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Alumni Profiles
Meet Our Alumni
Elizabeth Barthelemy
Major/Minor
Biology
Hometown
Harvey, LA
Graduating Year
2006
My current career is in Pharmacy. I am in the last semester of the Pharm.D program at Xavier COP. I am also in the process of competing for a PGY1 residency position.
The Biology program at Our Lady of Holy Cross College helped me to identify my strengths and interests and fostered confidence in my abilities.
Dr. Law's biology class taught in my last semester in which we were required to read and discuss the book, 'The Language of God," was a different and provocative way of thinking/learning.
Dr. Brook's Pubic Speaking instruction has given me greater confidence and the skills to make presentations required within this Pharm.D program.
Dr. Bauer's history courses have sharpened my critical thinking, research and writing skills.
Although I do not see much of my former classmates on a daily basis, I do see my OLHCC peers at the Crawfish Boil. Also, the annual Christmas party is an event I have not missed since I graduated in 2006!
Andrew Busenlener
Major/Minor
Business Administration with a Concentration in
Management.
Hometown
Metairie, LA
Graduating Year
2010
I graduated in May 2010 with a degree in Business Management, and I currently am a Property Manager, Entrepreneur in Southeast Louisiana. My coursework helped me to understand how things worked in the business world, and how they are all interrelated.
The faculty members at OLHCC were all excellent. They all went out of their way to help anytime you needed it.
OLHCC is a great place for someone who is serious about his/her studies, and wants a rewarding career at the same time. It’s for the professors and friends that I have been able to succeed in the business world. I would recommend OLHCC to others because of the small classes, with friendly and knowledgeable professors. In fact, my brother attends OLHCC now.
Audrey Couvillion
Major/Minor
General Business
Hometown
Belle Chasse, LA
Graduating Year
2004
While I attended OLHCC, I was enrolled as a part-time student. After graduating from the College, I attended another local university where I completed my MBA with a concentration in Health Care Management. Currently, I am a Medical Practice Administrator for Orleans Orthopedic Associates-Uptown. Also, I have my board certification (CMPE) from the American College of Medical Practice Executives. I am currently serving as the Treasurer for the local GNO Chapter of the Louisiana Medical Group Management Association and will serve as President in 2011.
Although I already had years of business experience in the medical field, I needed a business degree to hold the position I am currently in. The classes at OLHCC helped me develop my skills further and gave me the confidence to continue and grow in my career. Faculty members like Dean Rabalais in Accounting and Dr. LeBon in Statistics provided me with a strong foundation to hone my business skills.
I would recommend OLHCC to anyone because the small college atmosphere is wonderful. You are always acknowledged by your name--you are not just a number at OLHCC. The beautiful campus and convenient location is also a plus. Put that together with the qualified and caring faculty, and it is a great choice for your education.
Johnny Danna, Jr.
Major/Minor
History
Hometown
Harvey, LA
Graduating Year
1998
I graduated from OLHCC in 1998 with a bachelor's degree in history. After graduation, I pursued my law degree, and currently, I work as a lawyer in New Orleans.The research and writing skills that I was taught at OLHCC help me on a daily basis at work. Much of what attorneys do consists of writing briefs and researching the law.
Some of my favorite teachers were: HISTORY TEACHERS: Dr. Floyd Clay; Dr. Craig Bauer; Mr. Michael Roullier; ENGLISH TEACHER: Dr. Mary Doll; PHILOSOPHY/PSYCHOLOGY TEACHER: Mr. Edward Bischoff
OLHCC is a school where you receive personal treatment. You are not one of 10,000 students fighting for attention. You are one of a small number of students in each class getting attention, oftentimes from a person with a doctoral degree, not an assistant. That one-on-one interaction allows you to interact, ask better questions, and most importantly, learn.
Raquel Engolio, RN, MSN, CPN
OLHCC Nursing Faculty Member
Major/Minor
Nursing
Hometown
Marrero, LA
Graduating Year
2000
Our Lady of Holy Cross College's BSN program provided me with an individualized and holistic understanding of nursing.
Peter Keller, Jr.
Major/Minor
Nursing
Hometown
River Ridge, LA
Graduating Year
2006
I attended Our Lady of Holy Cross College as a full-time student and successfully completed my bachelor's degree in nursing in 2006. After graduation, I attended another local university where I completed my master's degree in nursing.Currently, I am the Director of ICU/Cardiology-Saint Charles Parish Hospital
OLHCC nurses are recognized as a cut above. This reputation enabled me to begin my master's program immediately after graduation.
