A distinguished Southeastern alumnus was honored as “the best of Southeastern” on Friday, Nov. 4 as the Southeastern Louisiana University Alumni Association introduced its recipient for the 2011 Alumnus of the Year, U.S. Navy Commander Stan Fornea.
Approximately 350 people were present as Fornea and three other alumni were specially recognized at the annual event held on campus at the Twelve Oaks reception hall.
Fornea, who received a bachelor’s degree in history and social studies from Southeastern in 1979, was recognized by the Alumni Association with its most prestigious award as Fornea was a graduate who excelled in his field after graduation and continues to be supportive and active in Southeastern’s future.
After graduation, Fornea continued his educational career by pursuing a Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology degree from Duke University and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Vanderbilt University. After 12 years of parish ministry work, where he became an ordained minister in the Episcopal Church of the United States, he began his military career after being commissioned as a navy lieutenant in 1996. Over the course of his military career, Fornea has been stationed in areas such as London, Italy and served as the Deputy Command Chaplain for Multi-National Forces at Camp Liberty and the International Zone in Baghdad, Iraq. Over time, Fornea has accumulated various military awards, including the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
According to Fornea, being awarded Alumnus of the Year had afforded him the opportunity for personal reflection and some self-discovery. For Fornea, it was Southeastern that instilled his love of learning, and where his education shaped and broadened him and reinforced the philosophical ideal that life is a journey. Though his faith and military experience influenced him further, Fornea implored that universities must never underestimate their potential to open a young student’s mind to explore and feel the broader world around them to hopefully shape a global impact of good through service.
“We’re not merely observers watching the world go by,” said Fornea. “We do have at least a little bit to do with how this world turns