Northwestern State University
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Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSULA) is a
public university A public university, state university, or public college is a university or college that is State ownership, owned by the state or receives significant funding from a government. Whether a national university is considered public varies from o ...
primarily situated in
Natchitoches, Louisiana Natchitoches ( ; , ), officially the City of Natchitoches, is a small city in, and the parish seat of, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. At the 2020 United States census, the city's population was ...
, with a nursing campus in
Shreveport Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, third-most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge. The bulk of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, Lo ...
and general campuses in Leesville/
Fort Johnson Fort Polk, formerly Fort Johnson, is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, Vernon Parish, Louisiana, about 10 miles (15 km) east of Leesville, Louisiana, Leesville and 30 miles (50 km) north of DeRid ...
and
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
. It is a part of the
University of Louisiana System The University of Louisiana System (UL System) is a public university system in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It enrolls more students than the other three public university systems in the state; as of October 2023, it claims more than 91,500 st ...
. NSU was founded in 1884 as the Louisiana State Normal School. It was the first school in Louisiana to offer degree programs in nursing and business education. NSU, along with numerous other state colleges, gained university status in 1970 during the administration of President Arnold R. Kilpatrick, a Northwestern State alumnus who served from 1966 to 1978. Kilpatrick succeeded the 12-year president, John S. Kyser, a native of
El Paso, Illinois El Paso is a city in Woodford County, Illinois, Woodford and McLean County, Illinois, McLean counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 2,756 at the 2020 census. The Woodford County portion of El Paso is part of the Peoria, Illi ...
. NSU was one of the first six colleges to enter into
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
's Joint Venture Program. Students worked with NASA scientists to help analyze data and do research for the 1996 Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' shuttle mission. NSU also hosts the
Louisiana Scholars' College The Louisiana Scholars' College at Northwestern State University, or "Scholars' College" as it is known by its students and faculty, is Louisiana's only designated four-year, selective-admissions honors college in the liberal arts and sciences. ...
, Louisiana's designated honors college in the liberal arts and sciences. The
Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts The Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) is a public residential high school located in Natchitoches, Louisiana, US on the campus of Northwestern State University (NSU). It is a member of the National Consortium for Specializ ...
, a state-supported residential high school for sophomores, juniors, and seniors, is also located on the campus. It was a brainchild of former State Representative Jimmy D. Long of Natchitoches, who also attended NSU. NSU offers more than 50 degree programs. Fall 2018 total enrollment was 11,081, the largest in the university's 133-year history, although the school saw enrollments decline during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, which hampered recruitment efforts. NSU also claims more than 70,000 alumni.


History

Northwestern State University stands on ground that has been dedicated to learning for well over 100 years. Before the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, a portion of the present campus was the property of the Bullard family of Natchitoches. As early as 1856, the Bullard mansion was in use as a
convent A convent is an enclosed community of monks, nuns, friars or religious sisters. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The term is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...
by the Religious Society of the Sacred Heart. The following year, a school building was erected at the convent, and in 1884, the town and parish of Natchitoches purchased the property. Three of the four great white columns that once supported the east gable of the mansion still stand on "The Hill" and serve as the unofficial symbols of the university. In 1884, the
Louisiana State Legislature The Louisiana State Legislature (; ) is the state legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is a bicameral legislature, body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 ...
by Act 51 created the Louisiana State Normal School for the preparation of teachers. Shortly thereafter, a freshman member of the
Louisiana House of Representatives The Louisiana House of Representatives (; ) is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. This chamber is composed of 105 representatives, each of whom represents approximately 4 ...
, Leopold Caspari of Natchitoches, offered the convent site as a campus for the school with the anticipated approval of the citizens of Natchitoches. The offer was accepted, and from 1885 to 1918, the school offered two years of study for the training of teachers. Baccalaureate programs were inaugurated, and the Louisiana Constitution of 1921 changed the name of the school to Louisiana State Normal College. In 1944, the institution's excellent service in its broader role was accorded formal recognition by Act 326 of the Legislature, which changed its name to Northwestern State College of Louisiana. Northwestern State maintained and strengthened its tradition of leadership in public service and academic endeavor and became, in 1954, the first college under the jurisdiction of the Louisiana State Board of Education to offer a master's degree. The Specialist in Education degree was first offered in 1966 and the Doctor of Philosophy in Education degrees were authorized in 1967. On June 18, 1970, Governor John J. McKeithen signed a legislative act that brought the old campus its greatest distinction, changing its title to Northwestern State University of Louisiana. In 1980, the old campus quadrangle where the columns stand was entered into the National Register of Historic Places under the title "Normal Hill Historic District." Although primarily a regional institution, Northwestern State also offers an opportunity for education at satellite locations, including Leesville,
Shreveport Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, third-most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge. The bulk of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, Lo ...
, and
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
. The Nursing Education Center, located in Shreveport, provides the educational environment for nursing majors enrolled in clinical courses, as well as general education courses. A large piece of limestone, known as "The Rock" was placed on campus in 2006 at a major intersection for registered student organizations to paint designs promoting their groups. The list of student organizations available grows every semester. In 2012, the university, along with
Southeastern Louisiana University Southeastern Louisiana University (Southeastern) is a public university in Hammond, Louisiana. It was founded in 1925 by Linus A. Sims as Hammond Junior College. Sims succeeded in getting the campus moved to north Hammond in 1928, when it beca ...
and
Louisiana State University Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...
was censured by the
American Association of University Professors The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) is an organization of professors and other academics in the United States that was founded in 1915 in New York City and is currently headquartered in Washington, D.C. AAUP membership inc ...
for violations of AAUP standards on faculty rights. In response, Randy Moffett, then University of Louisiana System president, said that “placing universities on a censure list has little, if any, practical implication." In 2021, Marcus Jones became the first African-American President in the university's 137-year history after he was unanimously approved by the Louisiana Board of Supervisors. Four years later, in 2024, he was succeeded by Louisiana Supreme Court Associate Justice James Genovese.


