LCU’s Mercer recognized by Louisiana Association of Business Educators
Jason Mercer, Louisiana Christian University’s coordinator of distance education, has been elected to serve as the post-secondary member at large representative for the 2024-25 academic year for the Louisiana Association of Business Educators.
The 2024 annual conference was hosted at LCU’s Granberry Conference Center on March 1 with presenters from Empowered, a support network for educators. Empowered demonstrated how teachers could enhance their instruction by implementing Empowered’s learning strategy: Principles + Markets = Mindset (PMM) and how to access their library of activities and resources.
This year, the members of LABE recognized Mercer’s accomplishments as the coordinator of Distance Education at LCU’s Center for Online Innovation and Development for its partnership with LCU’s Ray and Dorothy Young School of Business, Technology and Design, awarding him the 2023 Administrator of the Year.
“It is a privilege to grow and serve in an organization that has provided me with so many opportunities over the years and to help support the next generation of business educators,” Mercer said.
Over the past several years, the COID staff has partnered with the business faculty and adjuncts to develop the undergraduate certificate in project management, Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, Master of Business Administration, Master of Strategic Leadership, and 3 graduate certificates.
And Mercer never stops learning himself.
“I’m also currently working toward completing my business coursework to earn the PMI certified associate in project management (CAPM) and will begin working on my Master of
Strategic Leadership this fall at Louisiana Christian University,” he said. “As an adult educator, I firmly believe that our journey of growth, learning and giving should never cease. That is why I’m so honored to be a part of LCU’s vision of ‘Preparing Graduates, Transforming Lives’ through the work we do each day in the Center for Online Innovation & Development.”
Mercer, who began his career in education as a biology teacher before accepting a position at Atlanta High School, a rural K-12 school in Winn Parish, teaching business computer applications and serving as the technology coordinator for the campus., has been a member of LABE since 2015.
Through Mercer’s networking with LABE members, he was also appointed as the International Society of Business Educators U.S. Southern Region representative.
Mitzi Fontenot, current president of LABE, said Mercer is the reason she got involved with LABE and currently serves on the board.
“He has always been willing to present at our conferences and share his knowledge – sometimes even if it’s last minute he will work to get something done for our business educators,” said Fontenot, a business educator at Pine Prairie High School. “He has served and has been added once again this year to our board and desires to serve business educators and business students! He is a definite asset to Louisiana Business Education.”
Moving from the science to the business classroom was a relatively smooth transition, as Mercer had 15 years of retail management experience that he applied with his previous knowledge of computer applications and technology, and pedagogical training he received in his teacher certification program.
“A passage of scripture that has been very important in my professional career is Proverbs 27:17, ‘Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend,’” Mercer said. “I was working in a small rural school as the only business and technology teacher, and LABE provided me the network to introduce me to the resources I needed to help my students become competitive in high school competitions, gain valuable job skills, and earn industry certifications.”
He said it was fellow LABE member Becky Draughn, from Annacoco High School, who told him about a workshop on a new entrepreneurship curriculum.
“I attended this conference and met my future mentor, David Lefkowith, assistant superintendent of the Louisiana Department of Education,” Mercer said. “God placed people in my life to help me achieve things I never dreamed would happen when I took a position in the smallest K-12 school in our district, in a community without a gas station or even a caution light.”
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Media Release | March 14, 2024 | Pineville, Louisiana
Contact: Dr. Elizabeth B. Clarke, Director of University Communications | Elizabeth.clarke@lcuniversity.edu