PINEVILLE, La. (WNTZ) – Louisiana Christian University has added six new faculty members for the fall 2025 semester and announced a series of faculty promotions, tenure appointments and professorships.

The new hires attended orientation on campus last week and began teaching Monday.

“LCU continues to attract the finest professors for our open positions,” said Dr. Henry O. Robertson, vice president of academic affairs. “All of them are strong in their Christian faith, dedicated to our mission, and determined in their resolve to give our students the best education found anywhere in the state or nation.”

New faculty members

• Ann Ferguson, nursing, joins after earning an M.S. at William Carey University and working as an ICU nurse at Lafayette General Hospital.
• Shareka Moore-Roque, assistant professor of social work, holds degrees from Northwestern State and LSU and is pursuing a doctorate at Houston Christian University. She brings seven years of private practice experience.
• Emily Norris, assistant professor of psychology, earned her master’s degree at LSU-Shreveport and previously helped develop an after-school reading program at a community counseling clinic.
• Sandra Purifoy, associate professor of biology, is a Louisiana College graduate with an M.S. from Louisiana Tech and decades of teaching experience.
• Myles Roberts, finishing his Ph.D. in English literature at Baylor University, is a Shakespeare scholar, musician and homeless activist. He holds degrees from LSUS, Howard and Duke universities.
• John Rivoire, nursing professor, has taught at two Louisiana universities and served as a major in the U.S. Air Force in the Persian Gulf. He earned graduate degrees from the University of Mississippi Health Sciences Center and Grambling University.

Faculty promotions and tenure
Following review by a university committee, administrators and the LCU Board of Trustees, the following promotions and tenure were approved in April:

• Dr. Theodore Chiasson, computer science, granted tenure
• Dr. Jeannie Gauthier, English, promoted to professor
• Dr. Andrew Magee, criminal justice, promoted to professor
• Dr. Scott Pickard, history, promoted to professor
• Jeff Young, media and communication, promoted to professor

“Tenure and promotion decisions are never taken lightly,” Robertson said. “These recipients are all worthy of the trust and confidence the university has placed in their teaching, scholarship and service.”

Endowed chairs and professorships
LCU also awarded endowed positions funded through private donations and matched by the Louisiana Board of Regents:

• Coughlin-Saunders Foundation Chair in Nursing: Dr. Amelia Davis
• J.E. Hixon Professorship: Dr. David Elliott
• George F. Kirby Professorship in Chemistry: Dr. Sarah Payne
• Eugenia Dawson Professorship in Art: Michael Williams

The honorees will be recognized at Founder’s Day Chapel this fall and presented with engraved bronze medals.

“These outstanding faculty members have reached the pinnacle of the profession in their respective fields,” Robertson said. “Their excellence shows in their teaching, scholarship and contributions to their field, church and community.”