It has been a meaningful and productive week across our university community. I continue to be impressed by the collaboration, innovation, and leadership that define Northwestern State University. Below are several highlights from the past week.

LSU NCBRT Emergency Preparedness Workshop Series

This past week, Northwestern was proud to serve as a host site for the Louisiana Higher Education Emergency Preparedness Workshop Series, presented by the LSU National Center for Biomedical Research and Training (NCBRT) / Academy of Counter-Terrorist Education. The three-day series provided 32 hours of comprehensive, customized training for higher education professionals across our region. Participants engaged in sessions on crisis communications, threat assessment, active shooter recovery planning, campus emergency management, screening and observational techniques, and functional emergency operations annex planning. This collaboration between LSU NCBRT, the Louisiana Board of Regents, and NSU underscores the state’s shared commitment to preparedness and a coordinated response in the event of an emergency preparedness situation. Special thanks to Executive Director of University Affairs Jennifer Kelly for her leadership in coordinating these important events and strengthening NSU’s preparedness and response capabilities.

Dr. Wysong Named Dean of the College of Business and Technology

Dr. W. Scott Wysong IV has been appointed Dean of the College of Business and Technology, effective January 5, 2026, pending approval of the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors. Dr. Wysong was selected following a national search that drew more than 30 applicants. The search committee, composed of faculty, administrators, alumni, and business leaders, conducted virtual and on-campus interviews with highly qualified candidates.

Dr. Wysong brings 25 years of experience spanning academia, business, and industry, most recently as a faculty member at the University of Dallas, where he served as MBA Program Director and earned several awards for teaching excellence. Dr. Wysong holds degrees from Vanderbilt University and the University of Texas at Arlington, with additional certification from Harvard Business School Online. His extensive record of community service, leadership, and applied research—including economic impact studies for major events and organizations—positions him to advance NSU’s mission of experiential learning and workforce relevance. We look forward to Dr. Wysong’s leadership in advancing academic innovation and strengthening the college’s engagement with industry partners.

Faculty Member Presents at International Conference

Nancy Pennington Alexander, representing the Child and Family Network of the Gallaspy Family College of Education and Human Development, recently presented at the 2025 IPA USA Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Her session, “Advocating for Play in the Age of Technology, Testing, and Trauma,” explored the importance of play in children’s healthy development. She also contributed to a national task force developing guidelines and best practices for professionals who work with children to better recognize and promote the role of play in early learning.

Grad Students Rock Week Celebrates Graduate Community

Northwestern State University recently celebrated Grad Students Rock Week, an engaging series of activities recognizing our graduate students and the faculty who support them. The celebration began with a creative kickoff as graduate faculty and art student Pete Gorham joined together to paint The Rock in honor of NSU’s graduate community—setting a tone of collaboration and school spirit for the week ahead. Throughout the week, both in-person and online students participated in events designed to inform, inspire, and build community. Guest speakers included Dr. Neeru Deep, Dean of the Gallaspy Family College of Education and Human Development, who discussed wellness in graduate school; Dr. Megan Lowe, Project Director of Watson Library, who shared guidance on APA style and library resources; and Dr. Jim Mischler, Director of the Institutional Review Board, who offered insights into navigating the IRB process.

The week concluded with a Graduate Writing Boot Camp hosted by the Gallaspy Family College of Education and Human Development, where faculty from the English Department and School of Education provided individualized feedback and support to more than 60 participating graduate students. Grad Students Rock Week was a tremendous success—highlighting the dedication, resilience, and excellence of NSU’s graduate students and reinforcing the strong faculty mentorship that defines our graduate programs.

