January 2019

As a faculty member of Washington State University, Associate Professor Ashwini Kucknoor had a desire to mentor students far more than possible at such a large institution. The search for greater student interaction led to her coming to Lamar University. “At LU, we professors get to teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels,” she says. “This allows me to develop relationships with my students that last for years."

With a background in political science, Lynn Maurer, new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, is focused on working to empower LU's underserved populations. “I’m dedicated to the idea of inclusive excellence in the diversity of education, by recognizing varying financial needs and helping students at-risk academically,” Maurer says.

In 2017, Hyattye Simmons received one of three LU Distinguished Alumni Awards for mentorship of at-risk students and his work towards keeping them on the path to graduation. He enrolled at Lamar University in 1977, just two weeks after making history as the first African-American male valedictorian to graduate Burkeville High School. He credits LU as “the bridge that helped him prepare for the outside world.”