A scholarship has been established to honor former Nicholls State University student Amanda Larpenter, a 22-year-old psychology freshmen who was killed in a car wreck in July 2007. The scholarship, partially funded by the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council of South Louisiana, will provide $500 annually to an entering freshman who graduated from H.L. Bourgeois High School and maintains full-time status as well as a minimum 2.0 overall grade point average.

Larpenter was the niece of former Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Jerry Larpenter. Her vehicle was hit by a white van driven by a 19-year-old Alabama man at the intersection of Main Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard in Houma on July 22, 2007. The other driver failed a breathalyzer test and had a blood alcohol level of .126. The legal limit for someone under the age of 21 is .02.

ADAC raised $2,500 for the scholarship this past summer at a 5K run in Houma’s Jim Bowie Park. Houma Police Capt. Greg Hood, the local ADAC board president, said the event would also fund a program on drinking and driving awareness.

Donations to the Larpenter scholarship fund continue with the goal of achieving endowed status – a minimum of $10,000.

“We are grateful to the Larpenter family for honoring Amanda with such a fitting memorial,” Rebecca Pennington, assistant vice president for development and University relations said. “This scholarship will be added to our growing pool of awards for deserving students.”

For more information concerning scholarships and financial aid, contact the Office of Financial Aid at (985) 448-4048 or by visiting the office located inside Candies Hall.