Pictured from left are Dr. Stephen T. Hulbert, university president; Stella Lasseigne;  Lloyd “Chip” Badeaux; Velma Callais Rogers; and Martin Folse.

Thomas held an overall record of 26-36 as head coach and led the Colonels to the Southland Conference Championship in 2005. After earning a 21-21 record through his first four years, the Colonels have gone 5-15 over the last two seasons and have not had a winning season in conference play since 2005.

The Colonels’ only wins in the 2009 campaign came against Duquense (3-7), a winless Northwestern State (0-10) team and Southeastern Louisiana.

A search for a new head coach will begin immediately.

Pictured from left on the top row are Stefan Wright; David Dugas; Kal Savoie; Philip Dupre; Blaine Adams; Lawrence Briggs; Tyler Koster; Cody Blanchard; Larry Howell, associate provost; and Dr. Eugene Dial, vice president for student affairs and enrollment services. Pictured from left on the center row are Dr. Carrol Falcon, provost and vice president for academic affairs; William Heck; Lee LeBouef; Seth Candies; Ryan Donegan; Holden Ledet; Gaetano Ruggiero III; Nicholas Walker; Chelsea Adams; Cindy Soto; and Stephanie Graebert. Pictured from left on the front row are Lindsey Matherne; Hannah Pitre; Jacey Tanner; Kourtney Rodrigue; Whitney Dupuy; Cherie Boudreaux; Miriam Davis; Brittany Taraba; Samantha Chaisson; Whitney Leonard; and Natalie Brown.

The junior and senior honorees were selected as national student leaders by a campus nominating committee and editors of the nationwide annual directory. Each university may select up to one percent of its students for inclusion in Who’s Who.

“Nicholls is quite proud of these outstanding students,” said Dr. Eugene A. Dial Jr., vice president for student affairs and enrollment services. “We thank and congratulate the honorees for their contributions to the campus and their communities.”

Students named this year, by hometown and college, include:

Baton Rouge

Natalie Marie Brown, College of Arts and Sciences; Alyssa Michelle Daigle, College of Education;

Belle Rose

Thomas Christopher Nickell Jr., College of Nursing and Allied Health;

Bourg

Samantha Kaye Chaisson, College of Nursing and Allied Health;

Cut Off

Blaine Paul Adams, College of Arts and Sciences; Jesse John Gautreaux, College of Nursing and Allied Health; Holden P. Ledet, College of Business Administration;

Donaldsonville

Philip Thomas Dupre’, College of Business Administration;

Gulf Breeze, Fla.

Chelsey Jane Adams, College of Nursing and Allied Health;

Houma

Tyler M. Koster, College of Business Administration; Hannah Marie Pitre, College of Nursing and Allied Health; Jennifer Claire Smith, College of Arts and Sciences; Jacey E. Tanner, College of Arts and Sciences;

Independence, Mo.

Cindy Sue Soto, College of Arts and Sciences;

Larose

Whitney Michelle Leonard, College of Nursing and Allied Health;

Lockport

Kal Joseph Savoie, College of Business Administration;

Marrero

Lindsey Erin Schaeffer, University College;

Monroe

Brittany Suzanne Taraba, College of Business Administration;

Norco

Stephanie M. Graebert, College of Arts and Sciences;

Pierre Part

Cody John Blanchard, College of Business Administration; David Michael Dugas, College of Business Administration;

Plaquemine

Gaetano Joseph Ruggiero III, College of Arts and Sciences;

Ponchatoula

Louis Paul Raiford, University College;

Raceland

Lindsey Elizabeth Matherne, College of Nursing and Allied Health;

Talisheek

Richard Joseph Abarr, College of Education;

Thibodaux

Cherie Mary Boudreaux, College of Business Administration; Lawrence Jamal Briggs, College of Arts and Sciences; Seth M. Candies, College of Nursing and Allied Health; Ryan P. Donegan, College of Business Administration; Whitney Michelle Dupuy, College of Arts and Sciences; William Andrew Heck, College of Arts and Sciences; Margaret Winston Jones, College of Arts and Sciences; Lee M. LeBouef, College of Education; Christopher Henry Riviere Jr., University College; Anna Marie Rodrigue, College of Nursing and Allied Health; Kourtney Lin Rodrigue, College of Nursing and Allied Health; Rhea Marie Vidrine, College of Arts and Sciences; Nicholas James Walker, College of Arts and Sciences;

Willis, Texas

Stefan B. Wright, University College; and

Youngville

Miriam Davis, College of Education.

