McNeese Announces the Spring 2025 Outstanding Graduates 

McNeese State University students Drew Brown, of DeRidder, and Misty Savario, of Lake Charles, were named the overall McNeese Outstanding Graduates for spring 2025. 

The McNeese Student Government Association (SGA) and the McNeese Alumni Association worked together to create the Outstanding Graduate Awards. Students are nominated on the basis of scholarship, leadership, service and the nominee’s impact on the college or on campus.   

Each of the six colleges at McNeese may nominate an outstanding undergraduate and a graduate student in their final semester. A committee from the McNeese Alumni Association then selected one undergraduate and one graduate student for the award.  

Brown, an undergraduate outstanding student in the College of Liberal Arts, will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in political science with a concentration in pre-law and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Brown is the current SGA president and the student representative on the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors. He has also been a Rowdy Rider, president of Kappa Sigma, vice president of recruitment for the Interfraternity Council and president of the Pre-Law and Politics Society. He plans to attend law school in the fall. 

Savario, a graduate student in the Burton College of Education, will graduate with a Master of Education with a concentration in content literacy. She is a mentor teacher for new teachers and a 2024 American Press People’s Choice finalist for K-12 educator. Savario also tutors students in Calcasieu and Jeff Davis parishes who have dyslexia or who are struggling to read and she uses social media to advocate for the science of reading and how teachers can help students to read. She plans to become a master teacher, an interventionist, a curriculum coordinator or an administrator. 

The Burton College of Education also nominated Cara Murphy. She is an undergraduate from Lake Charles and will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with a pre-physical therapy concentration. She was president of Phi Mu, a member of Order of Omega and was on the 2024 Homecoming Court. She plans to become a physical therapist or a physician assistant. 

The College of Business nominated William Calhoun and Arianna Kiritsis. 

Calhoun is an undergraduate from Baton Rouge and will receive a bachelor’s degree in accounting with a concentration in professional accountancy and exam preparation. He was on the 2024 Homecoming Court, is the secretary of the McNeese History Club and placed second in the McNeese Financial Literacy Project. He is also active with the Fibrous Dysplasia/McCune-Albright Syndrome Alliance, communicating with members of Congress to secure funding for research into rare diseases. After graduation Calhoun plans to earn a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at McNeese.  

Kiritsis is a graduate student from Lake Charles and will earn an MBA. She helped organize and collect data for the McNeese Financial Literacy Program and she serves on the board of directors for the Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana. She plans to relocate to Greece where she will be closer to family and hopes to open a language school.  

The College of Liberal Arts also nominated Meilyn Woods, a graduate student from Lake Charles. Woods, who will receive a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing, is a composition instructor and a Write to Excellence Center tutor at McNeese. Her short story, The Shot, was awarded the Robert Olen Butler Award in Fiction. She is part of the editorial staff for The McNeese Review and teaches creative writing to students in the Governor’s Program for Gifted Children during the summer. She plans to publish a book in the next few years and continue teaching at McNeese. 

The College of Nursing and Health Professions nominated Anna Broussard, an undergraduate from Lake Charles. She will earn a bachelor’s degree in radiologic sciences. Broussard was president of the McNeese Radiological Technology Student Organization and a McNeese representative for the Louisiana Society of Radiologic Technologist. She was also a Rowdy Rider, a member of Chi Omega and the 2023 McNeese Homecoming Queen. She plans to work in a hospital and work towards advanced certifications. 

The College of Science, Engineering and Mathematics nominated Ngoc Bui and Allison Dauzat. 

Bui, an undergraduate student from Vietnam, will receive a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. She was president of the Mathematical Association of America Club, a member of the Association of Computing Machinery and an E-Week volunteer. Bui is a tutor for math and science and participated in the NASA weather balloon project. She plans to pursue a doctorate in mathematical finance and eventually become a data scientist or a quantitative researcher. 

Dauzat, a graduate student from Marksville, will receive a master’s degree in environmental and chemical sciences. She plans to work in a local petrochemical plant to develop practical industry skills and gain hands-on experience in a laboratory. She aspires to a career in research.  

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