Brooks Fontenot, psychology junior from Gray, was recognized for her leadership and academic excellence by being named the United States National Collegiate award winner in communication arts.
“I did not expect to receive this award, because I know only 10 percent of all college students in America get an award for something this specific,” Fontenot said.
This award was given to Fontenot by the United States Achievement Academy and is a high honor few students can receive.
According to the United States Achievement Academy, the criteria for this award are academic performance, leadership qualities, responsibility, enthusiasm, motivation to learn and improve, interest, attitude, aptitude and cooperative spirit.
Ricky Duet, associate professor of mass communication, nominated Fontenot for this award. Duet said he nominated Fontenot for the award because she is a combination of a student who excels not only in academics, but extra curricular activities as well.
“I am surprised Duet nominated me for this award out of all the people he could have nominated, but I guess he must have saw something special in me,” Fontenot said.
According to Duet, Fontenot is one of the few Nicholls students that he can remember ever receiving this award. Every year the United States Achievement Academy sends the faculty an application to nominate a number of students for the award. Duet said that usually 10-12 students are nominated for this award from Nicholls, and only one has been declared a winner this year.
“I am thrilled Brooks won this award and think it will be something nice for her to put on her resume once she has graduated and begins looking for a job,” Duet said.
Fontenot will receive a silver plaque which will have her name brushed on it, a certificate, sweat shirt and will be featured in the United States Achievement Academy Official Collegiate Yearbook.
“This award is something great I can put on resume, and something I look at as a motivational tool to keep me pushing hard throughout the remainder of school,” Fontenot said.
Fontenot is currently working on a bachelors’ degree in psychology with a minor in family and consumer sciences addictive disorders and works at the Louisiana Office of Mental Health with children ages 12-18 years old. She plans to get into a substance abuse council program and go into clinical psychology with her PhD.
Fontenot said she is ultimately fascinated with child psychology and wants to work with children ages two to six years old.
She has been to Europe with the honors program, is a member of the honor societies Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma, and has won both Academic Superiority ’99-’00 and Academic Excellence ’00-’01 for the Academic Success program. Fontenot attributes much of her college success to the Academic Success program.
“By her as a Nicholls student winning this award, the education students receive from the university is reflected as comparable to any other school in the nation. Most importantly this honor bestowed upon one of our students says Nicholls students can compete with anybody,” Duet said.