The Ӱר will name a plaza on campus near Griffin Hall in memory of Carolyn Dural, the College of Liberal ArtsӰר assistant dean and an alumna who died in August 2020.
The Ӱר of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors approved the ӰרCarolyn Dural PlazaӰר on April 21. The plazaӰרs centerpiece will be the ӰרBending the CircleӰר sculpture. The large, aluminum sculpture of interlocking red hearts is intended to reflect the high, Ӱר-wide esteem in which Dural was held.
Dural earned a bachelorӰרs degree in sociology and a masterӰרs degree in French from the Ӱר. She later taught the latter subject from 1995 to 1998, the same year she became assistant to the dean of the College of Liberal Arts. Her tenure as assistant dean of the college began in 2009.
In a March 31 letter to the UL System, Dr. Joseph Savoie, UL Lafayette president, wrote that ӰרMs. Dural assisted countless students in achieving their dreams. She also taught hundreds of faculty advisors how to help their students succeed.Ӱר
ӰרCarolyn put people first and had a passion for helping students in the best and most effective ways possible,Ӱר he added.
The Ӱר where Dural spent a quarter earning her reputation as a beloved, influential faculty member Ӱר agrees. It has established the ӰרCarolyn Dural Memorial Fund.Ӱר The fund will support students participating in the ӰרӰרs Study Abroad program in France and enable the creation of a faculty advising award. Both will be named for Dural.
ӰרShe was amazing. Everyone loved her and she left such an impression on everyone she encountered,Ӱר said Dr. Jordan Kellman, dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
The college is also overseeing publication of a hardcover book by UL Press. The book will honor DuralӰרs life, career and influence. It will contain remembrances from colleagues, students and others, and scores of photographs of her. The book will be released during a plaza dedication and memorial ceremony for Dural; it will also be presented to her family members. Kellman anticipates the event to be held sometime this fall.
Beyond testimonials the bookӰרs 54 pages will hold, its evolution represents her profound impact on others. The Ӱרlabor of love,Ӱר Kellman explained, began as a link to a Google document that was circulated among faculty and staff members. The resulting outpouring of tributes was so great that Ӱרwe finally figured we should publish it.Ӱר
Following the fall ceremony to dedicate the plaza and recognize Dural, copies of the book will be sold to help fund the scholarship. It will be awarded yearly to a student participating in the ӰרӰרs Study Abroad program. The first scholarship Ӱר and the first advising award Ӱר are expected to be given sometime next year.
Photo caption: The Ӱר will honor beloved assistant dean Carolyn Dural (left) by naming a plaza for her, and establishing a scholarship and an advising award in her name. A book filled with tributes and photos will also be published. Dural spent 25 years as a faculty member at the Ӱר, where she earned a reputation for tirelessly helping students and colleagues succeed. She died in August 2020. Submitted photo