The Lion's Roundtable (Guests: Amanda Hammonds & Faith Peterson)
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Todd Delaney:Discussing topics of interest to the university, Hammond, and the surrounding communities, this is the Lions Roundtable. Now, here's your host, Doctor. Amber Nero.
Dr. Amber Narro:Good day, good day. This is Amber Narro on Lion ninety point nine FM. I'm here in KSLU's brand new studio in D. Vickers Hall with Amanda Hammonds. Amanda, this is your first time here. Good morning.
Amanda Hammonds:Yes. Thanks.
Dr. Amber Narro:This is a beautiful studio. Glad to have you.
Dr. Amber Narro:I've also got my sweet friend, Faith Peterson, with me. She is gonna be talking on behalf of development here at Southeastern. And Amanda, if you don't remember from last time, we did a quickie interview while we were still in the iHub at that time, kinda doing some recording because there's something going on here. I don't I don't remember whole the whole mess of it. But you had just taken over as the new interim director of alumni.
Dr. Amber Narro:Talk to me about current status of situations, what's happening over there, who's moving, who's shaking, you are bringing people in, moving, moving people around, what's going on? Not out, just around.
Amanda Hammonds:Right. We're rocking and rolling over in the alumni center. We have, we just had our alumni art exhibition opening last night. Christina Molina from our art department.
Dr. Amber Narro:Oh, she's incredible.
Amanda Hammonds:So good.
Dr. Amber Narro:Did you let her speak?
Amanda Hammonds:She she did. She's good. Yeah. She she started, you know, she got all of this going. Yeah.
Amanda Hammonds:We were just there to to say hello. Welcome back home.
Dr. Amber Narro:She's amazing.
Amanda Hammonds:It was an an incredible exhibition from our alumni.
Faith Peterson:Yeah.
Amanda Hammonds:Yeah, great turnout. So, yeah.
Dr. Amber Narro:Awesome. Well, Christina's fantastic. She's a great artist. She does some fantastic work but she's got a great story that comes with her as well and I've heard her speak on on behalf of some of the things that she's done in the city and in New Orleans as well as, you know, locally and to support our students, what she does is amazing. So.
Dr. Amber Narro:So incredible. Just so good. We have Yeah. A great talent on campus. So, what what how's the new how's the new Yeah.
Dr. Amber Narro:It's going great. Job.
Faith Peterson:But it's going great.
Amanda Hammonds:It's pretty exciting. We yeah, we're we got our our family day, alumni family day coming up in March with.
Faith Peterson:I was thinking about that this morning actually. Yes.
Dr. Amber Narro:Thank you. She used to be an alumni as well.
Faith Peterson:Well, I don't mean to to step in. No. But I was thinking last year at Family Day. I don't know why I was thinking about this actually but I was. Truly.
Faith Peterson:It is fun. It was so so fun but it's so funny that it was on my mind this morning but.
Dr. Amber Narro:Family Day cracks me up at Southeastern. Every day is family day. I know. I make fun of this when I'm like, whatever.
Faith Peterson:It is. I think people go
Dr. Amber Narro:to family day and they're like, meh.
Faith Peterson:Yeah. Another day at Southeastern. Great day. Yeah. But that was Just
Dr. Amber Narro:some attention around.
Faith Peterson:And I don't know if y'all doing it this year, so I hope I'm not spoiling anything. But last year, the team had planned a Easter egg hunt.
Dr. Amber Narro:Easter egg hunt.
Faith Peterson:On the field in Strawberry Stadium. Go on. So, that was actually my little girl's first Easter egg hunt. Oh. Was at Strawberry Stadium.
Faith Peterson:Little cute. She was just trying starting to stand. So I have a photo of her one of the first photos of her standing up in Strawberry Stadium with the stadium in the back and Yeah. I told you. I actually posted on Facebook.
Dr. Amber Narro:Cover shot.
