17 years as an adjunct instructor at the collegiate level.

Maggio began her career with the Natchitoches Central Right Start program, then was a teacher at NSU’s Child Development Center for 10 years before she was named director of the CDC, where, among many other duties, she was responsible for compliance with state licensing requirements, curriculum development, budgeting, safety and training staff that included supervision and assessment of university students.

Since 2014, she has worked for the Natchitoches Parish School Board as a pre-K teacher responsible for lessons, supervision and assessment of students, testing for magnet applications and assisted with observations for preschool classes in childcare and Head Start.  Earlier this year Maggio was appointed NPSB early childhood coordinator, where she prepares and implements meetings, communicates with teachers and paraprofessionals about curriculum implements, documents progress towards goals and keeps the parish in compliance with state regulations. She has also served as an adjunct instructor for NSU.

McClung earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education at NSU in 1981 and a Master’s in Education in 1991. After student teaching at Winnfield High School, he began his career teaching at Georgetown High School from 1981-1984 before moving to the Natchitoches Ninth Grade Center from 1984-1991.  From 1992-2016, he was school technology coordinator and 8th grade team leader at NSU Middle Lab while he was also a supervising teacher, cooperating teacher and adjunct instructor for NSU’s College of Education and Division of Continuing Education.

During the course of his career, McClung earned several honors, including Natchitoches Parish High School Teacher of the Year, Natchitoches Jaycees’ Outstanding Young Educator and was twice named Natchitoches Parish Middle School Teacher of the Year.  He was a regional finalist for Louisiana State Teacher of the Year in 1995 and Louisiana State Middle School Teacher of the Year om 1996.  He also earned the Louisiana Middle School Association Award of Excellence in Education and APEL Distinguished Clinician for mentoring preservice teachers.

In addition to publishing articles on learning and instruction, McClung served on the Louisiana Department of Education committee that developed accountability and piloted languages arts assessment for the LEAP test and pursued technology training to implement one of the charter programs for “Computers for Louisiana’s Kids.”

LaGrone earned a B.S. in Agri-Business in 1984, a B.A. in Elementary Education in 1986, M.Ed. in Education Administration and Supervision in 1989 and completed 30+ graduate hours in Educational Administration and Supervision in 1994.  He is the director of the Department of Teaching and Learning for the Natchitoches Parish School Board.

LaGrone began his career as a teacher and coach at Montgomery Junior High and High School, providing instruction in math, science, social studies and P.E.  He was assistant principal at South Grant Elementary for three years, then was a site administrator at Grant Alternative School before he was named principal at Dry Prong Junior High where he served from 1997-2008. He also served as a mentor principal for the Louisiana Educational Leadership Induction Program.  LaGrone was Grant Parish Principal of the Year in 2002 and was a regional finalist for Louisiana Principal of the Year.

In 2008, LaGrone was appointed principal at NSU Middle Lab School, where he created a system to ensure a safe and orderly school environment and a “learning first” culture. He has also been director of the Louisiana Gear Up Summer Camp, for eighth graders who will become first generation college students. He was Natchitoches Parish Principal of the Year in 2010. In 2017, NSU Middle Lab was named a Blue Ribbon School and in 2018, LaGrone was again named Natchitoches Parish Principal of the Year. He has served the profession in many capacities, as a member of numerous academic committees and participating in many leadership training initiatives.

Murphy, who earned her doctorate in education at NSU in 1981 was the first female Superintendent of Schools in Natchitoches Parish. Her 50-year career in public education includes service as a classroom teacher, school curriculum coordinator, assistant principal and principal in addition to her 11 years as Superintendent of Schools. For more than a decade, she was an innovative and dynamic principal at the NSU Elementary Laboratory School, guiding the school in a time of significant growth and success.

As superintendent, she maintained a close rapport with teachers, principals, parents, students and others as she worked to enhance the quality and effectiveness of schools in the system. Under her leadership, the Natchitoches Magnet School was established in 2005.

Murphy, who also holds education degrees from Ouachita Baptist University and Henderson State University, continues to provide guidance and assistance to schools, young people and educational organizations in her role as a consultant for the Rapides Foundation and Orchard Foundation that support and promote educational initiatives in this area and beyond.

Maggio retired earlier this year after serving with faculty, staff and administration at NSU for 33 years, the last four as the university’s 19^th president.  Maggio guided Northwestern State through some of the most challenging times in the university’s history, providing leadership through a global pandemic and several severe weather events. The four highest enrollments in NSU history were during Maggio’s tenure as president, and the university’s economic impact on the region climbed to an all-time high of $428 million.

Maggio earned a bachelor’s degree from NSU in 1985 and a master’s degree from the university in 1991.  He received a doctorate degree from Grambling State University in 2002. He was elected Mr. NSU as an undergraduate.

A lifelong resident of Natchitoches, he taught and coached for two years at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Natchitoches before becoming an assistant track and field and cross country coach at Northwestern in 1988.  Over the years, Maggio served NSU as Head Women’s Track and Field and Cross Country Coach, Assistant Athletic Director, Director of Admissions, Director of Enrollment Services, Director of Alumni and Development, Dean of Students and Assistant Provost, Assistant Vice President for External Affairs and Vice President for the Student Experience.

Dollar earned a master’s degree in secondary physical education at NSU in 1981 and retired earlier this year having served as professor and head of the Department of Health and Human Performance. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway where he was a four-year letterman in track. Prior to his appointment at NSU, Dollar was a visiting assistant professor, interim program coordinator, and internship coordinator for the sport management program at Texas A&M University, where he also received his doctorate in sports administration and management.

Dollar has authored numerous articles and presented at state, regional, national and international workshops and conferences on the topics of mentoring, experiential learning, internships and supervision, service learning, career development and curriculum development in sport management. He has also. served on numerous committees and councils including graduate council, faculty senate, standards, academic advising, scholarship, distance learning, and faculty guidelines.

Dollar has taught courses in sport law, ethics and sport governance, human resource management, recreational sport management, research in sport, and supervised more than 1,000 experiential learning experiences for his students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He possesses lifetime teaching certificates in Texas and Louisiana.

Bennett has a 56-year career in education.  At NSU, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education in 1966, Master of Education in Special Education in 1970 and Specialist in Education in Leadership, Curriculum and Assessment in 1984 with additional study at Northeast Louisiana University and Louisiana State University.  She began her career as a special education teacher at several schools in Natchitoches Parish before become pupil appraisal coordinator for Natchitoches Parish.  She also served on faculty at NSU, Louisiana Tech and Northeast Louisiana, now the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

As the first certified assessment teacher/education diagnostician in Louisiana, Bennett worked for the Louisiana Department of Education to create and implement pupil appraisal, special education and school improvement programs. Throughout her career, she authored and administered grants, assisted in writing handbooks and reference guides for learning standards and was a consultant for curriculum development in Louisiana and several other states.  She presented at numerous state and national conferences, served as director of the Department of Exceptional Student Services and was Louisiana’s State Assessment Teacher of the Year, Outstanding Special Education Teacher of the Year.

Although she is retired twice over, Bennett is still serving the educational world by volunteering her time and services to the Early Childhood realm as well as presenting at local conferences disseminating her knowledge of inclusion, diversity and more.

Barbara Moham earned an undergraduate degree in elementary education at Northwestern State in 1986, a master’s of science (reading) at University of Central Arkansas in 1993, certification as curriculum specialist at UCA in 1993 and certification in education administration at University of Arkansas in 1999.  In 2011, she completed a program of study in data analysis and urban education at Harvard University.

Moham began her career as a teacher in DeSoto Parish in 1987 and was a teacher and administrator in the Little Rock, Arkansas, school system from 1988-2000.  She was a professor at the University of Central Arkansas from 1992-92 and assistant professor at Arkansas Baptist College from 1998-99.  Since 2000, she has served as a principal and specialist for the Dallas Independent School District.  In Texas, she is certified as a teacher, principal, master reading teacher, generalist, reading specialist, supervisor and English as a second language instructor.

In the Dallas School District, Mohan has served as a reading demonstration teacher, master reading teacher, instructional dean, and administrator/principal at the secondary and elementary levels. She has been awarded grants for research on how to improve teaching and learning and been recognized with several academic achievements.

Moham has been married to her husband William for 10 years.

