Beyond 1894

Khalilah Kersey is a people person. As the international student and immigration adviser in Louisiana Tech's Office of International Affairs, she has made a career out of connecting with the University's international student population and helping them navigate their college experience. She discusses growing up in small-town Louisiana, developing the interests that led her to pursue graphic design at Tech, and the importance of the work her International Affairs team is doing.

Louisiana Tech International Affairs: latech.edu/student-life/international-affairs/

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

In his work as a graphic designer at Louisiana Tech, Adam Cook has influenced the visual identity of the University's brand and the aesthetic of the campus. He cut his teeth as a student worker, steadily receiving projects with more and more heft, and he now is a full time member of University Communications responsible for several large hand-designed murals on campus. In this episode, he discusses finding the balance between personal style and the constraints of a project, why the School of Design at Louisiana Tech helped him thrive as an artist, and the reasons why AI-generated media can't top work from human hands.

Louisiana Tech School of Design home page

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

Kyle O'Neal, Director of the Humana Student Services Center at Louisiana Tech University, discusses the center's role in supporting College of Business students, offering tailored career and professional development and working in partnership with the Career Center. O'Neal emphasizes the importance of building professional networks and shares how much of his career was spent honing his skills with a desire to get back to Tech and work on campus.

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

Dr. Matthew Thornton, director of the School of Human Ecology and interim department head of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences at Louisiana Tech, discusses his new role and the school's unique programs in human development and family science and fashion merchandising and retail studies. He highlights the new applied behavioral analysis undergraduate certificate, designed to address the growing need for ABA professionals. And he shares his journey from a student at Louisiana Tech to a seasoned mental health professional, emphasizing the importance of authentic relationships and servant leadership in his work.

School of Human Ecology: latech.edu/education-human-sciences/about-cehs/human-ecology/

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

Fresh off a full summer serving as Orientation Student Leaders, Louisiana Tech juniors Sarah Freeman and Tason Lawrence love the University more than ever. They share their reasons for choosing Tech for college, their reasons for signing up for the tall task of being OSLs, and their reasons for feeling like the campus community is a perfect place to call home.

LA Tech FYE on Instagram: instagram.com/latechfye

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

Justin Kavalir is Louisiana Tech University's associate VP and general counsel, a guiding and protective hand when it comes to institutional litigation. In this episode, he discusses his beginnings in the realm of accounting before deciding to take on law school, his easy choice to make a professional return to Tech, and the complex nature of his day-to-day. He highlights some of the standout cases he's seen in his role and stresses the importance of balancing First Amendment rights with campus safety.

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

Dr. David Szymanski, department chair and professor of Kinesiology at Louisiana Tech, charts the path that began in Chicago as a fine arts major, pivoted, and then took him through the ranks of collegiate baseball coaching. He highlights his transition from a professional baseball hopeful to a "professional professor," his pioneering research in baseball sport performance, and his role in expanding the University's kinesiology programs. He shares his passion for helping students figure out what they want to be when they grow up and gives the reasons why he considers kinesiology a versatile "renaissance degree" capable of opening doors to everything from allied health fields to Major League Baseball.

LA Tech Kinesiology: https://www.latech.edu/education-human-sciences/about-cehs/kinesiology/index

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

Dr. Leland Weiss, the new-ish dean of the Graduate School and longtime Louisiana Tech engineering professor, discusses his journey that began in Canada, carried him all over the U.S., and eventually landed him at Tech. He highlights his transition from industry to academia, his research focus on waste heat recovery, and his role in supporting graduate programs across the University. He shares his vision for the Graduate School and gives the reasons why he thinks Tech's graduate programs can stack up against any others in the country.

Louisiana Tech Graduate School: latech.edu/academics/graduate-school/

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

Director of Alumni Engagement Leslie Brister Carpenter is proud to have a Louisiana Tech heart. Born and raised in Ruston, she's made a career out of serving the campus and the community and letting her love for the University radiate through all she does. From her time as a student recruiter in college to jobs working with admissions and LA Tech Football, she's worked hard to personify the phrase "Ever Loyal Be" and spends this episode explaining why.

Your Tech, Your Town 2026: latechalumni.org

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

Jamar Anderson, assistant director of internal affairs in Louisiana Tech's Bulldog Success Center, has made a home for himself at the University. From his time as a student taking on leadership positions and finding early work on campus in the office that would later give him a full time job, he's put Tech students first. He talks about his time at Tech and highlights the effectiveness of the Bulldog Success Center in this episode, and he even takes some time to break down his thoughts on the 2026 NBA Finals.

Bulldog Success Center on Instagram: instagram.com/latech_bsc

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]