Beyond 1894

Ryan Ivey, Vice President and Director of Athletics at Louisiana Tech University, discusses the institution's recent acceptance into the Sun Belt Conference, highlighting the benefits of renewed rivalries, geographic proximity, and reduced travel costs. Ivey reflects on his career journey, stressing the importance of leadership, fan engagement, and community connection, and he also outlines ongoin...

Broadcasters and writers Teddy Allen and Malcolm Butler and historian Chris Kennedy gather together on this episode to discuss the life of Hall of Famer and 50-year Voice of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Dave Nitz, who passed away in June of 2025. The trio talk about the career of "Freeway" Dave, share stories and memories from the broadcaster's legendary run in the booth, and pay a fun and heartfel...

Christiann Bayne, Director of Career Services at Louisiana Tech University, shares her journey from Baton Rouge to Ruston, influenced by her family's background in ministry and journalism. She emphasizes the importance of career services on campus and details the Career Center's resources, including career assessments, resume writing, and the Career Closet, which provides free professional attire....

Casey Ingram, director of residential life at Louisiana Tech University, discusses her 20-year involvement with the University. She highlights the importance of housing freshmen on campus, which currently accommodates 75% of the student population. She talks about the housing challenges in the COVID-19 era and the significance of maintaining a personal connection with students and parents, ensurin...

Dr. Ben Bergholtz, assistant professor of English at Louisiana Tech University, discusses his journey into academia, his teaching philosophy, and his book "Swallowing a World: Globalization and the Maximalist Novel." He emphasizes the importance of engaging students through high-energy, reflective classes and the need for interdisciplinary approaches. Bergholtz highlights the evolution of the Engl...

Dr. Chris Dicus, Louisiana Tech alum and a professor of Wildland Fire and Fuels Management at Cal Poly, talks about his early interest in wildlife and his decision to study at Tech. Dicus shares his career path, including his work on the Black Saturday fires in Australia and the multiple wildfire outbreaks in California. He emphasizes the importance of holistic fire management, involving various d...

Malcolm Butler, the voice of Louisiana Tech, shares his deep-rooted connection with the University, starting from his childhood memories of the campus. He recounts his journey from a student worker to jobs in sports information, highlighting significant moments like beating Alabama in 1999 and the 2019 softball team's resilience post-tornado. Butler discusses his transition from radio to ESPN+ bro...

Dr. Amy Vessel, director of the Clinical Residency and Recruitment Center at Louisiana Tech, shares her journey from a four-generation education family to her current role. She highlights the TEAM model, which includes mentor teachers and faculty evaluators, and the success of graduates in securing jobs. Vessel emphasizes the importance of finding joy in teaching and the program's goal of producin...

Guest host LeAnn Waldroup interviews Dr. Selwyn Ellis, a long-tenured professor and department head at Louisiana Tech University, about his journey and contributions to the institution. He discusses his transition from Mississippi to Louisiana Tech for his doctorate, his role in the Center for Information Assurance, and the evolution of Tech's computer information systems degree. He highlights the...

Dr. Sarah McVay, a leader in Louisiana Tech's Division of Nursing, cares about her work, her patients, and her students with equal fervor. So much so that the Heroes with Heart retreat at MedCamps was born out of a desire to help her future nursing graduates contribute to the community and develop as caregivers. In this episode, she discusses the importance and impact of the Heroes with Heart retr...

Calling Jesse Webb a student is true but an understatement. The double-major, double-minor junior has made a habit out of learning, researching, and maximizing his potential. With passions in both physics and music, Webb has zeroed in on his goals in both areas and enjoyed a full plate during his time at Louisiana Tech. In this episode — part of a sequence of episodes that tie into feature stories...

Currently the manager of the ExxonMobil refinery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana Tech alumna Regina Davis has built her career — her whole life, even — on firsts. Most recently, she became the first Black woman to lead the BR refinery, and she spends some time this episode reflecting on the importance and meaning of that role and its personal impact during Black History Month. She discusses finding her...

