SGA President Melissa Cloutet’s term is almost over as the student body prepares to cast their vote to elect her replacement.  
Cloutet started her reign as president in May 2013, where she became the student body’s voice with her role on the committee that chose the next president of Nicholls. Through this experience, she created a close bond with the student body.
She came to Nicholls in the fall of 2010 from Covington, seeking a bachelor’s degree in management. Cloutet said her first semester of college was horrible and she wished she had attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She said that she had a ULL flag that reminded her of the necessity to transfer to ULL the following year.
In the spring of 2011, Cloutet joined SGA to get involved in Nicholls in an effort to make her experience at Nicholls more memorable.
She joined SGA she as the senator of the college of business in the spring of 2011, which then lead her to hold the position of public relations. She was also the committee chair, while serving on a couple of university committees and then was elected president in May of 2013.
“My time as president was very rewarding,” Cloutet said. “I got to go to the Oregon football game with Nicholls, I was part of the committee that got to choose the next leader of our University and overall rewarding as serving as the voice of the students.”
As president, she was able to travel to Washington, D.C., with other SGA President’s in Louisiana to talk about tuition increases. She also was involved with Swamp Stomp at Nicholls this year, where SGA donated money so students could get in free to participate in the Cajun heritage and other small things around campus where she got to voice the student’s opinions.
A big task that Cloutet will be involved in is the Scholar’s Hall petition, where the University is trying to make the parking lot next to Scholar’s Hall commuters-only parking. But some students are petitioning because they want the parking lot to remain accessible to both residents and commuters.
The hardest thing that Cloutet believes she had to accomplish throughout her career as a student was to succeed in her classes while managing her time. Throughout her years as a Colonel, she was involved with SGA, worked at an on-campus job and had to balance her schoolwork.
Her advice to new Nicholls students is to get involved. She said there are over 100 organizations around campus and there is at least one that is the right for you. She also recommends that students to get to know their peers within the same major. She said that you will see them in most classes, so talk to them and get involved with that particular major.
Cloutet also received the Woman of Achievement Award for students. “I was shocked,” she said of being honored. “I do not try to get recognition for everything I do because I do everything I do because I love Nicholls, so I was shocked that I was recognized for all the work I do.”
Since her reign as president will come to an end in May, Cloutet would like to see the next SGA president take on higher education problems, tuition increases, voice concerns about budget cuts and work with Dr. Murphy to accomplish these objectives.