Theresa Hamilton earned an undergraduate degree in elementary education at Southern University in 1983 and a master’s degree in educational administration and Plus 30 at NSU in 2001.  She was a teacher at NSU Middle Lab, Parks Elementary and Goldonna from 1983-2007, serving as principal at LP Vaughn Elementary until transferring to the Tangipahoa Parish School System from 2007-2016 where she served as chief academic officer, chief desegregation officer, supervisor of federal programs, principal at Hammond Eastside Upper Elementary and Martha Vineyard Elementary.

Hamilton joined the Louisiana Department of Education in 2016 serving for a year as Southern Network Educational Consultant. She is currently a senior program consultant for the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching.

Hamilton and her husband Alvin have been married 29 years.  They have two children and one grandson.

Mike McConathy graduated from Louisiana Tech University in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education. He earned a master’s degree in health and physical education at Northwestern State in 1983 and completed Plus 30 in 1989 at Northwestern State, Centenary College and Louisiana Tech.  McConathy taught at Airline and Bossier High Schools and was on Behavioral Sciences Department faculty at Bossier Parish Community College for 16 years, serving as interim department head in 1998-99.

While serving as head men’s basketball coach at NSU since 1999, he has taught classes in the Department of Health and Human Performance, including personal health, team sports, individual sports and driver’s ed. He and his teams have been involved since the inception of the NABC National Association of Basketball Coaches Stay to Win program, which goes to local elementary schools and encouraged youngsters to stay in school. The NSU Men’s Basketball team has one of the highest graduation rates in the nation at 90 percent.  Since the inception of the Academic Progress Rate in 2004, the men’s basketball team has ranked in the top 10 percent five times. The APR measured how well programs retain and keep student-athletes eligible to compete academically.

Johnnie Emmons earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education with a minor in mathematics at Northwestern State in 1951 and a master’s in P.E. at Louisiana Tech and completed Plus 30 at NSU.  He was an outstanding student-athlete at NSU.

Emmons’ began his career in 1952 in Spearsville where he was a math teacher and girls basketball coach.  He later coached baseball at Bernice and established a football team there.  He coached football at Ferriday, Homer and Lake Charles.  Joining the faculty at NSU, he taught health, physical education and driver’s education and coached football, baseball and men’s and women’s tennis, which he started. He was selected in 1973 as one of the first inductees into the N Club Hall of Fame and was honored in 2013 as one of NSU’s Athletic Legends. Emmons was selected as one of the school’s Top 100 Demon Football Players of the Century in 2007.  The baseball record he set in 1952 with a batting average of .458 still stands.  He also still shares the school record for most touchdown receptions in a game. In recognition of his emphasis on academics, the Athletic Academic Support Center is named in his honor.

Emmons and his wife Nelda have been married 67 years and have two children, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Dr. Derwood Duke earned a degree in physical education with a minor in mathematics at University of Louisiana-Lafayette in 1958, a master’s degree in education administration with a minor in physical education in 1959 and an Ed.D. in physical education with an administration minor at Northwestern State in 1974.

He began his career teaching math and coaching basketball at Mansfield High School from 1959-1965 before transferring to Natchitoches High School as a health and P.E. teacher, head basketball coach and supervisor of student teachers until 1970 and continued those responsibilities  at Natchitoches Central High School through 1973 when he joined the faculty at Northwestern State as a graduate assistant in health, physical education and recreation.  He was assistant basketball coach, golf coach and assistant professor at NSU from 1974-1981 when he was began serving as director at Natchitoches Central.  He was superintendent of schools in Winn Parish from 1988-1996 and returned to NSU from 1997-2009 as assistant professor of education leadership.  He was superintendent of the Natchitoches Parish School Board from 2009-2014.

He is married to Ann Gibson Duke and has three children, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Dr. Ben Barron earned a degree in secondary education at Northwestern State in 1957, a master’s in education administration in at Louisiana State University in 1961 and an Ed.D. in elementary education/reading and educational administration at the University of Southern Mississippi in 1967.  He earned elementary certification in 1966.

Barron began his career as an elementary teacher and assistant principal in West Baton Rouge Parish.  His career in higher ed began at the University of Southern Mississippi before his tenure at Northwestern State, which lasted from 1967-2007 when he served in many roles over the years as a professor, assistant dean, director of Educational Research, department head, division director, acting vice president for finance and vice president of University Affairs. He later served as an educational specialist for Pearson Publishing Company as a presenter, consultant and teacher of mini-courses throughout the U.S.

Barron is married to Janice Susan Barron and has three children and five grandchildren.

Dan Poole Jr. earned his degree in health and physical education with a minor in mathematics at Northwestern State in 1952, a master’s in 1955 from LSU and Plus 30 from both universities. He began his career as a math teach in Ouachita and Natchitoches parishes and was a math and science teacher and coach at Waterproof High School and Natchitoches High School, a math teacher and assistant principal at Natchitoches Central and principal of the Natchitoches 9^th Grade Center.  While at Waterproof, he coached the 1959 state track champions and at Natchitoches High School, the 1969 State Football Championship team. He also coached the first 7’0” high jumper in Louisiana.

Along with others, Poole worked to unite two public schools in Natchitoches during desegregation. He was also the clock operator for NSU basketball from 1970-90 and helped officiate NSU track meets from 1963-2013.  Poole’s wife Nelwyn, also a long-time educator, passed away Feb. 15, 2018.  The couple has three children, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Johnny McFerren, a Marthaville native, earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial education in 1955, a master’s degree in administration and supervision in 1957 and Plus 30 at the University of Arkansas.  He taught for 12 years in Natchitoches and Caddo parishes and served on the Caddo Parish School Board for 12 years where he was elected president his last year. He was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1980 from District 7 that covers south Caddo and DeSoto parishes and retired in 1996 with a total of 16 years of service.  He served on several legislative committees, including Retirement and Education, and served as vice chairman and chairman on the Education Committee.  He was selected as a commissioner to the Education Commission of the States.

In 2017, Gov. John Bel Edwards appointed McFerren to the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System, the governing board for Northwestern State and eight other universities.  He was also a successful businessman and entrepreneur. He passed away Aug. 2, 2018.  He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years Patsy Moss McFerren.  They are survived by two children and three grandchildren.

Melanie McCain earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1974, a master’s degree in special education with emphasis in gifted education in 1977 and a Master’s Plus 30 in gifted education in 1981. All degrees and certifications were earned at Northwestern State.  During her career, she has served as a classroom teacher in English/language arts and gifted/talented, a supervising teacher, principal, parish/city supervisor of instruction, educational diagnostician, associate educational therapist and Title 1 supervisor.  She was a Distinguished Educator designated by the Louisiana State Board of Educators or Rapides and Orleans parishes from 1999-2003.

McCain’s career experience includes teaching in both public and private elementary schools, as well as serving as an itinerate teacher.  She is owner/consultant for Shelly-Belly Literacy Company and Shelly-Belly Literacy Company for Dyslexia.  She is also a Time to Teach consultant in behavior management and is an Emergenetics thinking styles consultant.  Her professional development activities include study in guided reading, writing, assessment practices, behavior management, learning styles and the brain. She holds membership in several professional organizations and continues to volunteer and substitute teach at local schools.

McCain has been married to Steve McCain Sr. for 48 years and the couple has two children and four grandchildren.   She is involved with several civic, social and philanthropic organizations.

Jacqeline Crew earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1965 and a master’s in education in 1972 and taught in St. Mary, Caddo, East Baton Rouge and Natchitoches parishes from 1965-2012, teaching elementary and gifted classrooms and taking on yearbook duties.  During those years, she served on many parish committees, presented in-service workshops to teachers, took graduate classes and mentored younger teachers.  She was twice selected by colleagues as Teacher of the Year, at Magnolia Woods Elementary in 1996 and at St. Mary’s Elementary in 2004.  She continues to work for Louisiana College observing alternative certification teachers and as site supervisor for NSU’s College of Education.

Crew and her late husband of 52 years Robert Crew, a long-time educator and administrator at Northwestern State, were devoted supporters of Northwestern and were awarded an Nth Degree in 2012 for meritorious service to the university and community.  She has been the Tri Sigma Sorority chapter advisor for 18 years and has volunteered with many community organizations.  Mrs. Crew has two children and four grandchildren.

Judy Lincecum Stewart earned a degree in math education at Northwestern State in 1976 and took graduate classes at McNeese State University and the University of Louisiana-Lafayette from 1982-86.  She taught in nine parishes and all but two of her more than 37 years in the classroom were in public schools teaching math and social studies to middle schoolers and algebra and senior math in high schools. She spent one year teaching elementary math in a private school and another year traveling throughout Louisiana tutoring students who had not passed the fourth grade math LEAP test.

