Allen J. Ellender Memorial Library
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Nicholls State University is a public university in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Founded in 1948, Nicholls is part of the University of Louisiana System. Originally named Francis T. Nicholls Junior College, the university is named for
Francis T. Nicholls Francis Redding Tillou Nicholls (August 20, 1834January 4, 1912) was an American attorney, politician, judge, and a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He served two terms as the 28th Governor of L ...
, a former
governor of Louisiana A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
, member of the
Louisiana Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Louisiana (french: Cour suprême de Louisiane) is the highest court and court of last resort in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The modern Supreme Court, composed of seven justices, meets in the French Quarter of New Orlea ...
, and general in the Confederate army during the civil war. The campus, once part of Acadia Plantation, fronts on Bayou Lafourche, about southwest of New Orleans and southeast of
Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-sma ...
. Its oldest structure, Elkins Hall, was completed in 1948 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Nicholls is located in the
Acadiana Acadiana ( French and Louisiana French: ''L'Acadiane''), also known as the Cajun Country (Louisiana French: ''Le Pays Cadjin'', es, País Cajún), is the official name given to the French Louisiana region that has historically contained mu ...
region. It is also within the geographical bounds of the
Mississippi River Delta The Mississippi River Delta is the confluence of the Mississippi River with the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana, southeastern United States. The river delta is a area of land that stretches from Vermilion Bay on the west, to the Chandeleur Isla ...
, and close to the Mississippi River, its distributaries, Louisiana's wetlands, and the Gulf of Mexico.


History

Nicholls State opened on Sept. 23, 1948, as Francis T. Nicholls Junior College of Louisiana State University. In 1956, the Louisiana Legislature separated Nicholls State from
LSU Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
and authorized it to develop four-year curricula. In September 1956, the former junior college became Francis T. Nicholls State College and granted its first degrees in May 1958. In 1970, Act 93 of the State Legislature changed the name of the institution to Nicholls State University. University leadership *Charles C. Elkins (1948–1962) *Vernon F. Galliano (1963–1982) *Donald J. Ayo (1983–2003) *Stephen T. Hulbert (2003–2013) *Dr. Bruce Murphy (2014–2017) *Dr. Jay Clune (2018–present)


Academics

''Princeton Review'' statistics from 2010 list the student-to-faculty ratio at Nicholls as 20:1. Admission has become selective. The average GPA upon entry is 3.2 with an ACT score of 21. The average GPA of undergraduate students admitted to the university's honors program is 3.6 with an ACT score of 26. Almost 62 percent of the student body are women; and nearly 3 percent are international students. As with nearly all academic institutions in Louisiana, Hurricane Katrina affected Nicholls' completion rate and overall ranking. During the aftermath of Katrina, Nicholls suspended its admissions selectivity in order to accommodate students from hurricane affected institutions. The university also had many matriculating students who were affected by the hurricane and did not return.


