Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSU) is a

public university A public university or public college is a university or college that is in owned by the state or receives significant public funds through a national or subnational government, as opposed to a private university. Whether a national universit ...

primarily situated in

Natchitoches, Louisiana Natchitoches ( ; french: link=no, Les Natchitoches) is a small city and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named ...

, with a nursing campus in

Shreveport Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the third most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge, respectively. The Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area, with a population o ...

and general campuses in Leesville/

Fort Polk Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, about 10 miles (15 km) east of Leesville and 30 miles (50 km) north of DeRidder in Beauregard Parish. It was named to honor Leonidas Polk, the first ...

and

Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...

. It is a part of the

University of Louisiana System The University of Louisiana System (UL System) is a public university system in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It enrolls more students than the other three public university systems in the state. Its headquarters are in the Claiborne Building in ...

Friedman Student Union Building IMG 2000

Fournet Hall at NSU in Natchitoches, LA IMG 1988

Culinary Arts Building, NSU, Natchitoches, LA IMG 1994

Revised photo of NSU Student Recreation Center IMG 2020

NSU was founded in 1884 as the Louisiana State Normal School. It was the first school in Louisiana to offer degree programs in nursing and business education. NSU, along with numerous other state colleges, gained university status in 1970 during the administration of President Arnold R. Kilpatrick, a Northwestern State alumnus who served from 1966 to 1978. Kilpatrick succeeded the 12-year president, John S. Kyser, a native of

El Paso, Illinois El Paso is a city in Woodford and McLean counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 2,810 at the 2010 census. The Woodford County portion of El Paso is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. El Paso is a smal ...

. NSU was one of the first six colleges to enter into

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

's Joint Venture Program. Students worked with NASA scientists to help analyze data and do research for the 1996 Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' shuttle mission. NSU also hosts the

Louisiana Scholars' College The Louisiana Scholars' College at Northwestern State University, or "Scholars' College" as it is known by its students and faculty, is Louisiana's only designated four-year, selective-admissions honors college in the liberal arts and sciences. ...

, Louisiana's designated honors college in the liberal arts and sciences. The

Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts , motto_translation = We shall excel , slogan = ''Above. Beyond.'' , streetaddress = 715 University Parkway , city = Natchitoches , state = Louisiana , zipcode = 71457 , country = United States , coordinates = , type = Public, Selectiv ...

, a state-supported residential high school for sophomores, juniors, and seniors, is also located on the campus. It was a brainchild of former

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 ...

Jimmy D. Long of Natchitoches, who also attended NSU. NSU offers more than 50 degree programs. Fall 2018 total enrollment was 11,081, the largest in the university's 133-year history, although the school saw enrollments decline during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

, which hampered recruitment efforts. NSU also claims more than 70,000 alumni.

History

Northwestern State University stands on ground that has been dedicated to learning for well over 100 years. Prior to the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, a portion of the present campus was the property of the Bullard family of Natchitoches. As early as 1856, the Bullard mansion was in use as a

convent A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...

by the Religious Society of the Sacred Heart. The following year, a school building was erected at the convent, and in 1884, the town and parish of Natchitoches purchased the property. Three of the four great white columns that once supported the east gable of the mansion still stand on "The Hill" and serve as the unofficial symbols of the university. In 1884, the

Louisiana State Legislature The Louisiana State Legislature (french: Législature d'État de Louisiane) is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is a bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 represen ...

by Act 51 created the Louisiana State Normal School for the preparation of teachers. Shortly thereafter, a freshman 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 ...

Leopold Caspari Leopold Caspari (July 28, 1830March 11, 1915) was a Louisiana businessman and politician who served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1884 to 1892, where he advocated the establishment of Northwestern State University. Born in L ...

of Natchitoches, offered the convent site as a campus for the school with the anticipated approval of the citizens of Natchitoches. The offer was accepted, and from 1885 to 1918, the school offered two years of study for the training of teachers. Baccalaureate programs were inaugurated, and the Louisiana Constitution of 1921 changed the name of the school to Louisiana State Normal College. The resources and curricula of "Normal" grew steadily to meet the increasingly diverse requirements of Louisiana's expanding population. In 1944, the institution's excellent service in its broader role was accorded formal recognition by Act 326 of the Legislature, which changed its name to Northwestern State College of Louisiana. Northwestern State maintained and strengthened its long tradition of leadership in public service and academic endeavor and became, in 1954, the first college under the jurisdiction of the Louisiana State Board of Education to offer a master's degree. The Specialist in Education degree was first offered in 1966 and the Doctor of Philosophy in Education degrees were authorized in 1967. On June 18, 1970, Governor John J. McKeithen signed a legislative act that brought the old campus its greatest distinction, changing its title to Northwestern State University of Louisiana. In 1980, the old campus quadrangle where the columns stand was entered into the National Register of Historic Places under the title "Normal Hill Historic District." Although primarily a regional institution, Northwestern State also offers an opportunity for education at satellite locations, including Leesville,

, and

. In addition to academics, these centers are also developing student-life programs. The Nursing Education Center, located in Shreveport, provides the educational environment for nursing majors enrolled in clinical courses, as well as general education courses. The center houses departments administering masters, baccalaureate, and associate degree programs. The campus includes academic facilities, office space for faculty and staff, a bookstore, and facilities for activities and organizations. A. A. Fredericks was president of NSU from 1934 to 1941. He was later a member of the

Louisiana State Senate The Louisiana State Senate (french: Sénat de Louisiane) is the upper house of the state legislature of Louisiana. All senators serve four-year terms and are assigned to multiple committees. Composition The Louisiana State Senate is compose ...

and the private secretary on two occasions to

Governor 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 ...