Prospective students with admissions questions can reach an admission staff member during the holidays by sending an e-mail to nicholls@nicholls.edu.

For financial aid assistance, e-mail finaid@nicholls.edu.

“Nicholls is proud to attract and educate students who consistently choose to remain in this great state after earning their degrees,” Dr. Stephen T. Hulbert, university president, said. “This is a comprehensive, four-year, regional university, and our primary mission is to educate the workforce of tomorrow. Certainly we are gratified that such a large portion of our alumni have chosen to remain – especially during these difficult economic times, when Louisiana needs them most.”

One such Nicholls graduate is David Vicknair, a Thibodaux native who earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration in 2007. Upon graduation, Vicknair received offers from several out-of-state law schools, but he chose to attend the College of Law at Loyola University New Orleans.

“I realized, as I was attending Nicholls, that I wasn’t just trying to earn a degree,” Vicknair said. “Nicholls also grounded me in the realization that I should be a part of bolstering Louisiana’s economy.”

The event brings together scholarship donors and recipients and is held each fall on the Nicholls campus. This year, more than $198,000 in private scholarship funds were available to Nicholls students.

The festivity will start with a cocktail reception, followed by a three-course gourmet dinner featuring the skills of approximately 300 student culinarians. Recipes made famous by the world-renowned French chef Paul Bocuse will be featured throughout the evening, which will culminate with a lavish dessert buffet. In addition to fine dining, attendees can look forward to the annual live and silent auctions.

Space is limited, so call (985) 448-4141 as soon as possible to RSVP.

To reserve space, media representatives are asked to call (985) 448-4770.

Hollywood celebrities and Louisiana dignitaries will join members and guests of the center for this fundraising event. Slated to begin at 6:30 p.m. with cocktails, followed by dinner and entertainment at 8, the evening’s proceeds will benefit the center’s wide array of programs, including the Louisiana Girls’ Leadership Academy, National Women’s Leadership Summit and regional leadership councils.

For additional details, see the press release posted Tuesday, Nov. 3, at www.nicholls.edu/news.

Sponsored by the Omicron Beta Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia at Nicholls – and directed by Dr. Kenneth S. Klaus, professor of music and director of choral activities – the chorus will deliver performances centering on a theme of brotherhood. Howard Nixon, minister of music at New Rising Sun Baptist Church in Houma and retired vocal music teacher, will accompany the singers on the piano.

The group will present part-songs written by members of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity – as well as traditional fraternity songs. Attendees will also be treated to the rarely heard, three stanzas of the “Star-Spangled Banner,” followed by an arrangement of the Nicholls Alma Mater.

Additional arrangements include selections from the opera “Xerxes,” by G. F. Handel; the patriotic hymn “God of our Fathers,” by George W. Warren as arranged by Howard Helvey; the contemporary Christmas carol “Mary Did You Know?” arranged by Jack Schrader; and “Will the Circle be Unbroken?” by early 20th century gospel hymn composer Charles Gabriel.

Lighter numbers include a calypso selection entitled “Marry a Woman Uglier than You” – and “The New Ashmolean Marching Society and Students Conservatory Band” from the Broadway musical “Where’s Charley?”

The concert is free and open to the public. For additional information, call (985) 856-9357 or (985) 448-4606.

The Louisiana Center for Women and Government, headquartered at Nicholls, will host two workshops on performance craft – an on-camera audition class, slated for 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and an improv workshop, scheduled for 2:30 to 4 p.m. Both classes will be conducted in Gouaux Hall, with a fee of $30 each, and are open to teens and adults.

Acting coaches include Bear Badeaux, a Thibodaux native who performs at the Comedy Store, iO West and L.A. Connection, and Crystal Rivers, co-founder of Southern Rivers Productions, former Bud Light and Natural Ice Girl and a performer with several film and television credits to her name. These and other professional entertainers will teach enrollees how to succeed in performance.

Proceeds from the classes will benefit the Louisiana Center for Women and Government. Established in 1991, the center encourages and promotes the leadership of women by providing resources and non-partisan support through educational workshops, training seminars and outreach programs. With more than 600 members from eight regions across Louisiana, the center promotes women in government and public service, acknowledges achievements of women and teaches all citizens about the importance of public service and responsible citizenship.

To register for the performance classes, call (985) 448-4770 or (985) 209-4221.