Eight students recognized as Spring 2022 Outstanding Graduates

Olivia Guidry is the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Outstanding Graduate.

Guidry is among eight award finalists who will be recognized Friday and Saturday during Spring 2022 Commencement ceremonies. Individual ceremonies for UL Lafayette’s eight academic colleges and Graduate School will be at the Cajundome and the Cajundome Convention Center.

Each spring and fall semester, deans from the University’s academic colleges nominate a student as Outstanding Graduate. Nominations are based on leadership, scholarship and service. An Alumni Association committee interviews candidates and selects one to receive the overall award.

In addition to being the spring semester’s overall honoree, Guidry represents the College of Liberal Arts as its Outstanding Graduate. She is double majoring in political science and English. Her GPA is 4.0.

Guidry has twice won a Crisler-Levine Best Paper Award given by the Department of Political Science. She was co-captain for the University’s Speech and Debate Team. As a Moot Court Team member, she placed among the top 10 student orators in national qualifying tournaments.

She was executive director of The Big Event, which encourages student service projects. Guidry worked in the Office of the University Registrar. She was a legal assistant at a law firm. Guidry interned at a strategic issue advocacy consulting firm, assisting with political communications, strategy and event planning.

Guidry will attend law school. She is considering offers from Washington University in St. Louis, Catholic University of America, Tulane University, Loyola University New Orleans and LSU. Her parents are Keith and Charlotte Guidry of Henderson.

Here’s a look at the remaining Spring 2022 Outstanding Graduates.

Lindsey Brooke Batten is an Outstanding Graduate Finalist for University College. She is a general studies major with a concentration in business studies. Batten has a 3.97 GPA.

She has been on the President’s and Dean’s lists. Batten received numerous scholarships, including the University’s Transfer Scholarship and the General Studies Alumni Scholarship. She also earned the TOPS Honor Award.

Batten is involved in community service, including as a volunteer with the Rayne Animal Shelter.

Her future plans include working as an event planner for weddings. Batten also intends to enroll in the University’s MBA program. She envisions becoming a business owner.

Batten is the daughter of Mitchell Batten and Shelley Batten of Rayne.

Madeleine Angerdina is an Outstanding Graduate Finalist for the Ray P. Authement College of Sciences. She is a mathematics major minoring in political science and economics. Her GPA is 4.0.

Angerdina was selected as a Center for Undergraduate Research in Mathematics Scholar. She was among eight students who placed second in Mathematical Association of America regional competition.

Angerdina has been vice president of the Math Society, vice president of finance for Alpha Delta Pi, and secretary and treasurer for Young Democratic Socialists of America.

She belongs to Students for the Advancement of Women, the Association for Women in Mathematics, the Student Public Policy Organization and Students for the Autism Society.

Angerdina conducted research for the Department of Mathematics and at the Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Public Policy Center.

She will work in data analytics and pursue a master’s degree in public policy. Her parents are Colleen Angerdina of Madisonville and David Angerdina of Covington.

Peyton Bailey is an Outstanding Graduate Finalist for the College of Engineering. He is a civil engineering major with a minor in mathematics. His GPA is 4.0.

Bailey has conducted research in materials design and materials engineering. He was student chapter president for the American Society of Civil Engineers. Bailey led several student teams in regional engineering ASCE competitions in concrete and steel design and construction.

As part of internships with several firms, he worked on environmental, hydrological and structural projects for municipalities. Bailey also helped manage specifications, drawings and purchasing for a project at the Grasberg mine in Indonesia.

He was president of the student chapter of Chi Epsilon national honor society, and the college’s ambassador for the Student Center for Research, Creativity and Scholarship.

Bailey will work for C.H. Fenstermaker and Associates in New Orleans on modeling for the Louisiana Watershed Initiative. His parents are Toby Bailey and Christi Bailey of New Iberia.

Natalie Broussard is an Outstanding Graduate Finalist for the College of the Arts. She is a music major with a concentration in vocal performance. Her GPA is 3.87

Broussard earned the Undergraduate Scholar Award from the Presser Foundation. The foundation is in Philadelphia; it supports music and music education. She has also earned awards from the Louisiana chapter of the National Association for Teachers of Singing and the associations’ Southern Region chapter.

Broussard was vice president of UL Lafayette Choirs, and a member of UL Lafayette Opera Theatre and the Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity.

She has conducted numerous concerts and performances on and off campus. Broussard has been a cantor at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and St. Basil Catholic Church. She also teaches private lessons.

Broussard will enroll at the University of Houston this fall to pursue post-baccalaureate music education certification. Her parents are Yvette Weber and Steven Broussard of Lafayette.

Madilynn Bulot is the Outstanding Graduate Finalist for the B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration. She is an economics major with a 4.0 GPA.

Bulot worked at UL Lafayette’s Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Public Policy Center. She assisted with workforce program research and helped research Kinship Navigator Program projects for the center.

Bulot presented her undergraduate thesis at the University’s Undergraduate Research Conference, and conducted economics research. She was president of the University’s Economics Club and vice president of the Law Club.

Bulot interned for a legislator in Washington, D.C.; she also was a page at the Louisiana House of Representatives. Bulot will attend law school, and plans to combine her expertise in law, public policy and economics to work at a law firm, or become a law professor or judge.

Her parents are Melissa and Coley Johnson of Denham Springs and Mark and Katie Bulot of Zachary.

Ashley Latiolais is an Outstanding Graduate Finalist for the College of Education. She is an elementary education major with a 4.0 GPA.

Latiolais represented the college as president and a senator for the Student Government Association. She was twice recognized as Peer Mentor of the Year for the University’s Office of First-Year Experience.

Latiolais has been a member of the campus chapter of Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana, which supports 20,000 public school teachers, counselors, psychologists, librarians, education support professionals and others.

She worked in the Department of Educational Curriculum and Instruction’s Instructional Materials Center. The center houses K-12 textbooks, young adult literature, reference books, professional journals and audio-visual materials.

Her interests include educational leadership and counseling. Latiolais will teach English in Europe, then pursue a master’s degree and a doctoral degree. She is the daughter of Richard and Nicole Latiolais of Breaux Bridge.

Jaden Romero is an Outstanding Graduate Finalist for the College of Nursing & Health Sciences. He is a nursing major with a 3.3 GPA.

Romero was student focus group leader for the “Determining the Difference in Bedside vs. Remote Observation of Patient Simulation” research project. His other research has centered on alcohol use and prevention among adolescents; childhood adversity and health outcomes; and improving the patient experience.

Romero has been a member of the Council on Undergraduate Research and served on the Dean’s Advisory Council. He was a student ambassador for the Student Center for Research, Creativity and Scholarship.

Romero was an intern at Ochsner University Hospital and Clinics. He plans to work as a registered nurse to gain medical surgical experience; his eventual goal is to pursue a career in oncology.

Romero is the son of Sean and Melissa Romero of Abbeville.

Learn more about Spring 2022 Commencement.

Photo caption: The University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Spring 2022 Outstanding Graduates are, from left: Madeleine Angerdina, Ray P. Authement College of Sciences; Natalie Broussard, College of the Arts; Lindsey Brooke Batten, University College; Peyton Bailey, College of Engineering; Madilynn Bulot, B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration; Jaden Romero, College of Nursing & Health Sciences; Ashley Latiolais, College of Education; and Overall Outstanding Graduate Olivia Guidry, College of Liberal Arts. (Photo credit: Rachel Rafati / University of Louisiana at Lafayette)