Colleges

* College of Sciences and Technology * College of Business Administration * College of Education and Behavioral Sciences * College of Nursing * College of Liberal Arts * University College * University Graduate Studies The Department of Art is built upon a broad liberal arts foundation and preparation in studio disciplines required for careers in the visual arts and design. The Department of Art is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. The Department of Mass Communication is one of five mass communication programs in Louisiana accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). The department offers two concentrations: journalism and public relations. Nicholls mass communication students and faculty employ three computer labs and a broadcast studio for learning and instruction in communication principles. Students within the department are also encouraged to apply for jobs with the KNSU radio station and student publications, helping to produce the yearbook or publishing the weekly newspaper, the ''Nicholls Worth''. The University of Louisiana System has identified the following areas as Unique Areas of Excellence at Nicholls State University. These are areas of study that, because of either their unique classes or their leadership in Louisiana education, have been selected for this special honor. These include the John Folse Culinary Institute, Biological Sciences (Marine and environmental sciences emphasis), Nursing, Allied Health Sciences, Teacher Education, Accounting and Information Systems, and Child, Family and Social Services. Other notable degree programs include: Bachelor of Arts in art, English, mass communication, and music; Bachelor of Science in applied sciences geomatics; and master's degrees in marine and environmental biology, education, and business administration (in addition to an Executive MBA program). Nicholls is one of the first institutions in the United States to offer bachelor's degrees in Culinary Arts. Students gain expertise in both Cajun and French cuisine. The Chef John Folse Culinary Institute is the only American member of the prestigious Institut Paul Bocuse. Students also have the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts and then work towards earning the MBA. Nicholls' faculty have been recognized nationally and internationally by the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the National Endowment for the Humanities, Phi Kappa Lambda, the
Renaissance Society of America The Renaissance Society of America (RSA) is an academic association founded in 1954 supporting the study of the Renaissance period, 1300–1650. The RSA brings together scholars from many backgrounds in a wide variety of disciplines from North A ...
, and other organizations and associations. In the past three years, several faculty members have been awarded grants from the Louisiana Board of Regents. The university has the only certified public health geneticist in the South. Nicholls is also the home of the Louisiana Center for Women and Government, as well as the Dyslexia Center of Louisiana. Nicholls Online provides complete degrees online in a variety of disciplines. It offers over 100 online courses through its Division of Distance Education. Nicholls Online is different from regular online courses at Nicholls in that the courses are offered through 8-week sessions and have a unique fee structure.


Ellender Memorial Library

The
Allen J. Ellender Allen Joseph Ellender (September 24, 1890 – July 27, 1972) was an American politician and lawyer who was a U.S. Senator from Louisiana from 1937 until his death. He was a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat who was originally allied ...
Memorial Library offers research assistance to the Nicholls State University community via 125+ databases and traditional reference books. The Library provides access to over 61,000 e-books as part of a collection of more than 245,000 books. Librarians provide library research instruction classes in all disciplines as well as individual consultation sessions. A leisure book collection with recent popular writers and 50 popular magazine titles is also available. The Library has both single and group study rooms for patron use. There is also an interlibrary loan service which acquires materials from other libraries, and a courtesy card service that allows patrons to check out materials from other Louisiana universities. Ellender Library, through its Government Information Department, has been a selective depository for Louisiana state government publications since 1960 and a selective depository of the U.S. Federal Depository Library Program since 1962. The Library is a congressionally designated depository for United States government documents. Public access to the government documents collection is guaranteed by public law (Title 44 USC). In its role as a depository, Government Information houses an extensive collection of books, periodicals, microfiche, maps, CDs, and kits published by Louisiana state and federal agencies on a wide array of topics such as health, geology, military history, law and legislation, education, statistics and more. The Archives and Special Collections Department of Ellender Memorial Library is the archival repository for the historical records of the university and serves as a repository for primary and secondary material relating to the geographical, historical and cultural uniqueness of the region. The collections include personal papers, business and organizational records, historical photographs, literary manuscripts, maps, diaries and scrapbooks. Newspapers, oral histories, and numerous other formats are also represented. Many collections document the plantation era and the sugar cane industry. The Archives and Special Collections Department is also home to the library's Regional, Rare Book, and Genealogy Collections.


Athletics

Nicholls sports teams participate in NCAA Division I (Football Championship Subdivision or FCS for
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
) in the Southland Conference. Nicholls' colors are red and gray and the athletics teams are nicknamed the Colonels. The Nicholls State University Department of Athletics currently sponsors men's intercollegiate baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, golf and tennis along with women's intercollegiate basketball, cross-country, softball, soccer, tennis, track and field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball. Nicholls' official athletics mascot is Colonel Tillou. The modern version wears a bright red uniform topped off with a contemporary-style military officer's cap. The Pride of Nicholls is the marching band which represents the university. The band performs pregame and during halftime at all Nicholls Colonels home football games, selected away games and in exhibitions at selected marching festivals during the fall semester. Nicholls' primary athletic rivals are Southeastern Louisiana University and Northwestern State University.