Stewart taught and coached gifted math students for Literary Rally and State Mathcounts and at one point developed a team that successfully competed in competitive math tournaments.  She and her husband Bart Stewart have three children and nine grandchildren.

Dr. Connie Melder earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education at LSU in 1977, a master’s in special education at NSU in 1984 and a doctoral degree in curriculum in and instruction at Louisiana Tech in 2014.  She began her career as a classroom teacher and hearing impaired program coordinator for the Natchitoches Parish School Board from 1977-85.  She was supervising teacher at NSU Middle Lab from 1985-2001 and joined the faculty at NSU in 2001.

Since 2007, Melder has been director of field experience and clinical practice and an associate professor with NSU’s Gallaspy College of Education and Human Development. Melder and her husband Sonny have three children and three grandchildren.

Dr. Steve Horton earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism with concentrations in news editorial and public relations and a minor in business administration and a bachelor’s in secondary education-English and journalism in 1988.  He earned a master’s degree in journalism at LSU in 1990 and a Ph.D. in vocational education with a concentration in adult and extension education and a minor in mass communication at LSU in 1998. Horton is the fourth generation of his family to earn teacher education degrees at Northwestern.

Horton began his career teaching at Captain Shreve High School, then taught journalism and served as director of student publications from 1990-97 when he was named director of Alumni Affairs.  He then served as a professor and head of the Department of Journalism from 1999-2005 before serving as vice provost and chief academic officer, dean of the Graduate School and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 2005-2016.  He is currently the executive director of the Louisiana School for Math, Sciences and the Arts.  Horton and his wife Emilyn have two children.

Dr. Larry Gracie graduated from Northwestern State in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree and earned a master’s in counseling and student personnel administration from Texas A&M-Commerce (formerly East Texas State University) in 1971.  He heard a Ph.D. in education management system and design with a concentration in higher education and student development at Florida State University in 1976.  He began his career at the University of New Orleans in 1971 working with student activities and in financial aid and from 1976-77 was director of sponsored research and special projects for the State University System of Florida.  At North Carolina State University, he served from 1977-1994 as as coordinate or student affairs research, dean of student development, associate director of university planning and analysis and director of space planning and management.

Gracie served as district executive for the Boy Scouts of America from 2006-2008 and was dean of curriculum, interim president and chief academic officer and vice president of instructional services with Pamlico Community College from 2008-2013.  Gracie and his wife Joan have five children, 10 grandchildren and many pets.

Billy Crawford graduated from NSU with a bachelor’s degree in social studies and English in 1968, earned a master’s degree in school administration in 1972 and completed 30+ hours of additional courses in education and administration at Louisiana State University. He began his career as a teacher in Vernon Parish in 1969 and from that time until 1995 served as a coach, counselor, assistant principal and principal in Leesville, Anacoco and Hornbeck. In 1995 he became a consultant to the Louisiana State Department of Education working with 15 Louisiana high schools to improve the teaching and learning process.

He then served as assistant superintendent of the Louisiana State Department of Education in the Office of Student and School Performance and as a consultant to Ascension Parish Schools and Waynesboro, Mississippi Middle School. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Crawford served as a school counselor at Hurricane Katrina Elementary School in Scotlandville for evacuated children in shelters from 2005-06 and at a counselor in the New Orleans Recovery School District.  Crawford and his wife Callie have four children and seven grandchildren.

Paula Hickman is executive director of the Community Foundation of North Louisiana where she is responsible for the Foundation’s leadership, management, strategic planning and development.  She helped create and incubate Step Forward, a cradle to career initiative that has engaged over 1,000 in the Shreveport-Bossier area to collectively drive excellence in education so that children of the area are prepared to compete in a 21st century global economy.

Hickman holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Alabama and juris doctorate from LSU Law Center. Although not an educator, she has always valued education as a pathway to a better life.  She is a co-founder of VOA LightHouse, an educational enrichment center for children in Shreveport’s most impoverished area through which thousands of children have received support to obtain education and eventually employment.  Last year 100 percent of participants stayed in school, 80 percent had a grade point average of 2.0 or better and 100 percent avoided involvement with teen pregnancy and the juvenile justice system.

Hickman has volunteered support to numerous organizations, including Providence House, Glen Retirement System, Centenary College Planning Giving Council, Volunteers of America, Shreveport Symphony, Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier and KDAQ.

David Thrash has been principal at Bossier High School since 2006 and has also served as principal at Haughton Middle School, assistant principal at Haughton High School and as a teacher and coach at Benton High School and Ringgold High School.  He graduated from NSU in 1983 with a degree in social studies and health and physical education, earned a master’s in health education at Louisiana Tech and +30 in education leadership at Centenary College.  Thrash spent 15 years teaching middle and high school at Benton where he was head baseball and football coach and led both groups to the state semi-finals.

Thrash’s awards include being named Louisiana Principal of the Year, Bossier Parish Principal of the Year and Bossier Press Tribune Readers’ Choice School Principal finalist. He is a member of several professional, community and leadership organizations, including the Bossier City Lions Club, Bossier Association of Principals, Louisiana Association of Educations and National Association of Secondary School Principals. Since 2012, he has served on the Louisiana High School Athletic Association school relations committee and has also served as the 3A District chairperson for LSHAA.  He has served on the Bossier Parish School Board since 1985.

Robert Silvie is currently assistant principal at Captain Shreve High School.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in business and office education in 1975 and a master’s in business and office education in 1977 at Northwestern State and completed +30 hours at NSU, Southern University, Louisiana Tech, Centenary and Louisiana State University.  He began his career as a classroom teacher at North Caddo High School and Woodlawn High School from 1975-1996 before serving as assistant principal at North Caddo from 1996-2005 and interim principal from 2002-03.  He served as principal at Fairpark High School from 2008-09 before his current position at Captain Shreve.  He has also taught as a part-time instructor at Louisiana Technical College and served as part time bookkeeper for Project Uplift.

During his career, Silvie has served on the Caddo Parish Schools Discipline Review Committee, mentored assistant principals for the Louisiana Department of Education, evaluated and reported on the JUMP program, assessed intern teachers and served on the state curriculum guide writing team for business education subjects.  He has prepared and published faculty and student handbooks, coordinated LEAP remediation plans, prepared schools for accreditation and accumulated several hundred professional development in-service hours.  He has been named PTA Educator of Distinction, Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers and KMSS Teacher of the Week. He has been involved with several parent/teacher student associations and holds membership in several professional and community organizations.

Edwina Lewis earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Grambling State University in 1957 and a master’s degree in elementary teaching at Northwestern State in 1967.  She also holds certification in supervision of student teachers, +30 professional development hours and additional graduate hours earned during her career. In her first years of teaching from 1950-1970, she taught home economics at Gooch School, fourth grade at Clarence Jr. High and language arts and math at North Natchitoches Elementary and spent a year as a math demonstration teacher at Northwestern State. From 1971-1992, she was at NSU Middle Lab teaching math and language arts, supervising pre-student teachers and was a substitute math instructor. From 1992-96, she worked as adjunct faculty, workshop planner and presenter for Red River, Avoyelles, DeSoto, Sabine, Winn and Natchitoches parishes.

Lewis’s post-retirement includes work with Natchitoches Parish LEAP test preparation, the Natchitoches Literacy Council, St. Anthony Catholic Church, the Natchitoches Parish Library Trustee Board and Natchitoches Parish Vocational/Technical College Board of Directors.  She is also involved with the NSU Alumni Association, GSU Alumni Association, Natchitoches Parish Retired Educators Association and the Natchitoches Parish Council on Aging.  She has received many honors, including being named the Middle/Junior High School Teacher of the Year for the parish and state, Iota Mu chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Dedicated Service Award, Louisiana Delta Great Retired Teacher of the Year, Natchitoches Business and Professional Woman of the Year, the Mayor’s Distinguished Service Award and a Natchitoches Treasure distinction.

Mack Daniel Knotts earned a bachelor’s degree at Northwestern State in health and physical education in 1961, a master’s in health and physical education/administration in 1963 and +30 at Louisiana Tech in 1973.  As an undergraduate, Knotts was a member of the Demon baseball team, Phi Epsilon Kappa Fraternity and Kappa Blue Key Honor Fraternity.  He is also a member of Northwestern State’s N Club Athletic Hall of Fame.