Faith Peterson:And people started texting me. They're like, oh my gosh. Is she standing? I'm like, girl, she she could be running if she really wanted to at this point but I was just thinking, I'm like, how if I do that again this year because we had a lot of fun. We didn't get to stay the whole time.
Faith Peterson:We were working around nap schedules, you know, but she's older now and Yeah. Now we're like fighting for that one nap a day.
Dr. Amber Narro:She could've been fine without that
Faith Peterson:nap, mom.
Dr. Amber Narro:She's having an alright I'm excited. Easter egg.
Faith Peterson:Y'all are doing it again. Yes. Yeah.
Amanda Hammonds:Mhmm. And it's right before Easter again. Okay.
Faith Peterson:Love this. What's the date?
Amanda Hammonds:So it's March 28. Okay. March 28. Write it down, everyone.
Dr. Amber Narro:So much stuff going on that weekend for sure.
Faith Peterson:Mhmm.
Dr. Amber Narro:That's ham and barbecue going on that weekend as so if you need to come here and do the Easter egg hunt and then go over and do the barbecue and all support each other. Yeah. Yeah.
Faith Peterson:And there's another big thing happening that weekend too.
Amanda Hammonds:There is. That is the the eve.
Faith Peterson:It is of chef's evening.
Dr. Amber Narro:Indeed. So yeah. Okay.
Faith Peterson:Well, I hope I can come. Maybe that'll be my day to just kinda relax a little bit before the big crazy. And Hannah.
Dr. Amber Narro:Let somebody else take care of you.
Faith Peterson:That's Friday and Saturday. Family day. Right? Yeah. Okay.
Faith Peterson:Good. Yeah. There's so there's pretty much something you can do every day that we get. Every single day.
Dr. Amber Narro:So fun.
Amanda Hammonds:It could be a family weekend.
Faith Peterson:It could. Yeah. I love it. I know. Oh, it's so good.
Dr. Amber Narro:Start out and come and do the farmers market in Hammond and all kinds So of yeah. Yeah. You know what we'll be doing that weekend? Southern Regional Honors Conference. We're taking students to go present their research in Montgomery, Alabama.
Dr. Amber Narro:But we'll be back on Saturday and hopefully have some time to go in and and do our egg hunting and and definitely back in time for chef's evening. So There
Amanda Hammonds:you go.
Dr. Amber Narro:And speaking of that, we will point to you real quick. Faith, talk to me about all things chef chef's evening.
Faith Peterson:Yeah. So we I mean, really just the second we come back from break, it just hit the ground running. We started planning and doing some work really last summer. So I started doing some outreach to some of the hotels in different places, like in the New Orleans area, the Gulf Coast. I'm really excited to share.
Faith Peterson:We have a lot of hotel stays, weekend packages at some of these hotels along the coast, we have something in Lake Charles coming in. So yeah, we're excited about some new kind of silent auction items that that, again, that kind of research and outreach started in the summer and then just kind of chipping away through it in March. I mean, excuse me, March. Why? The events in March.
Faith Peterson:Chipping away through it last semester and then, you know, preparing for the event is, you know, March 29. So, basically, when we come back from Christmas, we are just rolling. This morning, I did a count. I'm waiting on one more official confirmation, but we have 30 restaurants and caterers.
Dr. Amber Narro:Oh, wow.
Faith Peterson:And vendors participating. And that's not counting. You know, we have other vendors for things, that's like our food vendors is 30. And so we'll have, you know, we have several different areas that you can get a beverage of sorts. We have few of those.
Faith Peterson:Yeah, I'm really excited. We think that's maybe one or two more food vendors than last year and I'd I'd like to get maybe three more. I have a couple of feelers out. You might see me if you're a restaurant owner. You might see me in your establishment in the next couple days dropping off some paperwork.
