Isla Baudoin小蝌蚪APP檚 young daughter was born with septo optic dysplasia, a congenital anomaly that has left her with impaired vision.
It小蝌蚪APP檚 the reason Baudoin decided to major in psychology, she said following UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 Fall 2014 Commencement General Assembly ceremony at the Cajundome on Friday.
小蝌蚪APP淚 want to use my degree to help other children who have special needs,小蝌蚪APP said Baudoin, of Abbeville, La., who was one of about 1,229 graduates who earned degrees this semester.
UL Lafayette conferred 1,042 bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degrees, 177 master小蝌蚪APP檚 degrees and 10 doctoral degrees during ceremonies at the Cajundome and Convention Center.
Dr. Joseph Savoie, UL Lafayette president, addressed graduates during the General Assembly, telling them that the university 小蝌蚪APP渉as tried to provide you with the knowledge and skills小蝌蚪APP to be successful.
小蝌蚪APP淎s you move into next phase of your life, I encourage you to take that same sense of hope, optimism, hard work and tenacity that brought you to this day, and carry it with you for the rest of your life in whatever you choose to do,小蝌蚪APP Savoie said.
Commencement speaker Dr. Darrell Bourque, a former Louisiana poet laureate and UL Lafayette professor emeritus of English, encouraged students to make the world a better place. 小蝌蚪APP淲e are depending on you to be the independent thinkers, we are depending on you to make things work better than they do now小蝌蚪APP ,小蝌蚪APP he said.
Alexandra Dardar, an accounting major, was named UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 overall Outstanding Graduate during the General Assembly. An accounting major, she received a bachelor of science degree. She is the daughter of Clayton and Susan Dardar of Abbeville, La.
Every spring and fall semester, deans from the eight academic colleges select an Outstanding Graduate based on leadership, scholarship and service. One is selected for the overall award by an Alumni Association selection committee, which interviews each candidate.
Three students were recognized as summa cum laude graduates for achieving a perfect 4.0 grade point average:
小蝌蚪APP Charlotte Theresa Bordelon, the daughter of Jude Bordelon of Lafayette, who received a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in finance;
小蝌蚪APP Taylor Denee McCaulley, the daughter of Randy and Melinda McCaulley of Ville Platte, La., who earned a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in English; and
小蝌蚪APP April Kristine Lemelle, daughter of Paul and Cheryl Lemelle of Lafayette, who received a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in elementary education.
Dr. James Henderson, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, announced that Dr. Gerald Carlson has been named dean emeritus.
Carlson was dean of the College of Education for 13 years and served the 小蝌蚪APP in numerous capacities for a total of 30 years. He retired in August.
Earlier this month, the School of Kinesiology unveiled the Dr. Gerald P. Carlson Honorary Kinesiology Classroom, a state-of-the-art classroom that will be used for a new graduate program in the School of Kinesiology.
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Photo: Three 小蝌蚪APP students were recognized as summa cum laude graduates at Fall 2014 Commencement ceremonies. Graduates who achieved perfect 4.0 grade point averages, from left to right, are: Charlotte Theresa Bordelon, April Kristine Lemelle, and Taylor Denee McCaulley.