He began his career as a coach and teacher at St. Mary’s High School and Haynesville High School and served as principal at Haynesville Elementary and Jr. High from 1970-81 and principal at Haynesville High School from 1981-1992 before serving as a Bossier Parish School Board member from 1998-2010. While a School Board member, he served as chairman of the Insurance Committee and as president and helped generate support and secure funding for several schools, including Parkway High School. After retiring, he worked as an insurance agent and was a volunteer basketball and baseball coach and recreation director in Haynesville.  He lives in Bossier City.

Dr. Raymond Gilbert, a former Natchitoches resident, was a retired professor who served on the NSU faculty from 1970-1990 where he taught graduate courses in music and educational psychology and was sought after as a professor because of his dedication and commitment to his students.

Born in 1922, Gilbert was a native of El Dorado, Arkansas.  Following service in the U.S. Army, he studied at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago where he received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 1949 and 1951.  He began his career teaching voice and piano, both private lessons and in public schools, in El Dorado where he was also coordinator of the El Dorado High School fine arts program, a church music director and frequent vocal performer. He moved to Natchitoches, earned a doctorate in education at NSU in 1970 and for more than 40 years was involved in church, community and philanthropic endeavors.  He was also highly involved with many educational organizations, serving in several offices.  He received many honors during his career, including the French Legion of Honor Medal, the Outstanding Lion Award and a Natchitoches Treasure designation.  He passed away June 16, 2016.

Douglas McLaren earned an undergraduate degree in 1957 and a master’s at Stephen F. Austin in 1961.  He began his career as a teacher and coach at Logansport High School before serving on the DeSoto Parish School Board as director of Special Services, director of Integration and Reapportionment and later Superintendent of Schools.  He retired in 1983 to go into private business.

During his tenure as an administrator, McLaren initiated and implemented the Four Phase program that garnered national recognition and oversaw the building of North DeSoto High School. Prior to that, during his years as a classroom teacher, he taught grammar at the junior high level and coached football and girls basketball, where he was able to impart life lessons among his students.

Dr. Grady Harper earned a bachelor’s degree in art from Louisiana College in 1955, a master’s in art education at NSU in 1957, a master’s of fine arts at Stephen F. Austin University in 1969 and a Ph.D. from Louisiana State University in 1969. He taught art at the junior high level beginning in 1955 and at the college level from 1959 until his retirement in 1990.  Harper was a professor of art at Northwestern State from 1969-1990 where he served as chairman of the art department for three years, before serving as director of Northwestern Abroad, the university’s student international travel program.

Harper enjoyed a long, successful and influential career as an educator and visual artist.  He took art to the community with adjunct workshops, exhibits, demonstrations and international art study abroad programs open to students and the community. During his career, Harper exhibited art in numerous galleries in the southern United States and in private collections nationwide and was recognized with many awards and accolades.  He was admitted to numerous juried exhibits and art shows, often receiving awards or acknowledgements for work submitted. He served on the editorial board for Louisiana Life magazine from 1981-85 and authored many published works on painting techniques and art education.

Fred Fulton earned a degree in health and physical education at NSU in 1965 and a master’s in health and physical education in 1972. He completed post M.Ed. hours in educational administration, supervision and reading.  Fulton began his career in Sabine and Beauregard parishes before joining the administration at Northwestern State as dean of students and director of student life and later as vice president for student affairs. His last service was as superintendent of schools for Slocum ISD in Elkhart, Texas.

Fulton worked in the public schools systems as a classroom teacher and coached track, cross country, football and basketball before moving into administration as assistant principal for instruction, principal at DeRidder High School and assistant superintendent for instruction and personnel/director of curriculum for the Beauregard Parish central office.  He noted that one of the most rewarding days of his career was his appointment to director of student life at Northwestern State.

Marvin Learohn Caldwell grew up in Winnfield and earned a degree in health and physical education at NSU in 1970, a master’s in school administration and supervision at Louisiana State University in 1975 and +30 hours in school curriculum at Louisiana Tech in 1978.  He spent his career in Caddo Parish as a teacher and coach and later as supervisor of health and physical education.  He was also an adjunct professor at LSU-Shreveport.  Caldwell wrote and published over 30 physical education and motivational books and presented workshops and programs at the local, state and national levels for students, teachers and the public.

Caldwell served on Louisiana Department of Education committees developing curriculum guides in health and physical education, served as director to YMCA and Kiwanis camps and developed a recreational and fitness program for daycares.  He also created the “Every Child A Winner” program that ensured every child had opportunity for success through creative physical education activities. He earned many honors in Caddo Parish, including Coach of the Year, Educator of the Year, Outstanding Young Man of the Year, and NSU’s Distinguished Alumni Award, presented by the Department of Health and Physical Education.

Stuart Bird graduated from Northwestern State with a bachelor’s in music education in 1974 and earned a master’s in music education at NSU in 1980. He earned superintendent certification at Stephen F. Austin University in 1999.  He began his career as a band director in Sabine and Natchitoches parishes before moving to the Carthage, Texas, ISD, where he became a high school principal, serving from 1990-2000 when he was named principal at Jacksonville, Texas, ISD.  He was named Jacksonville superintendent in 2002 and since 2012 has served as superintendent of Troup, Texas ISD, where he has overseen improvements in the district academically, in areas of technology and instruction and set in motion the process to replace three facilities.

Bird had much success during his years as a music educator where bands under his direction consistently earned first division ratings in marching and concert competitions.  He was named NSU’s Alumni Band Director of the Year in 1992 and has been active in numerous professional organizations that advance music education and he continues to mentor young administrators, teachers and band directors.

Anna Swafford Bernard graduated from Northwestern State with a degree in elementary education in 1963.  She earned a master of education/reading specialist at Louisiana State University in 1975, +30 at LSU in 1977 and an education specialist degree in administration and supervision at LSU in 1978.  She began her career as a classroom teacher in elementary and middle schools and later served as an assistant principal, principal and supervisor.  Since 2000, she has acted as an educational consultant, first for the Louisiana Department of Education and currently for the National Association of Charter School Authorizers.

During her career, Bernard has represented colleagues at national conventions, served as an officer on several professional associations, worked with Louisiana Department of Education leadership and evaluations teams and served as a trainer, mentor, principal and supervisor for East Baton Rouge Parish schools.

Dr. John Basin Robson, who was born in 1899, earned a teacher’s certificate from the Alabama Normal School in 1920 and Artium Baccalaureus (AB) in chemistry and biology from Louisiana State Normal School, now Northwestern State University, in 1928.  He earned a master’s in chemistry and biology at Louisiana State University in 1937 and a Ph.D. in secondary education and psychology at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College in 1944.

Robson began his career teaching at West Point, Miss., and was a teacher and principal at Natchitoches High School, Vowell’s Mill, Cloutierville and Robeline until becoming a supervisor in Natchitoches in 1934. He went on to serve as state supervisor and was named Dean of Education at Northwestern State in 1945.  He served as head of the Department of Education and Psychology at Northwestern State and Louisiana College and returned to NSU as director of instructional programs and materials for the North Louisiana Supplementary Education Center.  Robson passed away in 1968.

Sally Tanner Namie graduated from Northwestern State with a double major in elementary education and library science in 1972.  She earned a master’s degree in reading at Louisiana State University in 1979 and Plus 30 in instructional supervision at Centenary College, Louisiana Tech, LSU-Shreveport and Northwestern State. She earned a master of library and information science degree from LSU and additional certifications at Louisiana Tech.

Namie has spent her career with the Bossier Parish school system in classroom and administrative capacities and is currently assistant superintendent of curriculum and academic affairs, where she has channeled her love of math to creating programs focused on exposing students to science, technology engineering and math (STEM). She supported STEM curricula for elementary through high school students and is a recognized leader in implementing programs that prepare students for college engineering classes.

Carol H. Hebert earned a degree in business education in 1971, a master’s in business education in 1980 and Plus 30 in adult education in 1997 at Northwestern State.  She began her career teaching computer skills at the high school level in the fast-changing world of technology while sponsoring Future Business Leaders of America organizations at Natchitoches Central High and St. Mary’s School from 1976-1997.  She then moved to the Louisiana Community Technical College System and was coordinator of ACT work keys testing for Louisiana Work Ready project.  She was also engaged in curriculum development and workforce development and worked with students to provide services and assistance in completing educational goals.

Hebert is currently the chief of staff/special advisor to the chancellor at Central Louisiana Technical Community College in Alexandria and is assisting in the transition of the technical college into a comprehensive community college.  Prior to that, she was campus dean, chief academic officer and technical division curriculum coordinator at Northwest Louisiana Technical College in Natchitoches, having spent several years there in other administrative capacities related to student affairs and workforce development.

