Letter from the editor

Amazing, life changing and indescribable are the words that I associate with working for The Nicholls Worth.

I started off working at The Nicholls Worth before my freshman year of classes even began. We had a paper the first week of school that needed to be done. I was excited to come to college but nervous to fit in and make friends. Since that first day of work, I have made some incredible friends, learned so much and have had the time of my life.

After coming in as a sports reporter, I was promoted to sports editor after a semester. A year and a half later, I decided that I wanted to apply for editor and I have loved it ever since and would not change it for the world.

Not every day is easy, especially when I had to deal with budget cuts, multiple deaths on campus and our most recent incident with one of our staff members getting in trouble with the law. While these stories have led to many sleepless nights and times where I wanted to just cry, I couldn’t imagine my year without them. They have only made me grow into a stronger writer and helped me in my public relations major.

I also could not have done anything without the support of my staff and the people in the office. My advisor, Nicki Boudreaux, has been with me every step of the way. She always made sure I was on the right page with stories, there to give me support when the stories got rough, there to give constructive criticism and praise and help shape me into the person I am today. I do not only look at her as my advisor but also my family. I could not imagine going though my time here without her.

Our administrative assistant, Anne Toloudis, almost seems like the circus ringleader. Our office can get crazy at times, but she always knows what we have to do and has a way of calming us down and getting us back on track. There are times where she has to crack the whip on things, but also but she is always there to guide us and is like a mother to all of us.

I absolutely could not have completed my stories without the help of University president Stephen Hulbert, special assistant to the president, Larry Howell and vice president of Student Affairs, Eugene Dial. The information they trusted me with, help given during tough times and the insurance they gave me that I would write a good, accurate and fair story meant more than they know. It was that little extra push I needed to get my job done.

My managing editor, Kristen Fisackerly, was like my right hand man, but a woman. She silently did her job plus more without getting recognition. She always kept me on track and always there for me. When I was busy with getting the tough stories together, she made sure everyone else was getting their part of the job done, making my life easier.

I also need to thank yearbook editor, Shelly Waguespack, online editor Ashley Falterman, advertising manager Adrienne Bourgeois and photographer Maryna Fowler for always being there for me and going that extra mile to help in any way they could.

While this year has flown by quickly, it is a bittersweet moment to have to turn over my position to someone else. Ashley came into the office one day before I was editor. She sat down and the editor before me never introduced her in the meeting. I, being someone in the office not afraid to talk to anyone or ask questions, asked her if she even worked here. It all of a sudden became the joke of the office and Ashley has now become one of my good friends.

I have full confidence in her stepping into the editor position. She has helped me so much in covering the situation with our former staff writer and was there every step of the way and in every interview. We wrote every story together and even helped with the student accused for child pornography, all stuff that is not in her job title and she didn’t have to do anything. However, this is the type of person she is. She will go the extra mile and not stop until everything is over.

I am so grateful to have had this opportunity and a great staff.