June/July 2006

In this issue:

  • Meet Sarie Joubert, Director of Annual Giving
  • Campus Under Construction
  • Love Tales from Centenary
  • Support the Chapel Pipe Organ
  • Alumni Awards Nomination Time
  • Save the Date for Homecoming 2007
  • Order your Centenary Football T-Shirt

Help expand the Centenary Connection by forwarding this newsletter to fellow alumni who may not be on our list.


Sarie Joubert, director of annual giving

Meet Sarie Joubert, Director of Annual Giving

Giving back to the community has been the foundation for Sarie Joubert, director of annual giving.

Sarie began entering pageants at the age of 17 while still in high school, so that she could receive scholarships for college. In high school, Sarie was head cheerleader, elected state superintendent of education at Girl’s State and involved in other volunteer groups. Sarie graduated from Captian Shreve High School in 1981. She then went on to compete and win the Miss Louisiana pageant in ’85. This won Sarie a spot in the Miss USA pageant in Orlando, Florida where she ranked third runner up and traveled to Japan for a one-month stay to compete in Miss International, where she won first runner up. Sarie returned to the States and continued to pursue her general studies degree at LSU-S while working at Merrill Lynch. Sarie worked for 18 years as a financial advisor. In the fall of 1999 Sarie, founded a self-empowerment school for young women and mothers in the Cedar Grove area. Classes helped students build strong communication skills and the self-esteem required to succeed. Sarie’s volunteer work has stretched through all areas of Shreveport-Bossier.

Sarie also has some much-loved activities that keep her busy while she is not volunteering or hard at work for Centenary. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling to the Swiss Alps, Canada, Colorado and California. She enjoys walking six to eight miles in the mornings or afternoons. She is always looking for new walking buddies to go hiking at Caney Lake, anywhere around Shreveport or somewhere far away! Singing in the choir for First United Methodist Church and helping girls with beauty pageant training keeps her busy day and night.

At Centenary, Sarie is involved in cultivating new relationships, thanking donors and being the staff liaison for the Women’s Endowment Quorum (WEQ). Sarie enjoys knowing that her work at Centenary benefits the students and community at large. Working at Centenary allows Sarie to pursue her dreams of giving back to the community by allowing a student to attend Centenary who may only be able to attend because of Centenary scholarships. Sarie believes that it is important to continue the Centenary legacy by understanding that it could be your time to “pay it forward."


Bynum Commons stripped of its old facade.

Campus Under Construction

Strides are under way throughout Centenary’s campus. Various sidewalks and buildings on campus are getting a face-lift and a maroon dye job. The rocky road leading to the back of the Hargrove Memorial Amphitheatre and to the SUB has been repaved and flanked by maroon faux brick walkways. Adding a rejuvenating feeling to the heart of our campus, these campus updates will be meaningful to students for many more generations.

Bynum Commons has peeled back its layers of blue tile and hidden brown flowered wall paper to be completely renovated and running by the time students’ return to campus for the Fall 2006 semester. This includes a new Alumni Hall of Fame.

Look for more campus construction projects in your fall issue of Centenary Magazine, set to arrive at your door in late August.

KSCL Gets Re-wired

Centenary’s campus radio KSCL 91.3 FM, has received Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval to broadcast as a professional public radio station citywide. Centenary purchased the 200 foot, triangular radio tower from the Cumulus Group. Read more about the KSCL 91.3 FM update in the Fall issue of the Centenary Magazine.

Love Tales from Centenary


Jim and Wanda Dobie on their wedding day, May 28, 1956.

Centenary Class of 1956 alumni Jim and Wanda Allen Dobie have the wonderful distinction of being the very first couple to marry in Brown Chapel! Jim and Wanda were married, May 28, 1956 by Wanda’s father, the Reverend Walter Allen. The newlyweds' wedding reception was held at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Joe J. Mickle, and Dr. Lee Morgan H'96 aided the couple in their “getaway” from the reception. Jim and Wanda recently celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in an equally unique way, by giving back to Centenary. The Dobies’ children surprised them by asking their friends to donate to the family’s scholarship in lieu of gifts. Read the story and view photos of Jim and Wanda's wedding and anniversary surprise, written by Wanda.

Support the Chapel Pipe Organ

Construction of the Brown Memorial Chapel was completed in 1955, with its grand pipe organ being installed soon thereafter. The organ is unarguably Centenary’s most public musical instrument because it is used at all convocations and almost all weddings that occur in Brown Chapel. However, the organ’s last major renovation occurred in 1971 when a new console (i.e., where the organist sits and plays) was installed. Since then, the organ has received only tuning and minor repairs. Centenary’s pipe organ is currently valued at approximately $750,000.

