Nicholls received $537,267 from the Louisiana Board of Regents to provide new technology in classrooms and develop new courses.

Debi Benoit, director of research and sponsored programs, said Nicholls received a considerable amount of money compared to an average year.

“In comparison to last year, it’s doubled what we received,” she said. “For us to receive half a million dollars is phenomenal in a year where it’s so lean as far as dollars are concerned.”

The grant comes from the Louisiana Education Quality Support Fund, which is money endowed from oil revenues. Commonly known as 8(g) money, it ensures coastal states get a portion of revenue made from offshore development. The money from the fund is used towards education in different areas of the state.

The grant is effective July 1 and will benefit students through the enhancement of curriculum in the classroom. Teachers will have until June 30, 2013 to utilize the grant money.

The grant will help develop a major unique to Nicholls with courses focused on the cultural traditions, heritage and language of the bayou region. Robert Alexander, head of the department of interdisciplinary studies, submitted a proposal to develop the Bayou Studies Resource Center.

Nicholls currently has a minor in bayou studies with courses such as pirogue biology, but Alexander said developing it into a major would help attract researchers outside of this region who are interested in the characteristics of the bayou area.

“We’re trying to design it unique to Nicholls and truly fulfill our mission,” Alexander said.

He said many researchers are interested in the folklores and oral traditions this area has to offer.

According to Benoit, the Department of Biological Sciences is the most active department to pursue grant money. The biology department will use their grant money to upgrade computer technology and enhance the learning experience in various labs. They have also set aside grant money to increase recruitment of marine biology students.

Benoit said students will see most of the money through the instructional use of technology and use of better equipment. The new equipment will essentially help students prepare for the real world through the use of tools such as microscopes used in the professional world.

The Applied Sciences Department also received grant money to enhance their petroleum services laboratory.

The grant is also beneficial to teachers in secondary education through Project Number, which brings teachers to Nicholls to educate them on how to become better math teachers. The committee in charge of Project Number at Nicholls received the highest score out of all proposals submitted to the Board of Regents with a score of 99 out of 100.

Most of the proposals submitted by faculty members to the Louisiana Boaard of Regents received dollar amounts within their estimated budget.

“The grant is essentially free money,” Benoit said. “It’s a real benefit for Nicholls to upgrade instructional tools without having to spend any funds.”