Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
    Date: 3/1/99
      Contact:                           Carol Dotson   92

TOWN HALL MEETING AT SLU FOCUSES ON COMMUNICATION
     HAMMOND -- A panel of students shared their personal experiences of learning about
another individuals culture and lifestyle during Southeastern Louisiana University's Black
History Month Town Hall Meeting in February.
     The Town Hall Meeting's focus was communication, according to Al Doucette, associate
dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and co-host of the event along with Kim Hunter,
executive assistant to the President at Southeastern. "We all have ethnic, cultural and abilities
differences," he explained to the audience as he opened the meeting. "We will have a more
comfortable campus if each individual is more comfortable. It takes a brave person to step out
and take a chance and that is what our panelists did."
     The student panelists were selected from the classes of faculty members Connie Nobles,
and her education course on Science and Social Studies Methods; Celina Echols, and her course
on Educational Psychology for Pre-Service Teachers; and Danilo Levy and his Sociology course
on  Race and Ethnic Relations.
     The participating students were: Connie Bell of Bogalusa, Loretta Best of Hammond,
Ann Brown of Pennsylvania, Natisha Darbon of Eunice, Lashon Gales of Kenner, Kelly Hartnett
of Virginia, Heather Heleniak of Hammond, George Lunkin of Marrero, Jessica McPherson of
Zachary, Regina Rizzutto of Port Allen, Demetra Jackson of Greensburg, Florence Tourillon of
France and Rosemary Vincent of Metairie. 
     The group included white and black students, traditional and non-traditional, parents,
single and married students, representatives from small rural communities and major cities. The
students were paired with someone with a background, religion, age and/or race difference. For a
month the pairs spent time together, on campus and off, in class and in social settings. 

                              -more-

SLU Town Hall 99/ADD ONE 

     The students all found the experience to be informative and useful and for some, eye-
opening. 
     George Lunkin and Jessica McPherson related their experiences. "We went to a restaurant
here in town and I noticed two older white guys staring at us," said McPherson who is white.
"It's definitely the older people who take note, none of the younger people seemed to notice,"
agreed Lunkin who is black. "I felt uncomfortable, like he was labeling us right away, judging
us.
George and I are just friends, I'm happily married!" said McPherson.
     Kelly Hartnet talked about her decision to home school her first grader and the lack of
acceptance of her religious beliefs as a Seventh Day Adventist. "Your decisions are yours and
other people ought to respect that and the struggle you go through to reach those decisions. They
shouldn't be offended or try to change you."
     Sociology professor Danilo Levy spoke from the audience "We have to help students
realize we're not only individuals but parts of groups and the norm is to stay within those groups.
There is a social pressure not to cross those boundaries and there is a cost involved in crossing.
Not everyone is going to stand up and cheer. We have to be aware that some of the barriers are
not just individual likes and dislikes but institutions and organizations work to keep us
separated." 
     The students will continue to have discussions and work to solve problems and keep the
lines of communication open. 

                                                     -SLU-
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