As 2012 comes to a close, we thought it would be a good opportunity to look back at some of the great accomplishments at LSU over the last 12 months.

As the calendar was ready to turn to December, LSU held numerous events to help get the community into the holiday spirit. LSU held its annual Candlelight Celebration on Tuesday, Nov. 27, in the Claude L. Shaver Theatre to honor the holiday traditions of Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah.

Be fearless, take risks, work hard, lead, give back but most importantly, congratulations. These are just a few of the messages that 1,672 graduates heard during LSU's 279th commencement exercises on Friday, Dec. 14.

While each holding their own respective beauty, the worlds of music and visual arts often times come together to create works that please both the ears and the eyes.

Cultural inclusion at LSU is paramount to the success of the university. This fall, LSU has been awarded two prestigious awards for its outstanding diversity initiatives.

Access to technology has changed everything in our modern world. Where students once had to visit a library to get critical information, they can now simply log in from their computers. Professionals can network from mobile devices, and medical advice is traded freely on a variety of websites. But when a team of researchers conducted a study determining how expectant women used the Internet for information about their pregnancies, they were in for a surprise.

Every November, people across the United States observe the Thanksgiving holiday, which honors the practice originated by the first American settlers gathering with Native Americans for large group meals and to give thanks after the work of a completed harvest season.

For more than 50 years they sat, unnoticed and covered by layer upon layer of paint. Hundreds of people walked through the Allen Hall staircase every day without a clue of the magnificent artwork just inches away – that is until LSU alumna and art conservator Elise Grenier gave it new life.

Some people are born to be doctors or lawyers, others are born to be athletes or performers. But the men of the Harmon family were born to serve their country. And for three members of the Harmon family, that service began at LSU.

It's amazing how far a good pair of shoes can take you.

For some first-year college students, making the transition from high school to a university can be a daunting task. To some, it could be like moving from a small town to a sprawling metropolis, both figuratively and literally.

Each fall, all family members of LSU students are invited to campus for a weekend of activities, programs and the chance to see the Tigers play a home football game in Tiger Stadium.

LSU's six-year graduation rate has increased to 66.7 percent, the highest in the university's history, according to the LSU Office of Budget and Planning.

In the late evening hours of Aug. 5, 2012, Baton Rouge residents of all ages gathered at watch parties hosted throughout the city, joyously yelling "Touchdown!" at the television sets, projector screens and computer monitors where they congregated.

One of the tenets of LSU's Flagship Agenda 2020 is to strengthen the intellectual environment by broadening the cultural diversity of the LSU community through expanded support for minority, international and first generation students.

The LSU Colleges of Science and Engineering celebrated the completion of the Chemistry and Materials Building during a ribbon-cutting celebration on Thursday, Oct. 11.

As a top tier university, LSU is an attractive destination for prospective students, and this year, more incoming freshmen than ever before have chosen to attend LSU. Before these students even set foot on campus, university faculty, staff and administrators were working to make sure their college experience is a successful one.

There's no denying that Louisiana has become "Hollywood South," with numerous television and feature film production operations trading the palm trees of California for the cypress trees of the Pelican State.

On Oct. 2, Gov. Bobby Jindal announced a $100 million public-private partnership to renovate and expand Patrick F. Taylor Hall at LSU to create a new state-of-the-art engineering education complex.

A team of researchers from LSU's Museum of Natural Science, or MNS, and the American Museum of Natural History has discovered that two groups of blind cave fishes on opposite sides of the Indian Ocean are each other's closest relatives.

Visitors to LSU's historic campus are quick to note two unique features: the intensity of Tiger spirit and the beautiful landscaping. The LSU Ornament series, now in its fourth year, celebrates both.

Baton Rouge, La., is hardly the first place one would consider to be an international style hub, but one local enterprise is helping to put the city on the fashion map. Sari Laborde Turner and Michele LaCour Percy have found a way to bring the latest in clothing designs together with cutting-edge computer technology to give Internet shoppers a better online experience.

On Sept. 13, the Manship School of Mass Communication's Holliday Forum hosted the first LSU 2012 Political Forum on the topic of media coverage. The second, on the economy, will take place at noon, Thursday, Sept. 20 in the rotunda of the Business Education Complex. Join the conversation at #LSUVotes.