Faith Peterson:I like to go visit with people but yeah, you know, I am from Punchatula so I went and visited some of my Punchatula businesses yesterday. I joked. I said, I feel like I'm back working here So I'm walking into your shop with a stack of papers, that feels all too familiar. But, you know, some my old business
Dr. Amber Narro:owners with the Punch Tula downtown revitalization project, and she used to walk the street to make sure that all the businesses were doing great.
Faith Peterson:Thanks. Yeah. Yeah. So I went in and visited with some of them. So, you know, I'm looking forward to having some representation different ways throughout the event from some of my past supporters and friends, again, from my past life in Punch a Tool.
Faith Peterson:It's it's really cool to kinda see that full circle moment. But, yeah, things are rolling and it's exciting. You know, Chefs is a big event, but it's fun. And Amber, you know, I'm incredibly competitive with my own self. So, you know, last year we raised
Dr. Amber Narro:You should play golf. Jake always says that it, you know, it's an individual game that, like, you beat yours you have to beat your own.
Faith Peterson:I am I can't even putt putt. I think I would get angry.
Amanda Hammonds:Neither can I?
Dr. Amber Narro:I I would be wasn't happy golf, go and I'm like
Faith Peterson:Like, I beat them up. Growing my clubs. Yeah. No. I I can't.
Faith Peterson:Like a happy Gilmore movie. I would be happy Gilmore, but trash. I would be a trash player. I I wouldn't be as good as him. But.
Faith Peterson:Hi, Caddy.
Dr. Amber Narro:That's fun enough for me.
Faith Peterson:Yeah. Like, let me just like drive the golf cart if you trust me with that but but yeah. So, we actually actually speaking of golf, we have some golf packages that are gonna be on display for our silent auction. So you Go on. Okay.
Faith Peterson:Like to play golf. But yeah, it's a fun event. It's a great event. Last year, raised, I wanna say maybe a 162, 163,000, you know, after I, you know, our expenses and everything came out which, you know, we're we're thankful we get so much support from the community that is able to, you know, kinda stay down for us. But we're hoping to beat that.
Dr. Amber Narro:Love it.
Faith Peterson:Oh yeah. You know, you know me and my my goals, my lofty goals. Indeed. We're hoping to raise even more for our students.
Dr. Amber Narro:I I think the momentum is there.
Faith Peterson:I think so.
Dr. Amber Narro:For us to be able to do that. Yeah. Also that weekend, prior to that, starting Thursday evening, I believe, is the Pecha Kucha, which is going to be a presentation of our faculty members who are going to share some of their research with the community. They are going to be speaking in, like, six minute increments where they just share their their current research, and it's bang, bang, bang, back to back, back to back. Mhmm.
Dr. Amber Narro:And then you can hang out with the faculty members and ask them questions after it's over with. So. That's a very interesting thing that's gonna be on that weekend as well. That's a Thursday night if I'm not mistaken.
Amanda Hammonds:It's at the Black and Brew. Yeah.
Faith Peterson:No, very cool.
Dr. Amber Narro:I know. You work with them on that then.
Amanda Hammonds:So, Doctor Skipper had reached out to let our alumni board know. So, I'm excited to go there as well just to kinda, you know, see what's see what's going on.
Dr. Amber Narro:I'm gonna miss that one, unfortunately. I will already be in Montgomery with my my students who are doing their research.
Faith Peterson:Exactly.
Dr. Amber Narro:So, I'll be with the undergraduate part of our research regimen happening in in Montgomery and I will miss that but I will be. I got you. For all my people.
Faith Peterson:Take notes. I'll take notes. Yeah. And she'll give you the. Mhmm.
Faith Peterson:The highlights.
Dr. Amber Narro:Love it.
Amanda Hammonds:The follow-up. Petracucha.
Dr. Amber Narro:I'm I'm counting on you, Amanda. You got it. For sure.
Amanda Hammonds:I got you.
Dr. Amber Narro:Alright, Faith. Mhmm. Melaine is typically with us on Fridays. Yeah. And we know right now that she is in some meeting and couldn't come, so she's probably also not listening right now.
