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SHREVEPORT – ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ recognized 27 faculty and staff members who’ve reached important service milestones Monday at the 2024 Service Awards.

Faculty and staff members were honored for reaching ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ service milestones between 10-35 years, honored in five-year increments.

The 27 members totaled 575 years of service to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½.

ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Chancellor Dr. Robert Smith said the service and dedication of the people like the ones recognized Monday are the reason ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ stood out during his interview one year ago.

“I felt that ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ was absolutely the right one because of all the people I met while I was here. To a person, every faculty and staff member focused on the success of our students and this campus.

“That’s a much more of a feeling here than anywhere else. It’s appropriate to recognize individuals, who in some cases, have committed a substantial portion of their working lives to this campus.”

Three faculty members were honored for reaching the 35-year mark. Business faculty members Chengho Hsieh and Tim Vines along with English faculty member Dorie LaRue were the longest-serving members recognized Monday.

Four joined the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ community 30 years ago: Beverly Burden, Yong Dai, Karen James, and Elizabeth Zippi.

Reaching the quarter-century mark included Cassandra Johnson, Jason Mackowiak, Angela Taylor, and Marvin Young.

Seven faculty and staff members have served ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ for two decades: Lance Cole, Urska Cvek, Amanda Lewis, Laura McLemore, Stella McMillian, Steve Sittenauer, and Rene Pallay-McDonald.

Those reaching the 15-year milestone are Jonathan Cockrell, Henry Edwards, Jeffrey Morlock, and Felice Williams.

Five came to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ 10 years ago: Kacie Blalock, Auguste LeBlanc, Jerome Lewis, Cakeita Richmond, and Rachel Taylor.

The ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Foundation provided gifts for each level of service, ranging from pins, to watches, to clocks.