News at Lamar

Lamar University’s Office of Global Diversity and Inclusive Excellence, in partnership with the Department of Human Resources, has launched its first Employee Resource Group for multigenerational professionals. ERGs are voluntary, member-led groups that share a common purpose, background or activity and are aligned with the organizational mission and business objectives.

The Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences is pleased to announce they have been selected as the first university chapter for the Pan American Vocology Association (PAVA).

The Lamar University Academic Lecture Series presents a distinguished lecture featuring Dr. Kip Thorne, winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics. The free public event will be hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences on October 16, 2018 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the University Theater.

The Lamar University Department of Theatre and Dance presents their first production of the fall semester, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, based on the novel by Mark Haddon and adapted by Simon Stephen. The production, which will run October 5-7 and 11-13, will be guest produced by Carolyn Johnson.

The Lamar University Cardinal Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Lab Band will present their first concert of the fall semester on Thursday, October 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the Rothwell Recital Hall on the LU Campus.

The Babe Didrikson Zaharias Foundation is continuing their support of Lamar University students with the first installment of $7,500 for this newly created, endowed scholarship in honor of Suzanne and Jennifer Pate. The scholarship will be funded over seven years for a total gift of $50,000.

Over 100 students were recognized at Lamar University’s first Celebrating Hispanic Excellence Reception for excelling academically and for serving as student leaders at this institution. These students, in the company of their family members and friends, were recognized at this formal reception, which helped kick-off Hispanic Heritage Month.

The popularity of graduate Management Information Systems (MIS) courses within the MBA program and repeated inquiries from prospective students made the leaders in the College of Business see a demand for a graduate degree in MIS that could be met.

A tradition returns to Lamar University football beginning in 2018 as bells are re-introduced at Provost Umphrey Stadium. The bells, which were rung after the Cardinals scored a touchdown or field goal, were originally added to the gameday experience in 1967.

Lamar University recently hosted two research teams comprised of eight students and four faculty members in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program funded by the National Science Foundation. The $263,980 NSF grant will support additional students and junior faculty in the summers of 2019 and 2020.

LU junior biology major Emily McCall, of Orangefield, traveled to Africa this summer to participate in field research thanks to a Presidential Summer Fellowship. The Fellowship provided a $10,000 grant to fund her research in Kenya on Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium, parasitic flatworms estimated to afflict more than 200 million people worldwide.

Lamar University has selected 16 students to serve as Lamar Ambassadors. They will join 41 returning ambassadors in representing the student body at official university events during the 2018-2019 academic year.

The Lamar University Alumni Advisory Board has elected Chris Bates ’08 of Port Arthur to serve as president for 2018-2019. Tony Landry ’94 of Nederland will serve as past president and Bard Brown ’81 of Beaumont will serve as president-elect.

Serdar Ilban, associate professor of voice opera and director of the Lamar Opera Theatre in the Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music at Lamar University has been invited to present workshops and performances in Jiaozuo City, China.

Lamar University’s new year opened today (August 21) with fanfare as faculty and staff gathered to hear the annual “state of the university” address from President Kenneth Evans. Fall semester classes begin Monday, August 27.

Edward Doan, Luke Nguyen and Naomi Raczkovi, honors students in Lamar University’s Reaud Honors College, travelled to San Francisco June 25-29 to participate in “Partners in the Parks–Golden Gate National Recreation Area,” joining nine other students from across the country.

The bilingual culture of Barcelona provided new bonds in learning for eight Lamar University Deaf Studies/Deaf Education students who participated in a Study Abroad trip this summer.