Dr. Prechter's leadership has been outstanding not only for OLHCC but also for the nursing students and their families.
Our Lady of Holy Cross College individualizes programs to meet the needs of the students.
Susan Lackey
Major/Minor
BS in Business Administration
Hometown
Gretna, LA
Graduating Year
2002
I enrolled part-time in the spring of 1997 and graduated summa cum laude in 2002, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration.For the past 22 years I have worked in the non-profit sector for one of the largest social service agencies in south Louisiana - Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans - where I hold the position of Associate Director of Volunteer Services. Although my career was already established when I enrolled in classes at OLHCC, I am forever thankful for the background and encouragement to continue in achieving a degree.
The late Dean James Rabalais probably was the most influential person in keeping me grounded and continuing with my education. When I questioned him as to why was I unnecessarily putting myself through this (classes, tests, papers) at my age, he reminded me that age is just a number.
Dr. Craig Bauer, Professor of History and Political Science, awoke a love of history in me that I never knew existed. His classes were never boring, as his passion for history was revealed in his methods of teaching, making subjects more of a "storytelling" rather than a reading or stiff, boring lecture.
I claim an active part with the Our Lady of Holy Cross Alumni Association, as well as with national organizations I joined as a student or was inducted into upon graduation, e.g., Delta Sigma Pi Professional Business Fraternity and Kappa Gamma Pi National Catholic College Graduate Honor Society.
OLHCC itself was a "dream come true." For personal/family reasons, I was unable to attend college following high school graduation. My dream to earn a degree never died, so I enrolled at OLHCC as a non-traditional student, well past the age of my classmates. My goal in attaining a degree at that point was strictly personal enrichment. The college enrolls such a broad spectrum of students from traditional to non-traditional, and everyone feels welcome and a part of the FAMILY. I believe there is no other college/university in this area that can offer such a first-class education while still maintaining a personal component. By that I mean that everyone, from administration to professors to staff, is interested in you as a student and as a person. Everyone wants you to succeed and will assist you in any way possible to achieve success. Besides the incredible education that is offered, you can still retain your identity as a person, not just a number.
Jillien Minera
Major/Minor
English
Hometown
Harvey, LA
Graduating Year
2008
I had the unique experience of being both a traditional and non-traditional student of Our Lady of Holy Cross College.
I attended OLHCC right after I graduated from high school- a small, catholic high school with less than 400 hundred students and only 98 in our graduating class. When I visited Holy Cross, I knew it was the school for me. It was small enough to allow for personal attention from teachers and administration, but it also provided a wide variety of classes and majors to choose from. Holy Cross helped tremendously with the transition from high school to college, and I never felt left behind or unable to manage. There was always someone, be it a teacher, staff member, or friend, to help, encourage, and guide me toward success.
I moved to Baton Rouge after my junior year, but I felt that OLHCC was worth the commute. I could not imagine graduating from any other college or university. Even while managing a household, being a wife and mother, and commuting from Baton Rouge, Holy Cross instilled in me the confidence that I could manage anything life threw at me and more...
The teachers, staff, and administration at OLHCC are sincerely motivated and excited about making Holy Cross the best college there is, and it leaves a lasting impression on the students. The campus is always in a state of improvement and renovation-it just keeps getting better! But most importantly, the education you receive at Holy Cross is exceptional. You graduate 100% prepared for the career of your choice and with the life skills to be a successful and healthy adult.
Holy Cross really did become a second home to me, and my teachers and friends became family. It's a wonderful place to study, and I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to share in such a great experience.
Adrienne Moore
Major/Minor
BS with a Concentration in Accounting
Hometown
New Orleans, LA
Graduating Year
2007
My course of study in accounting at OLHCC contributed to my current career as Controller with New Orleans City Park and previous accounting jobs I have held.
Once I graduated, I was able to obtain employment with companies at a higher position because I had been able to gain experience in accounting while in college. You get a great education at Our Lady of Holy Cross College with the feeling of being at home while doing it.
Because of my experience with the faculty during my college experience, it encouraged me to come back to teach at OLHCC. I am now a part-time business instructor in Accounting.
Kevin Pedeaux
Major/Minor
English
Hometown
Covington, LA
Graduating Year
2005
I am the founder of Coast Roast Coffee. Coast Roast is the wholesale and retail division of Bankhouse Coffee. We roast our coffees inside our coffee shop right off the beach in Long Beach, MS. http://thecoastroast.com
Our Lady of Holy Cross College did not just give me a paper with a degree. It gave me the tools I needed to become a professional and educated person who can communicate effectively. In the working world, that is what really matters. It was not until I graduated from OLHCC and met other people my age working in my industry that I really appreciated my education from the College.
