Dr. Scott Chirhart announced as new dean of the School of Health Sciences at Centenary College
Dr. Scott Chirhart, chair of the Biology Department, has been named inaugural Dean of Centenary’s new School of Health Sciences. Chirhart, a member of the Centenary faculty since 2003 and the director of the College’s successful pre-med program, will direct the new school that includes the departments of biology, neuroscience, and kinesiology, providing vision, support, and increased opportunities for students during their undergraduate work at Centenary and beyond.
Centenary’s School of Health Sciences will be housed in Mickle Hall, slated to undergo a substantial renovation at the end of the current academic year. With a current medical school acceptance rate of 94% and articulation agreements with respected graduate and professional degree programs in allied health, medicine, nursing, and pharmacy, Centenary’s undergraduate science programs provide a strong foundation for growth through the new School of Health Sciences.
LSUS names White permanent dean of College of Business
With the LSU Shreveport College of Business encompassing more than 6,200 students and 58 full-time equivalent faculty, any new dean would have large shoes to fill.
But Dr. Mary Lois White officially stepped into her own shoes, having the interim label removed as the University named White the permanent dean.
White started in the interim dean role in 2021 and has led the college throughout the post pandemic phase.
White has been a valued LSUS faculty member since 2008 as an assistant professor of economics, advancing to the associate professor level in 2013. In 2019, she was named the Armand and Lynn Roos Professor of Business and Health Administration.
She took her first full-time step on the administrative level when she served as the program director of the Master of Health Administration program in 2020.
Service has been a common thread in White’s LSUS tenure as she currently sits on the Provost’s Council and Academic Deans Council while having been a past chair for the Campus Federal Teach Enhancement Fund Committee and the University Curriculum Committee.
White is equally dedicated to the community in which LSUS serves as she was one of six women nominated for the Virginia K. Shehee Most Influential Woman Awards hosted by Holy Angels earlier this year.
Her Shreveport service started with Slow Food North Louisiana (board member), an organization focused on connecting the local community with local food providers and promoting the local food system.
Other local organizations in which White is involved includes Robinson’s Rescue (treasurer and board member for the low-cost spay and neuter clinic), the Philadelphia Center (board member and past treasurer for the Northwest Louisiana’s HIV resource center), Authors In April (committee member) and People Acting for Change and Equality (member).
LSUS’s Lin ranked top Louisiana scientist in business and management field
LSUS professor Dr. Binshan Lin has been recognized as the top Louisiana scientist and one of the top researchers in the world in the field of business and management, according to Research.com rankings recently released.
Lin ranks No. 306 in the world, No. 154 in the United States and No. 1 in Louisiana based off rigorous evaluation of bibliometric data consolidated from various data sources including OpenAlex and CrossRef.
He’s one of just three Louisiana-based scientists to make the list of nearly 1,600 researchers.
Lin has been published 190 times in works considered by the Research.com rankings and cited an estimated 12,978 times. He’s totaled more than 280 articles in refereed journals in his career.
Lin is one of LSUS’s longest-tenured professors, starting in Shreveport in 1988. He is a nine-time recipient of the LSUS Outstanding Faculty Award and is editor-in-chief at Expert Systems with Applications and Machine Learning with Applications that tops a long list of honors.
Bryan Roppolo installed as 2023 Independence Bowl Foundation Chair
Bryan Roppolo, owner of Roppolo’s Insulation, was installed as the 2023 Chair of the Independence Bowl Foundation at the organization’s Annual Membership Meeting on Thursday, March 9. Roppolo took over for the past chair, Rob Rubel, on the same night that the Independence Bowl Foundation also voted in the new executive committee and board of directors.
Roppolo owns Roppolo’s Insulation – a locally owned family business. His father started the business in 1975 as a part-time job, and Bryan took over the business when he finished college in 1998. He has developed the company into what it is now with his family and supervisors, who are also his lifelong friends.
Bryan is actively involved in several groups in town. He is a Shreveport Downtown Lions Club member, serving two terms as past President, and a Shreveport River Bend Rotary Club member – participating in various community projects with both organizations.
Each of these groups has many different directions to help the community, and he feels blessed to be a part of each, but Giving BAK is truly Roppolo’s passion. Bryan is a founding member of the Giving BAK Foundation – a non-profit organization that works with local churches after natural disasters to provide food for the community and first responders. The team and volunteers travel across the United States to cook and provide hot meals in times of need. He feels this program is very rewarding and knows how much it means to those victims who have lost everything. A good hot meal can change their day or outlook on the situation.
Bryan has been a member of the Independence Bowl Foundation for over 10 years, serving on the hospitality committee. He is married to his wife, Amy, and they have two children, Emma and Ava. They are active members of their local church and enjoy coaching their girls’ softball teams in their spare time.
Bossier Parish names Sweeney new library director
Felesha Sweeney, who has served for eight years as assistant branch manager at the Haughton library, has been named to lead the parish system as Bossier Parish Director of Libraries.
Sweeney was chosen from a group of finalists for the position following interviews with the parish’s Library Board of Control. She was recommended by the Board and approved by the parish Police Jury at its Wednesday, March 1 meeting.
As assistant branch manager at Haughton, she was responsible for working with children, teens and adults plus facilitating several programs including a monthly book club, Seated Chair Exercise and others.
Sweeney is a life-long resident of Haughton and graduated from Haughton High School. She has served her community over the years, helping organize carnivals and parades that involve planning, implementing and raising funds for support.
She has served Brack’s Chapel C.M.E. Church as musician and choir director. Sweeney was instrumental in organizing a Sunday Night Live program that brought together churches in the area to provide entertainment as an alternative to trick-or-treat activities. Sweeney is a member of Word of God Ministries.
Following her graduation from Haughton High, Sweeney received her B.S. in business administration from Wiley College in Marshal, Texas. She plans to seek an advanced degree in the future.
Sweeney has been married to her husband, Donald, for 25 years and the couple has five children.
Martin joins GBT
GBT’s Bank President Mike Hipp is proud to announce Alicia Martin as Administrative Assistant/Assistant Human Resources.
Originally from Texas, Martin has called Ruston home for nearly twenty years. Outside of work, Alicia enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, and sports. Martin attends First Baptist Ruston where her father is the Senior Pastor.
