SUSLA alum, retired educator scheduled to address SUSLA graduates, May 11

.

The Division of Allied Health and School of Nursing speaker is SUSLA alumnus Marilyn Glover Latin, RN, BSN, CRT. Latin is a registered nurse at the Overton Brooks Memorial Veterans Administration Medical Center in Shreveport.

She received her bachelor of science in nursing from Grambling State University in 2010. Within that same year, Latin was one out of four candidates chosen throughout the nation for a summer research scholars nursing internship at Penn State University. In 2009, the Shreveport Black Nurses Association honored her with a scholarship based upon her G.P.A. and community services.

Latin received a certification in clinical phlebotomy from SUSLA. After working as a phlebotomist, she returned to Southern Shreveport and obtained as associate degree in respiratory therapy and was named Who's Who among American Junior Colleges. In 2002, Latin became the respiratory director at Meadowview Health and Rehab. In 2005, she started her own home health company, SMB Healthcare Services where she continues to give back to the community.

The noon commencement speaker is Ollie Tyler, the first woman and first African-American to serve as superintendent of Schools for Caddo Parish and a former administrator with the Louisiana Department of Education.

A Caddo Parish native, Tyler received a bachelor of science degree from Grambling State University, a master of education degree from Louisiana State University, and completed 42 hours of graduate and post baccalaureate work above a master's degree at several universities. She has been an educator for more than 40 years and was appointed to serve as superintendent of Schools for the Caddo Parish Public School System with a population of 44,000 students.

Tyler was recognized as the 2007 Louisiana Superintendent of the Year, received the Shreveport Times Newspaper Outstanding Leader Award. She was a recipient of the Phi Delta Kappa National Citation Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award for the Minority Business Council, and the first annual JROTC Louisiana Superintendent of the Year Award.

She received the 2007 Athena Award for excellence in leadership and service for improving the quality of life for others in her community. In 2006, Tyler was inducted into the Jr. Achievement Business Hall of Fame in North Louisiana. In addition, she was selected by the Shreveport Times as one of the 10 Most Influential Women in Northwest Louisiana. She was selected as the New Orleans Business "Woman of the Year." Tyler was a recipient of Women Who Make A Difference Award, and she received the Women of Distinction Leadership Award of the Century in North Louisiana.

Tyler served on the Governor's Education Transition Team in 2004 and served on the Governor's Louisiana Women's Policy and Research Commission from 2007-2011, nationally she served on the Deputies Leadership Commission's Executive Committee for State Deputies with the Council of Chief State School Officers. She became president-elect of this Commission in 2011. Tyler was appointed as deputy superintendent of education for the State of Louisiana in August, 2007. She also was the first African American to hold this position. On May 16, 2011, Tyler became the acting state superintendent of education for Louisiana. In this position, she worked closely with all 70 local school superintendents in Louisiana, the Governor's Office, State Legislators, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and many other stakeholders, implementing statewide programs/initiatives to improve the education of approximately 700,000 students.

On January 19, 2012, Tyler retired from the Louisiana Department of Education. She has spent 43 years in education, serving the children of Louisiana.