All of my English classes with Dr. Champagne are memorable. In her classes, we read classic stories and discussed what it really meant to be human by discussing who those characters were and what they represented. That kind of thought goes well beyond the classroom.
OLHCC helped to introduce me to wonderful people. In fact, just about everyone that I consider a close friend even now after 5 years is someone I met while attending the College.
I would recommend OLHCC to others because it is such a small college. You get one-on-one attention that just isn't possible at other larger colleges. Today I still ask my professors I had at Our Lady of Holy Cross College for help with various things, and they always help out.
Christopher Rholdon, M.Ed. ('03 & '07), OLHCC Director of Alumni & Parent Relations, left, with George Hebert Jr., M.Ed. ('96), right, at the Jefferson Parish Excellence in Education ceremony.
Congratulations to Mr. George Hebert Jr. who received the honor of high school principal of the year at the 2009 Jefferson Chamber and Cox Communications Excellence in Education ceremony. Mr. Hebert is a 1996 alumnus of Our Lady of Holy Cross College graduating with a Master’s degree in Education with a concentration in Administration and Supervision. He is the principal of Fisher High School.
Erin Schrepfer
Major/Minor
BS with a Concentration in Tourism Management
Hometown
New Orleans, LA
Graduating Year
2007
My course of study at OLHCC contributed to my current career as an Accounts Manager for PRA Destination Management New Orleans in a variety of ways. Perhaps the most important is that the classes at OLHCC were small enough that the teachers and professors could tailor my tourism classes to those subjects that we had not yet studied. By the time I graduated from OLHCC, I had background knowledge of top tourism highlights in New Orleans,had dabbled in planning and producing a meeting/convention, was familiar with restaurants and transportation in New Orleans, and knew how to plan a major public gathering such as a festival.I would recommend OLHCC to anyone looking for a college that offers small yet intimate classes in a peaceful, serene scholastic environment.
Larry Sullivan, MA, NCC, CIT
Major/Minor
Counseling and Behavioral Science
Hometown
Marrero, LA
Graduating Year
2010
Knowledgable and compassionate professors in the Counseling Program held me to high standards and taught me what I needed to know to be successful in the field. I am currently a Behavioral Medicine Counselor at West Jefferson Medical Center.
Shannon Daigle Taranto
Major/Minor
BS in Business, Concentration in Accounting
Hometown
Harvey, LA
Graduating Year
2003
I was a full-time student attending school on the OLHCC Presidential Scholarship when I met my best friend during my first semester at OLHCC. He is now my husband, Keith Taranto. I made many good friends at college through Delta Sigma Pi and I feel a special bond with my "Brothers" even to this day, especially the ones who were in my pledge class. I still have a lot of friends from college that I spend time with during the week after work and on the weekends.
I would recommend OLHCC to others because I love the "small" college atmosphere and personal attention given by professors that foster a positive college learning experience; it is truly a place where people care about one another and where a student is treated as a person and not just a number.
My education at OLHCC has prepared me well for my career as a Financial Planning Analyst II in the Corporate Finance department at First Bank & Trust in Downtown New Orleans.
Matthew Toups
Major/Minor
General Studies - Business
Hometown
Belle Chasse, LA
Graduating Year
2007
I am currently employed as a Criminal Minute Clerk at Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court's Office. I had many memorable classes and teachers at Our Lady of Holy Cross College, one in particular was Dean Rabalais. Although I didn't realize it in school, Dean Rabalais was a big part of who I am today. Other memorable faculty members include Mr. Fitzgerald's business class and Fr. Tony's theology classes.
I stay in contact with quite a few people I went to school there with at OLHCC. Several of them are now some of my closest friends.
Three things that always stick out in my mind at OLHCC were Rabalais' Law: "Do what I say to do and how I say to do it and everything will be fine." Also Dean's Carl Arredondo Rule: "You can call me at any time when I am at home after hours. It is never too late unless Carl Arredondo has given the weather already."
Mary Zeringue
Major/Minor
Business Administration with a Concentration in Tourism Management.
Hometown
Harvey, LA
Graduating Year
2003
When I walked through the doors, I found a home like no other and it has been a grand ride ever since. I got the best education and the best experience of my life, thus preparing me for my job as a Property Tax Clerk with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office.
All of my classes were memorable because of the people I came in contact with and the friends I made. The teacher that has left a lasting affect on my life and is still affecting me today was Dean Rabalais. He was a god send to Holy Cross and anyone who had the chance to ever be in his presence.
