11th Antoon Golf Tournament raises $7000 for student scholarships
NATCHITOCHES - The 11th annual Johnny Antoon Memorial Golf Tournament raised more than $7,000 to support scholarships for Northwestern State University students. Twenty-four teams competed in the June 6 event that honors the memory of one of NSU's most loyal supporters. "Our scholarship benefits students directly," said Danielle Cobb, Antoon's daughter and associate director of Donor Engagement and Stewardship at NSU. "Any way that we can offset the cost of their education at Northwestern means the
Recent graduates and student in NSU's Dept of Engineering Tech stand out at international conference
NATCHITOCHES - Recent graduates and a student from the Department of Engineering Technology at Northwestern State University swept the student competition, winning in three categories at the 11th North American International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management (IEOM) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The project "Interactive Outdoor Learning Center: Smart Irrigation for Hands-On STEM Learning" won first place in the Senior Capstone Design Project Competition. The project was presented by
NSU earns recognition for preparing future elementary teachers in the science of reading
NATCHITOCHES - Northwestern State University's Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with 1-5 certification earned an A+ from the National Council of Teacher Quality for how well they prepare for future teachers to teach reading to elementary students. The report, Teacher Prep Review: Decoding Progress in Reading Preparation, published on June 9, spotlights NSU for meeting the standards set by literacy experts for coverage of the most effective methods of reading instruction. Specifically, this
BPCC Awarded $300,000 H.E.R.O. Fund Grant to Expand Rural Nursing Workforce
Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) has been awarded $300,000 through the Louisiana Department of Health's Health Care Employment Reinvestment Opportunity (H.E.R.O.) Fund. The funding will support the college's LPN-to-RN Rural Apprenticeship Pathway, an innovative program designed to address critical nursing shortages across northwest Louisiana. BPCC's LPN-to-RN Rural Apprenticeship Pathway will serve a cohort of 20 licensed practical nurse (LPN) apprentices over a 24-month period, with 10
Natchitoches Parish emerges as leader in post-pandemic learning recovery
Louisiana has emerged as a national leader in academic recovery, becoming the only state in the country to surpass its 2019 pre-pandemic reading benchmarks. According to the latest Education Scorecard, a collaborative report from Harvard, Stanford, and Dartmouth, Louisiana also ranks 3rd in the nation for academic growth in math. The report, which combines state test results from 35 million students nationwide with national assessment data, provides a high-resolution look at the state's educational
Natchitoches Main Street receives national accreditation for 2026
Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and Louisiana Main Street have announced that Natchitoches Main Street has been designated as an Accredited Main Street America program for 2026. The accreditation recognizes communities that meet rigorous national standards for downtown revitalization, historic preservation, and economic development through the Main Street Approach. Natchitoches Main Street was one of 19 Louisiana communities and among 838 programs nationwide to earn Accredited Main Street America
Krewe of Dionysos Donates Jazz Fest Tips to Local Music Student
Members of the Krewe of Dionysos volunteered at the beer booth during the Natchitoches Jazz Festival on May 15–16, continuing a longstanding tradition of donating their earned tips to a chosen cause. This year, the Krewe chose Yujun (June) Yao, a junior at Natchitoches Central High School and an accomplished violinist. June received the more than $1,200 in tips collected to help offset tuition costs for the prestigious Sewanee Summer Music School in Sewanee, Tennessee. June was accepted into the
BPCC, Louisiana Department of Education Launch AI Powered CTE Pilot to Expand Computer Programing In
Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) has partnered with the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) on a two-year pilot program focused on strengthening educator capacity and improving the delivery of computer programming instruction across the state. The initiative is designed to ensure students develop the technical skills necessary for success in both higher education and Louisiana’s evolving workforce. As many educators are teaching computer programming coursework for the first time — and many
