April 23, 2025
NATCHITOCHES – Elizabeth Maynard of Natchitoches is the 2025 recipient of the Lisa Chesser Borders Meraki Scholarship, presented to a student pursuing a degree in Fine and Graphic Arts at Northwestern State University.
The presentation took place April 23 before a large crowd of family, friends and supporters of the scholarship. James Borders established the scholarship to honor the memory of his wife who lost her battel with cancer in 2018 at age 49. Meraki is derived from Greek and means ‘labor of love, creative task done with absolute devotion and undivided attention to detail.’ The Borders scholarship recognizes students who embody those qualities. The presentation too place in the Lisa Chesser Borders Permanent Student Art Collection, housed on the first floor of Eugene P. Watson Memorial Library.
“Elizabeth’s outstanding work and personal dedication deeply impressed the scholarship committee,” Borders said. “Elizabeth presented a series of large-scale paintings that demonstrated both technical skill and thoughtful exploration. Beyond her artwork, the committee was struck by her ability to clearly articulate her creative vision and express a strong sense of purpose about her future, one she hopes will include teaching and mentoring others.”
Two additional students, Noah Martinez and Catelyn McClinton, also of Natchitoches, were given Art Awards for showing great promise and professionalism. They embraced the committee’s feedback with enthusiasm and a genuine eagerness to grow, Borders said.
“Through both Art Awards we remember Lisa’s mother Margaret Pauline Chesser and my mother Avis Borders Fletcher,” he continued. “As well as my recently deceased sister-in-law Lisa Ates Borders and my brother-in-law who passed away this Tuesday April 22, 2025, Jerry Chesser. It is with great honor that their names and memory will be celebrated through both recipients’ awards. We extend our recognition to these talented individuals and hope that this process continues in collaboration with Dr. [Leslie] Gruesbeck and the Art Department at NSU.”
Borders writes of his late wife, “Lisa Chesser Borders left behind a legacy of faith, love, and unwavering obedience to God. She glorified Him not just through her words but through her actions—offering love, grace, peace, truth and encouragement to everyone around her. Anyone who met Lisa will never forget her radiant smile or her calming presence. She was, and remains, a light in the darkness.
“Lisa’s life was a testimony to God’s faithfulness—never more evident than in her final days. Even then, she never complained, never wavered in strength and continued to think of others. Her final words to me were ‘It’s okay. I know where I’m going.’ Those words are now engraved on her monument at Trinity Baptist Church in Natchitoches. What she taught me is the joy of suffering, a lesson it took years to understand. But now I carry that truth, branded on my heart.
“We honor Lisa today by doing what she always did: thinking of others first. In that spirit, we recognize these three exceptional students for their work ethic, talent, craftsmanship and dedication to their art. On behalf of the scholarship committee, family, friends and supporters near and far, we offer this award not just as a gift, but as a gesture of belief in their potential.”
Borders said the scholarship is more than a financial award.
“It is an investment in the future of our students, our university and our community. With every scholarship awarded, our hope is that these recipients will grow into citizens who carry Lisa’s legacy forward, leading lives of strength, dignity, compassion and integrity.”
“We want this ceremony to not only honor today’s students, but to inspire them to one day return, to lift others as they themselves have been lifted,” he said. “It is our dream for this to become one of the largest and most meaningful scholarships at NSU—a growing annual tradition that brings together the campus and the Natchitoches community in celebration of creativity, faith, and perseverance.
“This is not about holding on to the past. This is about keeping Lisa’s spirit of kindness and love alive and relevant, not just through my own actions, but through the actions of families, friends, coworkers, classmates and teammates who choose to uphold values that strengthen and support our next generation.”
This year, local business sponsors joined efforts to support students by providing gift packages and gift cards in addition to the scholarship awards.
“We are incredibly grateful to Harbor Freight, represented by Manager Melvin James, a 2021 NSU alumnus, and Ron Morris, a Natchitoches native, who were the first to jump on board with great excitement and generosity, and to Raisin’ Cane’s Operations Manager Kathryn Beaudoin,” Borders said.
“Raising Cane’s likes to support education and to do something for the youth and for those that are graduating,” Beaudoin said. “The students work hard year-round, and we like to support them in any way that we can because we are a community partner. We sponsor Northwestern athletics and academics.”
“I went to Northwestern from 2017–2021, so I just want to give back to my alma mater and the students coming up behind me,” James said. “Just being able to give students the supplies they need to do what they want to do—and being able to achieve their dreams.”
An anonymous donor added, “It’s a wonderful scholarship for a beautiful lady. I’m fully confident that the recipients will take advantage of this opportunity to evolve their talents and further their careers.”
“These words are a powerful reminder that this scholarship is not just sustained by money, it is sustained by people who believe in the future of NSU, Natchitoches and the next generation of creators, leaders and community members,” Borders said.
Longtime contributor Romulus Rockmore and his family continue to support the scholarship through the design of commemorative plaques and ongoing work to enhance the Lisa Borders Student Art Collection. Borders also thanked the art committee members who donated their time to personally review students’ work. They are Al Poston, Anna MacDonald, Michael Scott and Dr. Traci LaBom Norris.
“Their commitment, along with that of local businesses and alumni, is evidence of a growing movement to ensure this celebration of student achievement becomes a lasting and expanding tradition,” Borders said. “I am humbled and beyond grateful to each donor, sponsor and collaborator. As long as God allows, I will continue to do my part in this community collaboration, ensuring that Lisa’s legacy continues to shine through the lives and work of these incredible students.”
