After 10 years of service to Nicholls, Dr. Joanne Ferriot, vice president of student affairs, will retire June 30. “I feel that it is probably time for me to look into doing some other things,” she said.

In giving 100 percent of herself to her job, Ferriot said she is tired and feels that she has not had an opportunity to give back to her community in the way that she should.

“I contribute to a lot of charitable organizations, but only because I have not had the time to go out and help people,” Ferriot said.

She said she plans to give her time to Habitat for Humanity, crisis centers and battered women’s shelters.

Although these organizations will keep her busy, Ferriot might also be found on a golf course making use of her extra time. She said she will miss the University.

“Nicholls has been wonderful for me. I have enjoyed myself. The work here at Nicholls has been more fun than I ever thought work could be, or should be, because it is so varied,” Ferriot said.

“It allows you to express the ideas that you have and try to get things done about them. It has just been a marvelous experience.”

She said she is in awe of the students at the University for their hard work, honesty and sincerity. Most of all, she finds them to be very tolerant of others.

“Nicholls allowed me to be who I am and to do what I like to do. I hope I have influenced Nicholls,” Ferriot said.

Black History Month, which she is very proud of, was started at Nicholls by Ferriot.

She said plans to start Women’s History Month Celebrations are underway for March.

Ferriot has also started other projects, such as the Creed project.

“I am very proud of the Creed project. The Nicholls Creed project is a project by which we are attempting to get students to state a commitment to a certain set of moral principles that will lead them to be excellent members of society and good citizens,” she said.

She said Nicholls has changed over the years since she has been here.

“We have moved ahead by getting our academic programs noticed by others. I think Nicholls was always a good University in terms of academics; we were just never noticed,” Ferriot said.

As Ferriot gathers her thoughts and memories from Nicholls to take with her, her awards are what she will treasure most.

“Two plaques were given to me for being advisor to the Student Government Association, and they picture Student Government officers. The third one is a medal given to me by the employees in the Student Affairs area to recognize the work I have done in Student Affairs,” she said

As she retires, Ferriot has some words of advice for the next vice president of student affairs.

“(The next person should) appreciate the qualities of the students. They should not cast students into a mold that the rest of the country sees them in. Also, appreciate the qualities of the people who work in the student affairs area,” she said.

She said she went into the job having no experience with what goes on in student affairs. “I knew only the academic side of things,” Ferriot said.

“The qualities of the people that reported to me helped me to accomplish what I have while at Nicholls. They taught me so much,” she said.