This week marked one of the most exciting and encouraging I have experienced since becoming President. From recruiting efforts and investments in our university, to special recognitions and upcoming events, our campus has been buzzing with activity. Here are some highlights:

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business Visit
This week, I joined faculty and staff from our School of Business for a site visit from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. AACSB accreditation is known worldwide as the longest-standing, most recognized form of specialized accreditation that an institution and its business programs can earn. The site visit highlighted our strengths and areas where we can improve to maintain our accreditation. Special thanks to our faculty and staff in the School of Business for their hard work and dedication.

Recruiting Receptions and N-Side View Day
Martha and I joined our recruiting team to welcome prospective students at receptions in Leesville, Alexandria, and Natchitoches. Events like these are critical for engaging with both students and parents and reinforcing why Northwestern is the best choice for their future. Special thanks to NSU alums Matt and Martha Koury for opening their home for the Leesville reception.

N-Side View Day was a huge success, with over 500 prospective students and their families touring our campus, meeting faculty and current students, and learning about academic programs, housing, student life, financial aid, and scholarships. Your involvement makes a significant impact on recruiting students to Northwestern.

Recruiting is a shared effort, and every one of us plays a role in attracting the next generation of Demons. I encourage all faculty, staff, alumni, and friends to participate in recruiting by helping us tell our story. Your experiences and passion for NSU can make a difference in a prospective student’s decision. For talking points and details on our programs, click here.

Dr. Kathleen Byrd Enhancement Fund
I am pleased to share that NSU retiree and community advocate Dr. Kathleen Byrd has created an enhancement fund for our College of Arts and Sciences. This fund will bridge the liberal arts with several other disciplines while providing funding for student and faculty research, travel, and collaboration. Dr. Byrd previously established the Robert W. Neuman Scholarship and Program Enhancement Fund in memory of her late husband to benefit students majoring in anthropology, sociology, or history and support the preservation of documents and the organization of cultural material archived in the Cammie G. Henry Research Center at Watson Library. Investments like these open doors for additional funding opportunities and help create exposure for the outstanding work of our College of Arts and Sciences. We are incredibly grateful to Dr. Byrd for her generosity and continued support of our students and programs.

Strategic Planning Team
On Wednesday, I met with the Strategic Planning Team to discuss key takeaways from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Annual Conference and to receive updates on this spring’s assessment activities, schedule, and requirements for Assessment Cycle (AC) 2024-2025 and beyond. We are in a strong position as an institution, with significant momentum driving us forward. This progress is a direct result of your dedication to fostering a culture of accountability, which I fully recognize and deeply appreciate.

March’s Mid-Year Brief will be pivotal, providing insight into each strategic focus area, program, unit, and General Education Core competencies assessment, while also addressing capital outlay, research, technology, and community service topics This assessment will lay the foundation for our next Strategic Plan assessment, AC 2024-2025 —Making a Difference. Looking ahead to the next twelve to eighteen months, our focus remains clear: preparing for Reaffirmation with the submission of our Differentiated Review Report in September 2026. These next months will be critical in ensuring that we meet this milestone with confidence. Your efforts are shaping the future of our students, our university, and our region.

Louisiana Association of Business and Industry Luncheon
On Thursday, I joined our economic development staff and representatives from our CENLA Campus for a luncheon featuring Will Green, an NSU alumnus and President and CEO of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI). Will shared a recap of 2024 in the legislature and discussed Louisiana’s future, focusing on taxes, education, and criminal justice reform. It was great to engage with business leaders from the region and discuss plans with faculty and staff for our upcoming CENLA Campus open-house event on March 19.

Southland Conference Board Meeting
Also on Thursday, director of athletics Kevin Bostian and I joined the other SLC university presidents and athletic directors for a board of directors meeting covering a wide range of topics affecting our conference, including the impact of NIL and the House v. NCAA settlement. I want to recognize the leadership of SLC Commissioner Chris Grant and thank him for joining us for the athletic activity and McConathy festivities this weekend. His work, and that of our colleagues at the other 11 member institutions, is paramount in ensuring a sustainable future for our athletic programs and student-athletes.

