LSU Alexandria will hold commencement exercises on Thursday, May 23 at 10 a.m. at the Alexandria Riverfront Center in Alexandria. Senator Gerald Long will be the commencement speaker.
On Wednesday, May 22, graduating students from nursing and allied health will be honored during pinning ceremonies. The allied health pinning, for clinical laboratory science, phlebotomy, and radiologic technology, will be at 5:30 p.m. in Coughlin Auditorium on LSU Alexandria campus. The nursing pinning will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the LSU Alexandria Fitness Center.
Sen. Long is serving his second term in the Louisiana State Senate, representing District 31. He was first elected to the Senate in 2007, and was re-elected without opposition in 2011.
He has served as vice chairman of the Senate Committee of Insurance. He sat on the Revenue & Fiscal Affairs Committee, Education Committee, and also was on the Select Committee on Homeland Security. He currently serves as chairman of the Natural Resources Committee and sits on the Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development Committee, Insurance Committee, Retirement Committee, is an interim member of Finance, and serves on the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget. He is a member of the Louisiana Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, Legislative Advisory Board for the Southern Regional Education Board, and the Legislative Rural Caucus.
His work experience prior to becoming a senator included teaching at Houma Junior High School and Leesville High School and a career with State Farm Insurance. After retiring from the insurance business he and his wife became representatives for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes where they served students throughout the district by providing leadership and setting a positive example.