From afar, Jennifer Davis, an Alternative Certified Senior in Education, could be mistaken for any average student.  
At Welcome Back Day, Davis could be found pushing along a stroller that held her energetic 18-month-old daughter, Vivian. Davis, who is also the mother of 10-year-old Lily and 6-year-old George, is what most consider to be a non-traditional student.
She graduated from Louisiana State University in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in history and proceeded to work in advertising for ten years. She then went on to work in occupational medicine for one year. Davis felt unhappy and decided to return to school to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher.
Davis was drawn to Nicholls because its short distance from her home in Ascension Parish. She also described the tight-knit atmosphere and small class sizes as being the determining factor in her decision to attend Nicholls.
After being outside of the classroom for so many years, Davis revealed her insecurities.  
“I was nervous at first, then I relaxed and enjoyed it,” Davis said. “I enjoyed my time in the classroom.”
As a mother of three, Davis admits that there have been times when juggling her job as a mother and student have been difficult. She thanks her fiancé, Chris, for continually supporting her. She also credits her teachers for encouraging her and for working with her during tough times. She fondly remembers professors who allowed her to Skype into a lecture when one of her children was sick.
“It was always a struggle to balance everything. But it was different because I wanted to be here; I didn’t have to be here,” Davis said.
Aside from being a student and mother, Davis has become involved in a cause that is very dear to her heart. As an animal lover, Davis began to volunteer at a no -kill shelter in Baton Rouge when she was in between jobs. For two years, she volunteered at the shelter once a week, and spent this time playing with the animals and cleaning kennels.
Davis also fosters two dogs and owns one dog. With school, her volunteer work and being a mom, Davis expresses that she is constantly busy but that she would not have it any other way. She advises students to always put school first and to prioritize their time so that they can stay on track.
In February of 2013, Davis was introduced to Traci Daigle through a mutual acquaintance. Daigle is also a working mother who wanted to get involved in volunteer work. They developed the Facebook page “Lost Pets of Terrebonne Parish” which would allow them to help animals from home. Together, they administer this page as they strive to reunite lost pets with their owners. Their goal is to lower euthanasia rates by getting lost pets home quickly so that there is room in the animal shelter for other animals to be rescued.
When someone loses a pet, Davis explains that it is best to post on the “Lost Pets of Terrebonne Parish” Facebook page. Then, a lost animal report should be filed with either a Terrebonne or Lafourche Parish animal shelter. If you live near parish lines, Davis suggests that a report be filed with both shelters. She also advises that flyers be placed around the area where the pet was lost.
So far, the page has received 2,225 likes and is responsible for reuniting pets with their families. Davis recalls one instance in which a weenie dog went missing on Savanne Road. Through posts on the “Lost Pets of Terrebonne Parish” page, the dog was tracked down a short time later.
If you find a lost pet, you can post on the Facebook page and call the animal shelter to find out if anyone is looking for that animal. The found pet should then be taken to a vet or the shelter where a free service will be performed in which they scan the pet for a microchip. A microchip is a tracking device that can be implanted on a pet to quicken their return to their owners.
Davis stresses the need to circulate information on each pet so that they can quickly be reunited with their families.