This year's Chair of Ideas, Dr. Justine Okerson '01, currently works as the Associate Director for Merit Scholarship Programs in the Office of Undergraduate Scholars and Fellows at Duke University in Durham, NC. She was born and raised in Memphis, where she attended Lausanne Collegiate School from Kindergarten through 12th Grade.
"One of the elements that I really think makes me who I am today is my experience at Lausanne," said Okerson.
Justine also teaches a course on the college environment and student characteristics as an adjunct professor at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. Justine earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where she completed her dissertation on college choice and the campus visit.
"One of my favorite things about Lausanne was the proud and time-honored traditions that we celebrated each year," said Okerson. "Traditions at Lausanne enhanced my academic experience and had me searching for those same kinds of connections in my life post-Lausanne."
Justine came in a day early to conduct mock interviews with some of our students and spent the evening with our Upper School parents as a featured speaker, where the selective college admission process was discussed.
Today, she took a tour of the school, sat down with Headmaster McCathie and spoke to students in EPAC as the Lausanne Chair of Ideas.
Established in 1992 and one of the most prestigious honors given at Lausanne, the Chair of Ideas invites a distinguished alum back to campus to share their experiences with our students.