Earl Kemp Long Earl Kemp Long (August 26, 1895 – September 5, 1960) was an American politician and the 45th governor of Louisiana, serving three nonconsecutive terms. Long, known as "Uncle Earl", connected with voters through his folksy demeanor and c ...

. Fredericks obtained his teaching credentials from Northwestern Normal in 1912. The A. A. Fredericks Auditorium on campus commemorates him. Eugene P. Watson of Natchitoches, for whom the NSU library is named, was head librarian and professor of

library science Library science (often termed library studies, bibliothecography, and library economy) is an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary field that applies the practices, perspectives, and tools of management, information technology, education, and ...

from 1940 until his death in 1964. He founded

Alpha Beta Alpha Alpha Beta Alpha () is a national honorary library Fraternities and sororities, fraternity that is dedicated to serving College#United States, college and University#United States, university library science majors at the undergraduate level. The f ...

, the national library science fraternity. The group held its first biennial convention on the NSU campus in 1952. The centennial history of NSU (1884–1984) was published by the NSU Press in 1985 by the historian

Marietta LeBreton Marietta may refer to: Places in the United States *Marietta, Jacksonville, Florida *Marietta, Georgia, the largest US city named Marietta * Marietta, Illinois * Marietta, Indiana * Marietta, Kansas *Marietta, Minnesota * Marietta, Mississippi ...

, who taught 45 years at the institution, from 1963 until her sudden death in 2009.

Vic the Demon

On November 8, 1922, by proclamation of President V. L. Roy and Coach

H. Lee Prather Henry Lee Prather (October 10, 1886 – September 23, 1964) was an American football and basketball coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute for one season ...

, all athletic teams became known as the Demons. The name was decided upon by a contest open to all students, with a grand prize of $10. A committee was appointed by the president to narrow down the names submitted by the student body. The final selection was decided by a vote of the students. The two most popular choices were Braves and Demons. Among other names submitted by students were Sharks, Daredevils, Musketeers, Pelicans, Prather's Ground Hogs, Bloodhounds, Cyclops, and Serpents. The official winners were Aileen Ritter and Truett Scarborough. On September 22, 1984, the Demon received his official given name by means of another contest sponsored by the athletic department. The contest was open to faculty, staff, and students. The objective was to find a name for the Demon. Over 300 entries were submitted to the committee. The grand prize was an all-expenses-paid weekend at the Louisiana State Fair Classic. Ray Carney, an alumnus of the university, was the official winner with "Vic", which is short for "Victory".

Jim Croce

Singer-songwriter

Jim Croce James Joseph Croce (; January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973) was an American folk and rock singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he released five studio albums and numerous singles. During this period, Croce took a series of odd jobs to pa ...

died in a plane crash hours after finishing a 1973 concert on the NSU campus.

Student media

Newspaper and yearbook

Northwestern's student-run weekly newspaper, ''The Current Sauce'', was founded in 1914. In 2021, the newspaper and campus radio station,

KNWD KNWD-FM (91.7 FM) is a student-run, non-commercial radio station broadcasting a college format from the campus of Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSU) and serving Natchitoches, Louisiana. Although the station is licensed to the unive ...

, merged their news operations into a shared digital platform, "Purple Media Network." Its annual student-run yearbook is called ''The Potpourri''. Northwestern has digitized its archives of ''Current Sauce'', ''Potpourri'', and other publications to make them more easily accessible.

Radio and television

The student-run radio station is The Demon (

91.7 FM) and a faculty-administered and student-operated local television station is NSU22, on which can be found biweekly student-produced newscasts.

Literary magazine

NSU's literary magazine is called ''The Argus''. It is student-run and published during the spring semester. The magazine content is provided by competitions in various fields of writing and artwork.

Athletics

The Northwestern State athletic teams go by the Demons, with women's athletic teams generally called the Lady Demons, and its mascot is

Vic the Demon Vic the Demon is the mascot at Northwestern State University Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSU) is a public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in ...

. The university is a member of the

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

(NCAA) and competes in the

Southland Conference The Southland Conference, abbreviated as SLC, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the South Central United States (specifically Texas and Louisiana). It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it pa ...

at the

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...

level. Northwestern State sponsors 12 varsity athletic teams, five men's teams and seven women's teams.

