Congratulations, ECP Spring 2025 Graduates!

4/28/2025.

BATON ROUGE – The Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership (CCELL), in conjunction with LSU Campus Life, is pleased to announce that 44 seniors will graduate with the Engaged Citizen Program (ECP) medal and distinction for Spring 2025. This is the largest cohort of ECP graduates to date.

Two seniors will also receive the inaugural Community Impact Achievement, a recognition for both undergraduate and graduate students with outstanding records of civic engagement who complete a portion of the Engaged Citizen Program medal requirements.

Collectively, these Spring 2025 graduates have earned 376 service-learning credit hours and have volunteered approximately 6,075 hours across their local communities during their academic tenure at LSU. Some of this cohort’s volunteer opportunities include working with campus entities such as their colleges' ambassador programs, the LSU Food Pantry, LSU AgMagic, Project 225, and Geaux BIG Baton Rouge. 

Their individual engagement efforts also extend off-campus with organizations such as Cajun Navy, Companion Animal Alliance, Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, Knock Knock Children's Museum, Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics Louisiana -- Capital Area, St. Joseph's Hospice, local and state hospitals, and several East Baton Rouge Parish schools. Two students volunteered internationally with the Global Brigades in Panama.
 
“This is an exciting year for LSU's Engaged Citizen Program graduates,” said Dr. Sarah Becker, Director of CCELL. "As our largest cohort to date, these students are starting their professional lives with a wealth of experience on their resumes. They've worked with Louisiana and Baton Rouge community-based organizations such as the Cajun Navy and have done transformative work such as hospice volunteering, in addition to engaging in service during study abroad. We are so proud of their collective impact and cannot wait to see what comes next for them."  

CCELL and LSU Campus Life established the Engaged Citizen Program and the Community Impact Achievement to support and recognize the accomplishments of students who engage significantly with their communities to address critical community needs. Any student, regardless of academic discipline, can apply to be a part of the program. 
 
“Graduates with the Engaged Citizens Distinction have dedicated more than 6,000 hours to addressing the real changes facing communities across Louisiana,” said Josh Finch, Director of Campus Life. "Through their leadsership, service, and deep commitment to the public good, they've created meaningful change--across Louisiana and throughout the world. These students aren't just preparing for the future--they're already shaping it. Their bold, purpose-driven work reflects the very spirit of LSU, and I look forward to seeing the last impact they will continue to make as alumni."
 
Our graduates represent nine LSU senior colleges and 16 are members of the Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College. Five students are also graduating with double degrees, which are denoted with an asterisk.

The Spring 2025 Community Impact Achievement recipients are:

E.J. OURSO COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Paige Snyder, Management, Laytonsville, Md.

COLLEGE OF HUMAN SCIENCES AND EDUCATION
Ryah Landry, Social Work, Sugar Land, Texas

The Spring 2025 Engaged Citizens are:

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE 
Aalyha Beteta, Nutrition and Food Sciences (with a concentration in Nutrition, Health & Society), Metairie, La. 
Ashton Dalton, Animal Sciences (with a concentration in Science & Technology), Carencro, La.*

COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN
Taneija Baldwin, Architecture, Greensboro, Nc.

E.J. OURSO COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Emily Demps, Management (with a concentration in International Management), Atlanta, Ga., Honors College 
Kealyn Wang, Finance, Covington, La.

COLLEGE OF THE COAST AND ENVIRONMENT
Nonnie “Betsy” Cook, Coastal Environmental Science, Covington, La., Honors College

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Dalton Arcement, Biological Engineering, Baton Rouge, La. 
Caroline Badeaux, Biological Engineering, Baton Rouge, La. 
Maximilien Caffery, Biological Engineering, Metairie, La. 
Amerika Embers, Biological Engineering, Rockwall, Texas 
Olivia Hupperich, Biological Engineering, Baton Rouge, La., Honors College 
Emily LeBlanc, Biological Engineering, Lafayette, La. 
Madison Lee, Biological Engineering, Prairieville, La., Honors College 
Shea Lee, Biological Engineering, Baton Rouge, La., Honors College 
Britney Nguyen, Biological Engineering, Baton Rouge, La. 
Victoria Sartin, Biological Engineering, Geismar, La., Honors College 
Camryn Tims, Biological Engineering, Ruston, La., Honors College 
Marise Wilson, Biological Engineering, LaPlace, La.