Dr. Amber Narro:Give me the dirty on Melaine being over with you in development.
Faith Peterson:So glad you asked about this. Not listening. No. Save space. It has been it has been really good.
Faith Peterson:You know, it's it's kind of funny how, you know, we started out together and then, you know, I left the actually, I started in this position this month last year. So, I've been in my role with the foundation for a year now.
Dr. Amber Narro:I feel like you've been there forever.
Faith Peterson:Sometimes it feels like that. Especially with the centennial year, I felt like that year was about three years long. It was a great year. Was exhaustive to you. Yeah.
Dr. Amber Narro:Last semester was like the longest, shortest semester ever. Everything was moving so fast but there was so much to do.
Amanda Hammonds:There was. It was crazy.
Faith Peterson:Fun. But yeah, it was a good year. I learned a lot but now, you know, now she's in our office and it's just, it's refreshing too because I know how she works and it's kinda like old times a little bit. You know, we obviously miss Wendy, you know, this is really, I guess, her final day, tomorrow maybe, the thirty first, I don't know. Wow.
Faith Peterson:Yeah. So, you know, she's kinda closing this chapter and Yeah. You know, we're, you know, it's it's bittersweet, you know, she's closed a beautiful chapter at Southeastern and I mean, we're sitting in a space that she helped make happen which is really awesome. You know, the Robin Roberts broadcast media center.
Dr. Amber Narro:Indeed.
Faith Peterson:But you know, it is it is fun to see Malayne.
Dr. Amber Narro:Robin Roberts definitely blames Wendy. I bet. For for for this. Yeah.
Faith Peterson:But you know, it's kinda cool to see Malayne pick up what she did and and now get to kinda carry that torch with with Wendy supporting her and, you know, being a two time alum from Southeastern as well, like, with Malayne, you know, again, I I guess I said it already, like, full circle moments, you know, a lot of us were students here at Southeastern and now, we're on leadership teams and committees and creating a future for students that were like us at one point.
Dr. Amber Narro:So it's really though cool. In alumni and in, development to have people who just have a true green and gold heart, you know, that they can bring to that position and just magnify their talents Yeah. In with that love.
Faith Peterson:I say it all the time. I actually did a podcast interview yesterday with Parker Larson with Punch Tool Alive. I did one when I first started working for Punch Tool and they invited me back, which was really cool. And we were just talking about, like, the pride that people have in Southeastern. And, you know, I say it all the time, like, you have university to work there.
Faith Peterson:You know, it to me, I feel like when people come here, it's not just a job. And there is there's nothing wrong with having, you know, a job and maybe it's a job and, you know, you maybe don't resonate, maybe you didn't graduate from there or you didn't, you know, but the people who do work here, we love what we do. Right. I feel like you have to love it so much. I mean, I feel like I'm always talking about Southeastern.
Faith Peterson:When I worked for Punch Tool, I was always talking about Punch Tool. I feel like in these positions when we're trying to rah rah the masses too to support and get involved. You just need to see it but you need to feel it and I think that's what's special about Southeastern is that you feel it from everybody here. It's not, it's not just a job that we're faking it for. We really do just love this place.
Faith Peterson:People probably like, can you can you stop talking about it? Because it's it's all you talk about. No. I can't help it. You know, help it.
Faith Peterson:I'm not on the clock. I swear. I just love it. Right.
Dr. Amber Narro:We're not gonna stop talking about it. No. It is what it is.
Faith Peterson:At this point, it's too good. We can't.
Dr. Amber Narro:Indeed. We can't stop. There's too much good stuff to say. And I often think about KSLU, this is our this is Southeastern's radio station, and we definitely do public radio. I'm gonna have I'm actually the the dings on my phone that y'all heard because I forgot to turn my phone on to silent when I got in here.