Greek life

Sororities

National Panhellenic Conference affiliates

Delta Zeta Delta Zeta (, also known as DZ) is an international college sorority founded on October 24, 1902, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Delta Zeta has 170 collegiate chapters in the United States and Canada, and over 200 alumnae chapters in Cana ...

1927 (closed 1985) *

Sigma Sigma Sigma Sigma Sigma Sigma (), also known as Tri Sigma, is a national American women's sorority. Sigma Sigma Sigma is a member of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), an umbrella organization encompassing 26 national sororities or women's fraterni ...

1928 *

Alpha Sigma Alpha Alpha Sigma Alpha () is a United States National Panhellenic sorority founded on November 15, 1901, at the Virginia State Female Normal School (later known as Longwood College and now known as Longwood University) in Farmville, Virginia. Once a sor ...

1930–1971; 2002–2013 (closed 2013) *

Alpha Gamma Delta Alpha Gamma Delta (), also known as Alpha Gam, is an international women's fraternity and social organization. It was founded on May 30, 1904, by eleven female students at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, making it the youngest member ...

1959 (closed 1963) *

Sigma Kappa Sigma Kappa (, also known as SK or Sig Kap) is a sorority founded on November 9, 1874 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. In 1874, Sigma Kappa was founded by five women: Mary Caffrey Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Mabel Fuller Pierce, ...

1959 (closed 1995) *

Phi Mu Phi Mu () is the second oldest female fraternal organization established in the United States. The fraternity was founded at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia as the Philomathean Society on , and was announced publicly on March 4 of the same ye ...

1968 *

Alpha Omicron Pi Alpha Omicron Pi (, AOII, Alpha O) is an international women's fraternity founded on January 2, 1897, at Barnard College on the campus of Columbia University in New York City. The main archive URL iThe Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage "AOI ...

1997

National Pan-Hellenic Council affiliates

Alpha Kappa Alpha Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. () is the first intercollegiate historically African American sorority. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at the historically black Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of sixteen stud ...

1973 *

Sigma Gamma Rho Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. () is a historically African American sorority, international collegiate, and non-profit community service organization that was founded on November 12, 1922, by seven educators on the Irvington campus (1875–1 ...

(Closed 1979. Reinstalled 1990) *

Delta Sigma Theta Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a historically African American sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emphasis on programs that assist the African American community. Delta ...

1972 *

Zeta Phi Beta Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. () is a historically African American sorority. In 1920, five women from Howard University envisioned a sorority that would raise the consciousness of their people, encourage the highest standards of scholastic achie ...

1974

Music sororities

Tau Beta Sigma Tau Beta Sigma Honorary Band Sorority, (, colloquially referred to as TBSigma or TBS) is a co-educational service sorority. The sorority, headquartered at the historic Stillwater Santa Fe Depot in Stillwater, Oklahoma, numbers over 3,800 active m ...

1987

Fraternities

National Pan-Hellenic Council affiliates

Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. () is the oldest intercollegiate historically African American fraternity. It was initially a literary and social studies club organized in the 1905–1906 school year at Cornell University but later evolved int ...

1973 *

Omega Psi Phi Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. () is a historically African-American fraternity. The fraternity was founded on November 17, 1911, by three Howard University juniors Edgar Amos Love, Oscar James Cooper and Frank Coleman, and their faculty advi ...

1972 *

Kappa Alpha Psi Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. () is a historically African American fraternity. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never restricted membership on the basis of color, creed ...

1975 *

Phi Beta Sigma Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. () is a historically African American fraternity. It was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students with nine other Howard students as char ...

1973

North American Interfraternity Conference affiliates

Pi Kappa Phi Pi Kappa Phi (), commonly known as Pi Kapp(s), is an American Greek Letter secret and social fraternity. It was founded by Andrew Alexander Kroeg Jr., Lawrence Harry Mixson, and Simon Fogarty Jr. on December 10, 1904 at the College of Charleston ...

1956 *

Tau Kappa Epsilon Tau Kappa Epsilon (), commonly known as or Teke, is a social college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899, at Illinois Wesleyan University. The organization has chapters throughout the United States and Canada, making the Fraternity an internat ...

1957 *

Kappa Alpha Order Kappa Alpha Order (), commonly known as Kappa Alpha or simply KA, is a social Fraternities and sororities, fraternity and a fraternal order founded in 1865 at Washington and Lee University, Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) i ...

1963 *

Kappa Sigma Kappa Sigma (), commonly known as Kappa Sig, is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at the University of Virginia in 1869. Kappa Sigma is one of the five largest international fraternities with currently 318 active chapters and colo ...

1966 *

Theta Chi Theta Chi () is an international college fraternity. It was founded on April 10, 1856 at Norwich University then-located in Norwich, Vermont, and has initiated more than 200,000 members and currently has over 8,700 collegiate members across Nort ...

1973 *

Sigma Nu Sigma Nu () is an undergraduate Fraternities and sororities in North America, college fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute on January 1, 1869. The fraternity was founded by James Frank Hopkins, Greenfield Quarles and James McIlva ...