For the last 25 years, one technician has serviced Centenary’s pipe organ. Twice per year, he visits campus, tunes the organ and makes minor repairs. However, during his December 2005 visit, he confirmed to Centenary’s organ professor Dr. Holly Watson that the organ can no longer receive mere “band-aid work.” Dr. Watson is no longer confident in the organ’s ability to fully function at public events (e.g., it completely shut-down during a recent wedding ceremony). As a result, she scheduled the Spring 2006 recitals of Centenary’s two junior organ majors to occur at local churches – NOT in Brown Chapel. Therefore, Centenary must purchase a new console, replace the organ’s electrical wiring and re-leather the organ’s connections to its pipes.

With a new console, modern electrical wiring, and re-leathered pipe connections, Centenary’s pipe organ will be valued at more than $1,000,000. An endowed pipe organ maintenance fund would insure that the newly renovated pipe organ remains in impeccable condition. With a total project budget of $115,000, the organ will receive a new console, modern electrical wiring, and re-leathered connections to the pipes. Become a part of the pipe organ’s legacy by making a donation today.

Contact Jennifer Pearson, Director of Capital Gifts, for more information at or 318.869.5103.

Nomination Time

The Nominating Committee of the Alumni Board seeks nominations for various awards to be given during Homecoming 2007.

Please submit name(s) of:
*alumni for consideration for Alumni Hall of Fame
*former student athletes for consideration for the Athletic Hall of Fame
*friends of the College for consideration as an Honorary Alumnus and Honorary Alumna

Get more information about the awards, the guidelines, and previous recipients, and forms.

Deadline for nominations is Friday, August 11, 2006.

Alumni Class Notes

Read this month's class notes to catch up on classmates such as:

  • Barbra Bearden, Pristina, Kosovo, is one of 18 graduate students from North American universities to intern this summer with AP partner organizations around the world. Barbra will be working with the Kosova Women’s Network. The Kosova Women’s Network seeks to support, protect and promote the rights and interests of women and girls throughout Kosovo. Read Barbra’s bio and blogs.

Submit your class notes online.

Event Photos

Save the Date

Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Shreveport-Bossier Lunch Bunch on campus at Randle’s in the SUB.
They will be serving grilled chicken, rice, vegetables, salad and a drink for $5.50
See who is coming, then RSVP to

Friday, July 21, 2006
Volunteer Appreciation Party at the home of Kari and Peyton LaBorde '93.
6pm - 8pm

Thursday, July 27, 2006
Shreveport-Bossier Alumni Networking Mixer
Location TBA
5:30pm - 7:30pm

Friday and Saturday, September 8-9, 2006
Centenary’s 20th Annual Book Bazaar in the Gold Dome
The Muses, a group of dedicated women who love Centenary, are gearing up for the annual Centenary Book Bazaar. The book sale, which draws some 30,000 attendees over two days, will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year.

Anyone wishing to volunteer to help during the sale is asked to contact Marilyn Joiner at or 318.221.2853. There are numerous opportunities for volunteers! Please call or email for more information.

Friday, October 27 – 29, 2006
Rhapsody in View Weekend 2006. This is the 65th Anniversary of the Centenary College Choir. Contact Will Andress at 318.429.6887 for more information.

Thursday – Sunday, January 25-28, 2007
Homecoming 2007
For some of you it is time to start planning your homecoming reunions. This year we will have four cluster reunions:
*Classes of 1996, 1997, 1998 it’s your 10th Reunion
*Classes of 1981, 1982, 1983 it’s your 25th Reunion
*Classes of 1966, 1967, 1968 it’s your 40th Reunion
*Classes of 1956, 1957, 1958 it’s your 50th Reunion

Let us know what you want out of your class reunion. Tell us what Centenary memories we can help you recreate.

Centenary Football T-Shirts

Student Life is selling Centenary Football T-Shirts "Undefeated Since 1948." The deadline to order is this Friday. Order your Football T-shirts today!

Updates

If you move or change your contact information, please let us know so that we can keep in touch with you. Also, let us know about memorable moments such as weddings, births, and promotions, so that we can keep your peers and our records updated.

If you know Centenary alums that are not receiving this email or other correspondence, please forward this email to them and ask them to submit an update online. You can keep in touch with other alumni by signing up for the Centenary College Alumni Online Community.

For any other alumni news or ideas contact, Alumni Relations at .