Published October 21, 2024
CAPTION:ULM Alumni Association Board President Maggie Generoso (left) and ULM Director of
Alumni of Affairs Medria Buford (right) address the crowd at the annual Good Morning Gala, held October 12
as part of ULM’s homecoming festivities.
MONROE, LA – The University of Louisiana Monroe Alumni Association presented their 2024 alumni
awards on Saturday, October 12, during the annual Good Morning Gala at Bayou Pointe
Event Center during Homecoming festivities.
The annual brunch honors recipients of the prestigious Golden Arrow Award, Rising
Young Alumni Award, and Best on the Bayou Award.
The Golden Arrow Award recognizes outstanding service to ULM and the community which
reflects ULM’s values of excellence, integrity, service, and diversity and is presented
to someone who distinguishes themselves through professional achievement in local,
state, or national affairs and demonstrates outstanding and continuing service to
the University and the Alumni Association by giving of their time, talents, and resources
over a period of no less than five years. This year, the Golden Arrow Award was presented
to two recipients.
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(L-R) Director of Alumni Affairs Medria Buford, Golden Arrow
Award Winner Tom Torregrossa, Randy Adair
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The 2024 Golden Arrow Award was presented to Tom Torregrossa. Tom was a member of
the ULM Men’s Track and Field Team from 1976 to 1979 when he earned his bachelor's
degree in criminal justice. Since his time as a student at ULM, Tom has made significant
contributions both in his community and within his professional field.
With a career in law enforcement spanning over four decades Tom served the Monroe
Police Department for 36 years, retiring in 2015. Since then, he has continued his
service as Chief of Police for the ULM Police Department, where he has played a pivotal
role in maintaining campus safety. His leadership in this area earned him national
recognition in 2021 as the 1st runner up for the Campus Safety’s National Director
of the Year.
Tom's leadership extends beyond campus, having served as President of the Municipal
Peace Officers Association in 2012 and the Louisiana Peace Officers Association in
2016. He currently holds the position of 2nd Vice President of the Louisiana Association
of Chiefs of Police.
In the community, he has served as a youth baseball coach in West Monroe and as the
President of the North Delta Crisis Intervention Team. He is also an instructor for
critical safety programs, providing training in areas such as Active Shooter Response,
for schools, hospitals, and businesses. Through a partnership with the Lt. Governor’s
Office, he has led the Campus Emergency Response Team and has played an integral role
in a partnership with ULM’s College of Social Sciences, helping the University become
one of the few institutions selected to train law enforcement in Active Bystander
for Law Enforcement practices.
Reflecting on his time at ULM, Tom fondly remembers being a part of the track and
field program under the guidance of Coach Bob Groseclose, whose mentorship shaped
not only his life but also the lives of many others.
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(L-R) Director of Alumni Affairs Medria Buford, Golden Arrow
Award Winner Cassie Livingston, ULM VP of Enrollment
Management and University Relations Lisa Miller
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The 2024 Golden Arrow Award was also presented to Cassie Livingston. Cassie’s love
for ULM began as a swimmer for the Indian Aquatic Club under the direction of former
NLU swim coach, John Pittington. Years later, she would enroll at ULM and major in
Graphic Design, earning her bachelor's degree in fine arts in 2001. As a ULM art student,
Cassie put all her attention toward creating. Professor Cliff Tresnor was a tremendous
influence on Cassie, as was her design professor, Brian Fassett. Through the ULM Fine
Arts program, Cassie interned with DeltaStyle Magazine.
Cassie became the primary graphic designer, work that was labor-intensive prior to
digital advancements in the field. But thanks to her mentors at ULM she was well-prepared.
for the demanding hours and attention to detail that was required. Years later she
became the publisher for DeltaStyle where she held that position for four years. During
this time, she was named Top 20 Under 40 and the News-Star employee of the year, before
branching out of her own to create BayouLife Magazine in 2012.
Cassie has dedicated her career to helping others giving freely to organizations like
The Children’s Museum, Masur Museum of Art, the Children’s Coalition, Food Bank of
Northeast Louisiana, The Northeast Louisiana Arts Council, Twin City Ballet Company
and others. Through BayouLife Magazine, she sponsors many organizations and has participated
as a speaker at NELA’s Young Professional luncheon, ULM’s EntreprenueHERship and the
Women’s Symposium, giving her time and money for fundraising efforts.
Cassie is an active community leader and former Junior League of Monroe member and
chairperson. She has served on the boards of Twin City Ballet, Ad Club of NELA, the
Women’s Symposium, and the Northeast Louisiana Arts Council. As a small business owner,
she sponsored an employee for Leadership Ouachita and helped redesign the Monroe Chamber’s
annual publication. A member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, she serves on
the Family Life Committee. Cassie has received numerous accolades, including the 2020
BART award for supporting the local arts, district Addy awards for advertising, and
the 33rd Annual James M. Shipp, Jr. Memorial Young Business Leader of the Year award.
As the owner of two businesses - BayouLife Magazine and Max Porter Provisions in West
Monroe, Cassie sees how vital ULM is to this region. Cassie and her husband Trent
are proud ULM alumni holding season tickets to Lady Warhawk basketball and softball
games. Cassie says, “There is something uniquely special about the Northeast Louisiana
community and ULM is an integral part of that community fabric.”
