Straight Talk from the President - November 20, 2007
Dear Colleagues,
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, I'm reminded of how much our university family can be thankful for this year. I know many of you joined me in listening, play by play, to the Warkawks battle the Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday afternoon. The Warhawks' defense stance in the fourth quarter was absolutely incredible. Students and faculty alike heard a resounding cheer in the residence halls when the game ended with the Warhawks beating Alabama, 21-14. I watched the replay on television Sunday and got excited again, even though I knew the final score.
Our school spirit continues to flourish. When we learned of our monumental victory against Alabama, more than 250 of our faculty, staff, students and members of the community gathered at Malone Stadium to welcome home our football team. As the team buses rolled in, our cheers matched the thunderous music of the Sound of Today pep band.
Pride in this university is not limited to those who work and live here. At Envision ULM, we heard from Jack Blitch, vice president for Attractions Development at Walt Disney Imagineering. Blitch, who manages 300 imagineers, talked about the strong foundation he received while a construction major at ULM. His inspiring message was met with a standing ovation.
Upon accepting the 2007 Hall of Distinction award, Murray Biedenharn commented on the immeasurable ways higher education benefits people. Citing former Hall of Distinction Award winners Kitty DeGree and the Thomas H. and Mayme P. Scott Foundation, Biedenharn said:
"This is a group of people who always recognizes that with economic success comes not only an obligation to help other people, but a privilege to help other people. And it's certainly been ingrained in our family for three generations. I don't think there's any better way to touch more people than to support this university, and we're very proud to do that."
In my Envision ULM address, I talked about what we hold most dear at this
institution: the life of the mind. The words spoken by Jack, Dr. Henry Cole and student-athlete Larry Shappley embodied that sentiment. I also talked about my vision for the future of this great institution. I invite everyone, those of you who attended Envision and those of you who could not make the event, to view my speech. It can be read in its entirety at: www.ulm.edu/president/speeches/cofer_envision2007.html
Remaining thankful for friends like the Biedenharn Foundation is essential, and our university understands the importance of giving back. This semester, as part of a service learning grant, the FRYS classes sold "FRYS boxes" and raised $5,000 to benefit the Red Cross. Our sororities are preparing 150 stockings to give to children in need, and ULM's 31 Ambassadors Toybox Drive will begin soon. ULM's Debbie Wisenor, interim department head of clinical laboratory science, and Chase Snyder, College of Pharmacy student and SGA vice president, recently accepted the Collegiate Innovation Award at a ceremony in Minneapolis, Minn. The award recognizes the significant outcome of our Bone Marrow Drive in February, when more than 2,600 ULM faculty, staff, students and members of the Monroe community gathered in our SUB and set a national record for participation in a one-day drive. Our university family is fortified with school spirit and genuine compassion for one another.
We're most grateful that former ULM President Dr. George T. Walker, who fell ill during Envision ULM, is resting comfortably at St. Francis North Hospital, where Deborah and I visited him Sunday. We expect the hospital to discharge him early this week.
I wish you all a wonderful holiday.
Sincerely,
James E. Cofer, Sr.
Photo by Paul Letlow, The News-Star, copyright 2007. Used with permission. All rights reserved.