THIBODAUX, La. – Nicholls State University will hold its 118th Commencement on Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Stopher Gymnasium.
Session I at 9 a.m. will recognize graduates from the Al Danos College of Business and the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. The guest speaker is Lisa Kliebert, the executive director of the Bayou Region Incubator. As a three-time Nicholls graduate, Kliebert uses her background in leadership to help local entrepreneurs grow their businesses through mentorship and community networking.
Session II at noon will feature the College of Liberal Arts and the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute. The speaker is Bret Allain II, a former Louisiana State Senator and sugarcane farmer. During his 12 years in office, Allain was a key figure in state budget decisions and coastal protection. He is a longtime supporter of the university and played a major role in securing the state funding needed for Nicholls’ campus upgrades and coastal research.
Session III at 3 p.m. will finish with the Thibodaux Regional Health System School of Nursing and the College of Sciences and Technology. The speaker is Dr. Jimmy N. Ponder Jr., a physician with over 30 years of experience who leads the Headache and Pain Center. Dr. Ponder frequently works with Nicholls’ nursing and science programs to provide students with clinical experience and career opportunities. He is also a recognized leader in medical education, having served as president of the Louisiana Society of Interventional Pain Physicians.
Please note that this is a ticketed event. For more information, visit www.nicholls.edu/commencement.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, May 4, 2026
MEDIA CONTACT: Payton Suire
Media Relations & Publications Coordinator,
985.448.4141 or payton.suire@nicholls.edu