Food, fun, freebies and the sounds of music filled the LSU Quadrangle and Exxon Quad on Friday, Sept. 14, as the annual LSU Fall Fest celebration welcomed back more than 30,000 new and returning students, faculty and staff to campus.

Louisiana at-risk youth had a special opportunity to learn more about the way their world works through a diverse group of activities at the LSYOU program this summer.

Kam-Biu Liu, George W. Barineau III Professor in the LSU Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences recently received a $300,000 grant extension from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, or IAI, and the National Science Foundation, or NSF, to continue research focused on reconstructing ancient hurricane history.

On Saturday, Sept. 8, LSU will welcome a national television audience on ESPN, with kickoff set for 6 p.m. against the University of Washington. But, for about 200 prospective students and their parents, "Kickoff" will take place more than 24 hours before placekicker James Hairston puts his foot to the pigskin in Tiger Stadium.

Love Purple. Live Gold. Welcome to LSU, where passion becomes genius. This week LSU welcomed more than 5,000 incoming students and welcomed back more than 20,000 returning students and 1,000 faculty members for the start of the fall 2012 semester. The campus is buzzing with excitement as the new academic year officially gets underway. See what's happening and what you might have missed.

Some 371 LSU students participated in 23 different programs as a part of LSU Academic Programs Abroad this summer. Many of the students brought special "Here's a Hug From LSU" dolls for pictures at famous sites around the world, which are displayed on LSU Academic Programs Abroad's Facebook page.

Conquering numerous challenges over the past 10 years while serving in the U.S. Navy, Lt. Cmdr. James Gilford III recently achieved another milestone in his life, graduating from LSU with a master's degree in engineering science.

Theranostic particle will increase efficiency and lessen probability of bacterial resistance

As one of his final duties as chancellor, Michael V. Martin presided over LSU's 278th commencement exercises, where 686 students received degrees and alumnus and actor Michael Papajohn delivered the commencement address.

Of the many extracurricular opportunities offered at LSU, membership on the speech and debate team has several advantages. After all, skills gained in debate, public speaking and dramatic monologues are perhaps some of the most versatile and useful in life beyond the university.

Frequently a destination for the party seeking, historic New Orleans recently saw some of the greatest scientific minds of the generation descend upon the French Quarter — and not just for a stroll down Bourbon Street.

Interested in analyzing where viewers' eyes are drawn to on a homepage? How about whether viewers' heart-rates go up when watching a horror film? Or perhaps you are even keen on observing whether students become more prone to 'green' behavior after reading an article or watching a video about environmental catastrophe.

At a top-tier research university like LSU, the work and contributions of faculty members extend far beyond the classroom. Academic researchers must consistently balance teaching and departmental responsibilities, along with external expectations such as securing funding for their research and establishing the impact of their findings to the scholarly community and society as a whole.

Imagine building a platform that assists quadriplegic hunters or constructing a device used to alleviate back pain in the comfort of your own home; picture a solar-powered automatic deer feeder or a solar-powered vehicle and charging system that would utilize LSU's electric charging stations located on campus.

For more than 100 years, baseball has been a part of what we think of as classic Americana. And in the last 10 years, one long-time LSU staff member has linked it to another well-known narrative: the home-grown small business.

Incoming students now have an elite scholarship opportunity available to them with LSU joining a select group of universities across the country in offering the Stamps Scholarship.

In 2008, the same year he graduated with a bachelor's degree from LSU's College of Engineering, Mark LeBlanc fell two feet short of a U.S. Paralympic Sailing Team qualification, losing a triple tiebreaker to eventual bronze medalist, John Ruf.

LSU celebrated a landmark day on July 1, as six university units realigned to create the College of Human Sciences & Education.

As the nation celebrates its independence this Fourth of July, LSU pays tribute to its proud military tradition and one of its own – Louisiana National Guard Brig. Gen. Glenn Curtis, the adjutant general for the state of Louisiana.

Get to Know LSU's New Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost Stuart Bell

Throughout much of history, the idea of higher education was reserved for the minority of citizens, the wealthy elite who sought out instruction on philosophy and religion. As the world became more industrialized and the United States began expanding westward, the need for a skilled workforce grew and, with it, the need to educate the masses.