1997 *

Delta Upsilon Delta Upsilon (), commonly known as DU, is a collegiate men's fraternity founded on November 4, 1834 at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It is the sixth-oldest, all-male, college Greek Letter Organizations#Greek letters, Greek-let ...

(closed 2004) *

Sigma Tau Gamma Sigma Tau Gamma (), commonly known as Sig Tau, is a United States college social fraternity founded on June 28, 1920, at the University of Central Missouri (then known as Central Missouri State Teachers College). The fraternity was founded as a re ...

1929 (closed 1991) *

Pi Kappa Alpha Pi Kappa Alpha (), commonly known as PIKE, is a college fraternity founded at the University of Virginia in 1868. The fraternity has over 225 chapters and colonies across the United States and abroad with over 15,500 undergraduate members over 30 ...

2014

Music fraternities

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America (colloquially known as Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Phi Mu Alpha, or simply Sinfonia) () is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music. The fraternity is open to men "w ...

1942 *

Kappa Kappa Psi Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity (, colloquially referred to as KKPsi), is a fraternity for college and university band members in the United States. It was founded on November 27, 1919, on Thanksgiving Day, at Oklahoma Agricul ...

1986 *

Sigma Alpha Iota Sigma Alpha Iota () is a women's music fraternity. Formed to "uphold the highest standards of music" and "to further the development of music in America and throughout the world", it continues to provide musical and educational resources to its m ...

1950 *

1987

Academic and professional

Alpha Epsilon Delta Alpha Epsilon Delta () is a U.S. health preprofessional honor society. The organization currently has more than 144,000 members within 186 chapters at universities throughout the United States, making it the world's largest Honor Society serving ...

Phi Alpha Delta Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International ( or P.A.D.) is the largest professional law fraternity in the United States. Founded in 1902, P.A.D. has since grown to 717 established pre-law, law, and alumni chapters and over 330,000 initiated m ...

2011 *

Beta Beta Beta Beta Beta Beta ( or TriBeta), is a collegiate honor society and academic fraternity for students of the biological sciences. It was founded in 1922 at Oklahoma City University by Dr. Frank G. Brooks and a group of his students. As of 2012, it has ...

1949 *

Eta Sigma Phi Eta Sigma Phi () is a collegiate honor society for the study of Classics. It grew out of a local undergraduate classical club founded by a group of students in the Department of Greek at the University of Chicago in 1914. This organization late ...

Psi Chi Psi Chi () is a college student honor society in psychology with international outreach founded in 1929 at the University of Kansas in the United States. Psi Chi is one of the largest honor societies in the United States, with more than 1,150 cha ...

Lady of the Bracelet pageant

The Lady of the Bracelet pageant (commonly referred to as LOB) is a long-standing competition in which scholarships are awarded to female students. The first-place winner of the pageant is awarded the title of "Lady of the Bracelet" for one year. The program is under the direction of the Director of Student Activities and the Assistant Director of Student Activities of Northwestern State University. Contestants compete in several categories, including interview, evening wear, and swimsuit competition. In addition to being bestowed the title of "Lady of the Bracelet" for the following year, the first-place contestant receives a full scholarship and goes on to compete in the

Miss Louisiana The Miss Louisiana competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Louisiana in the Miss America pageant. Although no delegate from Louisiana has ever won the Miss America title, four have placed 1st runner-up. As of ...

pageant, which can ultimately result in a berth to the

Miss America Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 17 and 25. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is now judged on competitors' talent performances and interviews. As ...

pageant. It is traditionally held on the first Friday in February. In the early 1920s, ''The Potpourri'', Northwestern State's yearbook, sponsored the first beauty pageant held on the university campus. The contestants were selected from photographs submitted to well-known producers for judgment, and were chosen for their charm and beauty. In 1958, Miss Kahne Dipola was crowned the first Miss Lady of the Bracelet, and she received a gold bracelet to wear when she represented the university in public. Over the years, the bracelet has been passed down to each holder of the title. Through the efforts of Mr. Robert W. Wilson Sr., the Student Union Governing Board purchased the first franchise from the Miss Louisiana Pageant in 1971, enabling Northwestern State's Lady of the Bracelet to enter the state contest. The Student Activities Board, formerly the Student Union Governing Board, has continued the tradition of sponsoring the Lady of the Bracelet Pageant for the enjoyment of the Northwestern State community. The Lady of the Bracelet pageant has gained state recognition for production, scholarship, and quality of contestants.