COLLEGE OF HUMAN SCIENCES AND EDUCATION
Maya Gunaldo, Leadership and Human Resource Development, New Orleans, La. 
Isabella Higgins, Kinesiology, Temple, Texas 
Talayeh Higgs, Kinesiology, Fort Worth, Texas 
Valerie Penn, Kinesiology, Alexandria, La. 
Isabella Richard, Kinesiology, Houma, La. 
Mariama Sesay, Social Work, Baton Rouge, La. 
Emma Van Pelt, Social Work, Little Elm, Texas

COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Abbie Bui, Interdisciplinary Studies, Slidell, La.* 
Anna Cattar, Interdisciplinary Studies & Sociology, Baton Rouge, La., Honors College* 
Ashton Dalton, Philosophy (with a concentration in Religious Studies), Carencro, La.* 
Hunter Deshotel, English & Sociology, Lafayette, La., Honors College* 
Sienna Hope, Political Science, Houston, Texas 
James “Peter” Kelly, Geography, Baton Rouge, La., Honors College 
Myliyah King, Psychology, Opelousas, La 
Sophia Merritt, Communication Disorders, Metairie, La. 
John Sweat, Political Science, Youngsville, La., Honors College 
Darlina Tran, Psychology, Chalmette, La., Honors College 
Isabel Willems, Communication Studies, Mandeville, La., Honors College 
Lailah Williams, International Studies & Political Science, McKinney, Texas, Honors College*
Cobi Wright, Psychology, Grayson, Ga., Honors College

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
Abbie Bui, Biological Sciences, Slidell, La.*
Hannah Kaplan, Biological Sciences, Baton Rouge, La. 
Kaylee Kessler, Biological Sciences, Englewood, Fl. 
Emma Klenke, Biological Sciences, Sulphur, La. 
Monica Nguyen, Biological Sciences, New Orleans, La. 
Mikayla Schneida, Biological Sciences, Covington, La.

MANSHIP SCHOOL OF MASS COMMUNICATION
Layla Harmon, Mass Communication (with a concentration in Political Communication), New Orleans, La., Honors College 
Kynnedi Hines, Mass Communication (with a concentration in Public Relations), Atlanta, Ga.

To earn the Engaged Citizen Program medal distinction, the students must meet the high standards of the Engaged Citizen Program. Requirements for this semester’s cohort include completing a minimum of seven credit hours of service-learning designated coursework, a minimum of 100 hours of community service with approved organizations, and a reflective paper.

To earn the Community Impact Achievement recognition, students must meet the high standards of the Engaged Citizen Program. Requirements for this semester’s cohort include completing a minimum of three credit hours of service-learning designated coursework, a minimum of 50 hours of community service with approved organizations, and a reflective paper. 

Visit www.lsu.edu/engagedcitizens for more information about the program.

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CCELL fosters the scholarship of community engagement by integrating teaching, research, and service that emphasize civic responsibility and social accountability. For more information about service-learning at LSU, visit CCELL’s website at lsu.edu/ccell.

Campus Life works closely with more than 400 student organizations, countless student organization leaders and advisors, and is home to some of LSU's biggest traditions. The department's mission is to enhance student learning through innovative initiatives focused on the tenets of involvement, leadership, and service that enrich the LSU experience. Campus Life serves a student population and strives to make LSU an increasingly vibrant campus community. 

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Media note: Please contact Taylor Armer (tarmer@lsu.edu) for headshots.