In January, LSU astronomers published a solution to a long-standing fundamental problem of astrophysics: what produces thermonuclear, or Type Ia, supernovae, which are tremendous explosions where the light is often brighter than a whole galaxy? LSU Professor of Physics & Astronomy Bradley Schaefer and graduate student Ashley Pagnotta have proven that these supernovae are caused by a pair of white dwarf stars.

In recognition of exceptional achievements in research and scholarship, the LSU Office of Research & Economic Development, or ORED, presents the Distinguished Research Masters Awards each year. Two faculty members are selected as Distinguished Research Masters, and the LSU Alumni Association and the LSU Graduate School recognize two graduate students with the Distinguished Dissertation Award. Both awards honor recipients for their efforts in the arts and sciences.

The LSU Manship School of Mass Communication's Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs commemorated the 40th anniversary of one of the most infamous moments in the country's political history, the 1972 Watergate break-in, by hosting "Inside Watergate: A Retrospective on the Watergate Scandal and Its Coverage – 40 Years Later."

Prestigious dissertation enhancement grant supports Lauren Pharr's vulture scavenging work at Texas Forensic Facility

College is a big step in a young person's development, and it's natural to expect parents to always approach it with some trepidation. In most cases, students are truly on their own. They aren't just out of the house, sometimes they're in a whole other state. There are concerns: time management, money management, safety, social interaction – it goes on and on.

LSU archaeologists are working with the Belizean government and the Archaeological Institute of America to protect the only known ancient Maya sites with wooden architecture by involving native communities in archaeological tourism. With a site preservation grant through AIA, LSU's Department of Geography & Anthropology is raising awareness of sites in Paynes Creek National Park, Belize, by opening exhibits, hosting workshops and talks.

In 1995, students, staff and faculty came together to craft a statement of position regarding LSU's basic principles as an academic community and what they outlined became the LSU Commitment to Community, which states expectations for each of person as an LSU community member.

LSU's long history of training military personnel, from "buck privates" to generals, is a source of pride for many alumni. One organization on campus, the Cadets of the Ole War Skule, provides an avenue for them to get together and give back to the university in a variety of creative ways.

For the 13th time in the past 10 years, an LSU student was named a Goldwater Scholar, when junior Carl Sabottke of Baton Rouge was awarded the prestigious, nationally competitive scholarship.

"Ask 5" is a video series featuring students, faculty, and staff of the LSU community, answering five questions related to LSU or their field of study. For the "Ask 5" premiere, Student Government President Taylor Cox answers questions about his accomplishments at LSU.

Commencement is the culmination of years of hard work and is a day of celebration for the entire family. At LSU's 277th commencement exercises, Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Human Resources Linda Thomas-Greenfield, an LSU alumna and a member of the Career Foreign Service, delivered the commencement address and 3,827 students received degrees.

LSU Boyd Professor of English and Edgar Allan Poe expert Gerald Kennedy shares his views on the new film, "The Raven," a fictional movie featuring John Cusack as Poe.

The changing economy and technological advances make today's job market increasingly global and competitive.

While a trip from LaPlace, La., to Baton Rouge is less than an hour's drive, for Harkeet "Kittu" Pannu that short journey has taken him across Europe, to Hollywood and in the near future, to New York City.

Inside a classroom sits a room of organic chemistry students listening intently to an instructor expound on hydrocarbons in preparation for the students' upcoming examination.

On April 26, LSU unveiled its new home for "The Golden Band from Tigerland," officially cutting the ribbon on the new Tiger Band Hall facility at an event hosted by the LSU College of Music & Dramatic Arts.

With four massive hurricanes impacting Louisiana between 2005 and 2008, the state has been forced to face the challenges of a changing landscape in both urban and rural areas.

Space is generally considered to be an inhospitable, lifeless place. But, are there lifeforms that could actually survive these harsh conditions?

It's hard to believe that April 20, 2012, marks two years since an explosion rocked the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, killing 11 men and signaling the beginning of one of the most controversial ecological disasters ever recorded.

For many students looking into post-graduate opportunities, the choice is often between pursuing graduate school and going to law school.

University College Serves as the Entry Point for Many LSU Students

LSU Mass Communication Students Visit National Archives, Assist Newspaper Editor in Investigating KKK-related Murders in the 60s

This truly is the "Digital Age," as new technology, especially in the realm of digital media, is being developed every day. LSU's sixth annual Digital Media Fest, sponsored by LSU Communication Across the Curriculum, or CxC, provides students with the opportunity to show off their talent and creativity across multiple formats of this continuously emerging technology.

