William Boelhower
Robert Thomas and Rita Wetta Adams Professor of English
Robert Thomas and Rita Wetta Adams Professor of English
LSU'S Biweekly Newsletter for Faculty & Staff
April 21, 2006 |
VOL. 22, NO. 16 |
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William Boelhower
Robert Thomas and Rita Wetta Adams Professor of English |
Previous positions: Boelhower is the senior editor of the scholarly journal Atlantic Studies. He was the chair of American Literature at the University of Padua in Italy. He was also a former professor at the University of Trieste and the University of Venice, Ca’ Foscari,
where he began as a Fulbright Lecturer in American Literature.
Research Focus: Atlantic Studies - the study of the history and culture of the
entire Atlantic basin.
What Brought You to LSU?: “I don’t feel as though I’m necessarily coming here bringing Atlantic Studies. I’m coming here and finding a lot of resources already on the campus, and I hope that somehow I can help catalyze and bring them together, especially young scholars. Louisiana and the site of Baton Rouge, is so ideally located to entertain what we might want to call an Atlantic Studies paradigm, that is to say not something you can pin down and define, but something within which we work and ask new questions,” he said. “That is what seems to be happening; now it’s an adventure, and we’ll see where it goes.”
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| Sociology student Alexis Ray helps clean a restaurant as part of the furniture removal and clean-up team. |
Three busloads of LSU students, faculty and staff spent Saturday, April 1, with hammers, scrub brushes, lawn mowers, bleach and crowbars, working side by side with homeowners hoping to return to their hurricane-damaged homes in Mid-City New Orleans.
The first University-wide New Orleans clean-up project focused on the Tulane-Gravier area, considered by many urban planning maps to be among those hardest hit by flooding that followed Hurricane Katrina.
Working through The Phoenix of New Orleans, the LSU Clean-Up Team helped homeowners remove flood-damaged tile and woodwork, clean mold and remove downed tree limbs and foliage. Team members also raked, mowed and weeded public areas; surveyed the damaged neighborhoods; and assisted with volunteer services. One group helped to clean a restaurant that had not been opened since Katrina hit in late August.
Students were grateful for the opportunity to work alongside home and business owners who lost so much after the hurricane.
“I only wish I could help more and were in the position to help,” said Alan Nicholson, a Denham Springs native and LSU sociology major. “The man whose business we cleaned up was way past grateful for our help and could say nothing but, ‘Thank you so much. This is so much more than I expected. You all are amazing, this is amazing,’” Nicholson recalled.
“Some have told me that it was noble to have sacrificed my Saturday to help, and I tell them that it was not a sacrifice but a day well spent,” he said. “I got much more out of seeing that man smile than I ever would have sitting around watching TV or lounging around the pool.”
Many of the students were either from New Orleans or had immediate family members who were displaced by the storm. Raquel Henry, a biological sciences sophomore from Lafayette, said that by working with the LSU team, she was indirectly helping her family members who were forced to move after the hurricane.
“Directly following Katrina, I volunteered at several shelters and organizations, but I felt I made a deeper impact in this project,” Henry said. “I actually think that this project made a deep impression on me. At the end of the day I was hot, sweaty, smelly and my body ached, but it felt so good to work hard for people who truly deserve it. Working with the homeowners was also a special part to me. Several residents shared their stories with me, and I was overwhelmed. There is so much to be done in New Orleans. I’m glad I have had and will continue to have a part in rebuilding it.”
The Phoenix of New Orleans, or PNOLA, was established after Katrina as a neighborhood association to move forward with rebuilding so that citizens who had little governmental support could quickly return to their homes and lives. Since its inception, PNOLA has grown into a national community rebuilding project offering block-by-block sponsorships in the rebuilding effort. More information on the organization is available at www.pnola.org.
Bryan Wilson, a basic sciences major from New Orleans, said he was moved by the devastation and the amount of work left to be done.