Dr. Amber Narro:We're from Jodi Hooper who is with Yeah. Ham and Barbecue. So we definitely get other people into this space to make sure that we're representing the community on this community show. But it's so easy for me to reach out to find out, like, if I've got somebody who cancels or last minute kinda change in the show to grab somebody at Southeastern and say, what's going on in your area? There's always something going on.
Dr. Amber Narro:And that is just a challenge and an an opportunity for Southeastern to stay relevant in this area and really kinda help that economic Yeah. Kinda impact that we have. And and we have a massive one, and our students are just so excited to be here. Mhmm. Scholars Showcase last night.
Dr. Amber Narro:Yes. Were y'all able to go? Yeah. You were. Amanda?
Dr. Amber Narro:Yeah. So Yeah. It it it was packed. It was Number one Packed. I was sitting at Table 45, I think, which was the last table that you could sit in at at Southeastern in Scholars Showcase.
Dr. Amber Narro:My table was full. They were very excited about being there. Mhmm. It was lively and exciting, and students, I've got a full roster of applications to this to the honors program this morning that I've gotta go through. Everybody there last night was qualified for the honors program and they're coming in and I am.
Dr. Amber Narro:Awesome. Oh, excited and a little scared but which is. Yeah. We're gonna handle em. Exactly.
Dr. Amber Narro:We are gonna handle them. And oftentimes, I I think Southeastern as a spirit has has this thought process that as we get bigger and we wanna grow, and that's definitely what we wanna do here at Southeastern, but Mhmm. We also make it smaller for people. As we get bigger, we make sure that it still feels small. And they said that last night during the scholarship showcase, which is the scholarship showcase, it's where we give the scholarships for the students to come.
Dr. Amber Narro:Yeah. Here and while I was thinking that through, it's just our mindset. It's what we do. When we start feeling the program get big, we put pockets. Yes.
Amanda Hammonds:And and it doesn't happen accidentally. You know, like, it is something that we foster here on campus. It is very intentional. But yeah, it doesn't, it's not like, oh, it's it's just magic. No.
Amanda Hammonds:People are doing the work to make it feel warm and inviting and small for our students to go do big and beautiful things. Yeah.
Dr. Amber Narro:And anybody who doesn't like that attitude doesn't typically last long. So, you don't have to worry about that. It's just. Exactly. It breathes through this university and and it will last no matter what or else
Faith Peterson:Mhmm.
Dr. Amber Narro:That person probably won't stay here very long. So we we just really kind of it's it's the attitude and the culture of this place. And I I typically when I have transfer students come in or people who are coming from another place, they're very shocked. They're like, my gosh. You emailed me back or you Right.
Dr. Amber Narro:You know, you took me and as a meet why am I meeting with, the department head? Or the they're very confused when the department head is teaching a freshman level class in virus hunters, in biology. They're the dean in arts, humanities, social sciences is at everything, you know, goes to all of the art, the the performances, and make sure that he has a showing at the Lion Pride preview. When we have people come to campus to explore things, they're often led around by leaders in the department, undergraduate coordinators and and graduate coordinators and and people who are at quote unquote these high levels, but it's because that is the culture of what we do. It is it is because we want our people out front.
Dr. Amber Narro:Yeah. We're proud of our people. We put them on the sofa. We make sure that people see them, and and those are the the faces that will help them Yeah. When it's time to go.
Dr. Amber Narro:Yeah. Love that.
Faith Peterson:And, you know, I wanna mention too just because you you kinda brought this about how present our leaders are. Like, Doctor Wainwright is very present and
Dr. Amber Narro:I'd say that he's a triplet. I don't believe he's a single person. He's he's like he's a triplet. He's every He's everywhere. Or I say a single birth because he also comes along with.
Dr. Amber Narro:Yes. Miss Misty Wainwright who is amazing.
Faith Peterson:She's just a wonderful person. Both of them are. But I remember their first year here, they started the, they, the art department or the dance department here, should say, started an alumni showcase at the Columbia Theater. Mhmm. And so I'm an alum also from the dance department.
