The First Annual Timbuktu Academy

Awards Banquet

Theme:

Academic excellence is the aim,

limitless success is the expected consequence.


Diola Bagayoko, Ph.D., Director

Ella Kelley, Ph.D., Co-Principal Investigator

Reza Mirshams, Ph.D., Co-Principal Investigator

Thursday, May 9, 1996

7:00 P.M.

Reflections, 9230 Cortana Place, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 The First Annual Awards Banquet for the Timbuktu Academy was a very successful venture. It was conceived as a way of honoring the graduating seniors of the Southern University Department of Physics. 

Program

*************************

Karen Simms and Dawn Stephens, Mistress' of Ceremonies

*************************

Invocation Dawn Stephens, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemistry
History of Timbuktu Academy Karen Simms
Assistant to Director
The Occasion Chia H. Yang, Ph.D.
Chairman, Department of Physics
Musical Selection Kafele Bandele, Academy Scholar
Accompanied by Chris Frazier
Recognition of Timbuktu Academy Scholars Reza Mirshams, Ph.D.
Co-Principal Investigator, Engineering
Introduction of Special Guests Dawn Stephens
Assistant to Director
Words of Encouragement Robert Ford, Ph.D.
Director, Center for Energy and Environmental Studies
Tribute to Graduating Seniors Holli Horton
Academy Scholar
Recognition of Graduating Seniors Ella Kelley, Ph.D.
Co-Principal Investigator, Chemistry
Director's Awards Diola Bagayoko, Ph.D.
Project Director
Special Presentations
Closing Remarks Diola Bagayoko, Ph.D.
Prayer Michael Swilley
Academy Scholar

**************DINNER**************

The Timbuktu Academy Salutes its

1995 & 1996 Graduating Seniors

 
Louis Victor Adolph, Jr.
Spring 1996

Hometown: Franklinton, LA
Major: Physics
Honors: 

National Dean's List
Dean's and President's List, SU
All-American Collegiate Scholar
Sigma Pi Sigman National Honor Society
Physics Departmental Scholarship
Pi Mu Epsilon National Honor Society
American Legion Award

Career Plans: To work for United Tech. and obtain M.S. in Physics.		 Lumumba Ato Barlow
Spring 1996

Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA
Major: Physics
Honors: 

National Dean's List
Dean's and President's List, SU
Chancellor's Scholar, SU
Sigma Pi Sigma National Honor Society
Science & Engineering Alliance Award
College of Sciences Constituency Award
College of Sciences Faculty Senior Award

Career Plans: To obtain a technical position in industry.
LaShondria Brenette Dixon
Spring 1996

Hometown: Monroe, LA
Major: Physics and Mathematics
Honors: 

National Dean's List
Dean's List, SU
Sigma Pi Sigma National Honor Society
NIST Scholar, US Dept of Commerce
NSF Research Recognition
Dept of Commerce Research Recognition
NAFEO Research Recognition
Appearance in Black Excellence(April 96)

Career Plans: To become a pediatrician or research professor in physics.		 Lauri Monica Nelson
Spring 1996
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Major: Chemistry
Honors: 

Dean's List, SU
Charles E. Coates Memorial Award
Golden Key National Honor Society
Pi Mu Epsilon National Honor Society
Science & Engineering Alliance Award
Outstanding Senior in Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, & Instrumental Analysis

Career Plans: To enter a MD/Ph.D. program in August 1997. 
Bonique Denise Pillot
Spring 1996

Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA
Major: Physics
Honors: 

National Dean's List
Dean's List, SU
EMCOM Scholar
Sigma Pi Sigma National Honor Society
Beta Kappa Chi National Honor Society
Golden Key National Honor Society
Science & Engineering Alliance Award
Appearance in Black Excellence(April 95)

Career Plans: To become a pathologist.		 Ebonique Cheris Pillot
Spring 1996

Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA
Major: Physics
Honors: 

National Dean's List
Dean's List, SU
EMCOM Scholar
Sigma Pi Sigma National Honor Society
Beta Kappa Chi National Honor Society
Golden Key National Honor Society
Science & Engineering Alliance Award
Appearance in Black Excellence

Career Plans: To become an anesthesiologist.
Gerald Powell
Fall 1995
Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Honors: 

Dean's List

 Monica Denise RobersonFall 1995

Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA
Major: Physics
Honors: 

National Dean's List
Dean's List
All-American Collegiate Scholar
Physics Departmental Scholarship
Sigma Pi Sigma National Honor Society
Appearance in Black Excellence(April 95)

Career Plans: To obtain a Ph.D. in electrical engineering.
Robert John Smith, Jr.
Spring 1996

Hometown: New Roads, LA
Major: Physics
Honors: 

National Dean's List
Dean's List, SU
Chancellor's Scholar
NASA-USRP Scholar
Sigma Pi Sigma National Honor Society
Science & Engineering Alliance Award
College of Sciences Constituency Award
Golden Key National Honor Society

Career Plans: To obtain a M.B.A.		 Watasha Makisa Wade
Fall 1995

Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA
Major: Physics
Honors: 

National Dean's List
Dean's List, SU
United States Achievement Academy
All-American Collegiate Scholar
Sigma Pi Sigma National Honor Society
Appearance in Black Excellence(April 95)

Career Plans: To obtain a Ph.D. in Physics.
Troy Damian Williams
Summer 1996

Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA
Major: Physics
Honors: 

Dean's List, SU
NASA-USRP Scholar
USA All-Academic Team
All SWAC Track & Field Team
Sigma Pi Sigma National Honor Society
Appearance in Black Excellence(April 95)

Career Plans: To obtain a Ph.D. in Physics.

Director's Awards Recipients

Lumumba Ato Barlow

Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA
Awards: 

National Dean's List
Dean's & President's List, SU
Chancellor's Scholar, SU
Sigma Pi Sigma National Honor Society
Science & Engineering Alliance Award
College of Sciences Constituency Award
College of Sciences Faculty Senior Award

The Lord has blessed me with many gifts and talents, and I will use them to the fullest to accomplish my every goal.

Carl Randell Grant

Age: 20
Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA
Major: Physics & Computer Science
Awards: 

National Dean's List
Dean's & President's List, SU
Chancellor's Scholar, SU
Sigma Pi Sigma National Honor Society
Science & Engineering Alliance Award
US Marine Corps Outstanding Performance in Science Award

Time is all we have, so let us make the best of it.
Tracee Wynette Thomas

Age: 20
Hometown: Baker, LA
Major: Chemistry/Chem. Engineering
Awards: 

Quantitative Analysis, Organic Chemistry, & Freshman Chemistry Awards
Meritorious Achievement in Dept. of Chemistry
Highest GPA - College of Sciences
NASA-USRP Scholar
National Merit Finalist
National Achievement

I believe that a person should always do their best. That in itself is the greatest accomplishment anyone can achieve.

Planning Committee

Karen Simms, Assistant to Director

Dawn D. Stephens, Assistant to Director

LaShondria B. Dixon, Assistant to Director

Louis J. Beathley Jr., Academy Scholar

Lumumba A. Barlow, Academy Scholar

Acknowledgements

On behalf of the director, co-directors, staff, and scholars of the Timbuktu Academy, we would like to thank everyone who supported this grand effort to honor our graduating scholars. A special tnaks to the funding agencies, the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA). And last, but certainly not least, we would like to thank the parents of the scholars and the university affiliates of the Timbuktu Academy who supported the Academy and helped to make this school year the most successful one yet.

We also thank the the staff of Reflections for helping to make our First Annual Timbuktu Academy Awards Banquet a wonderful memory.