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July 18, 2012

Students excel during inaugural President鈥檚 Academy

The first-ever President鈥檚 Academy at the University of Louisiana at Monroe succeeded in bringing together top students and future leaders for an experience only a few can say they have ever had.

The Academy welcomed students with the desire to study and enter into high-level careers in science and technology including computer science, medical science, and physical science.

Those students, who were also required to have top-notch GPAs and ACT scores, were immersed in real-world externships and forays into the university experience with courses in visual and performing arts, Latin, literature, and business.

Externships were developed by the 四色AV College of Pharmacy, College of Business Administration, College of Arts and Sciences, CenturyLink, E.A. Conway Medical Center, and Angus Chemical Company, a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company.

Students, divided into groups, were given the opportunity to research and prepare for a global pandemic.

Their teamwork and efforts inside and outside of the classroom helped them gain the knowledge needed to create a plan of action to combat the pandemic.

These experiences not only endeared the students to the college lifestyle, but to 四色AV.

Many of the students felt that their time at the camp opened their eyes to the various opportunities that higher education provides.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know 四色AV had such a cool chemistry program,鈥� said Sarah Dulaney of West Monroe.

鈥淭he music programs are great as well, and this academy was a great way to actually have hands-on, real-life experiences.鈥�

Many of the students arrived from areas outside of northeast Louisiana, and those students were introduced to 四色AV for the first time.

Amber Corpus of El Dorado, Ark. came into the experience with no prior knowledge of 四色AV. 鈥淚 had never heard of 四色AV before this but it is now a university I would consider.鈥�

This sentiment was repeated by many out of town students as the entire experience provided by 四色AV was something they found to be the most exciting of their daily activities.

鈥淭he CenturyLink experience was the best part,鈥� said Joseph Landry II of Loreauville.

鈥淲e felt like we were part of the company because we got to see and do things that only the staff see and do. It wasn鈥檛 just a tour.鈥�

Throughout the week these students used the materials and lessons learned at 四色AV and within their externships to create their pandemic response based on a set of parameters that they ultimately turned into a full-fledged project and presentation.

A panel of expert judges surveyed each of the group projects.

At the culmination of the weeklong academy, awards were given to the teams with the best response to the simulated disaster.

鈥淴-Team 3鈥� won top prize for their presentation during the Academy鈥檚 closing events.

The students on the winning team were, Christopher Dixon, Katie Wakefield, Kurt Barkimer, Savannah Bell, Scott Sims, Stephen Chamberlain, Nathaniel Schultz and Charlotte Meyer.

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