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The Nicholls State University fall enrollment decreased for the first time since 2014 in the wake of Hurricane Ida and a mulyear global pandemic.

Nicholls enrolled 6,239 students, according to 14th-day class statistics, an 8% drop from fall 2020.

Nicholls President Dr. Jay Clune said he anticipated a drop in enrollment as students are weary from going to school during the COVID-19 era. Additionally, many more students who would normally be enrolled are rebuilding after Hurricane Ida hit south Louisiana on Aug. 29.

“We saw this coming, and we understand. It is a difficult time to be a student in South Louisiana right now,” Clune said. “I want our community to know that we are here for you, and we are committed to offering programs that our students want, and our industry needs. We have work to do, but our team is up to it.”

Though enrollment has decreased, the university continues to excel in retaining its students with a 70% freshmen retention rate. This is higher than the national average of 61% and the fourth consecutive year of at least 70% retention. Additionally, the university has maintained retention rates of at least 68% dating back to 2010.

The Nicholls freshmen class is one of the most accomplished in school history, with 14 more valedictorians than 2020 and the largest average ACT score – 22.2 – since 2019.

Nicholls Online continues to grow with enrollment increasing by 0.3 percent to 590 students this fall.

Nursing continues to be the top degree program with 772 students enrolled for the fall. Other top degree programs are:

Business administration and computer information systems with 657 students,

Allied health sciences with 539 students,

Biological sciences with 433 students, and

English, modern languages and cultural studies with 419 students.

Following a successful marketing campaign, the Nicholls MBA program enrollment increased by 41 percent year-to-year, the largest program growth on campus. Other significant enrollment increases are:

Masters in nursing up 23%,

Allied health sciences up 5.3%,

Psychology, counseling and family studies up 3.1% and

English, modern languages, and cultural studies up 1%.

To apply for spring, summer or fall 2022 semesters, visit www.nicholls.edu/admissions/apply/.

No deaths from COVID-19 have been reported in St. Mary since Tuesday, and only 38 new cases since then were reported by the Louisiana Office of Public Health at noon Friday.

The pandemic case count for the parish now stands at 8,392. The death toll remains at 209, including 62 deaths that have occurred here since Aug. 1. Nearly 2,500 new St. Mary Parish cases have been recorded since the Delta variant of COVID arrived in early July.

Statewide, the statistics continue to show that we're past the peak of the fourth surge in coronavirus infections. The OPH reported 1,373 new cases since Thursday along with 39 fatalities.

The number of COVID-positive people in Louisiana hospitals continues to fall. The OPH reported 838 hospitalizations Friday, down 151 since Tuesday.

Despite the improving numbers, most of Louisiana's parishes are rated as being at the highest risk of COVID spread according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention metrics. Those categories are based on a week's worth of average daily new cases per 100,000 people and the percentage of COVID tests returning positive results.

But for the first time since early August, not all parishes are rated as being at highest risk.

West Baton Rouge, Tensas, St. Bernard, Orleans, St. Helena, Cameron and Pointe Coupee are also now classified as high risk, the second-highest of four risk levels.

Staff Report
The Community Foundation of Acadiana and Hancock Whitney Bank have announced that Joe and Gina Sanford are the 2021 Leaders in Philanthropy Award honorees for St. Mary Parish.
As lifelong residents of St. Mary Parish, they have both remained active in their community. Their basis for giving goes back to both of their families teaching the Christian foundation of giving back to the community to those less fortunate.
“It was my father who inspired me to give back, he was a generous man and I wanted to follow in his path,” Joe Sanford said.
“It was my parents who inspired me to give back because they helped so many throughout their lives,” Gina Sanford said.
The Sanfords share the same values and, after the sale of Joe’s company, they have continued to make generosity a top priority.
“Gina and Joe Sanford are compassionate and helpful; they do what is right and good to benefit people and causes in need of their support,” said Lisa Parsiola, St. Mary Foundation Advisory Board member.
“What’s more, they choose to keep quiet about the ways in which they are generous to their community, rather than seeking attention or recognition for their acts of kindness. Their altruism inspires others to give back with their own time, talents, and treasures.”
Leaders In Philanthropy Awards are presented annually to outstanding individuals, couples, and corporations who have supported nonprofit organizations, churches and schools through charitable giving or philanthropic work.
Individuals and couples are selected from each of the eight parishes of Community Foundation of Acadiana’s primary service area.
CFA welcomes nominations from the general public at www.cfacadiana.org/lip. Nominees need not be donors or have a Fund at CFA. CFA’s Past Board Members consider nominations and submit their recommendations to the CFA Board of Directors for final approval, including those proposed by any Parish Affiliate Advisory Board.
Community Foundation of Acadiana’s core purpose is to build legacies and improve communities by connecting generous people to the causes they care about.
CFA has realized more than $317 million in philanthropic activities since inception in 2000 and currently has assets of more than $187 million. CFA’s donor-directed grant distributions now exceed $165 million. While donors are not limited geographically, CFA’s primary service area includes the parishes of Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, and Vermilion. CFA is the third largest community foundation in the state and expects to soon be included in the Top 100 U.S. community foundations by assets. These important milestones ensure CFA’s position as one of Louisiana’s premier philanthropic organizations.

The Daily Review/Bill Decker
Grace Eisenman, founder of The Market in Morgan City, receives a Postive Image award from Morgan City Councilman Steve Domangue at Tuesday's council meeting. The Market turned an old store into a business home for arts and crafts vendors who couldn't afford places of their own. Shown from left are Councilment Mark Stephens, Lou Tamporello, Tim Hymel and Ron Bias, Eisenman, Domangue and Mayor Lee Dragna.