“The trip was absolutely amazing and filled with emotions,” Wilson said. “It feels so good to be able to help people unconditionally. Although we all did a lot of work, there is still so much to be done. Even though I feel great, at the same time I feel bad because we only have scratched the surface.”
Others realized the future impact of their one day of service.
“I had a great time, and I think we made a huge impact on the lives of those individuals we helped and on New Orleans as a whole,” said Josephine Ennis, a political science major from Lafayette.
Charles Berry, a Mid-City New Orleans homeowner who worked with students, said the house-gutting work done by the LSU team in one day was more than he could have accomplished in several months.
“The diversity of the clean-up team was one of the most exciting aspects of this project,” said Jan Shoemaker, director of the LSU’s service-learning program, the Center for Community Engagement, Learning and Leadership. The team ranged from first year to graduate students, representing a variety of majors and nationalities, and included faculty and staff.
Originally, the project was limited to 100 participants; however, the team was expanded due to the response by many who were eager to participate in the rebuilding process.
“Many LSU students, staff and faculty expressed a desire to participate in the university-wide effort,” Shoemaker said.
Following the work, the LSU team, along with residents of the damaged neighborhood and Phoenix staff, participated in a reflective session. Richard and Helen Williams, whose tea room, “The Secret Garden,” was forced to close because of Katrina, along with members of the United Methodist Women of St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church in Metairie, served homemade refreshments to the group.
The trip was a cooperative effort of LSU’s Center for Community Engagement, Learning and Leadership; Student Government; Office of the Dean of Students; Career Services; and the Service-Learning Student Advisory Council.
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| Pictured above are members of The Terms (left to right) Blake Oliver, Brandon Young, Ben Labat, Clyde Hargrove and Scott Lasseigne. |
LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business instructor Carol Carter knew back in the spring of 2003 that her student Ben Labat was on the fast-track to stardom.
Labat, who is currently an LSU senior and the lead singer/songwriter of the five-member Baton Rouge-based rock band, The Terms, took Carter’s Small Business Management class during his junior year.
In the class, students were required to pick a business they would be interested in starting and to create a comprehensive business plan that would help bring it to fruition. Labat wrote a business plan for his band, the Sidewalks, which would eventually become The Terms.
Carter, who is also assistant director of the Entrepreneurship Institute within LSU’s E. J. Ourso College, said she remembers the day Labat presented his business plan. “Ben had the class captivated. Not only did he present a grade ‘A’ business plan, he had us rocking in the classroom with his musical talent.”
Labat is not the only member of The Terms with an LSU background. Lead guitarist Clyde Hargrove received a mass communication degree from LSU in 2005, and bassist Brandon Young is continuing his academic pursuits at LSU this fall. Drummer Scott Lasseigne, a senior in business management in the E. J. Ourso College, said he often uses lessons learned in his management classes when working with the various personality types he encounters in the music industry. Percussionist Blake Oliver said he draws on his 2005 LSU degree in agricultural economics when deciphering the band’s financial statements.
“If we hadn’t been educated in the business field, I don’t think that we would have gotten this far so fast,” Oliver said.
Indeed, it was Labat’s 60-page business plan, along with great timing and the band’s unique talent that impressed local entrepreneur Dane Andreeff, president of Baton Rouge-based Maple Jam Records.
Andreeff signed The Terms to his label in February 2004 and shortly thereafter, he called in Grammy-winning producer Greg Ladanyi. Ladanyi – best known for his work with musical greats such as Jackson Brown, Don Henley and Fleetwood Mac – took the helm of the recording sessions for The Terms’ debut album, “Small Town Computer Crash.”
Since signing with Maple Jam Records, The Terms have enjoyed local success and catapulted onto the national music scene, performing live in Los Angeles, Houston and New York and other U.S. cities.
This month, the band’s education in the music industry continues as “Small Town Computer Crash,” is set to be released nationally on Tuesday, April 25, through Maple Jam Records / ICON MES.
