Nicholls State University - La Pirogue Yearbook (Thibodaux, LA)

Page 93 text:

Holding oft her hunger with a doughnut, cum laude graduate Elaine tv1cLester talks with Richard Thom- son and Brent Madere. Marcello Heidi Weishaupt of Cedar Falls, Iowa, and Alma Zimmer- man of Thibodaux. For all the graduates assembled, it marked an end to the work and time they spent at Nicholls, All dressed in similar caps and gowns, the prospective graduates ranged from those in two-year programs, to the traditional four-year graduates, to some who returned after a twenty year absence to the area of higher educa- tion. After the waiting, lining up, the handshake and diploma, kissing, taking pictures and congratulations, time didn't end forthe graduates, but gave them one special moment. Other dignitaries with Nix were Vernon Galliano, university president, Donald Ayo, vice president and provost, G, G. Varvaro, vice president of student affairs,RevsF2opertlv1elancon and Rev. Harvey Chadwick who handled the invocation and bene- diction and Ron Landry, state representative. Graduation 89

Page 92 text:

Q in 2 , m E SfEDDiI19. UD and Olll One week after raising his hand and taking the oath ot office, State Superintendent of Education Kelly Nix stood behind the emblem of Nicholls State University. Education must be efficient, economical and produc- tive in order for our citizens to survive, he said. No degree of technical education will protect you from this changing world, he continued. Our schools must be supportive to this change and not merely look to past accomplishments and past methods of educationsf' The new superintendent addressed these and other comments to the graduates at the 20th annual May com- mencement exercises. Held in the Thibodaux Civic Center, a crowd of over 4,000 family, relatives and friends watched as 896 under- graduates and graduate students received their degrees. In 1957, Sen, A, O. Pappelet of Galliano sponsored a bill in the legislature to create a four-year college of the junior college at Nicholls. Each year since, the number of graduates has always increased. ln the final breakdown, the College of Business Admin- istration awarded 130 bachelor of science and 27 associ- ate of science degrees. The College of Education awarded 252 degrees. The College of Life Sciences awarded 106 bachelor of science and 134 associate ot science degrees. The College of Sciences awarded 38 bachelor of sci- ence and 14 associate of science degrees. The College of Liberal Arts awarded 60 bachelor of arts degrees. The Graduate School awarded 134 master's degrees. Of these students 147 were graduated with special hon- ors: 22 Summa Cum Laude Chighest honorsj, 26 Magna Cum Laude thigh honorsj and 84 Cum Laude Chonorsj. A list of the 100 students with the highest grade point average in the history of Nicholls saw 19 names replaced when present graduates finished higher. Another record to fall was the highest overall grade point average of a stu- dent. Herman Young, a pre-law major from Houma, com- pleted four years of undergraduate work maintaining a perfect 4.0 average. Young was honored for this achievement by President Galliano. Csee Personalities 1976 pg.40-41 .1 Ten undergraduates were selected to the university's Hall of Fame for their work and achievements during their time at Nicholls. 88 Graduation The last goodbye, Mac LeBlanc remembers the photographer as he prepares to line up in the Col- lege of Liberal Arts for his degree. Kelly Nix, state superintendent of education, deliv- ered the commencement address. Nix had been sworn in to office just one week earlier. Marcello lnducted from the 1976 class were Josephine Allen ot St. James, Cynthia Bush of Gretna, Patsy Champagne of Thibodaux, Charmaine Dutreix of Edgard, Kirk Granier of Luling, Henry Latont of Golden Meadow, John Perry of Zachery, Novella Smith of Kenner, John VVeimer of Thibo- daux and Herman Young of Houma. For the first year, a Graduate Hall of Fame was announced, instituted by President Galliano in coopera- tion with the Nicholls Graduate Council. Candidates for the honor were nominated by a member of the graduate faculty and received concurrence from two additional graduate faculty members. Eligibility for nomination was restricted to students who have had at least a five year period from the time they received their graduate degree to the time they were nom- inated forthe honor. The first five inductees were Myron Chauvin of Houma, Jessie Guidry of Larose, Anna Lee Miller of Thibodaux,

Page 94 text:

X .X P ff! 5 1 ff 2 ff f X , Q f '4 A Qfi, 5 WH Xl ' ' xl ' vga ' ' . U 5 3 J af, , gf, L. , V ,u :ffl X i 1 1 ' K , x ' , 2 - yi X Q E - ff 3 5 ,, ,MV y 3 ., 'f ' L K 5 gmt fi It In rf, 3 or .gum ' ly ' ' ei mfr' -4 A usa- 'Qc-uni M W if ' f 'Q FW' , w , 90 Bicentennial O :Q I. .f N X 'YY su., A 79, J ,, K' QQ' Y 4 5' Y' w SN Q . M f if ff fe - ,fs EG! 19 it K M G 14'