MONROE, LA – The University of Louisiana Monroe held a press conference on November 18, 2024, to announce the 2024-2025 awardees of the ULM Opportunity Fund. Nine projects were funded with a total of over $50,000 after a review process conducted by the Opportunity Fund Committee.
Allison Thompson, ULM Director of Institutional Effectiveness, is the Chair of the Opportunity Fund Committee. “President Ron Berry and Dr. Christine Berry started the ULM Opportunity Fund with a personal commitment of $100,000 to support a wide variety of activities not typically funded through traditional budgetary means,” said Thompson. “They wanted to remove obstacles for people creating life-changing opportunities for others. Other donors have graciously followed their lead and today we will be able to award over $50,000 to 13 projects through which ULM faculty, staff, and students will positively impact both our campus community and the surrounding region,” she added.
Addressing the Opportunity Fund awardees at the press conference, President Berry stated, “Thank you for sharing your dreams and your creativity. Thank you for the work that you are going to do to help this university continue to realize our vision of changing lives and lifting this community up.”
The 2024-2025 ULM Opportunity Fund recipients:
Chrissie Autin, Director of Event Services, will receive $4,275 for the P-40 Flight Crew. The P-40 Flight Crew is a group of faculty and staff members who volunteer their time for ULM’s signature campus events. The money will be used to purchase monogrammed polos and t-shirts to be worn by crew members during events.
Dr. Jodie Bower, Assistant Professor of Health Studies, will receive $1,550 for enhancing medical terminology education. The project will enhance the learning experience in medical terminology courses by incorporating 3D-printed anatomical models of the heart, lungs, and other body parts, providing a more interactive, hands-on learning environment.
Dr. Nicholas Bratcher, Director of the School of Visual and Performing Arts, will receive $5,000 to help cover travel expenses for the ULM Wind Ensemble’s performance at Carnegie Hall in June 2025. This invitation to perform at Carnegie Hall marks a milestone for the ensemble, offering students the rare opportunity to showcase their talent on one of the world’s most famous stages.
Dinesh Chhantyal, a Computer Science major, will receive $2,500 for TechXpo ULM. The event is organized by the Google Developer Student Club and is a technology exhibition highlighting innovative student projects across fields like biotechnology, software, networking, cybersecurity, AI, and more. Dr. William Barnett, Associate Professor and Computer Information Systems Program Coordinator, will serve as Dinesh’s project mentor.
Jeanae Clark, Coordinator of the Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability, will receive $5,000 for the Student School Supply Closet. The closet was established to meet the needs of low-income students with school supplies donated from offices on campus and Recognized Student Organizations. The Opportunity Fund award will be used to purchase supplies for ULM students who demonstrate an extreme lack of resources to instill a sense of security and preparedness for their coursework.
Abigail Clifton, a Risk Management and Insurance major, will receive $5,455 for the Presidential Leadership Academy Retreat. This fall, the first cohort of 23 first-time freshmen students started the Presidential Leadership Academy. These students applied and were chosen through an interview process designed to identify their potential as leaders on campus and, eventually, in their communities. This spring, they will embark on a leadership retreat to work together to build a Recognized Student Organization to help develop student leaders. The Opportunity Fund award will be used to help defray student travel costs. Seth Hall, ULM’s Chief Strategy Officer, will serve as Abigail’s project mentor.
Molly McCullar, Director of Ticket Operations for ULM Athletics, will receive $5,000 for the Northeast Louisiana Music Trail Fant-Ewing Coliseum Historical Marker. The Northeast Louisiana Music Trail is a non-profit project that honors the rich musical heritage of Northeast Louisiana by recognizing and celebrating artists and venues of the past and present. The Opportunity Funds will be used to install a historic landmark sign at or near Fant-Ewing Coliseum, which has hosted many nationally known musical acts throughout its history. This sign will acknowledge the place of the ULM campus in the history of music in Northeast Louisiana, attracting and educating visitors and locals alike about the rich musical history of this region.
Dr. Emily McGee, Clinical Assistant Professor in Pharmacy, will receive $5,000 for a Patient Vitals Simulator System to enhance PharmD students’ clinical competency. The state-of-the-art simulator will provide students with immersive, real-life acute and chronic disease state management simulations of roles they will experience in settings like emergency departments and intensive care units. The patient vitals simulator will offer students the opportunity to practice in a risk-free environment, preparing them for high-stakes clinical scenarios they will encounter as practicians.
David Payne, a General Studies major, will receive $3,500 for his “S.O.S.” Save Our Sons Lunch and Learn. The Opportunity Funds will be used to hold S.O.S. events at local high schools, including guest speakers from different areas of the community, including faith, law enforcement, education, and healthcare. Erick Burton, Senior Enrollment Management Services Specialist in the ULM Office of Recruitment, will serve as David’s project mentor.
Gabrielle Thomas, a Pre-Pharmacy major, will receive $4,500 for a Hydroponic System for Education and Provision of Fresh Produce for the ULM Food Pantry. This project will engage and educate students about healthy eating and the origins of their food through the establishment of hydroponic growing systems on campus, providing a sustainable and innovative way to grow fresh produce for the university’s food pantry while conserving resources and minimizing environmental impact. Blair David, Program Coordinator for the Agricultural Business program, will serve as Gabrielle’s project mentor.
Dr. Lisa VanHoose, Director of The Marjorie S. Price Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, will receive $3,750 for Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Access to Continuing Education for Rural Health Professionals. This project hopes to bring the benefits of the American Physical Therapy Association Combined Section Meeting conference to Region 8 in an innovative approach. The annual conference is considered the premier training event for the physical therapy profession. The Opportunity Fund award will be used to assist in student travel costs; after the conference, ULM Physical Therapy students will work toward creating high-quality continuing education for rural clinicians, building leadership capacity and a continued desire for life-long learning.
Dr. Allison Wiedemeier, Associate Professor of Biology and Dr. Jocelyn Brown, Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology, will receive $5,263 for Prepped for Flight: Fostering Freshman and Junior Premedical Communities. This project will foster success for premedical students by the creation of a mentoring pathway focused on freshman and junior students. Additionally, the funds will be used to provide junior students applying to medical school the opportunity to take a free full-length practice MCAT exam.
Dr. Joyce Zhou, Professor of Marketing, and Alicia Mitchell, Sr. Academic and Career Coach in Career and Student Development, will receive $3,500 for Where Manners Meet Success – The Business Etiquette Luncheon. The luncheon will provide students with opportunities to define, display and refine the competencies needed in the workplace by dining and interacting with peers and instructors, increasing their marketability and employability.
The ULM Opportunity Fund awards funds for projects each year. The funded projects are selected by the Opportunity Fund committee after a review process.
The 2024-2025 Opportunity Fund Committee is Allison Thompson, Chair, Director of Institutional Effectiveness; Seth Hall, Chief Strategy Officer; Dr. Ashanti Jones, Associate Program Director, Physical Therapy; Carmen Wright, Director of Student-Athlete Success; James Beinkemper, Benefits Specialist, Human Resources; Dr. Gina Craft, Associate Dean, College of Pharmacy; Brandon Wilder, Financial Aid Counselor, Dr. Mallory Benedetto, Assistant Professor, School of Sciences.
For more information about The ULM Opportunity Fund, including how to donate or how to apply for future rounds of funding, click here.