Beyond 1894

Dr. Sarah McVay, a leader in Louisiana Tech's Division of Nursing, cares about her work, her patients, and her students with equal fervor. So much so that the Heroes with Heart retreat at MedCamps was born out of a desire to help her future nursing graduates contribute to the community and develop as caregivers. In this episode, she discusses the importance and impact of the Heroes with Heart retreat and shares some insight into Tech's thriving nursing program and the qualified students that come from it.

LA Tech Nursing: ans.latech.edu/nursing

MedCamps Heroes with Heart: medcamps.org/event/heroes-with-heart

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

Calling Jesse Webb a student is true but an understatement. The double-major, double-minor junior has made a habit out of learning, researching, and maximizing his potential. With passions in both physics and music, Webb has zeroed in on his goals in both areas and enjoyed a full plate during his time at Louisiana Tech. In this episode — part of a sequence of episodes that tie into feature stories if the Winter 2025 1894 Magazine — Webb shares his story and gives insight into the mindset that has produced one of Tech's most driven and hardworking students.

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

Currently the manager of the ExxonMobil refinery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana Tech alumna Regina Davis has built her career — her whole life, even — on firsts. Most recently, she became the first Black woman to lead the BR refinery, and she spends some time this episode reflecting on the importance and meaning of that role and its personal impact during Black History Month. She discusses finding her interests for engineering early on and the challenges and triumphs of her career. She mentions some Tech faculty that helped her during her journey and spreads some life and career advice throughout her stories.

Louisiana Tech College of Engineering & Science: coes.latech.edu

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

The Louisiana Tech Honors College has recently seen a significant overhaul. Student Experience Coordinator Ashton Thomas speaks about the structure, format, and purpose of the new-look Honors College and why the vision and missions of the programs within are important to Tech students. She talks about her time at Tech and her goals for the future, and she spends a moment reflecting on how the University has changed her perspective for the better.

LA Tech Honors College: latech.edu/honors

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

Associate Director of Human Resources Ashley Jackson is part of the team responsible for integrating new faculty and staff at Louisiana Tech into the Tech Family. A local with Louisiana Tech legacy in her blood, she knows that the functions of HR are critical to the University's mission, and she talks about the ways she and her team work to make new hires feel at home. She shares her story and how she feels she's grown professionally over the years, discusses the challenges of implementing new systems like Workday on campus, and speaks about her vision for the future of HR at LA Tech.

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

With just a few days left in her reign as Miss Louisiana Tech University 2024, Kaylyn Murphy takes some time in this episode to reflect on her year. She speaks about winning the crown at the beginning of 2024, the importance and joys of representing her university with confidence and integrity, and her lessons learned and memories made during the biggest moments of her pageant life.

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

Join Gavin, Cami, and Teddy from the University Communications crew as they recap some of the biggest moments and most important stories from Louisiana Tech's 2024. From leadership changes to enrollment growth and from groundbreaking research to alumni spotlights, this episode touches on what made the year great for the Bulldogs. Also included is a glimpse into the upcoming year and the exciting future of Louisiana Tech.

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

Dr. Julie Moulard, an associate professor of marketing at Louisiana Tech University, discusses her academic journey from mass communications to marketing, her research on consumer suspense, and her current focus on brand authenticity. She explains the three types of authenticity: true to ideal, true to fact, and true to self, and how they apply to brands and social media influencers. Moulard emphasizes the importance of experiential learning in marketing education and discusses the rise of personal brands, and she also highlights the evolving dynamics between brands and influencers.

Marketing at Louisiana Tech: business.latech.edu/undergraduate-programs/marketing/

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

Dr. John Worsencroft recently became the director of Louisiana Tech University's School of History and Social Sciences. In this new role, he's learned to get the most out of both his passion for teaching in the classroom and his administrative duties to the School and to the College of Liberal Arts. He spends this episode discussing his educational background, his time in the United States Marine Corps, and his teaching philosophy. He stresses the importance of learning how to learn, and he gives his thoughts on the political nature of history in higher education.

Dr. Worsencroft's Website: johnworsencroft.com

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]

When Louisiana Tech President Jim Henderson took office at the start of 2024, his longtime UL System office colleague Cami Geisman and her family joined in the journey to Ruston, Louisiana. Geisman, Tech's executive VP for external affairs, spends this episode talking about the move to Tech being her first ever move from her hometown of Baton Rouge, the sense of community in Ruston that made it so easy for her and her family to fall so quickly in love with the city, and the dynamics of her job that have her convinced Louisiana Tech is the perfect place to live and learn.

LA Tech University Communications: brand.latech.edu

Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/

Email: [email protected]