Dr. Cathy Seymour earned a bachelor’s degree in social studies and journalism education at Northwestern State in 1974, a master’s degree in secondary reading in 1976 and a doctoral degree in elementary education and administration in 1981. She began her career in classrooms in Natchitoches Parish before moving to Centenary College to direct the English Language Center and later serve as an assistant principal in Caddo Parish. She joined the faculty at Northwestern State’s College of Education in 1999 and director of clinical experience and associate dean until her retirement in 2007. She is currently an education consultant for Pearson Publishing and JBHM Education Group.

The honoree is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Kappa Delta Pi and numerous other professional organizations related to education, accreditation and professional development. Seymour said many of her most memorable teaching experiences occurred while working with students in alternative school environments and watching pre-service teachers evolve from students to competent educators. She has been married for 42 years to Dr. Dan Seymour. They have two children and are expecting their first grandchild.

Dr. Sandra McCalla earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics at Northwestern State in 1960. She earned a master’s in instruction and curriculum and mathematics with computer science in 1968 and Ed.D. in education leadership at Texas A & M University in 1987. She was a teacher and principal in Caddo Parish for 28 years before joining the faculty at Northwestern State as a professor and director of the Division of Education. She returned to Caddo Parish as principal and has served as principal at Captain Shreve High School since 1994. She also works as an adjunct instructor for Louisiana State University-Shreveport.

The honoree said accepting the Blue Ribbon School award on behalf of Captain Shreve High School from the President of the United States at the White House was among her most memorable experiences in education. McCalla has earned several honors during her career, including Caddo Parish Principal of the Year and Teacher of the Year, Louisiana High School Principal of the Year, Louisiana Principal of the Year, Louisiana Student Councils, and the National PTA Life Service Award. McCalla has been selected to numerous leadership activities, authored several publications on student leadership and made numerous presentations on education leadership.

Dr. James Haley earned a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education and social studies at Northwestern State in 1959, a master’s in education 1964 and doctor of education degree in 1976. After working as a teacher and coach for several years, he moved into administration as a principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent in Beauregard Parish before joining Northwestern State University’s administration as vice president for University Affairs.

The honoree has been affiliated with numerous professional associations, serving as president of the Southwest Superintendents Association and the Louisiana Superintendents Association, the executive committee for the Louisiana High School Athletic Association and the Governor’s Advisory Council for Drug Free Schools and Communities. Haley said hearing from former students and how he made a positive impact on them is one of the most rewarding aspects of his long career. Retired since 1995, he currently does consulting and inspection work. He has been married to Marilyn J. Haley for 32 years and has four children and seven grandchildren.

Dr. Cila Chavez earned a degree in social science and mathematics at Northwestern State in 1963, a master’s degree in educational administration at the University of New Orleans in 1967 and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University of Northern Colorado in 1980. She began her career as a teacher in Orleans Parish. Prior to beginning her own consulting business, she was a teacher and administrator at the middle, high school and university level. During her career, she served as superintendent of Littleton Public Schools, director of the North Central Accreditation for Colorado and assistant dean of the University of Colorado’s College of Education, among other education enterprises.

The honoree has lived in Colorado for more than 40 years. She has served in leadership positions in numerous community organizations and earned the Phi Delta Kappa Leadership Award twice. She was named one of the top 100 educators in the United States and was a finalist for the Colorado Superintendent of the Year. She also authored a book, “Spirit Moves: Attributes for Transforming Leadership.” Chavez has three children and two grandchildren.

State Rep. Beverly Gourdon Bruce of Mansfield has served in the Louisiana House of Representatives for over 11 years and was re-elected in 1999 and 2003 to her second and third terms without opposition. Prior to her election in 1995, she served as teacher of home economics in the public-school system for nine years and as a home economist with the LSU Agricultural Center-Research and Extension Service for 23 years. She retired from her DeSoto Parish Extension position in 1996 to devote full-time service in the House of Representatives.

Bruce received a degree in Home Economics Education from Northwestern in 1956 and a master’s degree in Child Development and Family Relations in 1964. She also did post-graduate work at Louisiana State University.

Bruce has received numerous honors during her years of public service including Who’s Who of American Women, Outstanding Legislator of the Year for 1997, the Louisiana Association of Educators 2001 Outstanding Legislator and the LSU Ag Center 2002 4-H Distinguished Service Award. Bruce has championed character education in the Louisiana public school system and appropriated funds to finance the Character Counts program, which promotes ethics in both public elementary and secondary schools, as well as inmates incarcerated by the Department of Corrections.

Dr. Ronald McBride of Natchitoches is a retired Professor of Educational Technology and Coordinator of the Graduate Program in Education Technology in the College of Education and Human Development. He held the first Melba Law Steeg Eminent Scholar Endowed Chair in Educational Technology. He received the NSU Excellence in Teaching Award for the College of Education and Human Development in 2009. McBride has 30 years of experience in higher education and eight at the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts. He holds a Ph.D. in communications/instructional media management from Georgia State University, having earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at Northwestern. His specialty is distance learning with 24 years’ experience as a pioneer and award-winning manager of distance education programs and professor in the field.

McBride joined NSU in 1991 as director of the first distance learning program and doubled as head of the Department of Journalism before moving to educational technology. He has taught fine arts studio courses, art history and appreciation, journalism courses including broadcasting and several courses in educational technology. As head of the Department of Telecommunications and Distance Learning he created the first interactive satellite network in Louisiana on a college campus where graduate and middle school courses were delivered to several locations. While head of the Department of Journalism, he directed the building of the new television studio, radio station and created NSU 22, the university’s cable television channel. McBride has an extensive research and presentation record and has secured numerous grants in public secondary and higher education. McBride has two grown daughters and a grandson.

After graduating from Methvin High School in 1936, Hazel Norrid Fletcher of Coushatta received a two-year teaching certificate from Louisiana Normal in 1938, earned a bachelor’s degree in Primary Education 1947 and a master’s in Education 1966 and completed additional graduate work from 1966-1970 at Northwestern. In 43 years as a classroom teacher, Fletcher served in schools in Allen, Red River, Bossier, DeSoto, St. Tammany and Natchitoches parishes and the Port Arthur Independent School District.

Fletcher retired from teaching in 1981 having spent most of her time devoted to early education. During her long career, she touched the lives of thousands of children teaching them to read, write, listen and establish good study habits. She has been a mentor, counselor and example to her co-workers, children and friends. At age 91, she continues to pass the love of learning to her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Part of Fletcher’s ongoing commitment to education has been to establish an annual reunion for graduates of Methvin High School, one of the many small rural schools that were a large part of the education landscape in Louisiana in the early part of the 20th century. In addition to writing the history of the school and its teachers, many of whom were Normal graduates, she has been instrumental in keeping the larger community of graduates connected. She is active in her church is an avid reader.

Jerry Epperson of Baker graduated from a degree with honors in Mathematics/Physical Education at Northwestern and was a four-year football letterman, was Corps Commander of the ROTC program and a Distinguished Military Student. He earned a master’s degree at Northwestern in 1961. He began his career as a math teacher and coach at Coushatta High School in 1955 and served active duty in the U.S. Army in 1957 before working as a teacher and coach at Westdale Junior High. From 1960-68, he was a teacher, basketball and football coach at Broadmoor High School, leading the football team to a state championship in 1966 when he was named Coach of the Year.

Epperson was Assistant Principal at Broadmoor for one year before becoming Assistant Principal and later Principal at Baker High School, where he served from 1969-1987, during which time he was involved in several state athletic committees. From 1987-94, Epperson served as Director and Executive Director of East Baton Rouge Parish Schools and Interim Superintendent in 1995. He later served on the Education Committee for the Baker School System and was Superintendent of City of Baker Schools from 1999-2003. He later served as Interim Superintendent of City of Baker Schools in 2007. Throughout his career, he served on numerous education committees and was a guest speaker at education-related conventions in several states. He has been married for 57 years to NSU graduate Rose Epperson and has three grown sons and several grandchildren.

William Britt of Castor earned his undergraduate in Business and Distributive Education and graduate degree in Distributive Education at Northwestern in 1969 and 1973 and his master’s plus 30 at NSU in 1978. He spent his 42-year career in Bienville Parish, serving as a teacher, coach, principal and superintendent. He was active in numerous executive education organizations and continues to be active in education organizations that serve Bienville Parish students. Among his career achievements, Britt was named Coach of the Year in his class on four separate occasions, having coached boys basketball team to state championships.

