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Easy does it down La. Highway 90 East, to Nicholls State University.
The university has entered into a historic partnership with South Louisiana Community College, the Young Memorial Campus in Morgan City, to make smooth transfer options available for students there, to transfer to Nicholls after their second year of classes, with the hope of obtaining a four year degree in Biology, Business Administration, Criminal Justice or Nursing.
Dr. Jay Clune, Nicholls State President, signed four articulation agreements on Dec 17, which guarantee a transfer to Nicholls after earning an Associate’s degree in the above named fields, from SLCC.
“Nicholls is the neutral ground where St. Mary, Terrebonne and Lafourche come together. We are one,” Clune said. “St. Mary Parish is Colonel Country.”
Dr. Natalie Harder, chancellor of SLCC, called Dec 17 a “gold star day” for both schools.
“This really shows you that when you put good heads together, you can serve students in ways you never thought possible,” she said.
Dr. Jim Henderson, who is president of the University of Louisiana System, which Nicholls and SLCC are a part of, said the partnership is an example of how the state’s two and four year colleges can put their heads together with a mission to serve students first, before anything else.
“In this economy we need more talent, more that what we’ve ever had before, talent that can develop with the knowledge and ability to succeed,” Henderson said.
State Sen Bret Allain, who represents all three parishes, said the partnership has been a long time goal of his. He recalled a story of a college roommate who dropped out because school wasn’t his thing at the time. He said the friend later graduated from a community college with an associate degree and wanted to transfer his credits to a four year college, so that he could obtain a four year degree.
Allain said not one college would take his friend’s credits.
“So the access that we’re providing here today…this is about our society and how we can keep it moving forward, creating opportunities,” Allain said.
“I am so proud of this area for getting it done here, and getting it done first. This is a great moment, to show other college leadership on how it can get done. These two schools are now a team, and they will do more great things for this area,” he said.
Stevie Smith, project engineer with T. Baker Smith, also a board member of the technical college system, said this kind of partnership happens, “when you have leaders at two institutions who want to see it happen.”
And State Rep. Sam Jones, who presents St. Mary Parish said the concept means as the area and the state are not confined to one institution to solve problems.
“We will make it happen,” Jones said. “The leaders of these two colleges really get it. Now, we need the rest of the state to catch on.”
