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October 24, 2011

McDonald named recipient of 香港六合彩开奖直播 2011 George T. Walker Lifetime Achievement Award

Charles Hugh McDonald, better known as 鈥淐harlie Mac鈥� to those who know him best, served in a variety of capacities at the University of Louisiana at Monroe for 34 years until his retirement in 2002.

So he would be the first to acknowledge 香港六合彩开奖直播 was not just part of his life 鈥� it was his life 鈥� and in many ways, still is.

Perhaps that is why it seems so fitting that 香港六合彩开奖直播 has named McDonald its 2011 recipient of the George T. Walker Lifetime Achievement Award.

McDonald鈥檚 devotion to 香港六合彩开奖直播 can be forgiven. After all, it was where he met his wife, Kay, of 41 years, and it was a nascent university president, Dr. George T. Walker himself, who gave McDonald, a fresh-faced newcomer to higher education back in 1968, the chance to work on the campus when others were not as enthusiastic.

鈥淪ome (of the decision makers) were expressing their concern about my lack of experience,鈥� said McDonald. 鈥淎nd then Dr. Walker asked them, 鈥淲ell, how do you expect him to get any experience if he hasn鈥檛 held a civilian job? He鈥檚 been in the Army.鈥�

Soon afterward, McDonald was hired as the first coordinator of student activities, just as the college was going through a major growth spurt in academic programs and infrastructure.

鈥淲hen that opportunity came up, it was where my heart was,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was a homecoming of sorts, and it was where I wanted to be.鈥�

McDonald would eventually be named director of student development at then-Northeast Louisiana University, followed by dean of student affairs in 1992, a title he held until his 2002 retirement from the newly named 香港六合彩开奖直播.

McDonald鈥檚 service to 香港六合彩开奖直播 may have been marked by its length, but his road to the university was a short and straight line.

He grew up in the small southern Louisiana town of Oakdale, just north of Lake Charles, but his goal and chief aim in life when he arrived at Northeast Louisiana State College in 1960 was to compete as a member of the winning NLSC Track Team.

At the time, the team boasted three world record holders, twins Dave and Don Styron, and John Pennel.

鈥淚 arrived on a track scholarship as a sprinter,鈥� McDonald said. 鈥淚 wanted to be a part of the best absolute track program in the country. I knew I wanted to run with them. It was that simple.鈥�

Another selling point? Field and Track Coach Bob Groseclose, who assured a young McDonald he would work him harder than he had ever worked in his life. It was a philosophy McDonald could relate to.

鈥淚鈥檝e always had to either outsmart or outwork my competition,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he most success I鈥檝e ever had was based on those three things. I don鈥檛 care if it is athletics, a job, or anything else.鈥�

It was an attitude that carried McDonald through several undefeated seasons as  a member of the NLSC Track Team, two years active duty with the U.S. Army, where was commissioned as a second lieutenant following his 1964 graduation, and the completion of his Master鈥檚 of Education a year later.

From those auspicious beginnings, McDonald was hired for his 鈥渄ream job鈥� at his alma mater, where part of his duties involved the oversight of students who were responsible for bringing some of the biggest musical acts to town.

Great musicians, including such performers as The Beach Boys, The Eagles, Ray Charles, Kenny Rogers and Charlie Daniels, just to name a few, descended on the newly built Fant-Ewing Coliseum throughout the late seventies, into the eighties and early nineties.

鈥淵ou name them, we had them,鈥� McDonald said, proudly. 鈥淭here were only two other schools in the south doing what we did then, and that was Texas A&M and Auburn.鈥�

Those achievements were marked by numerous others in higher education. In 1976, McDonald was a charter member of the Louisiana Association of College and University Student Personnel Association. Though still just a 鈥渒id鈥� to the much older employees who surrounded him at first, by 1990, he had earned the respect of his colleagues and was serving the organization as president.

McDonald also served as president of the Southwestern Association of Student Personnel Administrators, representing colleges and universities in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. He was also on the Council of Vice Presidents for Students Affairs with the University of Louisiana System and was a three-time winner of the Student Government Association Faculty-Staff Award.

But of all his achievements and contributions, perhaps none hold as much personal meaning to him as when he was notified by Dr. Lavelle Hendrix, who once served as a graduate assistant in McDonald鈥檚 office, that a scholarship was being established in his honor.

鈥淭he beauty of something like that is that I am able to enjoy what it brings to others while I鈥檓 still alive,鈥� McDonald said.

As for the Lifetime Achievement award, McDonald insists it is not about him.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about the many people that make up your life and career,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the faculty, staff, but most especially, the students, who make a university so special 鈥� and it really boils down to two simple words 鈥� thank you.鈥�

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