Alumni

Alumni Advisory Board

  • Joshua Nuss, Co-Chair – Professional Fundraiser, Volunteers of America Southeast Louisiana, New Orleans, LA
  • Beth Thurman, Co-Chair – CPA, Audit Manager, Blazek & Vetterling, Houston, TX
  • Michelle Barr – Owner, Trainer, and Instructor, Right Lead Equestrian Center, Minden, LA
  • Alexander Billioux – Former Assistant Secretary of Health Louisiana Department of Health’s Office of Public Health, Baton Rouge, LA
  • Rebecca Fink – Human Resources Business Partner Manager, Billings Refinery at Phillips 66, Billings, MT
  • Yolanda Fortenberry – Associate Professor of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
  • Amanda LaComb – Hospitalist Physician and Medical Director, Hospital Medicine, Schumacher Clinical Partners at Jennings American Legion Hospital, Jennings, LA

Give to Scholars’ College

Jimmy D. Long, Sr., Louisiana Scholars’ College Distinguished Alumni Award 

In 2017, The Louisiana Scholars’ College at Northwestern State University established the Jimmy D. Long, Sr., Louisiana Scholars’ College Distinguished Alumni Award to honor the life and service of former state Representative, education proponent, and philanthropist Jimmy D. Long, Sr. Mr. Long served eight consecutive terms as a Louisiana state Representative, earning a reputation as a strong advocate of education in Louisiana. As Representative and chair of the House Education Committee, Long authored the bill that created the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, and subsequently introduced legislation to establish the Louisiana Scholars’ College. Following his tenure in the Louisiana House of Representatives, Mr. Long was appointed to the 16-member University of Louisiana System Board, where he served for eight years and chaired the Board for two terms.

 Award Purpose

The Jimmy D. Long, Sr., Louisiana Scholars’ College Distinguished Alumni Award will recognize alumni of the Louisiana Scholars’ College who have exemplified the tradition of service shown by Jimmy D. Long, Sr., and:

  • distinguished themselves in their career, and/or
  • supported the Louisiana Scholars’ College in some manner, whether financially, by increasing its stature and reputation, or through some other service.

 Previous Recipients

  • 2021 – Alex Billioux, M.D., D.Phil., Vice President for Social Determinants of Health at United Health Care Government Programs. Former assistant secretary of the Office of Public Health in the Louisiana Department of Health.
  • 2020 – Kendi Hensel, D.O., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Forth Worth. President (2019-20) American Academy of Osteopathy (AAO).
  • 2019 – Matthew Burroughs, JD, and Master of Divinity (posthumous award)) Law practice focusing on child advocacy.
  • 2018 – Heather Honore Goltz, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of Houston. Focus on cancer patient care and advocacy and minority group support.
  • 2017 – Todd Huddleston (posthumous award) Substantial support of LSC. Owner of Yonsei Martial Arts Academy in New Orleans, where he reached out to nurture young people in New Orleans.

Nomination Process for the Jimmy D. Long, Sr. Distinguished Alumni Award

Candidates for the award may be self-nominated or nominated by other alumni, faculty, family members, or friends. The nomination procedure is a two-step process.

  • A nominator sends the name of an LSC alum and a brief (one or two sentences) explanation why the nominee should be considered for the award.
  • The Distinguished Alumni Selection Committee will contact nominees and notify them that they have been nominated, by whom they have been nominated, and how many times they were nominated. The Committee will ask the nominee if they accept the nomination. If they accept, the Committee will request the following information from the nominee to complete the nomination.
  1. Current contact information (address, email, and telephone).
  2. A statement describing how the Louisiana Scholars’ College gave the nominee access to higher education and career opportunities that might not have been available to them otherwise. Ideally, this will include specific ways in which the nominee utilized the Louisiana Scholars’ College experience in the years after graduation.
  3. A statement describing ways in which the nominee has given back to Louisiana in a manner that exemplifies the life and service of Jimmy D. Long, Sr. The information in items 2 and 3 can be combined into one document.
  4. A personal resume or curriculum vitae, depending on which is most appropriate for the nominee.
  5. In addition to the above, nominees may include letters of support for their nomination, but these are not required.

Submission of Nominations and Supporting Materials

Nominations and supporting materials should be submitted to Dr. Curt Phifer, Professor of Biology, by mail or email.

Dr. Curt Phifer, Louisiana Scholars’ College
110 Morrison Hall
326 Caspari St.
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
phifer@nsula.edu
(318-357-4577)

Selection Process and Bestowing of Award

  • Applications will be due by February 1 of each year.
  • Applications will be reviewed by a Selection Committee composed of three LSC faculty members, one LSC alumni representative, a member of the Long family if available, and one current LSC student. The previous year’s recipient will serve as the alumni representative if possible.
  • The Selection Committee will submit a short list of award finalists to the LSC faculty and staff, who will then select the awardee.
  • The awardee will receive a personalized plaque and a modest honorarium, and the name of the awardee will be placed on a permanent plaque to be displayed in Morrison Hall, the home of the Louisiana Scholars’ College.
  • Announcements of the award will be distributed to LSC alumni, local news media, and media near the awardee’s residence.
  • The awardee will also be announced at the Louisiana Scholars’ College Founders’ Day in the spring, and subsequently, the award will be presented the following fall at the NSU Homecoming game if possible.