ROTC

With an agreement signed between Northwestern State College and the Department of the United States Army, an antiaircraft field artillery unit of the Reserve Officers Training Corps was established in the fall of 1950. In August 1950, the building to house the ROTC unit was authorized. The new military science program, under President Prather, enrolled its first students in the fall of 1950 with one officer and five enlisted men on the staff. By the end of the 1950–51 academic year, 220 men had selected military training. In 1965, NSC under President Kyser signed an agreement with the Army stating that the Military Science Senior ROTC program would be provided with a university secretary, armory, and utilities. The NSU ROTC Department and the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana, mutually support Cadet Command by identifying quality soldiers with officer potential and in assisting them in transition from active duty under the college ROTC Green to Gold program. The NSU ROTC Demon Battalion has commissioned nearly 1000 second lieutenants into the United States Armed Services. Quite a few graduates have become distinguished Army officers, including several general officers. A hall of fame was begun in 1983. Portraits and biographies of the hall of fame members are on permanent display in the ROTC office foyer. NSU ROTC cadets have been selected to attend specialty schools in Germany and at West Point. Cadets have also participated in ceremonies commemorating the Bataan March, in New Mexico, and supporting the Habitat for Humanity and Loggers conventions; several renovation projects have been completed. The cadets have been able to enjoy a TV lounge, kitchen area, and game room to include a billiards, ping pong, and foosball. Notably, five NSU ROTC commissioned officers have been inducted into NSU's highest Hall of Distinction, the Long Purple Line.

Notable alumni

Former Line Avenue School in Shreveport, LA IMG 1570

Larry Bagley Lawrence A. Bagley Jr. (born January 4, 1949), known as Larry Bagley, is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 7, which encompasses Caddo, DeSoto, and Sabine parishes in northwestern Louisiana. In January 2016 ...

(born 1949), Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 7; graduate study in education at NSU * Thomas "Bud" Brady (1938–2011), class of 1962, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from

La Salle Parish LaSalle Parish (French: ''Paroisse de La Salle'') is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 14,791. The parish seat is Jena. The parish was created in 1910 from the western sect ...

from 1976 to 1988; radio personality, real estate appraiser * Henry Burns (born 1947), bakery owner and Republican former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for

Bossier Parish Bossier Parish ( ; french: Paroisse de Bossier) is a parish located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2010 census, the population was 116,979, and 128,746 in 2020. The parish seat is Benton. The principal city is ...

, obtained his bachelor of arts degree in upper elementary education from Northwestern State. * Monnie T. Cheves (1902–1988, ''circa'' class of 1923), alumnus and NSU education professor, and member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1952 to 1960 *

Charles Milton Cunningham Charles Milton Cunningham (April 2, 1877 – May 17, 1936) was a Louisiana attorney and newspaper publisher who served as a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from 1915 to 1922. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Cunningham r ...

(1877–1936), educator, attorney, publisher of ''The Natchitoches Times'', and member of the Louisiana State Senate from 1915 to 1922 *

Israel "Bo" Curtis Israel Benjamin "Bo" Curtis (September 11, 1932 – February 16, 2012) was an American politician. He served as a Democratic member for the 26th district of the Louisiana House of Representatives. Life and career Curtis attended Peabody Magne ...

(1932–2012), was an African-American Democrat member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Alexandria from 1992 to 2008 and the Rapides Parish School Board from 1976 to 1992; received master's degree in education from NSU *

Jackson B. Davis Jackson Beauregard Davis Sr. (March 27, 1918 – August 22, 2016) was an American lawyer and politician based in Shreveport, Louisiana, who served as a Democrat in the Louisiana State Senate The Louisiana State Senate (french: Sénat de Loui ...

(born 1918), former state senator from Shreveport; attended NSU from 1934 to 1935 *

Joe Delaney Joe Alton Delaney (; October 30, 1958 – June 29, 1983) was an American football running back who played two seasons in the National Football League (NFL). In his two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Delaney set four franchise records ...

, NFL running back for the

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...

and 1981 Rookie of the Year, who died in 1983 attempting to rescue three children from drowning. * Herbert B. Dixon, African-American Democrat member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Alexandria from 2008 to 2014; member of the Rapides Parish School Board from 1992 to 2008; received master's degree from NSU * William J. "Bill" Dodd, former Louisiana Lieutenant Governor and Education Superintendent, graduated from then Louisiana Normal in 1934, the year that A.A. Fredericks became the president. *

Mark Duper Mark "Super" Duper (born January 25, 1959) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) from 1982 to 1992. He played collegiately at Northwestern State ...

, NFL Football Player, 80’s Miami Dolphins. *

Lindsey Evans Elle Evans Bellamy (born Lindsey Gayle Evans; December 9, 1989) is an American model and actress who lives and works in Los Angeles, California. She appeared in the music video for " Blurred Lines". She is also one of the faces of NYX Cosmetics. ...

, model, known for being in the music video ''

Blurred Lines "Blurred Lines" is a song by American singer Robin Thicke featuring American rappers T.I. and Pharrell Williams from the former's sixth studio album of the same name (2013). Solely produced by Williams, it was released as the album's lead si ...

'' *

D'or Fischer D'or Anthony Naheem Fischer (born October 12, 1981) is an American-Israeli professional basketball player for Elitzur Eito Ashkelon of the Israeli National League. He has also represented the senior Israeli national team. Standing at , he plays ...

