Allayne Barrilleaux

Allayne Barrilleaux’s energy emanates through her body language n her hands struggle to maintain the brisk pace of her excited explanations as her words flow without pause and she keeps her eyes honed in on the subject n even as she discusses the looming budget cuts that face Nicholls State University.

As the interim vice president of Academic Affairs at Nicholls, Barrilleaux understands that her beloved university faces daunting challenges, but she says she will welcome those challenges. Her body language does not betray her.

“With the environment as unstable as it is today, it’s non-stop, but that’s really what I thrive on,” Barrilleaux said. “I like to solve problems. I like challenges.

“This office, which I love about it, is constant challenges. Every day there is a new fire to be put out. Every day there is a new opportunity to check in to and see if it’s there.”

She emphasizes the word opportunity and later laughs when speculating that her two daughters tire of her the cliché-laden lessons.

“Where there’s threat, there’s opportunity.”

A self-described optimist, Barrilleaux takes the message to heart, constantly navigating through the metaphorical pile of rubble to find the gem that could make the struggle worthwhile. She applies her line of thinking to the budget crisis, where she says the school could come away from the ordeal with added strength if it learns to emphasize the non-traditional programs.

She talks about collaboration between the school’s culinary and dietary programs and emphasis on the pre-medicine program and marine biology program, which prepares students to deal with the coastal erosion issues of the area.

“Everybody likes a little bit of recognition beyond their own backyard,” she said. “This is what will do it for us. We are great in what we do in terms of our regular programming, and then we have a little bit of lagniappe, a little bit extra. And that’s what we need to capitalize on.”

Barrilleaux said she will apply to keep her position as vice president of Academic Affairs when the university officially begins looking for a full-time replacement. She has been in the office for six months and said she loves the quick pace that comes with it, but the go-go-go Houma native said she has taken classes to prepare her for the next step, the next big challenge n president at another university.

“This is the position I’ve always aspired to, but now that I’m in it, you know me, I always like another challenge,” Barrilleaux said near the end of a 25-minute interview. “I have not ruled that out, but if instead, I decide to retire, I will probably go and help my sister with our family business and try to expand that a little bit more.”

Title: Nicholls State University vice president of Academic Affairs

Age: 54

Family: Single with two daughters, Emily (24) and Kayla (21)

Education: Bachelor’s degree in education from LSU, master’s degree in business from Nicholls State and a doctorate in management

If you could add one more hour to each day, you would: Read for enjoyment or play the piano

First job: Inventory at Surgical Supplies, my father’s business

What did you want to be growing up? An administrative secretary

Describe yourself in one word: Optimistic

Best advice to a woman in business: “A woman needs to define what her strengths her and use them to her advantage, use them to overcome weakness and use them to seize opportunities.”

If you were doing something else, what would it be? Running the family business.