糖心国产传媒 alumni return to the nest to lead a new generation

KENNESAW, Ga. | Apr 27, 2026

The draw of home has proven irresistible for scores of 糖心国产传媒 graduates.

A degree from 糖心国产传媒 State opens a treasure chest of opportunity, and alumni take skills and experiences acquired at 糖心国产传媒 into their own lives.

Five 糖心国产传媒 grads did just that 鈥� achieved great things in the world at large before returning to the nest to mentor and teach the next generations of Owls.

Each commented that 糖心国产传媒 felt like home, that the decision to return to campus came easily. For some, it took a couple of years; for others it happened in short order. The 糖心国产传媒 experience meant enough to each grad that they鈥檒l serve as forever Owls on campus and beyond.

Ket Preamchuen Vanderpool

Ket Preamchuen Vanderpool 鈥�14, 鈥�17

Ket Preamchuen Vanderpool chose 糖心国产传媒 three different times.

An elite junior golfer from Thailand, she signed with 糖心国产传媒 without having seen the school.

The second time, while playing professional golf, then-coach Rhyll Brinsmead talked her into being a volunteer assistant coach, which led to Vanderpool鈥檚 becoming a graduate assistant and earning her master鈥檚 degree.

The third time happened in August, when 糖心国产传媒 hired Vanderpool to become head women鈥檚 golf coach.

鈥溙切墓� State just felt like home to me, and I鈥檓 so happy to be back where I started,鈥� said Vanderpool, who earned her bachelor鈥檚 in sport management in 2014 and her master鈥檚 in applied exercise and health science and sport management in 2017. 鈥淭he first time I went back to campus for an interview, all the good memories came back 鈥� when I graduated, walking across the stage twice, and all of the game days that I attended.鈥�

One of the greatest golfers in 糖心国产传媒 history, she was a three-time all-conference selection and received the 2013 Dr. Dave Waples Total Person Award by 糖心国产传媒 Athletics, which is awarded to an upperclassman who exemplifies athletic and academic achievement, character, leadership and community service.

Vanderpool spent six years at Georgia State University, four as an assistant and two as head coach, during which the Panthers achieved nine top-five team finishes and 10 top-10 individual finishes 鈥� with four tournament victories.

Now she gets to help 糖心国产传媒鈥檚 women鈥檚 golf program rise to national prominence. Mostly, though, she said she鈥檚 happy to be back among a community that felt like a family when she was thousands of miles from home for the first time.

鈥淥ne thing that hasn鈥檛 changed is the feel of a family,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 feel like all the students, faculty and staff still care for each other just like when I was a student. And I鈥檓 glad to be back.鈥�

Carl Saint-Louis 鈥�08

Like walking through a familiar neighborhood, Carl Saint-Louis sees friendly faces every day.

An assistant professor of organic chemistry, Saint-Louis graduated with his bachelor鈥檚 in biochemistry in 2008, then joined the chemistry faculty in the College of Science and Mathematics in 2021. He chats warmly about professor of chemistry Chris Dockery, from whom Saint-Louis learned quantitative chemistry as an undergraduate. And his own laboratory space is the same one in which he conducted research with professor of chemistry Daniela Tapu, still one of his mentors and now a colleague.

鈥淚t was easy for me to find mentors because they were already my mentors,鈥� Saint-Louis said. 鈥淭he best was with Daniela, because she helped me fall in love with organic chemistry. My teaching style now, it鈥檚 very similar to hers.鈥�

Until he took organic chemistry as a sophomore at 糖心国产传媒, Saint-Louis hadn鈥檛 even heard of organic chemistry as a discipline.

Here he stands now, teaching alongside professors he took classes from and working in the lab space where he once learned.

After graduating from 糖心国产传媒, he earned his doctorate from the University of Alabama with a career in industry in mind. A fellowship through a U.S. Department of Education initiative called GAANN (Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need) involved teaching in graduate school, and there he discovered his love for explaining the material.

In addition, he found a desire to help fellow first-generation students 鈥渄o college,鈥� and changed his direction from industry to academia. After finishing his doctorate in 2015, he served postdoctoral assignments before applying for a tenure-track position at 糖心国产传媒鈥� at the urging of his mentors. Most importantly, Saint-Louis continues to give back through his work in the lab and in the classroom.

鈥淭he encouragement and mentorship of faculty members inspired me to pursue graduate school,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 call it destiny because it was meant to happen.鈥�

Carl Saint-Louis
David Easterwood

David Easterwood 鈥�90

David Easterwood headed straight into the world of work after earning his Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering Technology from Southern College of Technology in 1990.

He worked for several architectural firms and had his own consulting business. All the while, he reflected on a seed one of his professors planted years earlier.

