Southeastern Louisiana University

Entergy lends support to Southeastern's new publishing studies program, outreach to area schools

Contact: Rene Abadie

12/14/10

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Craig Schimpf, second from left, customer service manager for the Entergy North Shore District, presents a $10,000 donation to David Hanson, head of the Southeastern Louisiana University Department of English, to help support the department’s new publishing studies program. Participating in the ceremony are Southeastern President John L. Crain and Katherine Rose, senior director of development.

     HAMMOND – The Entergy Charitable Foundation has awarded Southeastern Louisiana University a $10,000 grant to support the Department of English’s new program in publishing studies.
     The award will enable students in the program to work with area students in selected high schools, said David Hanson, head of the Department of English. 
     “This outreach doubles the impact of the award,” he said. “By publishing the high school students’ writing on line, the university students will be working with their peers to explore the relation of writing to technology in a digital age.”
     The funds will be used to purchase equipment and provide for travel by students in the new program. The new minor in publishing studies is designed to prepare students with marketable skills in both print and digital publishing, said David Hanson, head of the Department of English.
     Hanson said the interdisciplinary program takes a collaborative approach by involving faculty and students from the disciplines of English, communication, computer science and visual arts. The courses and internships draw on professional as well as student-run publications to provide hands-on, project-based learning.
     “When people are supported with knowledge, they become more effective members of their communities,” said Craig Schimpf, Entergy customer service manager for the North Shore District. “Investing in this program made sense for us, as we believe an essential element to healthy, thriving communities is creating an environment where every individual has basic reading and writing skills. This program will train the professionals we need to improve the literacy of our state’s population.”