Ethan Gautreau was the heart and soul of the UL Honors Program. 

He started in January 2020, assisting with the University’s Undergraduate Research Conference before the global shutdown occurred due to the Pandemic. He was hired as the Assistant Coordinator for the Honors Program. Basically, he was hired to put paper into printers. 

After the shutdown, Honors Seminar was forced to move online. Ethan was the only staff member confident enough to manage an online seminar. He also found his calling.

Throughout the pandemic, Ethan cultivated a love for seminars, keeping the program going against all odds. The director and admin were out on medical leave, and the only other staff member left the program in September of 2021. For 5 months, Ethan was the sole individual keeping the Honors Program afloat and surviving. 

February 2022 comes around, and Elizabeth Daspit starts working in the program. Together, they brought back in-person seminars, reopened the student lounges, and started moving the program forward. Ethan continued to build relationships with students, encouraging them to participate in Honors Seminar, cultivating a love of the simple act of LEARNING. 

Ethan also discovered he had a secondary love of teaching. He enjoyed imparting learned wisdom and having open discussions with students on a variety of topics. He was active and instrumental in improving the student experience within the Program. 

Ethan was instrumental in bringing on the current director and admin. Without him, the program would not have grown sustainably in size and in the quality of student engagement opportunities. The week he was laid off, he was designing a better way to conduct Honors Seminar in the Spring. Without him, this design may not come to pass. 

While these eliminated positions were stated to not effect the student experience, there is a gaping hole where Ethan Gautreau was in the hearts and minds of the UL Honor Students. Ethan was always there, encouraging and pushing students to think beyond their boundaries and take an active role in the program. Without Ethan, there is no Honors Seminar. Without Ethan, the Honors Program will not have the same level of progress, engagement, and enjoyment for the students moving forward.

This message is not only about Ethan Gautreau, but also reflects the broader impact of recent staff reductions across the University. While financial challenges require difficult decisions, the loss of dedicated employees like Ethan has real effects on the strength and continuity of student programs. Strategic solutions that preserve the quality of student engagement should always remain a priority.