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(L-R) Director of Alumni Affairs Medria Buford, Rising Young
Alumni Award Winner DeRon Talley, ULM Alumni Association
Board President Maggie Generoso
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The Rising Young Alumni Award recognizes professional or personal achievement before
the age of 40, which includes service to ULM and the community, and reflects ULM’s
values of excellence, integrity, service, and diversity and is presented to someone
who demonstrates emerging and unique success in their chosen career, community organizations,
and philanthropic endeavors and demonstrates commitment to ULM and the Alumni Association
and continued investment for future involvement with ULM.
The 2024 Rising Young Alumni Award was presented to Deron Talley. DeRon, a proud graduate
of ULM, was deeply involved in both athletics and student media during his time at
the university. He ran track for two years, achieving the 6th fastest time in ULM
history for the 110-meter hurdles, and earned a spot on the All-Academic Sun Belt
Conference Team. His academic excellence also earned him the title of ULM’s College
of Arts & Sciences Student of the Year. Beyond athletics, DeRon contributed to the
campus community as the sports editor for ULM’s student newspaper, The Hawkeye, where
his leadership helped the newspaper win multiple awards. He represented ULM at conferences
in Louisiana, Tennessee, and New York City.
After graduating from ULM in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication,
DeRon went on to earn a master's in business administration in Marketing from LSU-Shreveport
in 2019. His professional journey began at just 22 years old when he became the youngest
and first Black male editor of The Donaldsonville Chief. He later took on the role
of editor for The Weekly Citizen, leading both newspapers to success. DeRon eventually
returned to ULM to work with the Louisiana Small Business Development Center, where
he assisted entrepreneurs with marketing strategies, before founding his own company,
Key Marketing Solutions, in 2017.
DeRon has also made significant contributions to his community. He was appointed by
Lt. Governor Billy Nungessor as a Commissioner for Volunteer Louisiana. He currently
serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the Children’s Coalition of
NELA and is on the board of the West Monroe West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce. DeRon
is the President of Louisiana Catalyst and previously served as President of the Twin
City Rotary Club in 2018. A Paul Harris Fellow and a 2017 graduate of Leadership Ouachita,
DeRon’s dedication to service extends to his role as Pastor of St. Joseph Missionary
Baptist Church of West Monroe, where he leads several community outreach and ministry
programs. DeRon’s contributions have earned him numerous accolades, including being
named a Top 20 under 40 by NELA Young Professionals and receiving the NELA Young Professionals
Twice As Much Kindness Award.
His favorite memory from ULM is meeting his wife, Patience, during Spring Fever week
in the Quad while waiting in line for laser tag. That moment marked the start of their
journey together, and they have since built a family with their three children, Demi,
DeRon Jr., and Dreaux . Born and raised in Folsom, La., DeRon is the son of Dexter
Talley, Sr., and Rhonda Barnett, and he has seven siblings. His upbringing and strong
family ties continue to shape his leadership and commitment to making a positive impact
in his community.
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(L-R) Director of Alumni Affairs Medria Buford, The
Best on the Bayou Award Winner Chris Williams,
Montrell Marshall
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The Best on the Bayou Award recognizes a ULM employee for continuous support to the
Alumni Association. The recipient of this award must distinguish themselves on campus
as an Alumni Association advocate, and promote and demonstrate outstanding and continuing
service to the University and the Alumni Association by giving of their time, talents,
and resources over a period of time.
The 2024 Best on the Bayou Award was presented to Chris Williams. Chris, a proud ULM
alumnus and Shreveport native, currently serves as the Director of Student Development
at ULM. With a strong commitment to student success, Chris has become an integral
part of the ULM community, helping shape the lives of countless students who will
one day join the ranks of ULM alumni.
Chris earned his bachelor's degree in kinesiology from ULM, holds a Certification
in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University, and is pursuing a master's degree
in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Liberty University. His journey of service
and leadership began as a student when he was initiated into the Kappa Kappa Chapter
of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., where he later served as chapter president.
Known for his passion and leadership, Chris first made his mark as the Coordinator
of Greek Life. Additionally, he served as a Staff Senate member from 2022-2024. Now,
as Director of Student Development, he continues to advocate for student voices, ensuring
they are at the heart of decision-making processes across campus. His innovative thinking
led to the creation of the Rising into Success and Engagement Retreat, which provides
leadership development for key student leaders in organizations such as SGA, CAB,
Greek Life, and the 31 Ambassadors. You can often find him around campus offering
a helping hand and doing any job that is needed to ensure that an event goes as smoothly
as possible.
Chris's dedication extends beyond campus. He is a ULM DEI Fellow, serves on the United
Way NELA's Young Leaders UNITED Cabinet, and is an advisor for Theta Mu Youth Fraternity.
His long-term goal is to become a Vice President of Student Affairs, and his commitment
to professional growth and student engagement positions him well for future success.
About the ULM Alumni Association Awards
Recipients are nominated by alumni and community members and the Awards Selection
Committee reviews submissions, discusses, and selects the award winners. All names
are removed from the nominations so that nominees are judged on their accomplishments
and involvement.