Faith Peterson:I have a double degree I got it in dance as well as psychology. And so funny enough, I also had just found out I was pregnant. So this was I was dancing very early on in my pregnancy, which was challenging to say the least. But I it was around maybe November of that year, we did our showcase. And so I was the last piece to go, and somebody said, doctor Wainwright and missus Wainwright are in the audience.
Faith Peterson:I'm like, my my boss? My boss is
Dr. Amber Narro:Like big boss.
Faith Peterson:Yes. Like the bosses of all bosses. And I got nervous. I gotta say, because, you know, dance is kind of a a world that I've had since I was four, so it's kind of a different part of me that I'm very proud of, but you know, just different. So
Dr. Amber Narro:You feel a little exposed.
Faith Peterson:I do, you know, especially kind of, you know, it was about my life changing and it was Mhmm. It was Landslide by Mac and, like, you know, I'm I'm about to be a mom and so it was kind of an emotional moment and I saw them in the audience when I was performing and it was really cool and I saw him on campus the following week and he was just so impressed with the show and he said, I had no idea that you did that and he ended up telling somebody at one of their leadership meetings. We need to celebrate our faculty and our staff because of the other things that they do and I'm thinking, wow, that was, I was so nervous about it and he was so proud of what I did maybe like my outside life, you know, from the university, but it was really a cool moment that he was excited about. And I think that's, again, what you see from our leaders on campus. They're excited what our students are doing.
Faith Peterson:They're supporting us as faculty and staff, and they're everywhere. And they're proud of what people are putting out and representing for the university or for just themselves. And he was happy to celebrate that. And I think that's a spirit, like you said, that goes across campus. It's just the good things and the leaders that we're creating outside of the university, the people who are volunteering for nonprofits in the area and the work that they're doing, it's kind of infectious.
Dr. Amber Narro:It is. Yeah. He he.
Faith Peterson:It's a great support that we can all feel. Yeah. In some way. Yeah.
Amanda Hammonds:Mic drop. I That was
Dr. Amber Narro:perfectly said. Mhmm.
Faith Peterson:Thank you.
Dr. Amber Narro:You know, he he we interview him every quarter on Okay. KSLU and I set him up and make sure that he's in in good shape here and after one of our interviews, he turned we have a in the Center for Faculty Excellence, they do a shout out to faculty members who are, you know, doing great things. And typically, it's students who turn Mhmm. Their faculty member in. Every once in a while, get a nice little note from a student, you know.
Dr. Amber Narro:But after one of his interviews, he turned me in to Center for Faculty Excellence and said that I was, you know, representing Southeastern well and whatnot on the radio show. Wow. You know? Yeah. And it I mean, he's got a lot to do, y'all.
Dr. Amber Narro:Right. You know? So adding this extra layer of just one thing of him having to contact the Center for Faculty Faculty Excellence, and then I get an email on that. You know, I mean, that is special. That's a special thing.
Dr. Amber Narro:It we know how busy he is. Yeah. And I mean, to do that is just. I know. I.
Dr. Amber Narro:It just it touched my heart.
Faith Peterson:In other
Amanda Hammonds:words. University presidents aren't aren't doing that. Mm-mm. You know, that is rare. Yeah.
Faith Peterson:I mean, leadership in general. Yeah. I mean, a funny moment too. I walked into, you know, each year, the president and his beautiful wife and in their home, they'll host a social at Christmas time for faculty and staff which is great because not a lot of times we get to get together like that. You know, I mean, Especially faculty and staff, like we all work on the same campus, but a lot of times we're not maybe in the same building, especially us in like alumni and development, we're kind of in our own space unless we get out and do kind of things like this or we're in meetings or different things.
Faith Peterson:So, you know, it's nice to just kinda get together people you don't see all the time. But I walked in the door and the first group of people, I didn't I didn't see anyone I knew when I walked in and of course, I got anxiety. I'm like, I don't see anybody I know. And I'm like scanning the room and I see all of my old psychology professors who are now, you know, colleagues, which is just crazy to think. I'm like, you're still doctor Booth to me.
