LSUS graduates feel sense of community as they celebrate commencement Friday

LSUS graduates feel sense of community as they celebrate commencement Friday

SHREVEPORT - Sense of community.

That's why Muneer Afifi traveled from Madison, Wisc., with his wife and mother to receive his Master of Business Administration degree in person.

Afifi completed the accelerated online program in 10 months, but he connected with classmates and wanted to put faces to the names he's conversed with in the program.

He's one of the 1,550 summer graduates who earned their LSUS degrees, walking across the Brookshire Grocery Arena stage Friday, participating in a graduation ceremony for the first time in his life.

"I was part of a thriving online community at LSUS, and we developed bonds through Facebook groups and in GroupMe chats," Afifi said. "I came to meet my classmates in person.

"And I wanted to walk across the stage. Let's just say I wasn't the most "on top of it" student in high school, but I've matured a lot since then. I completed an online program in my bachelor's degree but didn't walk across the stage, so I wanted to have that experience."

For Los Angeles resident Alicia Jones, community would be the reason she returned to her home state to graduate in person but also why she chose her path in the Master of Nonprofit Administration program.

Jones works with a variety of Los Angeles nonprofits, including as board of directors' member for the Special Needs Network, the largest autism organization on the West Coast.

"I came across the LSUS program and all of the phenomenal reviews, and I thought how cool it would be to further my education from a school in my home state," Jones said. "I worked so hard throughout this program, and I wanted to come back to my home state with my parents and in-laws, walk across the stage, and take it all in.

"I had a great experience in this program and connected with amazing peers and faculty members right from the jump."

Jones' work with the Special Needs Network is personal as a mother of a special needs child. The organization links the disabled to mainstream resources, particularly people and families of color.

She adds the LSUS community to her collection as a proud Southern University graduate and immediate past president of the Southern Alumni Association Los Angeles Chapter.

Community was on the mind of commencement speaker Kristina Gustavson, the CEO of the Community Foundation of North Louisiana.

Gustavson grew up in the LSUS halls and green spaces, trailing her dad David Gustavson, a longtime professor and dean at the university.

"Truly what I've found in life is that community matters the most," Gustavson said. "When you think of community, you usually think of a place, a hometown, a neighborhood, but it's bigger than just a place.

"Community is what happens when people, each with their own unique strengths, come together for something greater than themselves. So bring your gifts, your creativity, your energy, and remember that real thriving is what happens when you lean into community."

When Shreveport native Christopher Battle set foot on the LSUS campus, he felt the same closeness he experienced at Huntington High School.

Battle wants to give back to his community as a physician assistant, celebrating the completion of his bachelor's in public health Friday.

"I felt that small-town feel at LSUS, and it was great to be able to stay in Shreveport," Battle said. "I want to be in healthcare and make my community a better place.

"Physician assistants are a staple in healthcare, and there's not as much school as some other routes."

In a way, community is how Syracuse, N.Y. resident Hannah Bell found the LSUS MBA program.

The finance and operations coordinator works for CenTrio Energy, who provides power to the LSU Baton Rouge campus.

Bell's long-time dream was to obtain an MBA, and her employer's connection to the LSU System led her to find the LSUS online program.

"Even before I finished my bachelor's degree, the goal was always to get my MBA," said Bell, who finished her bachelor's in 2023 and started her master's just one year later. "I wanted to walk across the stage in person to celebrate this accomplishment that I've always dreamed about.

"All of my mentors have MBAs, and it's something I want to use to climb the corporate ladder."

Experienced project manager Anthony Jack Perry Jr. may be at the top of his career ladder, but the Texan desired knowledge to perform his job to the best of his ability.

"I wanted to complete my educational journey, and this was a good opportunity to do that," said Perry Jr., who has been a project manager for 20 years and works at Edison Testing Laboratories in the Dallas outskirts. "This program is designed for me to ply my trade at a higher level."

Oregon resident Julieta Rosales had advancement on her mind when she signed up for the Master of Healthcare Administration.

Rosales started as a caregiver and worked her way into a behavior technician and lab technician.

"I found that's hard to advance into administration roles in healthcare without a master's degree," Rosales said. "I want to be a department supervisor for a clinic."