Our talented students recently took home the top prize of $25,000 at ULM’s Pelican Cup competition for their business pitch, “Rise & Rotate.” This is an outstanding accomplishment and a testament to the creativity, hard work, and entrepreneurial spirit of our students.

It was a highly competitive event, with students from all over north Louisiana showcasing their innovative ideas and prototypes. The Pelican Cup has now become the largest business academic competition in Louisiana, providing student inventors with a platform to share their vision with a supportive audience of like-minded investors.

Rise & Rotate, a product designed to help disabled users get from their beds to their wheelchairs more effectively, was the winning idea. Congratulations to team members Matthew Gamble, Hayden Stanley, Alexander Brown, and faculty advisor Dr. Elizabeth Prejean. I am incredibly proud of our students’ achievements and their unwavering dedication to pursuing their dreams.

Students, faculty, staff, and alumni from Northwestern State University joined the eight other University of Louisiana System institutions as they participated in the Annual ULS Day at the Capitol on April 26, 2023. The event was an opportunity for the ULS community to come together and rally to encourage legislators to invest in higher education. A special thank you to those who participated and showcased the amazing talents of our students and faculty.

Freshman Connection is less than a month away. Our Freshman Connectors have been working tirelessly to organize fantastic sessions filled with informative lessons, engaging presentations, and fun events. This is an opportunity for our incoming freshmen to get to know our university and all that we have to offer.

I encourage everyone to review the Freshman Connection schedule for more information. Let’s continue to support each other as we strive towards excellence and make a positive impact on our campus and beyond.

Dr. Marcus D. Jones
President
Northwestern State University