Faith Peterson:Like, you're you're always going to be that, you know, like, I I can't I can't change that. You were that for seven years for me, you know, through grad undergrad and grad, but Sometimes I have to
Dr. Amber Narro:tell some of my students who end up staff members here. I'm like, I'm not talking to you until you call me Amber. I'm just not dealing with you anymore because it's really just weird. We're sitting in a meeting together and you're like, doctor Nero, yeah yeah. I'm like, come on.
Dr. Amber Narro:I mean, I need to be able to take you,
Amanda Hammonds:you know. You know. Yeah.
Dr. Amber Narro:I just need to be able to sneeze in front of you or whatever.
Amanda Hammonds:You know? Normal. You love a sneeze.
Faith Peterson:Yeah. I love
Dr. Amber Narro:a good sneeze.
Faith Peterson:But but no, I walked in and, you know, they they called me over and they're like, so how's things? I know you got a a new position on campus and we were just talking and I mean, every one of every one of them like remembered me which I mean, some of them I did have a lot, in classes or was my advisor, like I mentioned, Doctor. Booth was my advisor through pretty much my entire college career. But it was just a really cool moment. I mean, how many students go through that program and how many people maybe come and go and professors leave and restart or this or that and they all remembered me and they're like, we know we we heard you move to the foundation and you did a great giving day.
Faith Peterson:I'm like, wow. And they're like, you know, the psychology department did great for giving day and we're excited for year and.
Dr. Amber Narro:Yeah. Just so you know students, not only do we talk to you but we talk about you.
Faith Peterson:Yeah. Thank you.
Dr. Amber Narro:Well, true. All good. You just remember that.
Faith Peterson:But, you know, it was really cool like to to have a moment to kind of, again, full circle, I guess. Yeah. Talk to people that. And that's what it's all about. Yeah.
Faith Peterson:And they remembered me and they they were interested and and then we just talked like normal people and I've kept trying to say not doctor so and so, you know, but it was just really cool to kind of have that moment and just remember and talk and. Be excited about what they're doing and what we're doing and I think that's just again, the spirit that you see across campus if you don't tell somebody, if there's somebody that maybe you you're like, you know what? I did not. I maybe didn't have a great experience in that conversation or that meeting didn't go well. Contact somebody and maybe we can talk about it or help you out because we want everyone to have a good experience.
Faith Peterson:Absolutely. Yes. Love that.
Dr. Amber Narro:Amanda Yes. Looking know, you've been in your position now a couple months. Right? And maybe?
Amanda Hammonds:For about a month a month. I'm like, what day is it? October? No. Like a month and a half.
Dr. Amber Narro:Yeah. Mhmm. What are some of the things that you're excited about this spring?
Amanda Hammonds:So, I'm excited about excited to go to chef's evening.
Faith Peterson:Woo hoo.
Amanda Hammonds:Yeah. Excited to work with our alumni board. Excited to see what our alumni chapters are doing. I'm about to reach out to them today or Monday just to see where they are, what kind of events are they coming up with. We met with the Livingston Chapter to see things that they've got going on in Livingston Parish.
Amanda Hammonds:We've got, hopefully, we're gonna bring the shrimp boil back to campus this semester. Yeah, homecoming coming up in the fall. So, just yeah, just try to come up come up with different ideas. It was really special to be at last night's event as alumni because I've have worked that event for thirteen years as admissions.
Faith Peterson:Yeah, different hats.
Amanda Hammonds:It was, yeah, so it was a completely different experience just for me but it was neat to connect with alumni. Yeah. Who are there bringing their children, who are bringing our future.
Dr. Amber Narro:Mhmm.
Amanda Hammonds:So that was neat. We brought Sophie and I. Sophie had a great idea to bring yearbooks
Dr. Amber Narro:from Sophie Salinas. That's from alumni.
