Local businesses invest in NSU maritime program

Truck destroys Leeville toll kiosk
August 23, 2012
Manufactured homes now get custom treatment
August 23, 2012
Truck destroys Leeville toll kiosk
August 23, 2012
Manufactured homes now get custom treatment
August 23, 2012

Area business leaders and educators at Nicholls State University are planning for the future. Together they have announced plans to create a maritime program through Nicholls’ College of Business that will be customized to meet industrial needs of the region.

Not being deterred by the university’s $52 million operating budget for 2012-13, which is reduced 6 percent from the previous year, backers have both pledged and donated more than $320,000 for the next three years, to launch the new program. It will begin as an emphasis for a Business Administration degree. Classes specific to this maritime program are expected to be offered beginning with the fall semester of 2013.


“There is no state money going into this,” Nicholls Business Management Department Director Ken Chadwick said. “The college of business recognizes the constraints the state has put on us. So, we went outside of the university system.”


Chadwick, who will head the program, said the maritime project has been two years in the making and is a public/private initiative.

“We had several business leaders in the region approach us about doing something in the maritime area,” he said. “We had the suggestion made by one of the college’s stakeholders and began to assess interest among others in the area.”


Multiple industry leaders in the fields of shipbuilding and petroleum met with NSU Business College leaders to design what they see as practical applications for the academic program.


Working toward undergraduate course content, Chadwick said the preliminary curriculum includes an introduction into the maritime industry, trade and commerce, contract and salvage laws, and both micro and macro-economics. The college is also looking into developing a summer internship program for students and regional companies.

“In the future we may be able to expand this into a major as a maritime degree,” he said.


Student interest has not yet been gauged however business interest has proven to be strong, according to organizers.

“Until now, no university in Louisiana has provided a program to develop the future leaders of our specific industry,” Seacor Marine COO Robert Clemons said in a printed statement. ”This program will offer Nicholls students a competitive advantage in an industry that they will likely be directly or indirectly involved in anyway.”

In addition to Seacor Marine, regional corporations posting support as program partners include Edison Chouest Offshore, Bollinger Shipyards, Otto Candies LLC, Montco Offshore, Cenac Towing Co., Aries Marine Corp., Harvey Gulf International Marine LLC, Cheramine Botruc, Phelps Dunbar LLP and Marine Systems Inc.

“I am extremely excited this program is going to be available considering our proximity to all the oil and gas and boating businesses in Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes,” Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce President Kathy Benoit said. “It will be a great asset and it is exciting that business has been able to step up to the plate and fund a lot of the expenses involved.”

Benoit predicted that with reduced government backing for education, business will increasingly participate in the funding and training of future workforces.

“I think it is important that we in the college of business strive to identify the wants and needs of our area employers and try to design programs to specifically fill those needs,” Chadwick said.

University and industry leaders intend to host sessions dealing with the maritime program throughout the coming year.

Shipbuilding, offshore servicing and industrial production are among the regional industries that will be served as Nicholls State University launches a new maritime studies program through its college of business. The project is completely funded by industry expecting a return on investment with skilled and qualified workers. 

FILE PHOTO