Nicholls presents top grant winners and awards at Spring Convocation

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Nicholls State University presented awards to its faculty during its spring 2025 convocation on January 15, with opening remarks from Vice Provost and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Todd Keller and President Jay Clune, PhD, regarding the state of the university.

Dr. Clune informed faculty and staff that the university has taken proactive steps in previous years to ensure we remain on stable financial ground and is actively working to increase enrollment and build relationships with industry partners to identify and fill workforce needs.


“Nicholls continues to thrive, and I am confident that this semester will bring even more achievements and growth. By working together, we can make this a memorable and successful semester for all,” said Dr. Clune.

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs awarded the top 10 grant winner awards for securing the greatest amount of external funding for the university in 2024, totaling over $1.73 million in grants and over $330,000 in indirect costs earned for the university. These grants benefit students by providing them with essential resources and opportunities to engage in research and access to cutting-edge technology while completing their coursework.

Dr. Keller presented two professorships that were awarded to:


  • Dr. Leah Peterson, interim assistant dean, assessment coordinator and assistant professor of teacher education, Bonnie Bourg Endowed Professorship
  • Mrs. Sherry Rodrigue, department head of business administration and computer information systems and senior instructor of computer information systems, Candies Family Endowed Professorship

Through the continued generosity of Regions Bank, the Office of Academic Affairs can support the Academic Affairs Awards for Teaching Excellence. Recipients receive a one-time stipend of $500. Deans and department heads were asked to nominate faculty from their areas who have met the following criteria: five years of consecutive teaching and service, five consecutive years of outstanding student evaluations and five years of outstanding administrative evaluations. The awardees for the Academic Affairs Award for Teaching Excellence are:

  • Dr. Juliann Allen, assistant professor of marketing, Al Danos College of Business
  • Ms. Rhiannon Traigle, instructor of psychology, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
  • Dr. Gustavo Miranda, assistant professor of percussion, College of Liberal Arts
  • Dr. Melissa Clay, MSN program coordinator and assistant professor of nursing, Thibodaux Regional Health System School of Nursing
  • Dr. Sarah Bergeron, assistant professor of chemistry, College of Sciences and Technology

To learn more about Nicholls’ spring slate of events, visit www.nicholls.edu/calendar/.