On Feb. 1, 2024, Keep Nicholls Beautiful hosted a tree-planting ceremony in honor of the university’s 75th anniversary.

At least 80 people signed up for the tree planting ceremony, and some people joined once they passed by and saw what was going on. They planted trees by Ardoyne Road, the Callais Recreation Center, Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, the Baptist Collegiate Ministry and the Galliano Dining Hall. 

Students mapped out all of the oak trees on campus and noted where new trees could go. This research was then submitted along with the application.

Dr. Jay Clune, the university president, had reached out to Keep Nicholls Beautiful and suggested the idea. The committee then applied for a tree grant program in order to acquire the saplings.

Once the grant was obtained, Keep Nicholls Beautiful collected trees for planting. At the request of Clune, many oak trees were planted. Jackson emphasized the need to also plant native trees such as drummond, sweet bay magnolia, yaupon holly, and craig myrtles. 

Dr. Mary Jackson, the Keep Nicholls Beautiful Chair, says that the Geomatics Program helped with attaining the grant.

“It made the grant look more attractive because a student has been working on helping us design where we could put some of the trees,” Jackson said.

Within ten years the trees will bloom and make campus look beautiful for the next hundred years or so.