(born 1981), Israeli-American basketball player in the

Israeli National League Liga Leumit ( he, ליגה לאומית, lit. ''National League'') is the second division of the Israeli Football League, and below its Premier League. Structure There are 16 clubs in the league. At the end of each season, the two lowest-place ...

Dan Flores Dan Louie Flores (born October 19, 1948) is an American writer and historian who specializes in cultural and environmental studies of the American West. He held the A.B. Hammond Chair in Western History at the University of Montana in Missoula, ...

, Natchitoches native and an historian of the

American West The Western United States (also called the American West, the Far West, and the West) is the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the meaning of the term ''the Wes ...

, received his master of arts degree from NSU prior to 1980. * Paul Lee Foshee Sr., retired

crop duster A crop is a plant that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence. When the plants of the same kind are cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is called a crop. Most crops are cultivated in agriculture or hydroponic ...

, served in both houses of the Louisiana legislature, the House from 1960 to 1964 and the state Senate from 1972 to 1976. *

John B. Fournet John Baptiste Fournet (July 27, 1895 – June 3, 1984) was an American attorney and politician who served as Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives, lieutenant governor of Louisiana from 1932 to 1935, and a justice of the Louisiana ...

, Speaker of the Louisiana House during the

Huey Pierce Long Jr. Huey Pierce Long Jr. (August 30, 1893September 10, 1935), nicknamed "the Kingfish", was an American politician who served as the 40th governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1932 and as a United States senator from 1932 until his assassination ...

impeachment Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct. It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements. In ...

case of 1929 and later lieutenant governor and associate and chief justice 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 ...

, received his teaching degree from Northwestern State in 1915. * H. M. "Mutt" Fowler, a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from

Coushatta The Coushatta ( cku, Koasati, Kowassaati or Kowassa:ti) are a Muskogean-speaking Native American people now living primarily in the U.S. states of Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. When first encountered by Europeans, they lived in the territor ...

, dropped out of NSU in March 1941 to enter the US Army. * Gordon Gunter (1909–1998), bachelor of arts in zoology 1929, influential

fisheries scientist Fisheries science is the academic discipline of managing and understanding fisheries. It is a multidisciplinary science, which draws on the disciplines of limnology, oceanography, freshwater biology, marine biology, meteorology, conservation, ...

who pioneered the study of

fisheries Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life; or more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place ( a.k.a. fishing ground). Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farms, both ...

in the northern

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...

* Robert Harling (born 1960), movie screenwriter, producer, and director *

Lance Harris John Lance Harris (born June 11, 1961) is an American businessman and politician from Alexandria, Louisiana. He is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 25 in Rapides Parish. In 2020, Harris ran for Congress ...

(born 1961), Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for Rapides Parish since 2012, attended NSU, dates unavailable *

Bobby Hebert Bobby Joseph Hebert Jr. (surname pronounced ; born August 19, 1960) is an American sportscaster and former professional football quarterback. He played in the United States Football League (USFL) and National Football League (NFL) from 1983 to ...

, current New Orleans radio personality and former NFL quarterback for the

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...

and the

Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...

* Donald Gray Horton (1945–2013), Demons football player and long-time president of the NSU Athletic Association, practiced law in Coushatta, and was half-owner of the Famous Natchitoches Louisiana Meat Pie Company. *

Carolyn Huntoon Carolyn Leach Huntoon (born August 25, 1940) is an American scientist and former government official. She was the director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, a position which she held from 1994 to 1996, and was the first woman in th ...

, scientist with

and the first woman director of the

Johnson Space Center The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) is NASA's center for human spaceflight (originally named the Manned Spacecraft Center), where human spaceflight training, research, and flight control are conducted. It was renamed in honor of the late U ...

, received her undergraduate degree from NSU in 1962. *

Guy A. J. LaBoa Guy A. J. Laboa (born December 9, 1939) is a retired United States Army officer. A veteran of the Vietnam War, his senior command assignments included the 4th Infantry Division and the First United States Army. Early life Guy Anthony Jackson La ...

, lieutenant general in the US Army who commanded the 4th Infantry Division and

First United States Army First Army is the oldest and longest-established field army of the United States Army. It served as a theater army, having seen service in both World War I and World War II, and supplied the US army with soldiers and equipment during the Korea ...

* Gerald Long, rare

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

member of the

Long Long may refer to: Measurement * Long, characteristic of something of great duration * Long, characteristic of something of great length * Longitude (abbreviation: long.), a geographic coordinate * Longa (music), note value in early music mensur ...

political

dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A ...

. *

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

and State Senator

Speedy O. Long Speedy Oteria Long (June 16, 1928 – October 5, 2006) was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives for Louisiana's 8th congressional district from January 3, 1965, until January 3, 1973. He was a member of ...

graduated with his bachelor's degree in history from NSU in 1951. He later received his law degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Mr. Long was inducted posthumously into Northwestern State University's "Long Purple Line" on October 24, 2008. Northwestern State University established the Long Purple Line in 1990 to provide recognition and appreciation to former NS. students whose career accomplishments or service to their fellow man have enhanced the reputation of the university. *

John McConathy John R. McConathy (April 9, 1930 – April 19, 2016) was an American professional basketball player and educator, originally from Bienville Parish in North Louisiana. McConathy was selected in the 1951 NBA draft by the Syracuse Nationals afte ...

