ALUMNI NEWS Fall 2012 - Southeastern Louisiana University

Homecoming
2012
The Southeastern Alumni Association
celebrated its 85th anniversary with a
week’s worth of activities for students,
faculty, alumni and other visitors.
Activities included the usual events for students, faculty and staff,
including the Phi Kappa Phi Quiz Bowl pitting student and faculty
teams against each other, the annual Gumbo Ya Ya fest, bonfire
and block party, tailgating, recognition of donors, Homecoming
parade, and crowning of the student king and queen.
Highlighting the week was the Alumni Awards Evening, where
Southeastern President John L. Crain toasted the association on
its milestone anniversary and assisted in the recognition of several
major award winners.
ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR
Recognized as the 2012 Alumnus of the Year was Steven Cossé, a
native New Orleanian who rose through the ranks of ODECO and
Murphy Oil Corporation over 41 years to his current position as
president and chief executive officer of the El Dorado, Ark.-based
oil giant with 10,000 employees worldwide.
Following his graduation from Southeastern in 1969, he was
hired as a junior accountant at ODECO in New Orleans, a subsidiary
of Murphy Oil.
“My job with ODECO was a direct result of the company’s previous
experience with other Southeastern graduates,” he told the
audience. “I later learned from my boss that it was the reputation
of Southeastern’s accounting program that had a major influence in
my getting the job.”
After receiving his law degree from Loyola University in New
Orleans, he gradually rose through various positions at Murphy Oil,
including executive vice president, senior vice president, and principal
financial officer while also serving as general counsel throughout
most of his career there.
Cossé praised the quality of education and the values he learned
as a student at Southeastern.
“The hallmark of any learning institution is the quality of its
teachers,” he said. “At Southeastern, I had many great professors.
Not only did Southeastern give me a great jump in my initial
career, but it also gave me lifelong values, and for that I am forever
grateful.”
He said those values he learned include concern for others.
“Our parents brought us up to realize that life isn’t just about
you, it’s not just about me, it’s about other people as well,” he said.
“You have to look to your neighbor and you have to help others as
much as you can.”
At the event, the Association announced the establishment of the
Murphy Oil Endowed Scholarship, funded by Cossé and the corporation.
Cossé serves on the boards of the Arkansas Research Alliance,
Simmons First Bank of El Corado and Simmons First National
Corporation. He is a member of the board of the SHARE
Foundation, a not-for-profit public charity focused on building a
healthier community by improving health and wellbeing through
Above: Alumnus of the Year Steven Cossé, and Young Alumnus of the Year John
Lejeune Jr. were recognized during Homecoming Week. From left are Alumni
Association Director Kathy Pittman, Lejeune, Cosse and President John L. Crain.
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