News & Worldview
Director of Student Involvement Ricki Rebollar-Becerra Leaves Centenary
March 14, 2026
Over Mardi Gras break, students began hearing rumors that a big name at Centenary would be leaving the school once classes resumed. Rumors turned out to be true when the campus received an email from Dean of Students Mark Miller saying that the Director of Student Involvement, Ricki Rebollar-Becerra, would be leaving Centenary on February 27th for a position at LSUS where he can pursue his Doctorate. Centenary hosted a going-away party for him to celebrate the five years he spent at Centenary. Ricki is clearly loved by the campus community, if the event turnout is any indication. Cake was eaten, tears were shed, and our community got to give Ricki our well-wishes.
During his time at Centenary, Ricki had many hats. He began his role at Centenary in 2021 after a multi-year position at Henderson College serving as their Assistant Director of Student activities. At Centenary, Ricki was responsible for all things fun (and the rules that came along with the fun). He ran SOAR and Orientation, both the events themselves, the organization, and the hiring and training of the mentors. He was the faculty advisor for the Centenary Activities Board and oversaw dozens of events for students including the yearly CAB Fest and CABchella. He played a huge role in organizing Senior Week every year and lead the charge on the Bicentennial Bash. He helped dozens of clubs and organizations earn a chartership through the SGA.
A $12 Billion Bet on Shreveport: What Amazon’s Data Center Means for Centenary Students
March 14, 2026
Northwest Louisiana is on the verge of taking center stage in the national technology scene as the Shreveport City Council gave a warm welcome to a huge investment deal with Amazon. The company recently revealed plans to develop $12 billion worth of data center campuses in Caddo Parish and Bossier Parish, with the Shreveport area at the heart of the growing technology infrastructure world. This deal represents one of the largest economic development undertakings in northwest Louisiana.
United States and Isreal Strike Iran, War in the Middle East
March 14, 2026
On February 28th, the United States and Israel launched missile strikes against Iran in a culmination of sustained tension in the past year. The first strikes killed Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. President Donald Trump greenlit the attacks after failed nuclear weapon negotiation. The strikes are a continuation of a line of conflict between the United States/Israel and Iran, particularly concerning overreach in power, nuclear weapons, and human rights violations.
Since the conflict began, thousands of people in Iran and surrounding countries have died, including seven US military personnel. An elementary school in Iran was bombed, likely by US forces, and at least 165 people died, most of them children. The US/Israel alliance is targeting major cities in Iran, particularly the capital Tehran. In response, Iran has counterstruck several US bases in surrounding countries.
