Jacob LeBlanc is the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 Outstanding Master小蝌蚪APP檚 Graduate.
LeBlanc was among five finalists for the award. Each will be recognized during the Spring 2019 Commencement General Assembly. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. on Friday at the Cajundome.
Each graduate program nominates a student for the award. Criteria include leadership, scholarship, service and research.
The dean of UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 leads a panel that selects the top candidates. An committee interviews the finalists and chooses an overall Outstanding Master小蝌蚪APP檚 Graduate.
LeBlanc is this year小蝌蚪APP檚 overall honoree. In addition, he represents the Department of Industrial Technology as its Outstanding Master小蝌蚪APP檚 Graduate. He has maintained a 4.0 GPA while pursuing a master小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in systems technology.
LeBlanc小蝌蚪APP檚 thesis examined microbial fuel cells, which use natural bacteria to generate electrical currents. The cells are a potential sustainable energy source.
While pursuing his graduate degree, LeBlanc taught industrial and electronics technology courses at South Louisiana Community College. He小蝌蚪APP檚 also enrolled in UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration, and will complete an MBA this summer.
He earned a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in industrial technology from UL Lafayette in 2017, and was the College of Engineering小蝌蚪APP檚 Outstanding Graduate that year.
LeBlanc hopes to continue teaching and may work toward a Ph.D. at a later date. He is the son of Vicki and Chris LeBlanc of Scott, Louisiana.
Here小蝌蚪APP檚 a look at the remaining Outstanding Master小蝌蚪APP檚 Graduate Award finalists.
Brennan Brunsvik is the School of Geosciences小蝌蚪APP Outstanding Master小蝌蚪APP檚 Graduate. He is pursuing a degree in geology and has a 4.0 GPA.
Brunsvik小蝌蚪APP檚 thesis research involved relocating hypocenters, underground points where earthquake ruptures begin, to reconstruct the L小蝌蚪APP橝quila quake. The 2009 tremor occurred in Italy, resulting in more than 300 deaths. This work included collaborations with scientists at Columbia 小蝌蚪APP, and the National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology and the State 小蝌蚪APP of Milan, both in Italy.
He co-authored several peer-reviewed journal articles and presented his research findings at numerous national conferences.
Brunsvik is a 2017 graduate of Southern Utah 小蝌蚪APP, where he earned a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in geology. He is the son of Nichole and Robert Brunsvik of Parowan, Utah, and plans pursue a doctoral degree following his graduation from UL Lafayette.
Eva Lieberman is the Department of Psychology小蝌蚪APP檚 Outstanding Master小蝌蚪APP檚 Graduate. She has a 4.0 GPA.
Lieberman小蝌蚪APP檚 master小蝌蚪APP檚 thesis examines intoxication and sexual violence. She has presented her research findings at numerous national conferences, and has co-authored a peer-reviewed journal article on intervention by witnesses to sexual assaults.
She is a research assistant in the psychology department小蝌蚪APP檚 Sexual Violence Research Lab, and was a volunteer intern at Hearts of Hope, a local rape crisis and child advocacy center. She continues to work at the center as a family advocate.
Following graduation, Lieberman hopes to teach undergraduate psychology classes and continue her research. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. at a later date.
Lieberman earned a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in psychology in 2017 at the 小蝌蚪APP of Alabama. She is the daughter of Harriet Lieberman of Katy, Texas.
Manuel Guillermo Rojas Ahumada is Outstanding Master小蝌蚪APP檚 Graduate for the School of Music and Performing Arts. He has a 4.0 GPA and is pursuing a master小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in music performance.
A drummer and percussionist, Rojas performs with the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 wind, jazz, and world music ensembles, and in its symphony orchestra.
Rojas founded and directs the musical group Latino Pulse, which performed at this year小蝌蚪APP檚 Festival International de Louisiane. As a volunteer, he teaches members of and arranges music for Les 脡toiles de la Louisiane, a children小蝌蚪APP檚 vocal ensemble that performs traditional and modern songs in French.
He earned a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in musical performance from Universidad Central in Bogot谩, Colombia. Following graduation, Rojas hopes to pursue a doctor of music arts degree. He is the son of Marcela Ahumada and Guillermo Rojas of Bogot谩.
Chandler G. Steckbeck is the Department of English小蝌蚪APP檚 Outstanding Master小蝌蚪APP檚 Graduate. She has a 4.0 GPA.
Her concentration is Renaissance and early modern literature and culture. Steckbeck小蝌蚪APP檚 thesis explores themes of nature that appear in William Shakespeare小蝌蚪APP檚 小蝌蚪APP淜ing Lear.小蝌蚪APP She has presented this research and other scholarly work at 小蝌蚪APP and national conferences.
While pursuing her master小蝌蚪APP檚 degree, Steckbeck taught several composition and rhetoric courses, as well as British literature. She also worked in the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 Writing Center, and served as secretary of the English Graduate Student Association.
Following graduation, Steckbeck plans to pursue a Ph.D. with a concentration in English Renaissance dramas.
Steckbeck earned a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in English from Northwestern Oklahoma State 小蝌蚪APP in 2017. She is the daughter of Sandra and Richard Steckbeck of Enid, Oklahoma.
Photo caption: UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 Spring 2019 Outstanding Master小蝌蚪APP檚 Graduate Award finalists are, from left, Chandler G. Steckbeck, Eva Lieberman, Brennan Brunsvik, Jacob LeBlanc and Manuel Guillermo Rojas Ahumada. LeBlanc is the overall award winner. (Photo credit: Rachel Keyes / 小蝌蚪APP)