04.27.13 Saying goodbye to Southeastern Louisiana University ~~ GO LIONS!

Friday was my last day at work at Southeastern Louisiana University where I’ve worked for almost 15 years.  I actually started working there 17 years ago but Roy and I took a two-year leave from full time work to test the waters on flipping houses.  We did quite well and then selling the houses became extremely difficult and we decided to go back to full-time real work and both worked at Southeastern for the last 5 years.  When I came back I was employed in the same division but not as the Business Manager for the Office of Technologyy.  Instead I got to work for my dear friend Donna Methvien as the Telephone Billing and Work Order Coordinator in Telephone/Data Support which is a department under the Office of Technology umbrella. It was lots less stress and responsibility but a lot more work.  What made all the work okay was my boss Donna Methvien and the ladies I’ve worked closely with, Cindy LeBlanc, Jacquelyn Wagner, Sandy Miller and Pam Smith.   Saying goodbye to them was very hard yet I know we’ll stay in touch and I hope they know I’m just an email, ICQ or phone call away.  They have supported me through some very difficult times and cheered along with me through the mostly great times!

Southeastern has seen some really tough times these last 4-5 years with the budget reductions every six months.  I don’t even remember now how many people were laid off     campus wide but there have been several in our area alone.  In a recent email from our President he shared that there would be more cuts coming up.  At this time they don’t know how much but they estimate between $2 million and $22 million.  How the university is expected to continue providing excellent education is beyond me.  It’s been so depressing to watch more and more people leave and our budgets cut to where some departments cannot even afford ink for their printers or other basic office supplies.

I wish to say thank you to all the Southeastern family who have been such a huge part of my life for so long.  Thanks for putting up with my craziness and putting that to the side to be my friend.  Many of you called, emailed or stopped by wishing me well on our new adventure and that meant a lot to me. I wish all of you God’s blessings as you continue to strive to give excellent service amidst all the reductions and layoffs.

I’ll miss hearing the crack of the bat during baseball season, the band practicing outside during football season, homecoming and the homecoming parade, student events in the Student Union right next door to our office,  hearing students practice their musical instruments when walking by an open window in the music building,  the convocation picnic each year when we got to see co-workers we didn’t get to see during the year, the beautiful hundred year old oak trees (with moss hanging from the branches) around campus,  especially the friendship circle oak, the President’s annual Christmas party, and the cultural events at the Columbia Theatre.

I graduated from Southeastern in 2000 at the age of 45 and am very proud to be a Southeastern Alumni.  The teachers were for the most part exceptional reaching out to each student if they needed the assistance.  My youngest son Chip is also a Southeastern alumni and we are both thankful for the education we received from this university.

To “the girls” and you know who you are.   Of course I did write yours names above so everyone else knows who you are.  I need to include Becki Starkey and Angelique McIntyre in “the girls group”. A special thanks for letting Roy be a part of the group when we’d go to the movies and when ya’ll would come to our house to watch Twilight movies and eat!  It was sweet of ya’ll to let him tag along!  We’ve enjoyed a lot of wonderful times together going out to dinner, lunch, and celebrating great moments in our lives.  We’ve also shared the intimate details of struggles each of us have been through personally and professionally.  You all have been a steady rock of support for me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for that support and love.  Saying goodbye to you all is very hard yet I know each of you knows more about why this is the best thing for us than anyone else could imagine.  We’re really looking forward to making new friends with our co-workers when we get to Minnesota but can’t imagine there ever being a group of women I could count on more than you all!

Thanks ladies for being the uniquely special women that you are!

Ya’ll come back now ya’ hear!