It's always good to unplug every now and then, but did you also know that it's good for the environment and can save money at the same time?

Designer Suzanne Perron has had many one-of-a-kind opportunities sashay her way — including working side by side with Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera and other fashion icons—but the one she didn't see coming was an offer from LSU Press to write a book about her career.

As a young boy growing up in New Orleans, John Havens, LSU geology alumnus of 1978, cheered for the Saints and the Houston Astros and frequently asked – more like begged - his father to take the family on road trips to Astros games.

Winning international awards for innovative and affordable music production tools wasn't particularly what Jim Odom had on his mind while sitting in electrical engineering classes in the '90s. But it's exactly what happened.

Many people go through life with a dream of starting their own business, but not many receive the tools or knowledge of entrepreneurship to make that dream become a reality. After spending a week at LSU, 11 veterans are one step closer to making their business dreams come true.

Have you ever watched a performance that tackled societal issues and instantly had thoughts and ideas about its message which you wanted to convey? Have you wanted to share these thoughts and ideas with others in an intimate setting in hopes to bring such issues into the spotlight?

Parents know that taking their children to the grocery store can be a challenge. Now, imagine the even larger challenge that not being able to take your children to the grocery store would be – having to hire a babysitter, only shopping when the other parent could stay with the child, or having to shop with another adult.

To say that landscape architecture is a growing field would be an understatement. Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor spaces and the improvements thereon to achieve environmental, behavioral or aesthetic outcomes.

Students offer predictions for Super Tuesday

FACES Lab participates in USS Monitor's 150th Anniversary

Hundreds of distinguished members of the community and members of the E. J. Ourso College of Business family celebrated an event on Friday, March 2, that was years in the making for the college.

From history to psychology and from French to political science, the College of Humanities & Social Sciences – formerly known as the College of Arts & Sciences – is one of LSU's largest and most diverse colleges.

Baton Rouge may be more than 1,500 miles from Los Angeles, but La. is looking more and more like L.A. these days.

The Mardi Gras most closely tied to Louisiana takes place east of the Mississippi River and involves ornate floats, celebrity krewe kings, and the requisite few tons of garbage come Ash Wednesday on the streets of New Orleans.

When some people hear the word "agriculture," they may automatically think of farmers raising animals or harvesting crops.

Students in LSU College of Education Assistant Professor Wanda Hargroder's service learning course, "Introducing Physical Education for Persons with Disabilities," worked with students from Arlington Preparatory Academy in November in the University Recreational Center, or UREC, swimming pool.

She's a poet and author, activist and educator, and a mother and living legend.

Today's world relies on science perhaps more than ever before. Breakthroughs in our understanding of the world regularly impact our ability to treat diseases, develop new technologies and understand our place within the universe.

Since its initial establishment in 1928, the LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business has evolved into a producer of worldwide industry leaders and one of the university's cornerstones for academic success and achievement on the undergraduate, graduate and faculty levels.

With her job in the Easy Streets booth on Dalrymple Drive, Winnie Netters may be the most recognizable person on campus not employed by the athletic department.

LSU research has recently taken its place in cinematic history by explaining the real cause behind one of the most famous moments on film.

LSU astronomers recently discovered the solution to a long-standing fundamental problem of astrophysics: what produces thermonuclear, or Type Ia, supernovae, which are tremendous explosions where the light is often brighter than a whole galaxy?

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'"

Tiny frog called Paedophryne amauensis averages around 7 millimeters in size; fits in center of U.S. dime

On the day before the big game in the Big Easy, the Tigers and the Tide united to give a little something back to the city that is hosting them for the BCS National Championship Game. LSU and the University of Alabama sponsored a joint community service project, "Building Champions through Service," on Sunday, Jan. 8. Students, faculty, staff and community members from both schools came together to improve the Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Louisiana in New Orleans.

The LSU College of Art & Design, Louisiana's foremost school for the fine arts, art history and the design professions, has had yet another award-winning year in 2011.

To be successful in today's economy, business leaders need to understand the economic, social, political and cultural forces that shape the way business is conducted in various parts of the world.

As 2011 comes to a close, we didn’t want to forget some of the great accomplishments LSU has achieved over the last 12 months.