Southeastern honors Spivey, top graduates

Photos provided by RENE ABADIE -- Southeastern Louisiana University students from Tangipahoa Parish who were honored at the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences' April 30 honors convocation were, from left, William Brumfield, Kentwood, Outstanding Graduating Senior in French; Laura Moore, Hammond, Outstanding Graduating Senior in Studio Art; Amanda Zell, Hammond, Outstanding Graduating Senior in Graphic Design; Stephen Pfeil, Hammond, Martina Buck Award in History; Damian Faul, Amite, James Wilcox Award in Music; and Roxanne McHodgkins, Award for Academic Excellence in General Studies.

Advocate staff report

Southeastern Louisiana University’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences honored top graduates and its 2012 alumnus of the year at its annual honors convocation April 30.

Norman Spivey, a 1982 Southeastern graduate, was given the college’s top alumni honor. Spivey joined the music faculty at Penn State in 1992 and helped launch a new master of fine arts in voice pedagogy for musical theater, the first degree of its kind.

He was the winner of a Fulbright grant to study in Paris, where he worked with several renowned baritones and made numerous concert and opera engagements throughout France. While in France, he was awarded the Harriet Hale Wolley Award as artist-in-residence at the Foundation des Etats-Unis.

An active member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, he serves on the board of NATS foundation and serves as Eastern Region Governor.

Departmental awards and scholarships were presented to the following:

AMITE: Damian Faul, James Wilcox Award in Music; Keturah Green, Outstanding Graduating Senior Award in Communication.

DENHAM SPRINGS: Blayke Waldrep, Ralph R. Pottle Sr. Honor Scholarship.

HAMMOND: Roxanne McHodgkins, Award for Academic Excellence in General Studies; Laura Moore, Outstanding Graduating Senior in Studio Art; Stephen Pfeil, Martina Buck Award in History; Whitney Tisdale, Outstanding Graduating Senior Award in Spanish; and Amanda Zell, Outstanding Graduating Senior in Graphic Design.

KENTWOOD: William Brumfield, Outstanding Graduating Senior in French.

WALKER: Margaret Hanson, Outstanding Graduate/Associate of General Studies.

Also at the honors convocation, the college honored several faculty members with awards. Honored were Joseph Burns, languages and communication, for excellence in service; Gary Keown, fine and performing arts, for excellence in artistic activity; Harry Laver, history and political science, for excellence in research; and Jayetta Slawson, English, for excellence in teaching.

The college honored inductees into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the university’s honor society the Thirteen Club, and students on the President’s List, Dean’s List and Honor Roll.