SLU Public Information
President's Awards for Excellence
Welcome Whiz
by Shanna Sissom
Judy Couvillion has spent the last three decades serving as surrogate
mother to countless Southeastern students while helping hundreds of new faculty members adjust
to life in Hammond.
"Southeastern has been so much a part of my life
that it is hard to separate where my time here ends and my life at home begins. Southeastern has
truly and literally been my life," said Couvillion, who is the first ever unclassified staff recipient
of the President's Award for Excellence in Service.
Receiving the new honor is a landmark in her career and one she ever so humbly accepts.
"I'm just not the type of person who wants glory and honor. I'm just a person who's behind the
scenes and tries to do a good job," Couvillion said. "I have to believe I was a part of a great and
exciting history of this university during the past three decades."
Thirty years ago, when Southeastern had around 5,000 students, Couvillion joined the
staff as a stenographer clerk in the Publications Office. As Sports Information Director Larry
Hymel's secretary, she got her first taste of record-keeping, a task that has followed her
throughout her Southeastern career. Today, as the Human Resource office's "Academic Staff
Coordinator," she is responsible for keeping records on all faculty and unclassified employees.
When a question arises about faculty or staff, "Call Judy!" is the immediate response. And her
impeccable files and exhaustive memory get immediate results.
Literally a teenager herself when she came to campus, Judy has always been close to
students, especially since her marriage in 1971 to Vic Couvillion, director of Student
Publications. She started baking cookies for students and became actively involved in shaping
the lives of many through extracurricular activities. "When I started working here at 19, they
called me Judy. Now, it has been 'Ms. Judy' for quite a while," she laughed.
With retirement and exciting travel plans now on horizon for the Couvillions, they share a
lifetime of wonderful memories at the university that has meant so much to them.
Judy remembers the five years she and Vic spent as cheerleader sponsors. "We had an old
pickup truck and a new Dalmatian puppy, and every Thursday night during football season we
would come on campus in the truck, with the dog in back, and lead a pep parade and rally."
"Throughout this time, students remained a large part of my life, both at work and after
work," Judy explained. The Couvillions frequently barbecued for journalism students at their
home and camp and traveled to educational events with them. "We would entertain them, talk to
them about their hopes and expectations, attend their weddings and graduations and in general be
a part of their lives when needed," Judy said." A co-worker has accused me of 'mothering'
students over the yearsÑI consider this a compliment. Vic and I are their mother and father away
from home."
And as time has evolved, she has seen children of former students trickle on to campus.
"That kind of made me feel old. But its always great to hear from a former student, whether they
drop by to say hello or call to say their kid is starting at Southeastern."
After 13 years in the Publications Office, Judy moved to the President's Office and
another chapter in her Southeastern life unfolded. Focus shifted from serving students to working
with faculty and staff. "At the time, I deemed this a special honor and I eagerly spent as much
time as I could find to learn new skills and to explore new ways to assist that most important
office in any way possible," she remembered. From that office she moved to the Office of
Human Resources when personnel staff were consolidated into one unit.
Described by colleagues as one who constantly makes friends while performing her job
duties, Judy fit into her next new position as academic staff coordinator like a charm. She said
she thoroughly enjoys the two phases of her work: maintaining records and a $25 million annual
salary budget and meeting regularly with faculty members.
"When a new person comes to this campus, I am the first person they see. And I want to
make a good first impression and make them feel welcomed," Judy said. She frequently helps
new faculty members locate housing and adjust to the community during her spare time, and
develops lasting relationships in the process. Her active roles in many civic and church
organizations make her the ideal person to assist newcomers. "I probably work with everybody
more closely than anybody else does. I see them through the hiring phase and again with the exit
interviews," she said.
Judy's years at Southeastern have been sprinkled with a world of changes as the
university has evolved into a major educational and economic force in the region. But the one
change that really threw her for a loop may be surprising. "When they told us, about 20 years
ago, we were going to have to get rid of our ditto machine and mimeograph, I thought the world
had come to an end. We were told we were getting a copier and I thought we would never
survive," she chuckled. She admits to entering the computer age reluctantly, but, "Now, I don't
know how we got by without it."
As the Couvillions plan to retire this year, perhaps a new era will begin on campus. It will
never again be quite the same without Ms. Judy and Mr. Vic. "But we'll always be around, going
to events around campus," Ms. Judy assured.
But there are wagers out as to whether or not Judy can actually leave her office for the
last time. "A lot of people have bets that I am not going to leave. It will be hard leaving the
people I work with," she said. However, she said a top priority will be to travel. "We are going to
see the leaves change colors...we could never take off in the fall because school was always in
session and we were needed on campus," Judy said.
As Southeastern honors Judy for her years of outstanding service, it is with joy and
sadness that we say farewell. "I simply cannot imagine what my life would have been like had I
not been a member of this special and unique 'family' all of those wonderful years," she said.
And it would not have been the same without her.
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