Marie Ory Dupont, Nicholls Worth editor from 2002-2004, died unexpectedly Sunday at her home at the age of 29.
Dupont was a LaPlace native and a 2000 graduate of St. Charles Cath– olic High School. She graduated in 2004 from Nicholls State Univer– sity with a bachelor of arts in mass communication and was named the Outstanding Mass Communication Graduate for the year. In 2008 Du- pont received her master of arts in journalism from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
During her time at Nicholls, Dupont was a staff writer for The Nicholls Worth in 2001 and 2002. She received the prestigious Roy W. Howard National Investiga– tive Reporting Award for her story on mold in Gouaux Hall follow- ing 2001’s Tropical Storm Allison. From 2002-2004 Dupont served as the editor of The Nicholls Worth
and presented sessions as a stu- dent at the National College Media Convention.
Dupont was also named to both the Nicholls State University Hall of Fame and to Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities.
She is survived by her husband Mickey Christopher Dupont, her parents, Ernie and Joan Ory, her brother, Andre Ory and his wife, Rebecca Politz Ory. Dupont had one niece, Evangeline Grace Ory.
Although Dupont has been away from Nicholls since 2004, she main- tained close contact with the faculty and students she met while here.
Dupont’s leadership skills have been passed down from editor to editor in her notes and training handouts, Nicki Boudreaux, direc- tor of Student Publications and instructor of mass communication, said. Dupont has also done staff training for Student Publications in the past years.
“Marie put her heart and soul into The Nicholls Worth when she was a
student, and she loved sharing that passion with the Nicholls students who had chosen the same path,” Boudreaux said.
“Marie’s death came as a shock to all of us,” Boudreaux said.
Boudreaux created a Facebook group for Student Publications alumni who knew Dupont and wanted to come together to help each other cope.
“Almost automatically, those of us who were together during those years started to reach out to one another. Because of that, I felt the need to make connections with as many of her former co-workers as I could,” Boudreaux said.
Because she was close in age to students when she began advising in 2001, Boudreaux said she got very close to Dupont and her fellow staff members.
“They were like my family. They still are like my family. Marie was perhaps one of the most genuine, kind and happy-go-lucky ones in the bunch,” Boudreaux said. “We are all
better for having known Marie.”
On the Student Publications Alumni Facebook page, many have posted comments reflecting on Du-
pont’s influence in their lives. “Back in 2003, Marie wrote me a letter of recommendation for a journalism scholarship application with the Evangelical Press Associa– tion. I read it again today and lost
it,” Kenny Boudreaux, former staff writer for The Nicholls Worth, said. “It’s the type of letter you could read when you’re having a bad day and immediately feel as though you could top the world. Her words were so touching. That’s how I re- member Marie. She was such an en- couragement to me.”
Others, like Preston Clark, for- mer sports writer for The Nicholls Worth, wrote about Dupont’s en- couragement in the workplace.
“Loving, caring, disciplined, fo- cused, intelligent are a few of many adjectives to describe you, Marie,” Clark said. “You were an amazing person to work with, always encour- aged me to write—not a good col– umn, but a great one. I am forever grateful that I had the opportunity to know you. You will obviously be missed; R.I.P.”
Dupont was currently working as development director in charge of Admissions and Alumni for St. Charles Catholic High School, a position she held for five years.
According to a statement re- leased on the school’s Web site, “Marie touched the lives of many as she labored for events such as open house, homecoming and after prom party and maintained a close relationship with the stu- dent body.”
On Oct. 23, a student-led can- dlelight prayer service was held at St. Charles Catholic High School in Dupuy Stadium. The following morning, the entire school partici-
pated in a mass in Dupont’s mem- ory. Students also made cards and posters and posted sticky notes to her office door to express their love and appreciation for her ded- ication to the high school.
The wake for Dupont will be held tomorrow at Ascension of Our Lord Church in LaPlace. The wake is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The funeral mass will be celebrated at 12:30 p.m. Burial will take place in St. Charles Borremeo cem– etery in Destrehan.