The album includes “Welcome to the Now: ‘Evo Devo’” which was written for LSU to use as an anthem in its national image and recruiting campaign. LSU has used “Welcome to the Now” as the campaign’s theme and has prominently displayed it in printed materials, on the Web and in a 30-second national television spot. The song is the first single track on the album and includes back-up music and vocals by the LSU Tiger Band and the LSU Choirs. These LSU groups, along with the LSU Cheerleaders and a number of LSU students, appear in The Terms “Welcome to the Now: ‘Evo Devo,’” music video, which was shot entirely on the LSU campus. Those familiar with the LSU campus will recognize shots of the LSU Law School, Parade Ground, Tiger Stadium and the LSU Union Theater within the video. Free downloads of the “Welcome to the Now: ‘Evo Devo’” song and music video, as well as an interview with The Terms can be found at www.lsu.edu/now.
Twelve other songs are included on the “Small Town Computer Crash” album. One of the songs, “Ransom Groove,” will be featured in the upcoming independent-film “Mini’s First Time,” which will premiere May 1 at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. Kevin Spacey is one of the producers of the film, which stars Alec Baldwin, Jeff Goldblum, Carrie Ann Moss, Niki Reed and Luke Wilson.
Later this month the band will visit Baton Rouge’s Episcopal High School to perform a live concert for students and speak to them about the importance of attending college. Labat said that the band’s message to students will be simple.
“You can apply what you learn at LSU to a dream you have,” Labat said.
It’s just the message that LSU’s Carter wants her students to take away from her class.
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| Paula Garvey Manship |
Baton Rouge community member, philanthropist and LSU supporter Paula Garvey Manship, 93, passed away at her Baton Rouge home at 4:30 a.m. on Friday, March 31.
Manship, a native of New Orleans, moved to Baton Rouge in the late 1930s. In 1937, she married her husband, the late Charles Phelps Manship Jr., who was the editor and publisher at the Capital City Press from 1947-1970 and president of the Capital City Press from 1947-1987. The two were married for more than 50 years. She was the national advertising manager of the States-Times and Morning Advocate Newspapers during World War II.
Manship contributed to a variety of programs at LSU and is among the top three individual donors in the history of LSU. Her gifts reflect a deep love for the arts, humanities, veterinary medicine and the campus landscape.
“LSU is deeply saddened by the loss of Mrs. Manship,” LSU Chancellor Sean O’Keefe said. “She was a great friend to the university, a supporter of higher education and a lover of the arts. The LSU and Baton Rouge communities will miss her tremendously. Her passing is a great loss to so many – not just those who knew her personally, but also those who benefitted from the programs and charities to which she so generously contributed and established.”
Manship funded a large number of programs, as well as lecture series and scholarships. Some of her donations include a new building at the LSU Rural Life Museum; the Paula Garvey Manship Floor, fifth level at the Shaw Center for the Arts, home of the LSU Museum of Art; a concert organ, one of the world’s largest organ installations, to the LSU School of Music; and three in-light surgical cameras for the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Clinics at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. Other generous giving by Manship led to the establishment of endowed chairs in the history department, the College of Art and Design, the LSU Health Sciences Center and the Department of Internal Medicine Residency Program through the LSU Health Sciences Center Foundation. She also supported the construction of the Cancer Treatment Unit and the Equine Intensive Care Unit at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, as well as the advancement and development of the Manship School of Mass Communication; the AgCenter; the music room in Middleton Library; the LSU Sculpture Park; and Hilltop Arboretum.
“She was a champion for the university, supporting many wonderful projects and programs. We are most grateful for her vision, support and good humor,” said Laura Lindsay, interim executive director of the LSU Museum of Art.
“We have lost one of the most extraordinary ladies with whom I have ever been associated,” said LSU System President William Jenkins. “Mrs. Paula had such a wonderful zest for life coupled with a wide variety of interests. She leaves a legacy of support and generosity that will not easily be surpassed. We are going to greatly miss Mrs. Paula. Her selfless philanthropy that enriched so many lives will never be forgotten by the LSU community, the people of Baton Rouge and the citizens of Louisiana.”
