Louisiana Christian University awarded two Board of Regents grants for theatre, business
By Dr. Elizabeth Clarke,
Pineville, LA (LCU News) — Louisiana Christian University has been chosen to receive two department enhancement grants from the Louisiana Board of Regents. The grants totaling more than $135,000 will provide for a business analytics classroom and a new stage for the theatre program.
The Louisiana Board of Regents received 114 grant applications for department enhancement grants this year and recommended funding for 32 proposals. The business proposal ranked 7 and theatre ranked 13, which were high in the statewide competition, said Dr. Henry Robertson, LCU director of institutional effectiveness and grants coordinator.
The Board of Regents Enhancement grants will provide for a business analytics classroom in Alexandria Hall at an investment of $79, 972, and $55,802 comes for new stages in the Martin Performing Arts Center to benefit the theatre program.
“We are always grateful to the Board of Regents for their financial support of our programs at LCU,” President Rick Brewer said. “There are many worthwhile colleges and universities that need support across the state, and money is limited. These two grants will be transformational for the students here.”
Dr. Adena LeJeune, chair of the Division of Business, wrote the grant proposal for the business analytics classroom.
“By enabling instructors to use collaboration and active learning strategies, the project will enhance the Division’s fulfillment of its mission to emphasize teaching while challenging students in a community of learning,” LeJeune said.
LeJeune said one of the benefits of this collaborative learning environment will help reduce the anxiety many students feel about statistics. By providing computers and software to be used in quantitative analysis, the project will enhance the Division’s ability to achieve the program learning outcome of preparing graduates who are able to critically evaluate, analyze and interpret information to solve problems.
Tabitha Huffman, artistic director of Theatre Louisiana Christian University (tLCU), wrote the grant proposal for stage improvements in the Martin Performing Arts Center, which is one of the largest flexible black box theatres in the nation.
Huffman said the grant will allow for the theatre to once again function the way it was designed to.
“A flexible theatre is meant have the capability to reconfigure the seating and stage to multiple variations,” she said. “Since the moving platform units are 30 years old, they are damaged and have become nearly impossible to move around any longer. Now we will be able to order the new platforms and leg supports to install this summer. My creative wheels are already turning as to how we will ‘play’ with our new stage and seating arrangements for our 2021-2022 season of shows.”