What has your life been like since leaving Southeastern? What do you do for a living? And have you married and/or had children?
After graduation, I worked as a photographer for the Bogalusa Daily News, the News Star World in Monroe and the Shreveport Journal until I went to work for the Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss. where I worked until I retired after 28 years. I now do freelance photography, mostly real estate, but also the occasional sports assignment. I have been married to Donna for 42 years, and we have two children, Haley Whitlock, who lives in Brandon, Miss., and Alan Guy, who is currently in law school at Ole Miss.
What do you remember most about your time at Southeastern and working with student publications?
I learned a lot during my time at SLU. The school photographer at the time was Mike Gaskin, who I still keep in touch with and is the main reason I became a photographer. I remember Mr. Vic and all the other leaders who guided us in the ways of real journalism but also let us find our own way. It was a wonderful experience.
Give me your back story. How did you wind up at Southeastern and become interested in working with student publications?
I kind of fell into it by accident. I was an aviation major at Louisiana Tech but transferred to SLU where I started shooting high school football for a local publication. Then somehow I decided I was good enough to work for the school, which was far from reality. But Mike took my under his wing and taught me how to be a good shooter. The Lion‘s Roar gave me a great venue to get my work seen. I guess I was hooked after that.
What would you say is the biggest thing you learned while at Southeastern?
I guess I learned that I had an as-yet undiscovered talent. I had worked in radio since I was 16 and thought that was my future. But the newspaper and yearbook staff gave me the chance to develop that talent that has keep me and my family fed and clothed for four decades now. I might never have found that without their encouragement.
Southeastern Student Publications Alumni 