Amanda Hammonds:Mhmm. Our assistant director of alumni relations. Incredible. So, she was like, let's bring yearbooks of years that that, you know, they would have graduated. So, we did have a we had a couple people stop by our table and find themselves in the yearbooks and just that special touch to be back on campus and to bring their their student, their child.
Amanda Hammonds:So I can't, you know, I can't imagine what that feels like as an alumni, as a parent. I'm not a parent, just you know, full disclosure, but I feel like that's gotta be one of the top coolest feelings. So.
Faith Peterson:I'm I You know? I don't know what, you know, June's story is gonna be, my little girl. Yeah. But I really hope, one, if I'm still working here, I'd love for her to go here and just kinda experience that with her but I wanna instill like a love of Southeastern. She's Yeah.
Faith Peterson:Coming around to Rumi. Sure. She's, you know, he's a big cat and you know, she she knows that lions go roar because she says it. She's given him a couple high fives. We're working up to it, but, you know, she comes to the tailgates with us.
Faith Peterson:Mhmm. Oh, she had a cheerleading outfit on. She was playing in the bushes. I said, I hope Carlos, our one of our physical plant, he is over the landscaping Carlos D. Little.
Faith Peterson:Beautiful greenery and plants and things you see on campus. I'm like, I hope he doesn't see you because you're playing in the bushes right now. You gotta be happy about that. But
Todd Delaney:she. Discussing topics of interest to the university, Hammond, and the surrounding communities. Mhmm.
Faith Peterson:And hopefully, she can come here one day, you know? She took her first steps basically on the field. Basically, that's pretty magical. I agree. She's basically enrolled here
Amanda Hammonds:at this point. She got a scholarship.
Faith Peterson:She's graduating tomorrow, it feels like. Love
Dr. Amber Narro:it. Love it. A lot of her. Well, thank you all so much. I appreciate y'all coming here and sharing a little bit with me, telling me what's going on in your areas.
Dr. Amber Narro:Don't forget things that are coming up. Family Day is going to be March 20. March 28. We've also got chef's evening on March 29. Yep.
Dr. Amber Narro:That big weekend that we've got coming up at the March here and thank you all for coming to share. We're gonna probably have a little bit more information about that when y'all come back next month. Typically, we're first Fridays, so I I appreciate y'all backing it up a little bit for me because I've got stuff going on next weekend, and I wanted to make sure y'all were live with me. We're we'll have some stuff happening next. We'll have still have the show on Thursday and Friday of next week but I'll probably be prerecorded on Friday with some other things that are going on in the university setting.
Dr. Amber Narro:Right? And in the community, we'll be talking with Jody Hoover with Ham and Barbecue next week as well as I'm trying to get Eric Amon to come in and chat with me about if you've already given up on your New Year's resolution for for fitness.
Amanda Hammonds:What's
Dr. Amber Narro:that? We need some encouragement. Right?
Faith Peterson:I lasted maybe like a week. I know. Yeah. It got cold and like, I can't move when it's cold, you know? I can't I can't work in these conditions.
Faith Peterson:Well, he's gonna give
Dr. Amber Narro:us some pump you up, restart your New Year's resolutions. Need to tune in. It's beer.
Faith Peterson:For sure.
Dr. Amber Narro:Yeah. Indeed. I need all
Amanda Hammonds:all the help I can get.
Dr. Amber Narro:Alright. Thank you all for coming. Appreciate you and we'll see y'all first weekend in March and thank you guys for listening here on KSLUs ninety point nine FM, the Lion. I'm Amber Narro. Listen again on Thursdays and Friday mornings at 9 a.m.
Dr. Amber Narro:Y'all have a great day.
Todd Delaney:Thank you for joining us today. If you missed any part of the show, you can listen to the lions roundtable on demand at our website, lionupradio.org. The podcast version is also available for download from Amazon, Google, Spotify, and tune in.