The Louisiana Tech Honors College has recently seen a significant overhaul. Student Experience Coordinator Ashton Thomas speaks about the structure, format, and purpose of the new-look Honors College and why the vision and missions of the programs within are important to Tech students. She talks about her time at Tech and her goals for the future, and she spends a moment reflecting on how the Univ...

Associate Director of Human Resources Ashley Jackson is part of the team responsible for integrating new faculty and staff at Louisiana Tech into the Tech Family. A local with Louisiana Tech legacy in her blood, she knows that the functions of HR are critical to the University's mission, and she talks about the ways she and her team work to make new hires feel at home. She shares her story and how...

With just a few days left in her reign as Miss Louisiana Tech University 2024, Kaylyn Murphy takes some time in this episode to reflect on her year. She speaks about winning the crown at the beginning of 2024, the importance and joys of representing her university with confidence and integrity, and her lessons learned and memories made during the biggest moments of her pageant life. Website: ...

Join Gavin, Cami, and Teddy from the University Communications crew as they recap some of the biggest moments and most important stories from Louisiana Tech's 2024. From leadership changes to enrollment growth and from groundbreaking research to alumni spotlights, this episode touches on what made the year great for the Bulldogs. Also included is a glimpse into the upcoming year and the exciting f...

Dr. Julie Moulard, an associate professor of marketing at Louisiana Tech University, discusses her academic journey from mass communications to marketing, her research on consumer suspense, and her current focus on brand authenticity. She explains the three types of authenticity: true to ideal, true to fact, and true to self, and how they apply to brands and social media influencers. Moulard empha...

Dr. John Worsencroft recently became the director of Louisiana Tech University's School of History and Social Sciences. In this new role, he's learned to get the most out of both his passion for teaching in the classroom and his administrative duties to the School and to the College of Liberal Arts. He spends this episode discussing his educational background, his time in the United States Marine...

When Louisiana Tech President Jim Henderson took office at the start of 2024, his longtime UL System office colleague Cami Geisman and her family joined in the journey to Ruston, Louisiana. Geisman, Tech's executive VP for external affairs, spends this episode talking about the move to Tech being her first ever move from her hometown of Baton Rouge, the sense of community in Ruston that made it so...

Students Cade Jordan and Reagan Patrick, the current LA Tech Union Board president and vice president, are both involved, dedicated, and hardworking students with bright futures. Managing their extracurriculars on top of their busy senior years isn't always easy, but they take the time on this episode to explain why Union Board and the events they're tasked with putting on for the University are s...

Let Dr. Heath Tims reintroduce himself in his new engagement-focused role and break down the ideas behind the latest iteration of Louisiana Tech's Homecoming. He discusses the community-focused mindset behind the structure of this year's events, the details of some of the highlights of Homecoming Week, and the goal of the Alumni Association to connect with the Tech Family near and far. LA Tech Hom...

Associate Professor Joanna Ward was born into a Louisiana Tech lineage. Ruston, LA was always going to be her first and only choice to pursue her education. It's no surprise, then, that she now dedicates her time to enriching the lives of her students and pushing the health informatics and information programs at Tech further into the future. She discusses her personal journey in the healthcare se...

Dr. Gary Kennedy, now the dean of LA Tech's College of Applied and Natural Sciences, is a Tech alum that's been at the University for 27 years. He spends this episode talking about ANS's growth and change over the decades, the special status of programs like nursing, biology, and forestry within the college, and the upcoming Forest Products Innovation Center project that will change the landscape...

Interviewed by guest host LeAnn Waldroup from the College of Business, Dean Chris Martin recounts the stops in his career that brought him to Louisiana Tech and talks about all things COB. He shares details on the College's sky-high placement rates and the sustained growth and success of their programs. He gets excited about new features and updates within the College (like a café area in the buil...

Finishing his first full year as dean of the College of Engineering and Science at Louisiana Tech, Dr. Collin Wick has his eyes on the future. Even so, a 17+ year history at the University means he's seen and done a lot within the College's walls and beyond. He discusses the early fork in his educational road between music and science, and he recounts the career moves that led to his current role...