World-Renowned Surgeon, Researcher Joins LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Earlier this month, Pennington Biomedical Research Center announced the hiring of Dr. Phil Schauer to lead the new bariatric and metabolic surgery program. Schauer is the world’s leading
expert on obesity and diabetes, a condition that affects one in six Louisianans. His
accomplishments include performing the world’s first laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery
in 1997, and leading the discovery that bariatric surgery could reverse Type 2 diabetes
for the vast majority of individuals.
Under Schauer’s direction, Pennington’s new bariatric and metabolic surgery program
will serve as an international leader in groundbreaking research and medical care.
Established in partnership with both the LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans and
Our Lady of the Lake, the center will open on LSU's Pennington campus in Baton Rouge
by 2020.
LSU Health Shreveport Breaks Ground On New Facility
On the one-year anniversary of the signing of LSU Health Shreveport’s partnership
with Ochsner, ground was broken on the new Center for Medical Education and Wellness.
The state-of-the-art classroom and laboratory building will provide much-needed space
in addition to enhancing the learning experience of LSU Health Shreveport’s record
number of new students.
LSU Law Ranks Among Nation’s Best Values
For the eleventh straight year, preLaw magazine has ranked LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center as one of the country’s top values for students. LSU Law has seen a considerable
jump in recent years, finishing No. 12 in the nation this year, an increase of 11
points in the last two years. LSU is the only Louisiana university to make the rankings
in 2019.
Among the factors influencing the ranking process are employment figures and an institution’s
bar exam pass rate. 91 percent of LSU Law alumni have found employment in full-time
legal positions, the fourth highest among the 25 universities included in the rankings.
In addition, nearly 86 percent of LSU Law students who took the Louisiana Bar Exam
in 2019 passed, the highest percentage among the state’s law schools.
LSU Breaks Ground On Stephenson Pet Clinic
Using dogs rather than the traditional shovels, LSU broke ground this month on the new Stephenson Pet Clinic at the School of Veterinary
Medicine. The clinic is the culmination of a longtime vision from LSU benefactors
Emmet and Toni Stephenson, who noticed the need for a first-class animal care and
wellness facility in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The project was funded by the generosity of donors such as the Stephensons, who provided
the initial gift for the building, matched with public dollars provided by the state.
LSU Welcomes New Campus Leaders
Two new campus leaders joined the LSU family in October, bringing their talents and
expertise to some of the university's top posts.
At the October meeting of the Board of Supervisors, Dr. Paul Coreil was named as LSU of Alexandria’s permanent chancellor. Coreil has been LSUA’s acting chancellor since June, and previously served as the
interim campus leader from February 2013 to February 2014. Prior to joining the Alexandria
campus, Coreil, a two-time LSU graduate, has been working with the university since
1978.
Jim Sabourin officially started work October 1 as LSU’s Vice President of Strategic Communications. Sabourin is the former senior vice president and chief communications officer for
Unum and brings extensive experience in global public relations and communications
to the university.
Gordon Monk has assumed the interim presidency of the LSU Alumni Association, replacing
Cliff Vannoy, who retired after 38 years of service on campus. Monk, an LSU graduate, previously served as the chief fiscal officer of the Louisiana
Legislature before retiring from public service in 2012. Monk will serve on an interim
basis while the Alumni Association undertakes an executive search for a new president
and CEO.
LSU Faculty Are Fierce For Excellence
LSU’s faculty are fierce in their pursuit of academic excellence. Their dedication
to the university’s high standards brings many accolades to campus, showcasing their
incredible work.
Professor Haywood Joiner, the Chair of the Department of Allied Health at LSU of Alexandria,
has been inducted into the Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame for his longtime public service and lifetime commitment to education.
Boyd Professor Susanne C. Brenner is among 18 individuals selected for the national
2020 Association of Women in Mathematics fellowship.
Associate Professor Jennifer Lentz and the LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans
were recently awarded $1.74 million by the National Institutes of Health to develop treatment for Usher syndrome. The disease is known for causing vision
and hearing loss. Working in partnership with Canadian researchers, Lentz’s studies
target specific mutations that specifically affect Acadians, or “Cajuns,” who were
exiled from Canada and sent to Louisiana in 1755.
LSUA Receives National Recognition
In their annual rankings, U.S. News & World Report named LSU of Alexandria as one of the nation’s top 100 liberal arts colleges that create social mobility for students. On the list, LSUA joins institutions such
as West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy.
The major factor in determining the rankings is the graduation rate of students receiving
Pell Grants. The awards are typically given to students with household incomes of
less than $50,000.
LSU Alumnus Delivers Hope to Africa
Michael Panther, a 2015 LSU graduate, is bringing thousands of wheelchairs and mobility
devices to poverty-stricken parts of Africa. Panther, who himself uses a wheelchair,
was born in South Sudan amid the country’s ongoing civil war, combating paralysis
since a young age.
Studying at LSU as an international student, Panther was highly involved in campus
organizations and was elected homecoming king in 2015.
After graduation, Panther was motivated by his personal experiences to start a non-profit organization, Living with Hope, to distribute wheelchairs in Africa. In the past year and a half,
he has given out nearly 1,000 mobility devices.
Living with Hope is currently accepting mobility devices with a special focus on pediatric
devices. To learn more, please visit https://livingwithhope.net.
|