In 2005 and 2007, Britt was recognized by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Louisiana Department of Education for leadership in guiding Bienville Parish schools towards accountability standards. He was also recognized by U.S. News and World Report as having America’s Best Public High Schools with three in 2007, two in 2008 and one in 2009.

Evelyn Pyle Adams of Shreveport earned her undergraduate degree and graduate degrees in Elementary Education in 1953 and 1959 and her master’s plus 30 in 1973, all from Northwestern, and certification as a Reading Specialist from Centenary College in 1988. She began her career as an educator as a classroom teacher for elementary and middle schools, and later served as middle school coordinator and staff developer for Caddo Parish schools and at First Baptist Church School. She was an adjunct professor in the Education Department at Centenary and taught at The Reading Center as a reading specialist before taking a position in the adult education program in Caddo Parish teaching adults and young adults in GED preparation, serving there for 21 years.

Adams said she viewed her work with students in the GED program as a privilege to help adults both young and old gain confidence in their ability to succeed and earn their GED diploma. Adams cites inspiring notes from students thanking her for helping them reach their goals as among her most memorable experiences. Adams has two grown sons and two granddaughters.

Katie Jean Myers Young of Baton Rouge received her undergraduate degree in English Education at Northwestern in 1958 and completed a master’s degree in Administration and Supervision at Louisiana State University in 1964. She continued post-graduate studies at the University of Nebraska, at Southeastern Louisiana University and Radford (Virginia) University and +30 at LSU.

Young began her career in 1958 teaching high school English in Acadia Parish. She then spent several years working as a teacher and counselor in East Baton Rouge Parish where she worked with LSU and the Louisiana Department of Education as a Supervisor of Student Teachers and Coordinator of the Graduate Intern Program in Guidance and Counseling. From 1979-81, Young was as a counselor with the Radford, Va., City School Board and served as Coordinating Supervisor for the Graduate Intern Program in Guidance and Counseling for Radford University and Virginia Tech. Returning to Louisiana in 1981, she was a program manager and section administrator for the Professional Improvement Program at the State Department. In 1988, she was recalled to the Department where she served as Program Manager and then as Section Administrator for the Bureau of Secondary Education.

Young worked as an administrator with several agencies devoted to education, school and community support issues, as well as the LSU Alumni Foundation before returning to counseling at Bishop Sullivan High School and currently St. Michael the Archangel Diocesan Regional Catholic High School in Baton Rouge. Young said her most memorable teaching moments have been the moments of joy her students experience at gaining knowledge of a topic and seeing her students accepted to post-secondary institutions with awards and scholarships.

Young’s husband, Charles Keller Young, is deceased. She has a daughter and son-in-law, Chuck and Tarilyn McBride, and a granddaughter, Allison McBride.

Dr. C. Newton Wilkes of Many earned his bachelor’s degree in Health and Physical Fitness in 1966 and a master’s in Educational Administration and Supervision at Tulane University in 1969. He earned a Doctorate in Health and P.E. at NSU in 1977. Wilkes began his career in Jefferson Parish, where from 1966-73 he was a teacher, coach, assistant principal and principal before serving as a Professor and Graduate Coordinator and Department Coordinator at the University of Southern Mississippi from 1979-1992. He served as a personnel evaluator for the State Department of Education from 1977-78 and returned to Northwestern as a professor and department head from 1992-2003.

Wilkes said among the highlights of his career was interest generated by a heat/helmet study he and colleagues conducted that caught the attention of the national sports media. He also found service to others and mentoring prospective teachers and coaches as valuable to him in his career.

Wilkes and his wife Faith have been married 44 years and have two children and two grandchildren.

Earl Thomas Haynes of Bossier City earned a degree in Health, Safety and Physical Education with a minor in Social Studies at Northwestern in 1955 and a master’s in Education in 1961. He was a three-year varsity football letterman at Northwestern and an ROTC graduate. He earned Plus 30 at Louisiana Tech. He began his career as a teacher and coach in Sabine and Calcasieu parishes before spending 1964-1985 in Bossier Parish where he was a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal and supervisor. He served as Principal at Riverdale Academy from 1990-93 before joining the Bossier Parks and Recreation Department as a supervisor from 1998-2005. Most recently, he served as a right of way agent for Doyle Land Service.

Throughout his career, Haynes chaired numerous accreditation review committees and served on the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Executive Committee for three terms. He is a member of the Springhill High School Hall of Fame, the NSU President’s Council, the NSU Graduate N Club and the NSU Sixth Man Club.

Haynes has many fond memories of teaching social studies and physical education, in which planning, organization and coordinating use of facilities with other coaches was key. He and his wife Gene have been married for 57 years and have two children, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Brenda Collins of Bossier City earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at Northwestern in 1971 and a master’s in Elementary Teaching in 1978. She also earned credentials to serve as supervisor to student teachers, academically gifted certification, plus 30 graduate hours. Collins began her career at Winnfield Primary where she taught first grade special education and gifted and talented classes until 1986 when she moved to Elm Grove Junior High School in Bossier City. She later taught at Sun City Elementary in Bossier City before joining Glencoe McGraw-Hill Publishers as a senior sales representative for Louisiana.

Collins’ many professional honors include being named the 1995-96 Teacher of the Year for Sun City Elementary, Bossier Parish and the state of Louisiana. She was a Christa McAuliffe Memorial finalist for the U.S. Air Force South Central Region Teacher of the Year. She received an award of excellence from the Louisiana Association of Teachers of Mathematics and represented the state at the Goals 2000 Teacher Forum in Washington, D.C. She has been named to Who’s Who Among Business and Professional Achievers and one of Bossier Parish’s Women Who Make a Difference.

Collins is a member of Broadmoor Baptist Church and several educator associations and has served as a motivational speaker at conferences throughout Louisiana. Collins and her husband James have been married for 40 years and have two children and five grandchildren.

David Karl Carpenter of Pineville earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Education in 1979 and a master’s degree in Music at Northwestern in 1987 before completing his Doctorate at the University of Southern Mississippi in 2001. He began his career in 1979 as a band director serving at Oberlin High School, Winnfield Senior High and Tioga High School before becoming Assistant Principal at Tioga. He later assumed leadership as Principal at Carter C. Raymond Middle School and is currently Principal at Pineville High School, where he has served since 2007.

Among the outstanding moments in his career are leading the Tioga High School band in playing “Hail to The Chief” for President Bill Clinton in 1996, the band’s appearance that same year in the Washington, D.C. Independence Day parade and concerts performed on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and during a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

Carpenter and his wife Terri have been married 30 years and have three children, all who attended NSU.

Dr. Jerry Payne of Marshall, Texas earned bachelors and masters degrees in Music Education from NSU in 1957 and 1968, Specialist in Education in 1969 and Doctorate in Education in 1973. In a career spanning 45 years, Payne was a music educator for 20 years in Louisiana and 25 years in Texas, including four years as Director of Bands at NSU. During that time, Payne led his bands in numerous outstanding competitive performances and was recognized with several professional honors.

Payne noted that as a student, he intended to become a professional musician, but fell in love with teaching and was motivated by several mentors to continuously pursue excellence in his career.

Hershel M. Machen Jr. of Winnfield graduated from Northwestern in 1959 with a degree in Health and Physical Education and a minor in Math. He earned a master’s degree in Education from Northeastern Louisiana University in 1966 and completed +30 at NSU in 1974. He began his career as a math and P.E. teacher and coach at three schools before moving to Winnfield in 1966, where he was a football coach and P.E. and math teacher at Winnfield Jr. High and Winnfield High School. He served as Principal at Winnfield Senior High from 1975-1992.

With a large portion of his career centered on coaching, Machen remembers the 1982 Class AA football playoffs with great fondness when, under adverse circumstances, Winnfield Senior High won the state championship. He acknowledged the victory as the proudest he has ever been of a group of athletes, spirit groups, band, student body and fans in his career.

John Dilworth of Montgomery, Alabama, earned undergraduate and master’s degrees in Education at Northwestern and completed post-masters study at NSU, LSU-Shreveport, Louisiana Tech and Grambling. He is currently the Superintendent of Montgomery Public Schools in Montgomery, Ala., where he is the instructional and operational leader for Alabama’s third largest school district. He manages 58 schools with 32,000 students and 4,500 employees and is engaged is a $364 million building program. In one year, his district increased advanced placement enrollment by 53 percent and he continues to improve student achievement and community support.