Notable alumni


Politics and judiciary

* Robert Billiot, member of the
Louisiana House of Representatives The Louisiana House of Representatives (french: link=no, Chambre des Représentants de Louisiane) is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. This chamber is composed of 105 repr ...
for Jefferson Parish since 2008 *
Marty J. Chabert Marty James Chabert (born April 12, 1956) is a businessman from Houma, Louisiana, who is a Democratic former member of the Louisiana State Senate. He served a single term from 1992 to 1996 to succeed his father, Leonard J. Chabert, also a Dem ...
, state senator for Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes from 1992 to 1996 * Norby Chabert, state senator for Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes since 2009 * Gordon Dove,
state representative A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...
since 2004 for
Terrebonne Parish Terrebonne Parish ( ; French: ''Paroisse de Terrebonne'') is a parish located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2010 census, the population was 111,860, and 110,461 in 2019. In 2020, its population declined to 109,58 ...
*
Hunt Downer Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn/antler, et ...
, former speaker of the
Louisiana House of Representatives The Louisiana House of Representatives (french: link=no, Chambre des Représentants de Louisiane) is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. This chamber is composed of 105 repr ...
; assistant adjutant general of the
Louisiana National Guard The Louisiana National Guard is the armed force through which the Louisiana Military Department executes the U.S. state of Louisiana's security policy. Consisting of the Louisiana Army National Guard, a reserve component of the United States Army; ...
*
Anthony Guarisco Jr. Anthony Joseph Guarisco Jr., sometimes known as Tony Guarisco (born September 29, 1938), is a Democratic former member of the Louisiana State Senate from Morgan City in St. Mary Parish in south Louisiana. He represented Senate District 21 fro ...
, lawyer and state senator from Morgan City from 1976 to 1988 * Joe Harrison, state representative since 2008 from
Assumption Assumption, in Christianity, refers to the Assumption of Mary, a belief in the taking up of the Virgin Mary into heaven. Assumption may also refer to: Places * Assumption, Alberta, Canada * Assumption, Illinois, United States ** Assumption Town ...
,
St. Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...
and Terrebonne parishes * Francis C. Heitmeier (born 1950), Democratic member of the Louisiana House from 1984 to 1992 and the Louisiana Senate from 1992 to 2008; businessman and lobbyist from New Orleans * Sam S. Jones, Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for St. Mary Parish since 2008 * Morris Lottinger Jr., former state legislator and judge from Terrebonne Parish * Jerome "Dee" Richard, current member of the
Louisiana House of Representatives The Louisiana House of Representatives (french: link=no, Chambre des Représentants de Louisiane) is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. This chamber is composed of 105 repr ...
from Lafourche Parish, one of only two Independents in the chamber *
Billy Tauzin Wilbert Joseph Tauzin II (; born June 14, 1943) is an American lobbyist and politician. He was President and CEO of PhRMA, a pharmaceutical company lobby group. Tauzin was also a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1980 to ...
, member of the United States House of Representatives from 1980 to 2005 * Jerome Zeringue, Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 52 in Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes


