Challenging. Dynamic. Unique. Six Questions with Six Faculty
First in a three-part series | View second series

In August 2004, LSU launched "Challenging. Dynamic. Unique.," a new campaign to recruit undergraduate students. As part of the research behind this project, staff members from the Office of University Relations interviewed more than 100 students about their experiences at LSU. The students were asked to identify faculty and members of the campus community who had significantly influenced their undergraduate careers. The faculty we chose to profile in this three-part series are a small pool of those identified. This highlight is the first of the series.

The faculty highlighted in this series are:

Karl A. Roider, Jr., Thomas and Lillian Landrum Alumni Professor of History and Undergraduate Adviser in the Department of History and Lori Boyer Assistant Professor, Manship School of Mass Communication.

Karl A. Roider, Jr., Thomas and Lillian Landrum Alumni Professor of History and Undergraduate Adviser in the Department of History

Hometown: Ada, Ohio
Education: B.A., Yale University, 1965; M.A. and Ph.D., Stanford University, 1966 and 1970, respectively
First year at LSU: 1968
Research interests: Eastern Europe, primarily in the 18th Century
Courses taught: Western Civilization, the Balkans, Eastern Europe, World War I

What inspired you to become a history professor? Have your experiences as a professor matched your expectations? I was inspired to become a history professor by two people and a place. One was a family friend and neighbor who taught history at the small Methodist university located in my hometown and with whom I enjoyed talking a great deal. The second was my high school football coach, who also taught history and was as excited about teaching history as he was about winning football games. The place was my grandfather's home in upstate New York, within easy driving distance of Fort Ticonderoga and the Saratoga battlefield. They were great places to visit. My experiences have indeed matched my expectations. I know that my decision to teach history was the correct one for me.

You have been at LSU for more than 35 years. What changes have you witnessed on campus and which ones do you think have been the most significant? The campus has changed a lot since I came here. Without doubt, the most significant change has been in the quality of the student body and of the faculty.

Admissions requirements have changed the student body so much for the better. During the time of open admissions, I had a few students in my classes who were functionally illiterate. The great change is not only that the students are better, but also that Louisiana is now providing other kinds of assistance for those young people who have difficulty reading and writing.

The faculty now is vibrant, eager, and better attuned to national and international issues than it was earlier.

Lori Boyer, Assistant Professor, Manship School of Mass Communication

Hometown: Montgomery, Alabama
Education: B.A., English, Spelman College, 1983; M.A., Mass Communication, University of Florida, 2001; Ph.D., Mass Communication, University of Florida, 2002
First year at LSU: 2001
Research interests: Diversity in mass communication
Courses taught at LSU : Public Relations Practices, Public Relations Writing, Public Relations Campaigns

What kind of work did you do before you went into teaching, and how do those "real-life experiences" play into your classroom presentations? I have experience in the mass communication industry, and that definitely complements the books that students read. I am able to draw upon my daily life as a newspaper reporter and a public relations practitioner. I can share real stories that make the words on the pages come alive for my students. I can also tell them how hard it is to work in the industry and help them prepare for successful careers.

Could you briefly describe your research interests and how they enhance your lectures and your experiences with students? My research focuses on diversity in mass communication. Specifically, I am trying to determine which methods are most effective for introducing diversity into the curriculum and seamlessly into their experiences. Mass communication practitioners interact with all members of society, regardless of race, educational level, socioeconomic status, and all of the other things that make us different. I conducted focus groups with students from all over campus participate to discuss initiatives to make the LSU community more welcoming to all of its students. I often mention these findings in my lectures to get more feedback. Often mainstream students don't realize how an international student may feel lonely here. Or perhaps mainstream students don't realize how uncomfortable a minority student may feel when he is asked to speak for his entire community. The information that results from my research will make students better practitioners to serve all communities. And if this is the case, perhaps fewer communities will complain that the media only covers them when there's bad news.

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Contact Teresa Devlin | LSU University Relations
Highlights Team
Spring 2005