HAMMOND, La.  – Southeastern Louisiana is the Southland Strong Community Service Award winner for the 2018-19 academic year, Southland Conference Commissioner Tom Burnett announced on Tuesday.
 
Southeastern Director of Athletics Jay Artigues will accept the award at Tuesday night's Southland Conference Honors Dinner in Frisco, Texas. SLU earned the award for the second time in three years and is the first multi-time winner of the honor, which recognizes the Southland member institution that is most active in the community.
 
Lion and Lady Lion student-athletes combined for 7,460 community service hours, which is the highest winning total in the five-year history of the award, besting SLU's winning total of 6,226 in 2016-17.
 
Southeastern's total was 2,638 hours more than any other Southland school in 2018-19. All told, the league's 13 member schools combined for more than 38,000 community service hours with all schools performing more than 1,000.
 
"We're extremely proud to receive the Southland Strong Community Service Award," Artigues said. "Our department's mission statement outlines expectations of excellence in the classroom, in the community and in competition. With an average of 23 community service hours per student-athlete, our coaches and student-athletes are dedicating themselves to living that mission statement. We're fortunate to be a part of a special community here in Hammond and our Lions and Lady Lions have shown their dedication and understanding of how important it is to give back."
 
Southeastern Louisiana's community service efforts included: SLU Move-In Mania; SLU Season of Giving; elementary school visits; Tangi humane society; assisted living facility; Hammond local food bank; sports clinics; Louisiana Children's Discovery Center; Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program; blood drive; local recreation centers; Chappapeela sports facility; Hammond library reading; Walk, Run & Roll 5k; and City of Hammond clean-up.
 
"It's rewarding for our student-athletes to be able to contribute to our community in so many different ways," Artigues commented. "We're involved in so many different projects and events, which is special."
 
Southland Strong Community Service Award Winners
2018-19 – Southeastern Louisiana – 7,460 hours
2017-18 – Sam Houston State – 4,858 hours
2016-17 – Southeastern Louisiana – 6,226 hours
2015-16 – McNeese – 4,755 hours
2014-15 – Northwestern State – 3,156 hours
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Athletics, follow @SLUAthletics on Twitter, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics has instituted a clear bag policy for all ticketed events, effective with the start of football season. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.