Southeastern took a pause before closing for Spring Break to honor several dedicated faculty and staff as they enter the world of retirement.
On Tuesday, March 26 a ceremony was held to recognize the 47 faculty and staff members who are retiring this year. President John L. Crain began the ceremony with a farewell speech and gave each retiring individual a gift in acknowledgement of the services provided to Southeastern over the years.
“It’s really to recognize and honor these people who have dedicated so much of their professional lives to Southeastern,” said Crain. “With the challenges that we’ve had in these recent years with the financial situation and the budget, it’s really through our dedicated faculty and staff that we’ve been able to continue to address our students’ needs. We really owe a lot to these people, and that is another reason that this is such an important event.”
Among these retirees is Randy Moffett, former president of the University of Louisiana System and of Southeastern University.
“When my wife and I came to Southeastern I think we had about 6,000 students, and so I’ve seen it go through a lot of growth,” said Moffett. “I’ve seen it go through lots of changes, but the one thing that’s never lost is a really caring attitude for the students, wanting them to better their lives and improve their education, and a real spirit among the faculty and employees.”
Moffett plans to spend a large portion of his retirement days on the golf course and spending time with his grandchildren.
Retiree Jackie Dale Thomas, director of Leadership Development/Student Activities, remarked on her fondness for Southeastern and its students.
“I worked here for 37 years, and it was my life and still partly is,” said Thomas. “I can’t cut the ties completely, but the best part of my career is that I worked with some of the finest people in the world and the finest students you could find anywhere. If you put a Southeastern mind up against anybody, they’d come out on top every time.”
Although their careers at Southeastern are now coming to an end, many retirees plan on remaining active and involved on campus. Many of the faculty and staff view their time at Southeastern not only as a career, but also as a family that cannot ever fully be disbanded.