Dilworth began his career as a teacher and coach in the Caddo Public Schools and served as principal and assistant principal at four Caddo schools before being named chief operating officer for Caddo Public Schools. Before his appointment in Alabama, Dilworth was Vice President for University Affairs at Northwestern, where he oversaw the physical plant, health and environmental issues, new construction and renovation.

Dan Chase of Baton Rouge graduated from Northwestern in 1957 with a degree in Health and Physical Education and earned a masters in Education Administration at Northeastern State College in 1964. He began his career as a teacher and coach in Concordia Parish and later worked as a graduate assistant at the University of Arkansas before returning to Louisiana as a teacher and coach in East Baton Rouge Parish and the Louisiana State School for the Deaf.

Chase made donations to establish the Dan and Lilly Chase and daughters Marty Causey and Lisa Chase Endowed Professorship in the College of Education, and the Dr. Francisco A. Silva Endowed Professorship in Psychology. He set up the Dan and Lilly Chase Athletic Scholarship. Chase received an honorary doctorate from Northwestern in 2005. He was co-chair of the University’s first capital campaign and was honorary chairman of the 2006 Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival. Chase made a donation for the fountain which is the focal point of Northwestern’s Alumni Plaza.

Connie Gaines Buck of Baton Rouge earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Education inn 1971, a master’s in Business Education in 1973 and +30 in Business education in 1978. She began her career as a business teacher at Bossier High School before joining the Department of Education for 22 years as program manager and executive officer. She later worked for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System for 5 years as coordinator for Perkins Leadership.

Among her memorable experiences as an educator was the 14 years she spent as State Director of Louisiana’s chapter of Future Business Leaders of America and her year with the Department of Education where she worked with business education teachers and parish leaders in assisting in the delivery of quality business education programs.

Dr. Maurice E. Dennis earned a B.S. in Math at Northwestern in 1964 and a master’s in Physical Education in 1966. In 1971, he earned a Ph.D. in Traffic Safety and Physical Education from Florida State University. Dennis taught at the junior and senior high levels and at the university level for almost 40 years. He received several honors including the Texas A & M University Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award, the highest faculty award at Texas A & M, and the Texas A & M College of Education Crystal Apple Outstanding Educator Award in 2006. He was also presented the Texas A & M Distinguished Teaching Award in 1988 and Division of Health Education Research Award in 2001.

After earning his doctorate, he was an assistant professor at Florida State for five years before moving to Texas A & M where he was Professor and Coordinator of Safety Education programs in the Health and Kinesiology Department from 1977-2006 when he was named Professor Emeritus. During his tenure at A&M, he was Director of Alcohol and Drug Education Studies, and worked as an administrator, curriculum developer, training director and consultant for several Texas drug and alcohol awareness programs. Much of his research was devoted to alcohol and traffic safety related issues, including the development of the Texas DWI and Youth Alcohol Awareness Programs. He was an active scholar with over 100 publications in state, national and international publications. His grant for funded research and teaching projects brought in more than $7.4 million for Texas A & M University.

Jean McGlothlin Doerge graduated from Northwestern in 1958 with a B.S. in Education and joined the staff at Minden High School. The next year, she and her husband moved to Arp, Texas, to teach at the Arp Independent School, where she taught business classes and was an adviser for the school newspaper, yearbook and cheerleaders. At other schools in the following years, she taught girls physical education, coached the girls basketball and taught ninth and tenth grade English. Doerge returned to Natchitoches for one year when her husband coached at Northwestern before the couple returned to Minden. She joined the business department at Minden High as Business teacher and Advisor for FBLA and spent the next 28 years teaching there, during which time she earned a master’s degree and was named head of the department. She was among the first public school educators in the state to implement computer technology and word processing into the business curriculum. Through the years, she served as instructor for summer and night classes at Northwest Technical College in Minden and Homer and served on the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as secondary representative. She and her FBLA students earned numerous awards.

Doerge retired in 1992 after 34 years of teaching. In 1998, she was elected to fulfill the unexpired term of her husband, State Representative Dr. Everett Doerge, who died earlier that year. As a legislator, she has served on several key committees and has supported many education issues at all levels. She has been named to the NSU College of Business Hall of Distinction and was the recipient of the Golden Rose Award and the Golden Apple Award presented by the educational society Epsilon State of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, which recognized her for noteworthy legislation impacting retired teachers’ benefits. She is a member of the FBLA Wall of Fame and received a SACS award for serving on the SACS commission from 1988-92.

Bob McLamore served the Louisiana public school system for 37 years and left retirement to teach high school chemistry. McLamore earned a B.S. at NSU in 1970 and Master’s degree and +30 at McNeese State University. He is a certified teacher assessor/mentor and a certified Louisiana school business official. He began his career teaching science classes at DeRidder High School and later served as assistant principal and principal. He was a chemistry/biology instructor at Northwestern before going to work for the Beauregard Parish School Board as Purchasing agent, Child Welfare and Instructional Supervisor and Director of Auxiliary Services. He retired as Superintendent of Grant Parish School Board in 2005, but continued working as an ad hoc professor and a “Teach” program mentor at Louisiana College.

During McLamore’s career, DeRidder High School was named a Top Ten School by the state. He earned distinctions as state Science Teacher of the Year, Outstanding High School Principal for Beauregard Parish, Region V of Louisiana and was named to an advisory council for the State Board of Secondary and Elementary Education. During his tenure in Grant Parish, McLamore helped bring up performance scores and ACT scores, introduced the teaming concept to middle schools and established a program to reduce the drop-out rate. Last year, he returned to DeRidder High School where a science teacher was needed and has refurbished a chemistry lab and introduced students to new technology. According to his wife, Lydia Jane McLamore, teaching high school science again has “rekindled a passion for the classroom and teaching students that he thought was long gone.”

Dr. Jo Ann V. Dauzat is Dean of the College of Education at Louisiana Tech University. She received B.S. and M.S. degrees in Elementary Education at Northwestern and later sought graduate degrees from the University of Mississippi in Reading and from Northeast Louisiana University in Elementary Education and Reading Education. Her experiences and mentors at Northwesters ignited her passion for literacy education for children, adolescents and adults that continued throughout her 40-year professional career.

Dauzat has published materials and methods for teaching reading and language skills in numerous journals, books and textbooks and her materials have been implemented as the cornerstone for adult education programs throughout the nation. Dr. Dauzat has expertise in accreditation issues in p-12 schools and in higher education and has implemented high quality teacher preparation programs to provide technical assistance to institutions throughout the nation. She has implemented four doctoral level programs and redesigned all of the teacher preparation programs in her home institution.

Dauzat has served on numerous professional and community organizations and has made professional presentations as invited speaker at state, national and international meetings. She has authored and collaborated on numerous projects to fund professional development for teachers and education leaders, particularly in rural and poverty-stricken areas. In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, she organized educational and counseling programs for families, which provided service learning experience for teacher and counselor candidates, college faculty and staff and community partners.

Leonard Wayne Hennigan graduated from NSU in 1954 with a degree in Mathematics and Physical Education. He completed his master’s in Education in 1960 and later completed 30-plus courses at Northwestern, LSU and Peabody College in 1964. He earned additional counselor certification at NSU in 1966. After completing ROTC training in 1954, he was commissioned as 2nd Lt. Active duty and was assigned to the 1st Armored Division in Fort Hood, Texas. He served in several units and graduated Basic Artillery, Advanced Artillery and Command and General Staff College in 1967. He retired in 1975 with the rank of Lt. Colonel.

Hennigan began his teaching career at Mansfield High School in 1956, where he served as head basketball coach and assistant football coach. He later taught algebra at Oak Terrace Junior High in Caddo Parish and was a counselor at Woodlawn High School before returning to Oak Terrace as Principal from 1966-67. He was Assistant Principal at Captain Shreve High School from 1967-70 and was Principal at Valencia Junior High and served as Assistant Principal at Southwood High School in Shreveport from 1970-82. He was Principal at Southwood from 1982 until his retirement in 1988. Hennigan and his wife, Lottie, reside in Shreveport.

Dr. Randall J. Webb of Natchitoches is currently in his 10th year as President of Northwestern. During his tenure, Northwestern has gained unprecedented state and national attention for its achievements in academic and athletic programming. New academic programs have been created including bachelor’s programs in criminal justice, heritage resources, electronics engineering technology and theatre, along with a bachelor’s in Liberal Arts in the Louisiana Scholars’ College. A new graduate program in Heritage Resources is in its second year.

