Nicholls State confers record-breaking 599 degrees

THIBODAUX — Nicholls State University held commencement exercises May 12, awarding 599 degrees to students who completed coursework during the spring semester.

“This was not only the largest spring commencement in university history — surpassing the record-breaking number of degrees awarded in spring 2011 by 17 — but it also resulted in the most graduates in an academic year in Nicholls history,” university registrar Kelly Rodrigue said.

“The 2011-12 academic year produced 1,263 degrees, an increase of 23 over the previous record set in 2009-10,” Rodrigue added.

The degrees awarded were conferred and presented by university President Stephen T. Hulbert. State Sen. Norby Chabert, R-Houma, a Nicholls State alumnus, delivered the keynote address.

Graduates are listed by degree and parish, or out-of-state city of record, with academic honors included. Summa cum laude indicates the student earned a cumulative grade-point average of 3.9 or higher. Magna cum laude graduates, those with a GPA of 3.7 to 3.899, and cum laude honorees, those earning a GPA between 3.5 and 3.699, also are designated.

Four baccalaureate graduates earned the President’s Medal of Honor, which recognizes a perfect 4.000 grade-point average.

They are Brandi Boudreaux, of Thibodaux, a biology pre-med/pre-dentistry major; Kate Hotard, of Mathews, a biology pre-med/pre-dentistry major; Katie Hymel, of Vacherie, a communicative disorders major; and Neal Bollinger, of Houma, a business administration major.

To download the list of spring graduates from Nicholls State University’s website, visit http://www.nicholls.edu/news/ and click on the May 18 entry titled “Nicholls completes record-breaking year.”