(1930–2016), NSU basketball player, professional basketball player, superintendent for the

Bossier Parish School Board Bossier Parish School Board is a school district headquartered in Benton, Louisiana, United States. The Superintendent of Bossier Schools is, as of 2019, Mitch Downey. The district serves Bossier Parish. History The first school built by Bos ...

; son

Mike McConathy John Michael McConathy (born December 27, 1955) is an American former basketball coach college basketball. He served as the head men's basketball coach at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana from 1999 to 2022. He was raised in ...

, a Louisiana Tech graduate, has been the NSU basketball coach since 1999. * Billy McCormack,

Southern Baptist The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination, and the largest Protestant and second-largest Christian denomination in the United States. The word ...

pastor in Shreveport, and one of four national directors of the

Christian Coalition of America The Christian Coalition of America (CCA), a 501(c)(4) organization, is the successor to the original Christian Coalition created in 1987 by religious broadcaster and former presidential candidate Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson. This US Christian ...

, received bachelor's and master's degrees from NSU. *

Garnie W. McGinty Garnie William McGinty (April 5, 1900 – April 22, 1984) was a historian whose career was principally based for thirty-five years at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana. Biography McGinty was born in Bienville Parish in north Loui ...

, Louisiana historian graduated from NSU and served as NSU president on a one-year interim basis. Most of his career was at Louisiana Tech University. * Harry Middleton, famed outdoor writer. *

Newt V. Mills Newt Virgus Mills (September 27, 1899 – May 15, 1996) was a U.S. Representative in the first half of the 20th century for Louisiana's 5th congressional district, based in Monroe, Louisiana. Born in Calhoun in western Ouachita Parish, Mil ...

, U.S. representative from

Louisiana's 5th congressional district Louisiana's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The 5th district encompasses rural northeastern Louisiana and much of central Louisiana, as well as the northern part of Louisiana's Florida paris ...

from 1937 to 1943, studied professional education at NSU and taught in

Morehouse Parish Morehouse Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 27,979. The parish seat is Bastrop. The parish was formed in 1844. Morehouse Parish comprises the Bastrop, LA Micropolitan Stat ...

from 1921 to 1932. *

Randy Moffett Micheal Randolph Moffett, known as Randy Moffett (born January 10, 1947), is a former president of the University of Louisiana System. He was appointed to the position on July 25, 2008. He retired on the last day of 2012 and was succeeded on the fir ...

, president of the

and formerly president of

Southeastern Louisiana University Southeastern Louisiana University (Southeastern) is a public university in Hammond, Louisiana. It was founded in 1925 by Linus A. Sims as Hammond Junior College. Sims succeeded in getting the campus moved to north Hammond in 1928, when it becam ...

received his master's degree from NSU. * Sammy Joe Odom (1941–2001), football star at NSU in 1962 and 1963, later played with the

Houston Oilers The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 as ...

. At the time of his death, he was the administrator of the De Soto Parish Police Jury. He was among the 100 Top Football Players at NSU, as announced in July 2007 as part of the centennial celebration of the football team. *

Ed Orgeron Edward James Orgeron Jr. (; born July 27, 1961) is an American football coach. He was most recently the head football coach at Louisiana State University (LSU), a position he held from midway through the 2016 season until the 2021 season. Orger ...

played football at Northwestern State University after transferring from LSU in 1978. He went on to be on coaching staffs at NSU,

McNeese State University McNeese State University is a public university in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Founded in 1939 as Lake Charles Junior College, it was renamed McNeese Junior College after John McNeese, an early local educator. The present name was adopted in 1970. ...

University of Arkansas The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest university in the state. Founded as Arkansas ...

University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida. , the university enrolled 19,096 students in 12 colleges and schools across nearly 350 academic majors and programs, incl ...

Nicholls State University 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. Nicholl ...

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...

University of Mississippi The University of Mississippi (byname Ole Miss) is a public research university that is located adjacent to Oxford, Mississippi, and has a medical center in Jackson. It is Mississippi's oldest public university and its largest by enrollment. ...

, the

, and the

University of Tennessee The University of Tennessee (officially The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; or UT Knoxville; UTK; or UT) is a public land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state, ...

. Won a national championship as head coach of

Louisiana State University 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 nea ...

in 2019 *

Mary Evelyn Parker Mary Evelyn Parker (November 28, 1920 – January 17, 2015) was an American education, newspaper editor, and politician who served as the Treasurer of Louisiana from 1968 to 1987. She was the first woman to serve in the position. Early life and ...

