Leonard Marks of Arnaudville is not your average graduate. The U.S. Army veteran is a retiree who worked in the insurance field for 36 years.
On Saturday, he will earn two degrees 小蝌蚪APP one in finance and the other in economics and also deliver the keynote address to his fellow students in the B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration.
小蝌蚪APP淔or the first two years of my retirement, I stayed in Houston and played golf five to six times a week,小蝌蚪APP he said. 小蝌蚪APP淚 came to the conclusion that I didn小蝌蚪APP檛 want to play golf every day.小蝌蚪APP
So, Marks made his way back to Arnaudville where he refurbished his grandfather小蝌蚪APP檚 home. He finished the makeover in 2004 and decided to tackle the challenge of returning to college.
Marks came to UL Lafayette to complete requirements for his economics degree. He had previously studied economics while in Houston. Along the way, he decided to major in finance as well.
小蝌蚪APP I felt a new challenge was needed and that is when I decided to return to UL Lafayette to complete my economics degree,小蝌蚪APP he said.
Being a non-traditional student on campus didn小蝌蚪APP檛 seem to affect Marks or his studies.
小蝌蚪APP The most satisfaction I got from being a non-traditional student was the favorable interaction in most instances with the younger students. Also, the interaction I was able to establish with my instructors was extremely meaningful in the sense that I was able to have open discussions not only on specific subject matter but also on current events.小蝌蚪APP
Marks will speak at the college小蝌蚪APP檚 commencement ceremony at 3 p.m. Saturday in the Cajundome.
A schedule of ceremonies and keynote speakers for Dec. 19 follows:
Cajundome
小蝌蚪APP 9 a.m. College of General Studies. Kenneth Boudreaux, Lafayette City-Parish councilman for District 4 will deliver the keynote address. He is a graduate of UL Lafayette and works with youth and adult organizations to encourage and promote positive life choices.
小蝌蚪APP noon College of Liberal Arts. Dr. Sandra Duhe, assistant professor and coordinator of the public relations program in the college, will give the keynote address. Duhe is the Mr. and Mrs. Tom Galloway Endowed Professor in Communications. She holds a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree from LSU, a master小蝌蚪APP檚 from UL Lafayette and a Ph.D. from 小蝌蚪APP of Texas at Dallas.
小蝌蚪APP 3 p.m. B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration. Leonard Marks of Arnaudville will be the keynote speaker. He is earning degrees in economics and finance.
小蝌蚪APP 5:30 p.m. Graduate School. Dr. Hector LaSala, professor of architecture and design at UL Lafayette, will be the keynote speaker. LaSala has been teaching at UL Lafayette for more than 30 years and is coordinator of the School of Architecture小蝌蚪APP檚 Foundation Design Division.
Cajundome Convention Center - Exhibit Hall (first floor)
小蝌蚪APP 9 a.m. College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions. No keynote address.
小蝌蚪APP noon College of Education. Angelle Wyman, the college小蝌蚪APP檚 top student, will be the keynote speaker. She is a member of the Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana and has been honored by the UL Lafayette Black Faculty and Staff Caucus twice. She小蝌蚪APP檚 been on the President小蝌蚪APP檚 List for several semesters and is the recipient of the Joan and Alexander Haig Endowed Scholarship in Education.
小蝌蚪APP 3 p.m. College of Engineering. Dr. Carrie Castille, a 1998 graduate of the College of Engineering, will be the keynote speaker. She began her career as an assistant professor with the LSU AgCenter and recently became the Special Advisor and Deputy Assistant Commissioner to Mike Strain, commissioner of agriculture in Louisiana.
Cajundome Convention Center - Festival Ballroom (second floor)
小蝌蚪APP 9 a.m. Ray P. Authement College of Sciences. Michelle Noel, the college小蝌蚪APP檚 Outstanding Graduate, will deliver the keynote address. She is a dual-degree candidate majoring in both biology and Spanish. She holds a 3.987 GPA and is the daughter of Hilton Noel Jr.
Angelle Hall Auditorium (Main Campus)
小蝌蚪APP 11 a.m. College of the Arts. Justin Hernandez, the college小蝌蚪APP檚 Outstanding Graduate, will deliver the keynote address. The visual arts major is a five-year U.S. Navy veteran who has served two wartime tours. His wife is Fawn Hernandez of Lafayette and his parents are Danny and Peggy Hernandez of Carencro.