A lifetime philanthropist, Manship was honored with many awards for her generosity to worthy causes. In 1999, Manship was awarded LSU’s highest honor, an honorary doctorate. LSU recognized Manship with the LSU Foundation’s President’s Award for Lifetime Support as a Visionary Philanthropist. She was awarded the LSU College of Art and Design Honor Award, the college’s highest award for non-alumni and was inducted into the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication’s Hall of Fame in 1997. The LSU Museum of Art proclaimed 2001 as “The Year of Paula G. Manship.”
She was also honored by the Greater Baton Rouge Chapter of the National Society of Fund-Raising Executives as the 1999 “Outstanding Philanthropist.” Manship has also been named an honorary chairman of the YMCA’s Capital Campaign.
“Mrs. Manship’s generosity and spirit will be greatly missed. She was a strong supporter of the visual and performing arts, and her vision was to elevate the arts for all generations to share. Her focus always remained on the students, through their lives and education,” said David Cronrath, dean of the College of Art and Design. Manship was the largest single donor to the college.
Manship supported many organizations through her financial giving and volunteering. She ran the Goodfellows Organization for 25 years. It was founded by her father-in-law Charles Manship Sr. to help needy children during the Christmas season. She was actively involved with the LSU Foundation, LSU Alumni Association, University High Lab School, Baton Rouge Area Foundation, Paula Garvey Manship YMCA, St. James Episcopal Church and the Capital Area United Way. Manship served on the board of trustees at the LSU Museum of Art.
Manship is survived by her niece Nadine Carter Russell, who teamed up with Manship over the years to donate to several area organizations, such as the Manship-Russell Endowment for the LSU campus quadrangle.
President and CEO of the LSU Foundation retired Maj. Gen.William “Bill” Bowdon said “Paula Manship’s legacy at LSU will live forever. She personified the spirit of philanthropy at our university, and her impact on the LSU community was extraordinary. Mrs. Manship led a meaningful life in many ways. She loved LSU deeply, and we are grateful for her lifetime of generosity and leadership.”
The 15th Annual Employee Recognition Program will be hosted by Chancellor Sean O’Keefe on Wednesday, May 3, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Lod Cook Alumni Center. This event will honor those employees who have achieved 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service at LSU. The presentation of awards will be followed by a light dessert reception. All employees honored are invited to attend with one guest and their department head, director or dean.
25 Years
David M. Anderson
Marsha H. Arrighi
Sadik C. Artunc
M. Bernard Atkinson
George A. Becker
Norvel A. Blackburn Jr.
Meredith M. Blackwell
Joyce M. Briggs
Paul W. Britt
Michael F. Burnett
Alvaro A. Celedon
Lubna A. Culbert
Jacek M. Cygan
Teri L. Davis
Louis A. Day
Laura W. Deutsch
Roy K. Dokka
Ophelia A. Dudley
Barbara F. Evans
Kingston E. Eversull Jr.