Athletics

*
Bobby April Robert April, Jr. (born April 15, 1953) is an American football coach. He has held various special teams coaching positions in the National Football League (NFL). Coaching career College career April coached college football at Southern Miss ...
, National Football League (NFL) coach *
Gary Barbaro Gary Wayne Barbaro (born February 11, 1954) is a former free safety who played seven seasons in the National Football League from 1976 to 1982 and one season in the United States Football League (USFL) in 1984. A third round selection by the Kans ...
, NFL safety *
Gerald Butler His Honour Gerald Norman Butler, QC (15 September 1930 – 28 February 2010) was an English judge, who was the senior judge at Southwark Crown Court. He was born in Hackney, London. Family Butler was the son of Joshua Butler and Esther, ...
, NFL wide receiver * Anatoly Bose, international basketball guard and forward *
Bobby Felder Bobby Felder (born September 23, 1990) is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He signed with the Vikings after going undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft. Early years Felder attended McComb High School in McComb, Mississi ...
, NFL cornerback * Darryl Hamilton, Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder *
Hilton Koch Hilton Koch is a furniture dealer and store owner in Houston Texas at Hilton Furniture. Koch was the owner of the Houston Comets of the WNBA before they folded. Houston Comets ownership Koch bought the WNBA Comets from Rockets Owner Les Alexander ...
, former owner of the WNBA's
Houston Comets The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Houston. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. They are one of two ...
* Kareem Moore, NFL safety *
Darryl Pounds Darryl Lamont Pounds (born July 21, 1972) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins and the Denver Broncos. He played college football at Nicholls State University where he was nam ...
, former NFL defensive back *
Antonio Robinson Antonio Robinson (born on November 11, 1985) is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He later won Super Bowl XLV as a member of the Green Bay Packers, defeating the P ...
, NFL wide receiver *
Dwight Walker Dwight Gerard Walker (born January 10, 1959) is a former American football player for the Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints. Dwight Walker played for the Cleveland Browns and the New Orleans Saints. He played running back for the Cleveland ...
, former NFL running back and wide receiver *
Lardarius Webb Lardarius Webb (born October 12, 1985) is a former American football cornerback. He played collegiately at Nicholls State University and the University of Southern Mississippi. Webb was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round of the ...
, NFL cornerback and return specialist


Other

*
Donald J. Boudreaux Donald Joseph Boudreaux (born September 10, 1958) is an American economist, author, professor, and co-director of the Program on the American Economy and Globalization at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Ea ...
, economist and professor *
Punkie Johnson Jessica Williams (born April 29, 1985), known professionally as Punkie Johnson, is an American stand-up comedian, actress, and writer based in New York City. Johnson began her career as a stand-up comedian at The Comedy Store in California, befo ...
, actress and stand-up comedian, current featured player on Saturday Night Live *
Cyril and Libbye Hellier Cyril and Libbye Hellier (born January 21, 1952) are identical twins and American operatic sopranos. Natives of Houma, Louisiana, they are the great-grandchildren of the Confederate Colonel John Henry Hellier. The sopranos are graduates of Nichol ...
, operatic sopranos *
Andrew Simoncelli Andrew Simoncelli is an associate professor of Mass communication at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. He started with the school in 1999 when it began its distance education office. Under his leadership, distance learning grew a ...
, WWL-TV producer, professor


Notable faculty

*
Robert A. Calvert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
(1933–2000), Texas historian *
Monnie T. Cheves Monnie Tom Cheves (February 14, 1902 – August 14, 1988) was an American politician and professor. He served as a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives. Cheves was the son of Miranda Hall and Thomas Taylor Cheves. Cheves ...
(1902–1988), education professor; served in the
Louisiana House of Representatives The Louisiana House of Representatives (french: link=no, Chambre des Représentants de Louisiane) is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. This chamber is composed of 105 repr ...
from Natchitoches Parish from 1952 to 1960 * Thomas G. Clausen (1939–2002), the last elected Louisiana state superintendent of education, on Nicholls faculty from 1967 to 1972 * Marilyn Kilgen (1944), microbiologist and seafood safety scientist * Walter M. Lowrey (1921–1980), Louisiana historian *
Joe Gray Taylor Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage * ''Joe'' (TV series), a British TV series airing from 1966 to 1971 * ''Joe'', a 2002 Canadian animated ...
(1920–1987), historian


See also

* Elkins Hall *
Louisiana Center for Women and Government Hall of Fame The Louisiana Center for Women in Government and Business Hall of Fame recognizes women natives or residents of the U.S. state of Louisiana for their significant achievements or statewide contributions. Among the inductees are men whose contributi ...


References


External links

* {{Authority control Thibodaux, Louisiana Acadiana Educational institutions established in 1948 Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Education in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana Buildings and structures in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana 1948 establishments in Louisiana Public universities and colleges in Louisiana