Under Webb’s leadership, Northwestern has been a pioneer in distance learning, which includes classes offered by Internet and compressed video. Ten degree programs are available electronically and several hundred students take exclusively electronic classes. Webb has overseen several major renovations and construction projects, including the renovation of Russell Hall, Morrison Hall and the Family and Consumer Sciences Building, and construction of the $8.3 million Wellness, Recreation and Activities Center and a new 392-bed residence facility. Webb also initiated the university’s first Capital Campaign, raising $27.77 million in donations to fund scholarships, endowed professorships, endowed chairs, faculty research, the Athletic Department and university facilities.

Webb earned degrees in mathematics and business education at Northwestern in 1965 and a master’s in Mathematics in 1966. He taught mathematics as a graduate assistant and as a faculty member at Northwestern before earning a doctorate with concentrations in mathematics and research at the University of Southern Mississippi in 1971.

After serving in administrative capacities at other universities for several years, Webb returned to Northwestern as Dean of Instruction and Graduate Studies in 1989 and in 1996 was elevated to the Office of President. NSU’s scope includes delivery of instruction and services on the main campus in Natchitoches and at satellite campuses in Alexandria, Shreveport, Leesville/Fort Polk and at numerous off-site locations across central Louisiana.

Lola Kendrick of Shreveport served Caddo Parish for 30 years, where she was recognized as an outstanding teacher, researcher, public relations head and Assistant to the Superintendent. She has been a community education activist, serving on numerous boards and clubs, constantly researching and writing education- and youth-related grants.

Kendrick earned her undergraduate degree in 1961 and a master’s from Northwestern in 1967. In addition to her work as a teacher and administrator, she served for eight years as an education specialist for Workforce Commission in the governor’s office, where she was responsible for researching education issues, such as preparing a work-ready workforce and career planning. She was the principal author of a report that has been widely used and quoted in Louisiana workforce, education and economic development arenas. The report has continued to be updated and is featured in a Council for a Better Louisiana report.

Kendrick was one of two principal authors to develop and write Louisiana’s School to Work Grant that resulted in more than $25 million in funding distributed to education systems and partners. She is currently heading a team that is made of agency and business partners writing a Youth Build grant application for north Louisiana. Since her retirement, Kendrick has continued to be a tireless community volunteer in education, using her research, writing and presentation skills for the good of the students of Louisiana, including the disadvantaged and drop-outs.

Travis E. Funderburk of Pineville contributed to education at the local and state levels while serving as a teacher, principal, supervisor and Assistant Superintendent in Rapides Parish. After graduating with honors from Northwestern State College in 1950 and earning a master’s in Education at LSU, he completed post-graduate work at the University of Florida, LSU and Northwestern, in addition to completing many institutes and seminars on special topics in education.

Funderburk began his career as a physics and general science teacher at Bolton High School in Alexandria before becoming an assistant principal and later Principal at Cherokee Elementary. He was Supervisor of Elementary Education for the Rapides Parish School Board from 1963-66 and Director of Instruction and High School Supervisor from 1966-67. From 1967-80, he was Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and from 1980-93 owned Travco Educational Consultant and Sales Services, serving school systems and school supply firms.

During his career, Funderburk served on several Department of Education panels and task forces that addressed funding, personnel evaluation, pupil assessment and resources. He worked on and held offices on several of Louisiana’s Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) committees that evaluated elementary, secondary and unit schools for accreditation and served as a consultant for schools undergoing self-studies. Funderburk held offices in many local and state professional organizations He received the 1979 Outstanding Education Award presented by the Louisiana Association of School Executives and the Educational Leadership Award presented by the Louisiana Association for Supervisors and Curriculum Development. He is listed in Who’s Who in Educational Administration and Who’s Who in Education.

Dr. H.T. Garner of Monroe earned a degree in Business Education at NSU in 1948 and a graduate and master’s degrees in at the University of Arkansas in 1952 and 1962. He retired as Acting Dean of Graduate Education at ULM in 1993. Throughout his career, he held membership in numerous professional and civic organizations, including Phi Delta Kappa, Kappa Delta Pi, National Elementary Principals’ Association, the National Education Association, Louisiana Principal’s Association, American Association of School Administrators and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Garner said his most memorable teaching experience was during his first semester as an English and social studies teacher at Vivian High School.

Mrs. Chris Weaver of Baton Rouge is Executive Director of the Workforce Commission in Louisiana Governor’s Office. She earned an undergraduate degree in Marketing Education at NSU in 1967 and a graduate degree in Education in 1972. She did post-graduate work at NSU and North Texas State University. She was the Marketing Education Coordinator at Woodlawn High School and Principal of the Caddo Career Center and Woodlawn High School before being named Louisiana Assistant Superintendent of Vocational Education. She was Director of Vocational Education for the Louisiana Department of Education, then joined the Governor’s Office where she was Workforce Development Liaison/School-to-Work liaison before becoming Executive Director.

Recalling her most memorable teaching experience, she said, “I spent 13 happy years as a cooperative marketing teacher at Woodlawn High School in Shreveport. Working with students and employers, I saw my students mature, many of them continued on in their market jobs and became productive adults. Now one of my sons teaches and coaches many of their children at Southwood.”

Mrs. Mary Lee Posey of Natchitoches was the first graduate to earn a B.S. in Early Childhood Education at NSU in 1947. She later earned a masters at NSU and did post-graduate work at the University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University for Women, Stephen F. Austin University and University of California-Los Angeles.

After graduating from NSU, where she was active in several organizations, Posey taught school and served in an administrative capacity for more than 32 years in Caddo, Red River and Natchitoches Parishes, teaching at all grade levels from nursery through college methods.

Posey pioneered the kindergarten-primary curriculum in the mid 1960s, starting at the NSU Elementary Lab School. She later made a presentation to the state legislative education committee on the importance of kindergarten. Because of her efforts, Louisiana kindergartens were added to public schools in all parishes. She then wrote curriculum guides, planned classrooms, purchased learning materials and trained kindergarten teachers for several parishes.

Posey was a member of several teacher organizations and received numerous awards. She retired from Director of Central Louisiana Professional Development Center at NSU, where she served as a consultant for nine parishes.

Dr. Charles F. Thomas of Natchitoches earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Health and Physical Education from NSU, then Louisiana State Normal, in 1941 and 1950. He earned his doctorate in Health and Physical Education at George Peabody College for Teachers at Vanderbilt University in 1959.

Thomas served in the U.S. Navy from 1941-1945, then became a teacher and basketball coach at Bastrop High School. He was head basketball coach at NSU from 1950-57 and a professor until 1961 when he became State Supervisor of Health and Physical Education for the Louisiana Department of Education. Thomas returned to NSU as a professor in 1963 and later served as head of the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. In the following years, he served as Dean of Administration, Dean of the College and Vice President for Academic Affairs. He retired from teaching at Tulane University in 1983.

As Dean of the School of Applied Arts and Sciences at Northwestern State, George Thomas Walker organized the first four-year degree program in Nursing in Louisiana in 1949. Walker, who spent nearly 40 years in higher education in Louisiana, served as Dean of the School of Applied Arts and Sciences for 10 years before becoming Dean of Administration. He then went on to serve as President of Northeast Louisiana University for 18 years.

Walker was an instructor of commerce at Northeast Junior College in the mid-1930s and was an assistant professor of business administration and accounting at Southeastern Louisiana University and at the University of Southwestern Louisiana. He also served five years as the State Supervisor of Business Education for the Louisiana Department of Education.

President of Northwestern for 12 years, Dr. Arnold Kilpatrick oversaw extensive additions to the physical plant at the university and an increase in student enrollment to more than 1,500. During the Kilpatrick years, doctoral degrees and extensive two-year associate degrees were established, as well as the Educational Center at the former England Air Force Base in Alexandria.

The 1944 graduate of Northwestern taught and coached in Jackson Parish prior to becoming a basketball coach and athletic director at Northeast Louisiana University. He later served as chairman of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education at NLU before becoming the Dean of the College at Northwestern.

Linda B. Day of Baton Rouge is executive director of the Louisiana Association of Educators and an educator from Caddo Parish. She has previously served as director of the Louisiana Drug Policy and the Office of Drug Policy in the Office of Louisiana’s Attorney General Richard Leyoub. She served an unprecedented four-year term as president of the Louisiana Association of Educators.

Day has served as commissioner to the Education Commission of the State, received LAE’s Human and Civil Rights Trailblazer Award and was one of 76 delegates from the United States to attend the World Confederation of the Teaching Profession in Stockholm, Sweden. She was elected vice president of the National Council of State Education Association in 1993.