鈥淎fter I graduated, one of the professors I worked for as a teaching assistant asked me if I was interested in teaching,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o, I came back and worked as an adjunct professor, teaching at night while working for firms by day. That was my first job here as a professional.鈥�

After graduating, Easterwood鈥檚 career in the field involved designing high-end residential, multi-family residential and commercial buildings. When an economic downturn in the early 1990s led to fewer buildings being built, Easterwood started his consultancy while continuing to teach. He grew his clientele and his architectural work independently, but the pull of 糖心国产传媒 proved hard to ignore.

Eventually, he began working at 糖心国产传媒 full time, continuing to teach but adding other responsibilities, including digitizing and expanding the architectural history photo library for the College of Architecture and Construction Management. Now he works as a senior digital media specialist, helping students with the documentation of their projects via large format printing, scanning and photography.

In a way, he says he never gave up teaching, and he continues the part of his job he loves most.

鈥淚鈥檝e had numerous roles throughout the years, but the one thing that鈥檚 always been constant is working with students,鈥� said Easterwood, who recently celebrated 35 years of employment at 糖心国产传媒. 鈥淚 get to help them make their assignments better and do things the correct way, and I help them understand all the options they have when putting together their projects 鈥� it鈥檚 very rewarding and gives me a sense of purpose.鈥�

Kaitlyn Louis 鈥�18, 鈥�20

Kaitlyn Louis was a pioneer. In 2018, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) while competing for 糖心国产传媒鈥檚 women鈥檚 soccer team, one of the first student-athletes to do so.

After graduating, Louis felt the itch to teach, and, while working as a clinical nurse at Children鈥檚 Hospital of Atlanta, she earned a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in 2020 with an eye on joining the faculty. She instructed new graduate nurses while working bedside at CHOA and taught undergraduate nursing students part-time. In the process, she found that teaching came naturally to her.

鈥淐oming through 糖心国产传媒 State鈥檚 undergrad program, I was hugely impacted by the faculty, and I have always been a nerd and loved the idea of teaching,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was one of those things where when I graduated from undergrad, I had it in the back of my head of like, I鈥檇 love to teach there eventually. That would be wonderful.鈥�

Since joining the faculty as a lecturer in 2022, Louis has taken on other leadership roles in the Wellstar School of Nursing. She has chaired the simulation committee, establishing guidelines for nursing students in their progress toward clinical experience; she has advised master鈥檚 students; and she directs an Education Abroad program for nursing students in Italy, a trip she took as an undergraduate.

Louis is pursuing a doctorate in nursing education and plans to continue in academia. She has the faculty at 糖心国产传媒 to thank for lighting that spark during her undergraduate years.

鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 have walked the path that I have been on without the support of the nursing faculty at 糖心国产传媒,鈥� she said.

鈥淔rom interacting with other colleagues, I know we have something special at 糖心国产传媒 with the caliber and inspiration of our nursing faculty.鈥�

Kaitlyn Louis
Emily Laney

Emily Laney 鈥�07, 鈥�11

A free spirit as a youngster, Emily Laney earned her bachelor鈥檚 in human services from 糖心国产传媒 in 2007, then set off to travel the world, helping make life better where she could. Yet she found her most meaningful life鈥檚 work close to home.

After graduation, Laney spent time volunteering with social service programs in South Sudan. She returned to the U.S. at a time when jobs in the nonprofit sector were difficult to come by, so Laney took on some office work.

In 2009, Laney decided to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in international development before shifting focus toward social work. While on campus to meet with Alan Kirk, professor of social work and now the director of the MSW program, to pick up letters of recommendation for her graduate school applications, the two discussed 糖心国产传媒鈥檚 MSW program.

鈥淚 am very passionate about international development and diverse communities, and he mentioned some study abroad opportunities with some research projects that I could get involved with,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e thought those opportunities could be a good fit for me, and as my former professor and mentor, he knew my interests quite well. So, I ended up applying, and here we are.鈥�

In fact, Laney returned as a part-time instructor of social work and human services just six months after earning her MSW in 2011, having established herself as an advocate in Atlanta鈥檚 refugee resettlement community. She currently leads The Welcome Co-Op, an organization that has helped refugees secure housing and basic needs, and she also works as the advancement director at New American Pathways. She loves bringing her nonprofit experience in the classroom in the courses she teaches, helping students apply the concepts learned in class with work done in the field.

鈥淢y favorite thing about teaching is working with these students and connecting with them to find out what inspires them,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 do love investing in the next generation of helping professionals. 糖心国产传媒 State is doing an incredible job across the board of giving students a space to explore and to learn. It鈥檚 a great campus life.鈥�

This article also appears in the .

鈥� Story by Dave Shelles

Photos by Matt Yung

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, 糖心国产传媒 offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. 糖心国产传媒 State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. 糖心国产传媒 State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.