Published July 16, 2018
The University of Louisiana Monroe is pleased to announce Melissa Kiper has joined
the ULM Alumni Association as Alumni Director, and Jenny Pankey has joined as Associate
Alumni Director. Both women are graduates of ULM.
Coming home again
Kiper describes herself as a hometown girl from West Monroe. She received a Bachelor's
in Marketing from Tech in 2003 and her teaching certificate in 2011. In 2007 she earned
her MBA from ULM followed by her +30 in education in 2013. Her parents, Glynn Kiper
and Nancy Dever, are also graduates of ULM. Kiper worked at ULM before as an academic
advisor in the Student Success Center.
Communications at work
Pankey earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies with a concentration in communications
from ULM. She also has an MBA. As a student worker she served in then-President Lawson
Swearingen's office. There she put her communications skills to work — meeting and
greeting guests and working with the 31 Ambassadors. As a graduate assistant Pankey
worked for Dr. Terry Jones and the late Dr. H.P. Jones.
Jenny Pankey, left, is the new Associate Alumni Director, and Melissa Kiper, right,
is the new Alumni Director. (Emerald McIntyre/ULM Photo Services)
Dream Team
Kiper and Pankey have worked together in the Junior League of Monroe, Inc., where
each served as president. They say the leadership skills they developed at the nonprofit
will serve them well at the Alumni Association. Kiper and Pankey are already familiar
with the campus and are devoted to ULM.
Kiper and Pankey are in offices at the new Laird Weems Alumni Center, which is home
to Alumni Affairs and the ULM Foundation. They are looking forward to teaming up on
Alumni and Foundation projects and promoting ULM as the Best on the Bayou.
