College of Engineering News

On Sunday, May 17 th at 3:00 p.m. the UL College of Engineering held its Spring 2009 Commencement at the Cajundome Conference Center on Reinhardt Drive. As the graduates left their college days behind to begin the careers that their college years prepared them for, friends celebrated their new beginnings and mourned the parting of their ways. From the opening strains of “Pomp Circumstance” to the upbeat departure of the graduates to the sound of the UL Fight Song, the commencement ceremony was planned to showcase the accomplishments of the graduating class—and in a few instances, of their faculty. Notable events during the ceremony included the Welcome by Dean Mark Zappi, P.E., who also presented awards recognizing Dr. Devesh Misra of the Chemical Engineering Department as 2009 College of Engineering Researcher of the Year and Dr. Russell Hibbeler of the Civil Engineering Department as College of Engineering 2009 Teacher of the Year. Mr. A.P. “Sonny” Launey was the Commencement Speaker. The Heads of the respective departments called their students on stage by department to receive congratulations and their diplomas. Dean Zappi formally conferred their degrees, but the ceremony was not complete until honor graduates were recognized by Dr. James Garber and the UL Alumni Association’s Outstanding Graduate award was presented by Mrs. Susan Richard, P.E., of the Alumni Association.

Click the crawfish for a look back at some of the events that happened during the Spring '09 Commencement.