Last year marked a milestone for Southeastern as the university celebrated its centennial anniversary while entering a period of transition. That change was reflected in the retirement of Wendy Lauderdale, Vice President for University Advancement. 

Lauderdale began her career with the university in 2002, working with former Vice President for University Advancement Joe Miller as the development director and raising funds for Southeastern.

Then, after Miller stepped down as vice president, Wendy Lauderdale served as interim vice president until Dr. Crain officially hired her to the position.

Throughout her years at the university, Lauderdale spent much of her time finding ways to raise money to help students complete their college education.

One of her first projects was with the alumni association, participating in the Planned Giving program, which allowed alumni to donate money to the university or include Southeastern in their will.

Lauderdale shared a story about the project not being one of her biggest accomplishments, but a project worth remembering.

“When I sent out the first new letter, I wrote about how you should give to Southeastern and how it could impact students. Then, six months later, I received a call that someone wanted Southeastern in his will and to give the university a financial gift that would become one of the most significant in the university’s history,” Lauderdale said.

Shortly after, she said the man wanted to remain anonymous and would later ask to start a scholarship in his wife’s memory.

“For a while, he and I exchanged letters through a representative, telling him how the university is improving. Then one day, I received a check in the mail from him with a letter asking if we could start his scholarship in his wife’s memory.”

Lauderdale explained the reason for the scholarship and how generous this selfless man was.

“I just wish I could’ve met him, because I have so many wonderful relationships with older senior men and women who passed away and had great friendships with them, but he was the only person that I really didn’t get to know,” Lauderdale said.

She said his wife never had the chance to attend college, and he wanted to ensure that women had the opportunity to pursue their education.

However, to most people, Lauderdale is known for the most recent project that gave newcomers reason to visit Southeastern: the renovation of D Vickers Hall.

During an interview with Lauderdale, she described the project as one of the most significant accomplishments of her career and how she became friends with many Southeastern alumni, including 1983 graduate Robin Roberts.

“I had worked with her for a while and went to visit her in New York several times. I had asked for this big gift that was the biggest one I had ever asked for,” Lauderdale said.

Lauderdale said the D Vickers Hall renovation required substantial private support and that the university ultimately moved forward with the level of support that was feasible and worked to secure the remaining funding through additional fundraising. She said she spent the next two years working with Roberts as the renovation took shape, to make the facility one of the strongest broadcast and media training spaces in Louisiana. By the time the project was completed, Lauderdale said the final costs came in higher than anticipated due to outside factors that affected expenses.

Still, she said the focus remained on delivering a top-tier facility and encouraged the team to keep pushing forward as the university worked through its funding needs. She said Roberts later offered additional support that helped address the remaining funding gap, which Lauderdale described as a meaningful moment at the end of a project that had become one of the defining efforts of her career.

After the building’s grand re-opening, Lauderdale and SLU President William Wainwright hosted a small gathering for Roberts and her family. Lauderdale said it was during that time that Roberts shared she planned to increase her additional support for the project.

Lauderdale said the remodel was one of the most significant accomplishments of her career, and she emphasized that the work was never done by one person, crediting the many people who helped bring the renovation to completion.

Former alumni director Melanie Sharp will succeed Lauderdale as interim vice president until the search for a permanent replacement concludes. 

“She brings a wealth of experience in public relations and financial management,” Wainwright said in a statement from October. A previous search for a replacement was conducted, but it didn’t result in a hire.

Lauderdale said she knows her jobs and accomplishments won’t go unnoticed, even though stories about the people she was surrounded by aren’t passed around enough. She thanked everyone who helped her throughout her time at Southeastern.