History and Purpose

Nicholls State University, located in Thibodaux, Louisiana, is a comprehensive, regional institution serving south central Louisiana and beyond. Tax supported and coeducational, it first opened its doors September 23, 1948, as Francis T. Nicholls Junior College of Louisiana State University.

In 1956, the Louisiana Legislature separated Nicholls from LSU and authorized it to develop four–year curricula. Thus, in September 1956, the former junior college began operation as Francis T. Nicholls State College. It granted its first degrees in May 1958. Act 93 of the State Legislature in 1970 changed the name to Nicholls State University.

Nicholls is located in the heart of “Cajun Country,” an area rich in tradition and culture. Its location in the heart of the Mississippi River delta allows easy access to the river, its tributaries, Louisiana’s wetlands, and the Gulf of Mexico. The 210–acre campus is approximately 50 miles southwest of New Orleans and 60 miles southeast of Baton Rouge.

For more than half a century, Nicholls State University has been the sole provider of higher education in a region with abundant cultural and natural resources. The university’s strong general education program prepares students to exercise leadership in a global society and enhances their ability to create a vision for the future. By maintaining a major partnership with businesses, local school systems, community agencies, and other educational institutions, Nicholls actively participates in the development of the region.

Established along the banks of Bayou Lafourche, in the heart of one of the nation’s major estuaries, Nicholls provides unique opportunities for instruction and research in the fields of marine and environmental science. The university has taken advantage of its strategic location to assume a leadership role in a region with ample resources in agricultural, fishing, petrochemical, and oil field–related industries. As a leader, the university continues to contribute significantly to the growth of the region in regard to new technology, manufacturing, and international trade.