Helen M. Frazier
Dennis D. French
Richard P. Gage
Stephen D. Gaunt
James P. Geaghan
Wesley R. Gill
Patrick M. Gilmer
Wanda J. Green
Mark S. Hafner
Janice D. Hamilton
Denise A. Harrell
Bernadette A. Harris
Linda H. Harris
Mike F. Hawkins
Maren Hegsted
Roy F. Hill
Vicki L. Hood
Carol L. Howze
Liju T. Huang
Marian N. Jarratt
Betty W. Johnson
Patsy A. Johnson
Mary Ann D. Jolissaint
Farrell W. Jones
Barbara S. Kavanaugh
Duncan W. Kinchen
Jerzy S. Kosmala
Joseph G. Kronick
John B. Lambert
Chris D. Landry
Hattie M. Lang
Julius P. Langlinais
Annie B. Laurendine
Tammy A. LeBlanc
Belinda J. Lee
Cherita A. Lee
Sara M. Marchiafava
Robert E. Mitcham
Catherine F. Mitchell
Charles J. Monlezun
Beth R. Nettles
Betty J. Oby
T. Wayne Parent
Robert V. Perlis
Gloria A. Peters
John C. Pine
Anna L. Prejean
Catherine T. Richardson
Johnnie M. Robertson
Arlette R. Rodrigue
Phoebe B. Rouse
Olympio A. Silva
Linda A. Simmons
Gwendolyn E. Snearl
Joyce M. Stevenson
Nedda M. Taylor
Doretha Thomas
Ronald L. Thune
Robert E. Truax
L. Gerard Valenti
Velma W. Warner
Charlotte M. Weatherly
Joseph M. White
John H. Whittaker
David G. Winslow
James W. Zietz
Mark J. Zucker
30 Years
Arthur D. Barnes
Julius T. Bersuder
David C. Blouin
Christian B. Boussert
John T. Caprio
Richard E. Condrey
John B. Cowan
Cheryl H. Crowder
Robert H. Cunningham
Dennis W. Duffield
Raymond C. Fabec
Richard C. Favrot
Darlene C. Hale
Vermar D. Hargrove
Christopher A. Hentz
Margery C. Holmes
David A. Jandle
Donald L. Jarreau
Larry B. Jones
Thomas R. Klei
Donald H. Kraft
Delwin P. Lacroix
Milton Leduff
John R. May
Brij Mohan
Edward B. Overton
Paul F. Paskoff
John M. Perault
Shelia A. Rigby
James P. Roberts III
Husain F. Sarkar
Judith A. Schiebout
Jason C. Shih
Linda L. Taylor
William Thomas Jr.
Debra A. Thompson
Lowell E. Urbatsch
Harvey L. Westbrook
Judith V. Williams
Kathleen B. Wylie
35 Years
Ronald E. Becker
Marlene A. Caillouet
Lai-Him Chan
Michael L. Crespo
Rebecca W. Crump
Clifford P. Duplechin
John M. Fitzsimons
Ronald G. Garay
Donald A. Knighten
Amelia M. Lee
Gerald L. Muffoletto
Joseph V. Nealond
Leo Perkins
Susan S. Pourciau
James A. Richardson
Lawrence J. Rouse Jr.
Otis Scott
40 Years
Frank K. Cartledge
Max Z. Conrad
C. D. Constantinides
Irene S. Di Maio
Ray E. Ferrell Jr.
Edward H. Henderson
Janellyn P. Kleiner
Marlene C. LeBlanc
Aravamudhan Raman
Entrepreneurs, students, faculty and anyone interested in starting a business are invited to attend the annual “Business Boot Camp for Start Ups” seminar on Saturday, April 29, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Room 1119 of the CEBA Building on LSU’s campus.
The Louisiana Business and Technology Center at the LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business and the Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce have teamed up this year to host the seminar, which covers the basics of getting a business off the ground.
Seminar participants will learn about beginning the business planning process, ways to assemble an effective management team and information regarding local resources and assistance from entrepreneurs. Additionally, a panel of entrepreneurs will share trials and tips associated with running a successful business. Parties planning to participate in the 2006 New Venture Business Plan Competition – which is sponsored by the E. J. Ourso College and the Baton Rouge Business Report – are also encouraged to attend.
Other seminar sponsors include the Louisiana Emerging Technologies Center, the LSU Small Business Development Center and the E. J. Ourso College Entrepreneurship Institute.
The cost of the seminar is $10 for students (with a valid LSU ID), $30 for Chamber of Commerce members and $45 for non-members.
Pre-registration is required and can be accessed though the Chamber’s calender located on its Web site, www.brchamber.org. Participants can also register the day of the seminar beginning at 8 a.m.