By VALERIE METREJEAN

Staff Writer

No matter how many generations gather for the Sabathier-Juneau Family reunion, they all have one thing in common, Tech pride.

With 15 graduates from Tech, their family gatherings commonly incorporate something having to do with the spirit of their Alma Mater.

This year, 13 of the 15 graduates, as well as many of their children, will return to celebrate Tech’s homecoming on Oct. 23 as a family.

The family will also celebrate the birthday of someone they hope will join them as a Tech alumnus.

“It’s Travis’ first birthday on homecoming,” said his grandmother, Beverly Juneau Sabathier. “We think he’s destined to be a Tech Bulldog.”

What brought them to Tech?

Many of these family members have said it was the way Tech was such a comfortable environment.

“Going to the games, you don’t see different groups of sororities or clubs,” Michelle Sabathier Daniel, one of Beverly’s daughters, said. “You just see Tech spirit.”

With graduates from 1968 to 2001, many things at Tech have changed over the years, but Tech spirit has remained the same, and Beverly said the Sabathier-Juneau family cannot wait for it to continue.

“It has been fun having our three daughters follow in our footsteps,” Beverly said.

She said she has five grandchildren, all under the age of three, and is looking forward to them possibly going to Tech and carrying on the tradition.

“My husband and I met here,” Beverly said. “My daughters met their husbands here, too, so it is obviously special to us for many reasons.”

Travis’ mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, two aunts and uncles and several other family members all graduated from Tech. Coming back for the homecoming game is something Beverly and her husband have been doing since they graduated in 1970.

“My mom gets so excited planning for the trip,” Julenne Sabathier Cornish, said about her mother. “We had to miss last year because Travis was born around that time.”

Bringing the Sabathier-Juneau family together from their homes in Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas once a year is something this family looks forward to throughout the year. It is this family’s tradition to return to Ruston for the homecoming game, of course including tailgating and attending the pep rally.

“Coming back is so great because I still feel like I’m a part of the Tech family,” Michelle said.

Ironically, not one of the 15 alumni was from Ruston and many had plans of attending other universities.

This family is not getting away from Bulldog fever anytime soon, but lucky for them, Beverly they do not want to.