Published October 1, 2025
MONROE, La. – The University of Louisiana Monroe’s Museum of Natural History has launched its newest
exhibit, a lifelike showcase of Louisiana’s naturalistic treasures. ULM English students
collaborated with the Museum to highlight Louisiana’s state symbols.
The students were enrolled in the Fall 2023 Writing in the Sciences course taught
by Dr. Patrick Morgan, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English in the College of Arts,
Education, and Sciences. Student participants included James Boyd, Aaron Delcoure, ShaTerrica Evans,
Evie Hosking, Holley McInnis, Rachel Meredith, Cloe Morgan, Krishna Patel, and Andrea
Richard. Biology graduate students Madison Britton and Callie O’Bryant, along with
student workers Kobe Knox, Meya McMillen, and Abigail Isaac, also played a crucial
role in the creation of the exhibit.
“I’m really proud of the way these students approached this project like professional
writers,” Morgan commented. “Over the course of the semester, they carefully curated
items from the museum to feature in the exhibit and drafted the descriptive text.”
This addition to the museum includes some of Louisiana’s most iconic symbols, ranging
from the state insect (honeybee) to the state fossil (petrified palm wood) and even
the state boat (pirogue), which was loaned to the Museum through the generosity of
Duck Commander. The exhibition helps portray Louisiana’s unique cultural and natural
elements.
“Curating the Louisiana Exhibit at the ULM Museum of Natural History was a totally
different experience from typical classroom writing,” said Hosking, former ULM English
MA student and current University of Louisiana Lafayette Ph.D. student. “It wasn’t
just about sharing facts; it was about creating stories around the objects that would
really grab people’s attention.”
A key feature of this exhibit is the interactive elements that encourage engagement
among viewers. Museum visitors can listen to the sounds of Louisiana fauna or sing
along to the state song with the press of a button. Educational QR codes are also
scattered throughout the exhibit, providing more information on each state symbol.
Museum staff worked with the students to translate their learning from the classroom
to real-world experience. “This collaboration with the English 4044 and 5044 science
writing students on the ‘Louisiana Exhibit’ brought practical, cross-disciplinary
learning to life – engaging students in real-world science communication through research,
writing, and exhibit design,” said Amanda Thompson, M.A., Biology Instructor and Director
of the ULM Museum of Natural History. “We look forward to future projects with students
in these courses.”
In completing this project, students learned the interconnectedness of history, writing,
and promoting engagement with the community.
“Collaborating with disciplines outside of the sciences makes everyone more aware
of just how much we all have in common,” said Dr. Kim Marie Tolson, Ph.D., ULM Professor
Emerita of Biology and former Director of the ULM Museum of Natural History.
The ULM Museum of Natural History is located on the first floor of Hanna Hall, 708
University Ave. The exhibition is now open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Thursday. Admission is free.
For further information about the ULM Natural History Museum, please contact Amanda
Thompson at athompson@ulm.edu.
