THIBODAUX — Nicholls State University and Nunez Community College in Chalmette are working together to make it easier for Nunez students to earn a bachelor’s degree in petroleum services at Nicholls.
On Tuesday, Nov. 27, officials from both institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding, stating that several of Nunez’s industrial technology courses will transfer to Nicholls’ four-year petroleum services program. Michael Gautreaux, safety technology and petroleum services coordinator at Nicholls, says his program has already graduated several transfer students from Nunez, and he hopes that the new agreement will encourage more students to pursue their bachelor’s degree at Nicholls.
While Nunez’s two-year program focuses on process technology and the downstream oil sector (refineries and chemical plants), the four-year program at Nicholls prepares students for supervisory positions and focuses on the upstream sector (exploration and drilling).
“With more interest in offshore and many management-level workers retiring in this field, a bachelor’s degree from Nicholls will really give our students a shot to move into more advanced careers,” says Keith Tolleson, process technology program manager at Nunez.
Dr. Thomas Warner, Nunez Community College chancellor, and Dr. Stephen T. Hulbert, Nicholls State University president, sign a Memorandum of Understanding, allowing industrial technology courses at Nunez to transfer to the Nicholls bachelor’s degree program in petroleum services.
