Shelly Vitanza:
Welcome to the LU Moment! Thank you for listening. I’m Shelly Vitanza, the director of public affairs at Lamar University. Each week, we showcase the great events, activities, programs, projects, and people at Lamar University. Happy Holidays! It’s definitely a different Holiday due to COVID-19, in fact, I heard someone calling it “COVID-19 Christmas.” Usually, we have a president’s holiday party, and we all gather on the 8th floor of the library, but this year, we all gathered in the parking lot at the Montagne Center. In fact, we didn't’t really gather. We had a drive-through breakfast. Let’s hope next year is a little bit different, but we are doing the best we can here at Lamar University.
A few good announcements on the LU campus I think you should know about Lamar University’s Center for Midstream Management and Science just recently announced the Dr. Helen Lou, who is a professor of chemical engineering has joined the midstream center as the Associate Director in Research. Now, the midstream industry is an essential component of the nation’s energy and chemical infrastructure. Ongoing operations in construction of Texas oil and gas pipeline industry provided the state with more than $48.6 billion in economic impact and supported more than 238,000 jobs in 2019. That’s according to a study by the Texas Pipeline Association. The 86th legislature established the midstream center to develop a partnership between Lamar University and the midstream industry and to promote and lead practical research and technology development relevant to the midstream sector. The only kind of center in the United States right here at Lamar University.
The Center serves as a bridge between academia and the midstream industry and, as I said, the nation’s only academic research center focusing on the midstream. The center fosters technology, innovation, commercialization, education, collaboration, and Dr. Lou, our new associate director of research, believes that the challenging problems facing the industry can be solved at an accelerated pace through the center’s efforts and as a professor of chemical engineering she’s going to focus on solving these problems. We’re really excited, not only about our center which is so unique but also about Dr. Lou’s research effort. We think it’s going to make a big difference in the midstream center. It’s so important to the nation and especially to our region.
So, the future, the future’s been a big topic here on the LU campus this last week because we conferred 1,872 degrees in our first in-person and virtual of course, hybrid commencement this past weekend. We had three commencements. They were held at our Provost Umphrey Stadium, so congratulations are in order to these folks. We were excited to offer the in-person, but still socially distanced commencement ceremony as well as the virtual ceremony, and in case you missed it, you can see it on Lamar University’s Facebook page. From where I sit in the public affairs office at Lamar University, I have the privilege of hearing a lot of great success stories about Lamar University graduates, and so we’re are going to watch a series through the holiday season here on the LU Moment, what have you done with your LU degree? And we’re going to feature alumni. I’ve got four lined up during the holidays. We will probably extend that to a few more, but it’s going to be great fun, just to let the community know the amazing things that Lamar University graduates are doing and to allow these cardinals to tell their stories.
So, the first person I thought about when I decided to launch this series was Hannah Rumsey, and I thought about Hannah for several reasons. First of all, she is one of the very first people and the very first student that ever interviewed on the LU Moment. So, this is kind of a reunion of sorts, that was nearly two years ago and time flies. She’s definitely done a ton in the past few years and we’re going to hear about that, and she graduated from LU this past weekend and we’re excited to congratulate you, Hannah and welcome you to the show.
Hannah Rumsey:
Hi! Thank you so much!
Shelly Vitanza:
So, let’s talk about your journey. Let’s go back in time two years ago, you were on the LU Moment. You were just really getting settled into Lamar as a sophomore, right?
Hannah Rumsey:
Yeah, that must have been the start of my second year, so I was just really getting settled at Lamar, and really trying to figure out my direction and what I was going to end up doing.
Shelly Vitanza:
Okay, I think I remember you mentioning, at that time, that you were going to go to Spain. So, let’s pick up from there and talk about what you’ve done and where that has brought you.
Hannah Rumsey:
So, as far as the Spain trip, I can’t remember exactly where I was at in that process the last time we had talked, but I ended up getting a presidential fellowship for management research at Lamar in November of 2018 and that funded me doing research not only on campus but would also fund me to do research in Spain for a little over a month, and so I was fortunate to be able to go and do that study abroad research trip in Spain in summer 2019, so I was able to go and do that.
Shelly Vitanza:
Talk a little bit about you research, Hannah. What did you research in Spain?
Hannah Rumsey:
So, I was under the mentorship of Henry Venta who was a previous dean at Lamar, and we were looking at strategic planning and different types of non-profit businesses and seeing how governmental structures in the United States and Spain impact the success of the strategic planning of the not-for-profit organizations. I was able to interview several different businesses in the United States as well as in Spain.
Shelly Vitanza:
That’s incredible. Your degree is in business and what specifically?
Hannah Rumsey:
I’m graduating this week with a bachelor’s in administration and accounting and finance with a minor in Spanish as well.
Shelly Vitanza:
Here is where I am coming from, Hannah: I didn't’t know that you could do research really in business especially in a foreign country. I mean, maybe it just wasn’t happening back in the old days when I went to school! But it seems like a really unique experience.
