Nicholls, Nunez CC ink petro services degree deal

Nicholls State University’s and Chalmette’s Nunez Community College have signed a deal to make it easier for Nunez students to earn a bachelor’s degree in petroleum services at the Thibodaux university.

Nicholls’ President Dr. Stephen Hulbert and Nunez Chancellor Dr. Thomas Warner signed a Memorandum of Understanding after the Thanksgiving holiday last week. The agreement allows several of Nunez’s industrial technology courses to transfer to Nicholls’ four-year petroleum services program.

The Nicholls program has already graduated several transfer students from Nunez, according to NSU’s Michael Gautreaux, safety technology and petroleum services coordinator. The deal, he said, should encourage more Nunez students to pursue bachelor’s degrees at Nicholls.

Nunez currently offers a two-year program, which focuses on process technology and the downstream oil sector (refineries and chemical plants). Nicholls’ four-year program, however, readies students for supervisory posts and focuses on the upstream sector (exploring and drilling).

“With more interest in offshore and many management-level workers retiring in this field, a bachelor’s degree from Nicholls will really give our students a shot to move into more advanced careers,” said Keith Tolleson, Nunez’s process technology program manager.