LSU School of Leadership and Human Resource Development

08/31/2026

Big congrats to Grace Mahfouz, a doctoral student in our School of Leadership & Human Resource Development! 🎉

Grace just received a $2,000 research grant from the Louisiana Nature & Health Alliance (LSU Chapter) to support her dissertation, which explores how leadership can inspire employees to think creatively about sustainability in the workplace.

The funding will help Grace compensate study participants — meaning a bigger sample, stronger data, and research that goes further. We can't wait to see where this leads!

08/25/2026

Once a Tiger, always a Tiger 🐯

Dr. Andraé Holliday Jr. walked onto LSU's campus in 2012 as a nutrition major. Fast forward to today: he's got FIVE degrees, THREE certificates, and he's teaching right here in SLHRD — the same program that shaped him.

His secret? "Mentorship is my passion, and people are my purpose." 💛💜

Click to see the journey — and go read the full Q&A to hear how he went from student to instructor (and yes, his dad has just as many degrees — guess it runs in the family).

Full story: https://www.lsu.edu/chse/news/2026/holliday.php

08/23/2026

Please join us in welcoming two new Instructors to SLHRD's online programs, who joined us this past June!🎉

Dr. Vanessa Claus brings a passion for student learning and career development, with a background spanning HR, organizational development, and even entrepreneurship in interior design. She holds a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University.

Dr. Beth Hyatt joins us with a background in hospitality leadership and HR, plus experience as managing editor of Human Resource Development Review. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Tyler.

Welcome to the family, Dr. Claus and Dr. Hyatt! 🐯🎉

08/15/2026

🎓✨ We were thrilled to host our Graduate Hooding Ceremony this past Thursday in the HPL Fieldhouse, celebrating our incredible MS and doctoral graduates from Leadership & Human Resource Development. Another amazing hooding event in the books!

A huge thank you to everyone who helped set up and pull the event together, your hard work made this celebration possible. We are also thankful for our always joyful Interim Director, Dr. Robinson. An additional "thank you" to our special guests, Dean Mitchell and keynote speaker, Dr. Kelli Bates.💜

And to ALL our LHRD graduates: congratulations! Your dedication, growth, and perseverance brought you to this moment, and we couldn't be prouder to send you into the world as SLHRD alumni. Geaux Tigers! 🐯

08/14/2026

Add another degree to her resume 🎓

Congrats to Chase Brock on completing her masters of leadership & Human Resource Development this summer!

07/14/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Terri Porche Ricks, PhD, JD, on her new role as Senior Assistant Dean for Administration at the LSU College of Human Sciences & Education! A proud LHRD alumna returning to help lead the college she once called home — we couldn't be prouder.

Please join us in welcoming Terri Porche Ricks, PhD, JD, to the LSU College of Human Sciences & Education as Senior Assistant Dean for Administration.

A proud CHSE alumna, Dr. Ricks earned her doctorate in leadership and human resource development from the college and now returns to help lead its continued growth and impact. With an accomplished background in leadership, operations and public service, she brings a wealth of experience to this role.

Read more about her appointment: https://www.lsu.edu/chse/news/2026/ricks-named-senior-assistant-dean.php

LSU School of Leadership and Human Resource Development

07/02/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Petra A. Robinson on her promotion to Professor! 🎉

Since joining LSU, Petra has been devoted to developing people — students, faculty, and staff alike. As Director of Faculty Affairs & Professional Development and now Interim Director of the School of Leadership & Human Resource Development, she has poured herself into helping others grow. She's worked tirelessly to secure funding for doctoral students' conference travel, opening doors to exposure and opportunities beyond the walls of academia. She's also a constant champion for using every resource available to invest in yourself — academically, mentally, and physically.

But if you ask anyone who knows her, they'll tell you Petra's true mission is simple: bring joy. It's something she insists on, finds a way to create every single day, and inspires in everyone around her. Her understanding heart and her drive to lift others up are what make her — and this promotion — truly special. 💛

👏 Please join us in celebrating Dr. Robinson on this well-deserved achievement!

07/01/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Missy Korduner on her promotion to Associate Professor of Professional Practice! 🎉

From day one, Missy brought so much more than teaching to our department. As the SLHRD Master's Program Academic Coordinator and Advisor, she partnered with Melissa Turnage, SLHRD’s Academic Program Manager, to reimagine the course rotation — making it easier for students to enter the LSU Online program at any point in the year and removing barriers along the way. She also brought our community closer together, launching new social engagement opportunities including our inaugural SLHRD Graduate Hooding Ceremony.

But beyond the accomplishments, Missy brings something you can't put on a CV: positive energy, genuine warmth, and pure delight to every interaction. She's simply a pleasure to be around, and our students and faculty are lucky to have her. 💛

👏 Please join us in celebrating this well-deserved promotion!

06/04/2026

Congratulations to Terri Ricks, who successfully defended her dissertation and is preparing to graduate with her doctorate from the LSU School of Leadership & Human Resource Development

On May 5th, Terri successfully defended her dissertation, “Developing a Practitioner-Informed Framework of Poverty Competencies for Early Childhood Education Professionals.”

Terri’s research developed a practitioner-informed framework of poverty competencies for early childhood education professionals, highlighting the knowledge and skills practitioners identified as essential when working with families, colleagues, and communities affected by poverty. Her study contributes to HRD scholarship by extending competency framework research into the early childhood education workforce and demonstrating the value of practitioner knowledge in shaping professional preparation and practice.

We also recognize Terri’s dissertation committee for their guidance and support: Petra A. Robinson, Dr. Sunyoung Park, Dean Roland Mitchell, and Dr. Anmol Soni.

Please join us in congratulating Terri on this outstanding academic achievement!

04/22/2026

We’re proud to celebrate Dr. Missy Korduner for her impactful work advancing graduate student success at LSU!

As part of a cross-campus team, Dr. Korduner helped launch the Graduate Student Leadership Initiative (GSLI)—a program designed to strengthen leadership development, build confidence, and support graduate students both personally and professionally.

Through this initiative, students engage in strengths-based development, personalized leadership planning, and coaching—resulting in measurable growth in leadership identity and self-awareness.

This work exemplifies what it means to build meaningful programs that elevate student success and create lasting impact. Congratulations, Dr. Korduner, on this well-deserved recognition!

🔗 Read more: https://www.lsu.edu/blog/2026/04/wbttw-graduate-student-leadership.php