Southeastern NEWS
Southeastern Louisiana University
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publicinfo@selu.edu
SLU 10880, Hammond, LA 70402
504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
Date: 5/17/99
Contact: Carol Dotson 108
Editors: Photo accompanies release
FACULTY AND STAFF RECEIVE PRESIDENT'S EXCELLENCE AWARDS
HAMMOND -- Five Southeastern Louisiana University professors and a staff member
have been awarded the university's most prestigious honor -- the President's Award for
Excellence in research, teaching, artistic activity and service.
The awards were presented at the university's May 15 commencement exercises to Brad
O'Hara, associate professor of marketing, teaching; Brian Crother, associate professor of biology,
research; Dana Brewer-Plazinic, instructor, Kinesiology & Health, artistic activity; Mary Sue
Ply,
associate professor of English, service (faculty); and James McHodgkins, assistant dean of
student development, service (staff).
Described by his colleagues as "one of the most innovative teaches on our campus,"
O'Hara reaches out to his students in the classroom and beyond. "Students like his
professionalism in the classroom, his organization of lecture material and class assignments and
his attitude of respect and concern for his students," said Joseph Miller, former dean of the
College of Business.
One of the first business faculty members to teach in an electronic classroom
environment, O'Hara incorporates technology into his students' class assignments as well.
Participating in collaborative, client-based team projects, students develop marketing plans for
several areas businesses. These partnerships provide students with relevant practical experiences
that reinforce lessons in the classroom.
The director of Southeastern's MBA program, O'Hara also teaches business seminars at
universities in France and Germany and has initiated and directs students exchange partnerships
with universities in England, France, Austria, and Germany. His most recent achievement is in
the successful development and launch of Southeastern's Executive MBA program.
Brian Crother has been an active researcher, publishing two book chapters and 32 papers
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PRESIDENT'S EXCELLENCE AWARDS Add One
in 15 different journals. The editor of a soon-to-be published book on Caribbean reptiles, he has
also authored and presented 15 papers at professional society conferences, is cited 61 times in the
Science Citation Index, a reference on how frequently authors and papers are cited by their peers
in select journals.
In addition, he was recently appointed editor of "Herpetological Monographs," a major
international journal. He serves on the editorial board of the "Journal of Herpetology" and the
new on-line journal, "Contemporary Herpetology." Elected a fellow of the Willi Hennig Society,
Crother serves on the advisory board of the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species
and of the research advisory board of the Audubon Zoo.
Since 1992, Crother has been awarded 12 research grants, two teaching improvement
grants for undergraduate research and has another grant pending. Most of the funds have been
secured from the prestigious National Science Foundation.
Dana Brewer-Plazinic is a choreographer, ballet and modern dance instructor, and
performer. Dance for her is "not only a form of entertainment, but an educational tool...and an
instrument for communication."
The artistic director and advisor for the "Izzy Dance" and "danceworks" dance companies
at Southeastern, Brewer-Plazinic is also an award winning choreographer. Her choreography was
nominated for a 1997 Big Easy Entertainment award for best new choreography work and in1998
for choreographic excellence. Her performance of "Optional Features" was selected for
presentation at the seventh annual Dance Festival at the John F. Kennedy Center and the
American College Dance Festival Association's gala concert at Sam Houston University.
The Southeastern graduate was chosen as one of the top ten choreographers presenting at
Dramarama 3 at the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans. Her choreography for
Southeastern Theatre department's production of "Dancing at Lughnasa" won an award for
Excellence in Movement/Choreography at the American College Theatre Festival.
Involvement in Southeastern's Faculty Senate is one of the reasons for Mary Sue Ply's
selection for the faculty service award. Ply has been a member of the Senate for 12 years and has
served as its recording secretary and president. She was elected president of Louisiana's
Association of Faculty Senates and is now a member of Southeastern's faculty advisory council.
Ply's service work has not been limited to faculty issues. She has served on master's and
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honors thesis committees and has been involved in her department's self-study on institutional
Effectiveness, Curriculum Review committee, freshman textbook committee, literary rally
comittee, development challenge campaign and Literary Festival committee. She also has served
as a poetry reader for Arts and Sciences Week and performed numerous community service
activities outside the university.
English department head Sue Parrill said of Ply, "The sheer bulk of her service would
make her a likely choice for the award...but when one considers the importance of her service to
the faculty, to the students, and to the University as a whole, I think that there can be no doubt
that she has earned this great honor."
Jim McHodgkins' work toward Southeastern's future Recreational Sports and Wellness
Center is only one of the many reasons cited for his selection for the staff service award.
McHodgkins' efforts for the new center, scheduled to begin construction this summer, go back to
1988 when he was director of intramural/recreational sports. He began improving the conditions
of the department, and expanding program offerings to allow for greater participation for
students, faculty, staff, alumni and guests.
While director of recreation McHodgkins also played a major role in the development of
North Oak Park. He was instrumental in having the referendum for the recreation facility passed
and he worked with students to pass a self-assessed fee to help fund it. Since then, McHodgkins
has been actively involved in the development and design of the center.
As assistant dean of student development he has been actively involved in several
projects including student fee policy, alcohol policy, TIPS alcohol program, electronic calendar
and registration activities. He has served as a faculty advisor to five student organizations, been a
member of the LEAD administration team and implemented the Partners Student Employee
Training Course. McHodgkins has done volunteer work in the community as well, working with
such groups as Special Olympics, the Hammond Kiwanis, the Boys and Girls Club of Hammond
and the United Way.
- SLU -
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