Hannah Rumsey:
Oh, it definitely was. I think I probably one of the best college experiences out of a lot of people. Just because I was so fortunate to be able to study like that. I think business research is a little bit untapped and I think it’s something that Lamar is working on and improving which is really great to hear because there is so much work to be done. Lamar University directly led me to go study in Spain and do research in Spain and come out with a successful project? It was a very good experience.
Shelly Vitanza:
Well, prior to COVID-19, and I know we are going to pick this back up, when the pandemic is over and it will be over, we were growing our study abroad opportunities and you benefited from that. Talk to me about what you learned from your research. Was there anything that stood out, or did you come across any realizations or make any big discoveries in you research?
Hannah Rumsey:
Oh gosh! As far as the academic work in general, it has a lot to do with government funding and the amount of government funding that is given to not-for-profit organizations which is greater in the European Union which includes Spain seem to have led to a higher success in not-for-profit organizations. More so, being an undergraduate research project, really just taught me how to learn, how to ask those questions. Outside of a classroom setting where they already know what the answer is, you come up with that answer yourself. Along with the conclusions I made with my research, it was a large learning opportunity and I think that’s the big idea around undergraduate research.
Shelly Vitanza:
Right, right. And have you ever travelled by yourself like that or interviewed people or interacted in that way? If you look back at the Hannah Rumsey who entered Lamar University and the Hannah Rumsey who is going to walk the stage, what are the big differences between the two Hannah Rumsey’s?
Hannah Rumsey:
That’s really funny that you asked that just because it is a really nostalgic time I guess in my life because I am graduating this week. I’ve learned to think for myself and what questions to ask and how to get information about life and really figure out who I am, what I want out of life and just kind of give me a direction in general I suppose. Freshman me knew that I wanted to do something big, I wanted to be successful. I didn't’t really know what that meant, what steps I really needed to take… These last couple years of my life have just led me to forming what I want to do as far as my career and just shaping me into a professional who’s ready to start working.
Shelly Vitanza:
That’s awesome and that leads me to my next question which is, what are you going to do with your life now, Hannah? Where are you going to go and what’s in the cards for you?
Hannah Rumsey?
As far as the next years to come, I am going to be working at Exxon Mobil headquarters in Spring, Texas in their financial controller division. I’m extremely excited to be working with them and I’ll be doing
some sort of financial analysis with the company. I’m extremely excited and I feel very well prepared and I’m very eager to start.
Shelly Vitanza:
That’s exciting and you’re from Lumberton, graduated from Lumberton high school. Have you ever lived away from home other than your Spain trip?
Hannah Rumsey:
So, I actually interned at the company a summer in Baytown, but besides that, no. This is my first big move and officially going off on my own and officially begin my adult life.
Shelly Vitanza:
That’s very exciting and we congratulate you. We’re excited for you. Any words of wisdom to freshman, sophomore, for those entering the college world? Of course, it’s a bit different entering the college world with COVID-19 going on, but do you have any specific advice that you would give to those who are just starting their journey?
Hannah Rumsey:
I guess if you are ever not sure of what to do, or how you can improve yourself, ask out to those around you. Reach out to professors, reach out to mentors because they want to help, and I think that doing that got me really far in college. By just asking, “what can I do?” How can I set myself apart?” And they will guide you and will lead you through those steps.
Shelly Vitanza:
Are any of those mentors folks you want to mention and say a little thanks to?
Hannah Rumsey:
My freshman mentor was Kumer Das, she’s no longer with Lamar University, but he was heavily involved in the undergraduate research program and he is a very great man. And especially to Dr. Henry Venta. He mentored me through my research project that I did in Spain. He’s really been a mentor to me throughout my undergraduate experience. He’s led me in the right direction and helped me make tough decisions, so I definitely want to thank him.
Shelly Vitanza:
That’s awesome. Lamar University’s undergraduate research is very, very active and something that we are very proud of. And we do undergraduate research in all disciplines across every one of our five colleges and that definitely benefited you. So, Hannah, Thank you so much. We appreciate your time on the LU Moment and happy holidays! Congratulations and good luck to you in the future. Remember Lamar University is always home, and you’re welcome here.
Hannah Rumsey:
Sure thing. Thank you so much. It was great talking to you.
Shelly Vitanza:
Yep! I appreciate it. Alright, another cardinal launched and doing great things out in the community and we’re excited about that. We’re also excited about athletics. men’s basketball is taking on Southern Mississippi on December 15th. If you want to come to the Montagne Center, that’s where they will be. That is at 7pm at the Montagne Center. We’re very, very excited. It feels a little more normal doesn't’t it? Then women’s basketball will play Southeastern Louisiana on December the 16th at 7pm, so two opportunities within the next week to see some collegiate sports which we have all been missing. We’re excited about that. Hey, we appreciate you listening to the LU Moment. I’m Shelly Vitanza, the Director of Public Affairs at Lamar University, the pride of Southeast Texas