Vic the Demon

On November 8, 1922, by proclamation of President V. L. Roy and Coach H. Lee Prather, all athletic teams became known as the Demons. The name was decided upon by a contest open to all students, with a grand prize of $10. A committee was appointed by the president to narrow down the names submitted by the student body. The final selection was decided by a vote of the students. The two most popular choices were Braves and Demons. Among other names submitted by students were Sharks, Daredevils, Musketeers, Pelicans, Prather's Ground Hogs, Bloodhounds, Cyclops, and Serpents. The official winners were Aileen Ritter and Truett Scarborough. On September 22, 1984, the Demon received his official given name using another contest sponsored by the athletic department. The contest was open to faculty, staff, and students. The objective was to find a name for the Demon. Over 300 entries were submitted to the committee. The grand prize was an all-expenses-paid weekend at the Louisiana State Fair Classic. Ray Carney, an alumnus of the university, was the official winner with "Vic", which is short for "Victory".


Jim Croce

Singer-songwriter
Jim Croce James Joseph Croce (; January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973) was an American Folk music, folk and rock singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he released five studio albums and numerous singles. During this period, Croce took a series of o ...
died in a plane crash hours after finishing a 1973 concert on the NSU campus.


Student media


Newspaper and yearbook

Northwestern's online news source with occasional printed special editions, ''The Current Sauce'', was founded in 1914. In 2021, the newspaper and campus radio station, KNWD, merged their news operations into a shared digital platform, "Purple Media Network." Its annual student-run yearbook is called ''The Potpourri''.


Radio and television

The student-run radio station is The Demon ( KNWD 91.7 FM) and a faculty-administered and student-operated local television station is NSU22, on which can be found biweekly student-produced newscasts.


Literary magazine

NSU's literary magazine is called ''The Argus''. It is student-run and published during the spring semester. The magazine content is provided by competitions in various fields of writing and artwork.


Music

The ''Spirit of Northwestern'' marching band features over 300 members each year, with membership open to any major and classification of student. Their uniforms are purple and white with a thin orange stripe. Other bands at Northwestern are the Pep Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Symphony, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, numerous chamber groups, and the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Orchestra.


Athletics

The Northwestern State athletic teams go by the Demons, with women's athletic teams generally called the Lady Demons, and its mascot is Vic the Demon. The university is a member of the
National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
(NCAA) and competes in the
Southland Conference The Southland Conference (SLC) is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the South Central United States (specifically Texas and Louisiana). It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in ...
at the
NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...
level. Northwestern State sponsors 12 varsity athletic teams, five men's teams and seven women's teams. The official list of sports changes by semester as new groups are approved.


Archive

NSU maintains an archive through the Cammie G. Henry Research Center. Collections cover a diversity of individuals and topics. Materials may be accessed on such figures as Ethma Odum, the pioneering woman television personality at
KALB-TV KALB-TV (channel 5) is a television station in Alexandria, Louisiana, United States, affiliated with NBC, CBS and The CW Plus. Owned by Gray Media, the station maintains studios on Washington Street in downtown Alexandria, and its transmitte ...
in
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
; James B. Aswell,
Kate Chopin Kate Chopin (, also ; born Katherine O'Flaherty; February 8, 1850 – August 22, 1904) was an American author of short stories and novels based in Louisiana. She is considered by scholars to have been a forerunner of American 20th-century feminis ...
, Robert DeBlieux, Caroline Dormon, and the Cane River.


Notable alumni


Notable faculty and administrators

* James B. Aswell, president of NSU and U.S. representative for Louisiana's 8th congressional district *
Medford Bryan Evans Medford Bryan Evans (August 21, 1907 – February 4, 1989) was an American college professor, writer, editor, and critic of Liberal (politics), liberalism in American politics, education, and society. He was the father of the columnist M. Stan ...
, english professor and
conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
activist *
Mike Johnson James Michael Johnson (born January 30, 1972) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the List of speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 56th speaker of the United States House of Representatives since 2023. A member ...
, professor of law & Speaker of the United States House of Representatives * Julie Kane, poet * Ralph L. Ropp, professor of speech and head of the forensics department, president of Louisiana Tech


References


External links


Official website

Argus website

Student media website
{{authority control Universities and colleges established in 1884 Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Education in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana Buildings and structures in Natchitoches, Louisiana Universities and colleges in Shreveport, Louisiana Education in Vernon Parish, Louisiana Education in Rapides Parish, Louisiana 1884 establishments in Louisiana Public universities and colleges in Louisiana