(class of 1941, 1920–2015) was state treasurer from 1968 to 1987. *

Barry Rubin Barry M. Rubin (28 January 1950 – February 3, 2014) was an American-born Israeli writer and academic on terrorism and Middle Eastern affairs. Career Rubin was the director of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center, editor ...

(born 1957), Head Strength and Conditioning Coach of the

in the National Football League * Joe R. Salter, former speaker of the Louisiana House from

Sabine Parish Sabine Parish ( French: ''Paroisse de la Sabine'') is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 24,233. The seat of the parish is Many. Sabine was one of five parishes created in as many week ...

and current

lobbyist In politics, lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying, which ...

for the state Department of Education, graduated from NSU in 1965 and later received a master's degree from the institution. * Kenneth Michael "Mike" Smith, former state senator (1996–2008) graduated from NSU in agribusiness in 1970. He is co-owner of P.K. Smith Motors in Winnfield. * Victor T. "Vic" Stelly (born 1941), former Republican state representative from

Calcasieu Parish Calcasieu Parish (; french: Paroisse de Calcasieu) is a List of parishes in Louisiana, parish located on the southwestern border of the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 216,785. The p ...

and author of the

Stelly Plan Stelly is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Joel Stelly (born 1984), American football player *Vic Stelly (1941–2020), American businessman and politician See also *Stell (surname) Stell is a surname. Notable people with the s ...

, received his bachelor of science in education from NSU in 1962. *

Raymond Strother Raymond D. Strother (October 18, 1940 – October 1, 2022) was a nationally known Democratic political consultant, originally from Port Arthur, Texas. Background Reared in a politically active lower-middle-class home, Strother graduated in 1 ...

, regional and national

political consultant Political consulting is a form of consulting that consists primarily of advising and assisting political campaigns. Although the most important role of political consultants is arguably the development and production of mass media (largely tel ...

, attended NSU from 1958 to 1960. * Ollie Tyler (graduate studies), mayor of Shreveport, former interim state superintendent of education, former Caddo Parish school superintendent * Darryl Willis (1991), BP vice president in charge of claims in the

Deepwater Horizon oil spill The ''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill (also referred to as the "BP oil spill") was an industrial disaster that began on 20 April 2010 off of the coast of the United States in the Gulf of Mexico on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect, considered ...

, is featured in many BP commercials. * Ernest Wooton (born 1941), state representative from Belle Chasse and an

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

candidate for the

U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

in 2010, attended NSU. * Successful athletic alumni are

Terrence McGee Terrence Dewayne McGee (born October 14, 1980) is a former American football cornerback and kick returner in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by Buffalo Bills in the fourth round (111th overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft. He playe ...

David Pittman David Pittman (born 23 February 1969) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Adelaide Crows in the Australian Football League (AFL). Originally from South Australian National Football League (SANFL) club Norwood, Pittma ...

Craig Nall Craig Matthew Nall (born April 21, 1979) is a former American football quarterback who was drafted by the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL) in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football for LSU Tigers ...

Gary Reasons Gary Phillip Reasons (born February 18, 1962) is a former American football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL), winning Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXV as a member of the team. Since his retirement as a play ...

Kenta Bell Kenta Bell (born March 16, 1977, in Kilgore, Texas) is an American track and field athlete who competes mainly in the triple jump. He won this event at the 2001 Universiade and the 2003 national championship. Bell has also finished third in two IA ...

Jackie Smith Jackie Larue Smith (born February 23, 1940) is a former American football tight end in the National Football League for the St. Louis Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Northwestern Louisiana State College (Northwestern ...

Brian Lawrence Brian Michael Lawrence (born May 14, 1976) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres and New York Mets. He is currently the pitching coach of the South Bend Cu ...

, and Dennis Duncan.

Notable faculty and administrators

* James B. Aswell, president of NSU from 1908 to 1911, was the U.S. representative for

Louisiana's 8th congressional district Louisiana's 8th congressional district is a defunct congressional district and no longer exists after Louisiana lost its eighth congressional seat in the 1990 U. S. Census. For its entire existence, it was based in Alexandria and included much ...

(since defunct) from 1913 until his death in office in 1931. * Medford Bryan Evans (1907–1989), English professor and

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

activist, at NSU from 1955 to 1959 *

Julie Kane :''Disambiguation: for the character voiced by Kate Micucci see Motorcity#Protagonists.'' Julie Kane (born July 20, 1952 in Boston) is a contemporary American poet, scholar, and editor and was the Louisiana Poet Laureate for the 2011–2013 ter ...

(born 1952), poet * Jay Luneau (born 1962), Alexandria lawyer and state senator; adjunct professor at NSU * Ralph L. Ropp, professor of speech and head of the forensics department, 1923–1949; president of Louisiana Tech from 1949 to 1962

References

External links

* {{authority control Educational institutions established in 1884 Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Education in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana Buildings and structures in Natchitoches, Louisiana Universities and colleges in Shreveport, Louisiana Education in Vernon Parish, Louisiana Education in Rapides Parish, Louisiana 1884 establishments in Louisiana Public universities and colleges in Louisiana