LSU Eunice Awards Six Endowed Professorships To Faculty Innovators

EUNICE, La. – LSU Eunice is proud to announce the awarding of six endowed professorships to faculty members who exemplify excellence in teaching, service, and innovation. These competitive professorships, supported by local healthcare partners and community donors, provide multi-year funding to implement impactful academic and professional development initiatives across campus.

Administered through a formal application process by the LSUE Professorship Committee, the awards are designed to support faculty in furthering LSU Eunice’s mission to provide exceptional, accessible education to students across Acadiana and beyond.

         Endowed Professorship Recipients and Their Award Plans:

• Lisa LaFleur – Ochsner Lafayette General Professorship #2
  A leader in allied health, LaFleur will use her professorship to attend the Organization of Associate Degree Nursing (OADN) conference and continue research for the LSUE nursing program with a focus on retainment of students within the program.
• Braneshea Moore – Ochsner Lafayette General Professorship #1
  Moore’s professorship will focus on the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into her nursing curriculum. Her plan is to build a more resilient, practice-ready nursing workforce.
• Domingo Jariel – Fritz Lang Professorship
  Dr. Jariel will expand undergraduate research opportunities in the biological sciences, particularly in environmental and agricultural biology. His plans include the implementation of a utility transport vehicle for the upkeep, annual seeding and maintenance of the Native Prairie Restoration Project on the LSUE campus.
• James Cordes – Opelousas General Professorship
  Cordes will direct his professorship resources toward his continued research of whiptail lizards in six localities in Texas.  His research has been the subject of several published articles in journals.
• Symantha Jones – Train Derailment #1 Professorship
  The professorship funding will help Jones revitalized the arts on campus.  The art department will receive new equipment to meet the needs of LSUE’s growing student body required for contemporary art students.  The LSUE Art Club would use the funding to continue the beautification of campus through murals and on-campus engagement.
• May Stone – Train Derailment #2 Professorship
  Stone will use her professorship to support her current book project.  The professorship will fund research materials for a book on literary criticism, fashioning the material first into a journal article and a potential speaking engagement at a National Conference before publishing a book on the subject matter.

“These professorships are a strategic investment in both our faculty and our students,” said Chancellor Dr. Nancee Sorenson. “Each recipient proposed thoughtful, forward-looking initiatives that will have a tangible impact on the quality of education at LSU Eunice. We’re deeply grateful to our donors for making this level of academic innovation possible.”

The endowed professorships provide annual funding — ranging from $5,000 to $11,000 — over a minimum of two years. Funding will support curriculum development, student research, faculty training, and program growth, reinforcing LSU Eunice’s role as a leader in affordable, high-quality higher education.