Strategic Planning Meeting

The University Strategic Planning Team met on Wednesday to review institutional priorities and upcoming deadlines for Assessment Cycle 2025–2026: Leading the Way. The meeting celebrated the publication of AC 2024–2025: Making a Difference and established program, unit, and core competency assessment deadlines. Discussion topics included verifying data within the new assessment tracker, meeting Web Content Accessibility Guidelines by April 2026, and preparing for the upcoming SACSCOC reaffirmation process. The team also reviewed the alignment between NSU’s 2023–2028 Strategic Plan and the University of Louisiana System’s 2025–2030 plan, noting a 90 percent alignment and a shared focus on student experience and campus culture. Together, these efforts demonstrate our collective commitment to responsive, student-centered, and economically relevant education for Louisiana.

Lady of the Bracelet

On Thursday evening, the First Lady and I attended the 68th Annual Miss Northwestern Lady of the Bracelet Scholarship Program, one of our university’s most treasured traditions. A lot of NSU talent was exhibited at this event. Congratulations to Nilah Pollard of Shreveport, a senior social work major, for being crowned this year’s Miss Northwestern Lady of the Bracelet. Nilah is an exceptional student leader who serves as Speaker of the SGA Senate, secretary of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She also mentors peers through the President’s Leadership Program, represents NSU in multiple honor societies, and will advance to compete in the Miss Louisiana Scholarship Competition next June.

Elementary Lab School Veterans Program

On Friday morning, I joined faculty, staff, and students at the NSU Elementary Lab School for their annual Veterans Day and Grandparents Day Program. The event included a veterans’ procession, student performances, and a keynote address by Air Force veteran and NSU First Lady Martha Genovese. Martha shared her powerful story of service and sacrifice, reminding everyone of the courage and commitment demonstrated by those who have worn the uniform. I could not be more proud of her heartfelt remarks and the example she continues to set for our campus community. It was deeply moving to see our youngest Demons honor the men and women who defend our freedom.

Daughters of American Revolution (DAR) Program

On Sunday at noon, the First Lady and I were honored to speak at the DAR Veterans Appreciation Luncheon at the Natchitoches Events Center. The keynote speaker was Colonel Mark E. Kerry, who gave an exceptional speech with emphasis on his combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Athletics Update

The first week of basketball season is in the books, with both NSU teams opening on the road, highlighted by a dominant Lady Demons victory at Wichita State Thursday night. Home games are ahead next weekend, beginning Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. when the men’s team hosts Ecclesia College, followed by the women’s Prather Coliseum debut Saturday at 6 p.m. against Champion Christian.

Our outstanding soccer season ended earlier than hoped on Thursday with a 2-1 loss to Houston Christian in the semifinals of the Southland Conference Tournament. The Demons were regular-season champions and placed seven players on the All-Southland team, led by Player of the Year and Midfielder of the Year Emily Senatore, Defensive Player of the Year Jessica Spitzer, Freshman of the Year Hosane Soukou, and, of course, Coach of the Year Ian Brophy. Congratulations to Coach Brophy, his staff, and our student-athletes for a historic season that began with a victory over 19th-ranked Texas in Austin.

Saturday afternoon, we recognized the soccer team in Turpin Stadium during a timeout in our home football game against Incarnate Word—a program that has won four of the last seven Southland Conference championships. Our rebuilding team is not yet at that level but continues to show flashes of progress as the season nears its end. A highlight of my week was attending the Thursday Quarterback Club luncheon, visiting with loyal NSU supporters, and hearing Coach Blaine McCorkle and three freshmen players share their positivity and steadfast confidence in the long-range plan for championship contention. The team plays at Nicholls this Saturday afternoon.

The young Demon volleyball team broke through Saturday to capture a set in its Southland Conference match but ultimately fell 3-1 at East Texas. The season concludes this week with home matches Thursday night at 6:30 against University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and Saturday at 1 p.m. against Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

As we observe Veterans Day this week, I encourage each of you to reflect on the values of service, perseverance, and unity that guide our university and our nation. Thank you for all you do to advance Northwestern’s mission every day.

Fork ‘Em Demons,

President James T. “Jimmy” Genovese
Northwestern State University