NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University presented service awards to outstanding alumni during Homecoming festivities Oct. 21. Honorees were Lane Luckie of Tyler, Texas, Outstanding Young Alumnus Award; Brad Miller of Chicago, Distinguished Alumnus Award, and Gail Metoyer Jones of Natchitoches, Volunteer of the Year. Each award is presented to a Northwestern graduate who has exhibited dedication and loyalty to the university’s programs and missions and has demonstrated continued interest in service to the NSU as a volunteer, donor or advocate.
The Outstanding Young Alumnus Award is presented to a young graduate who has demonstrated an early record of service to Northwestern State. Recipients must have attained alumni status within 10 years and must be 40 years old or younger at the time of nomination.
Luckie earned a degree in broadcast journalism in 2008 and is anchor of Good Morning, East Texas, at KLTV, the ABC affiliate in Tyler. An Emmy-nominated journalist, Luckie’s work has been recognized by the Broadcast Education Association and the Southeast Journalism Conference. Earlier this year, he was a RIAS Berlin Commission Fellow, participating in a trans-Atlantic exchange program for American and German broadcasters.
Luckie serves on the board of directors for the NSU Alumni Association and advisory committee for the Department of New Media, Journalism and Communication Arts. He is president of the Beta Omicron Alumni Chapter and Housing Corporation of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity. Having presented educational programming at dozens of colleges across the country, Luckie was named Volunteer of the Year and Facilitator of the Year and was named to Pi Kappa Phi’s Thirty Under 30 list. He volunteers with the Texas Ramp Project and serves on the pastor council of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
The Distinguished Alumnus award is presented to an alumnus who has a demonstrated record of service to NSU and long-term interest in serving the university. The recipient must have graduated at least 10 years prior to nomination and must be 40 years of age or older at the time of nomination.
Miller earned a degree in business with a minor in marketing in 1998 and was a member of the 1994 and 1995 Southland Conference Champion Demon baseball teams. After graduation he went to work for Association Member Benefits Advisors and in his first year was the number one sales representative in the country. The following year he moved up through the ranks and became the youngest regional vice president in the history of the company and twice earned Regional Vice President of the Year, breaking the all-time company RVP record. Based in Chicago, he has for the last 15 years been responsible for AMBA’s Midwest sales force.
Over the years, Miller has been invited to speak to classes in NSU’s School of Business and has made it a priority to network with and provide opportunities for NSU graduates with his company.
The Volunteer of the Year award is given to a member of the NSU Alumni Association who demonstrates an exemplary record of volunteering time, talents and service to the Alumni Association and demonstrates active involvement with a chapter, alumni interest group, affiliate program, NSU Alumni Board or other forums of volunteer service to the university.
Jones earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1981 and a master’s in Student Personnel Services in 1998 and worked at NSU for over 17 years in several capacities including admissions counselor, recruiter, scholarship coordinator, counselor at the Louisiana Scholars’ College and director of Student Support Services and New Student Programs. She has served on several volunteer boards and community service projects, including the Board of Directors for Children and Youth Planning, Cane River Home for Children and the Boys and Girls Club of Natchitoches.
While serving as executive director of the Boys and Girls Club, Jones was recognized as Leader of the Year by the southeast region in 2000 and as Volunteer of the Year from 2012-2014. She has also served as Chief of Community Services Division for the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office, which targets the needs of youth and families. She is active within her church, St. Augustine Catholic Church, and with the Alzheimer’s Foundation’s Longest Day initiative.