Athletics Update
Baseball season started superbly for our Demons, who outscored Central Arkansas 27-9 combined Saturday and Sunday to resoundingly win the series on our brand-new field. Congratulations to Coach Bertrand and the Demons. Sunday, David and Jennifer Thornton and their family and friends were present for the Demon baseball game. Their three children threw out the first pitch to commemorate the debut of our new artificial turf surface and other improvements made, thanks to the family’s extremely generous gift, which also made possible extensive improvements to our softball facility. We are grateful to the Thornton family!

Congratulations to our new softball coach Jenny Fuller, who earned her first victory with the Demons and her 250th career coaching triumph Saturday in a thrilling 10-inning win over Memphis. Her team – the youngest in the nation – competed very well during its games here Saturday and Sunday.

We had very good attendance and exciting basketball games in Prather Coliseum last Thursday night and Saturday afternoon. I encourage you to join me Monday night as our men’s team hosts another top-tier Southland Conference team, Lamar, at 6:30. The Lamar women rallied to top our Demons Thursday night. Saturday, both games came down to the final seconds but did not finish in our favor. Both of our teams are clearly capable of making runs in next month’s Southland Conference Tournament, showing great improvement since last season.

Our track and field teams competed very well in indoor meets at the University of Arkansas and Pittsburgh (Kan.) State. Notably, Maygan Shaw set a school record in the 200-meter dash and our men’s 4×400 meter relay team lowered its own school record. Congratulations to Maygan Shaw, and our track and field athletes and their coaches, Mike Heimerman and Adam Pennington, as the Southland Conference Indoor Championships approach beginning March 2.

Ireland and McConathy Events
On Saturday, Martha and I joined faculty, staff, alumni, and friends for the highly anticipated Doug Ireland Scholarship and Mike McConathy Court Dedication ceremonies. The passion for Northwestern exhibited during the events honoring these individuals was energizing. From a packed house honoring Doug at the Alumni and Development Office to an overwhelming crowd commemorating Mike’s legacy at Prather Coliseum by naming the court after him. These events embodied the spirit of Northwestern and signaled a rejuvenating investment in our future as demonstrated by Robert “Skeeter” Salim’s generous $100,000 gift to create the Ireland scholarship endowment. Congratulations again to Doug and Mike, with continued gratitude to my dear friend Skeeter, and special thanks to all those who worked tirelessly to make these events successful.

Leadership in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
I am pleased to announce that Northwestern will host a groundbreaking forum, Leadership in the Age of AI, featuring world-renowned experts Dr. Julian Bailes, Dr. Neilank Jha, and Monty Chicola. The event will take place on Wednesday, March 19, at 5:30 p.m., in Magale Recital Hall and is open to the public. This distinguished panel will explore the intersection of artificial intelligence, leadership, and technological advancements, drawing from their vast experiences in medicine, economics, and computing.

The announcement of this forum comes at a pivotal moment as we recently announced the establishment of the Lola Walker Dunahoe Endowed Chair. This endowed chair will attract top talent in interdisciplinary studies, reinforcing Northwestern’s dedication to academic excellence and leadership in AI, neuroscience, and technology. For more information on Leadership in the Age of AI, including a link to register for the event, click here.

Addressing the Red River Mill Closure
The closure of the International Paper Red River Mill is a major event that will significantly impact our region, including many members of the Northwestern State University community. This decision affects hundreds of workers and the broader economic landscape of our area. Since issuing a statement last week, we have learned that Governor Landry plans to hold a town hall meeting in Natchitoches to discuss the closure’s impact. We are coordinating with his team to host the event on campus and will share details as soon as they are finalized.

State of the University Message for Spring 2025
I want to share with you a video that was sent to all alumni this week, highlighting the state of our university. It is because of you, and the support of our alumni, community, and business partners, that we have been able to achieve so much over the past six months. Keep up the good work—we are on track to achieve our goal of being the premier regional institution, not just in Louisiana, but in the South. The work you do matters. I am grateful for your commitment to excellence. Let’s keep pushing forward!

Fork ‘Em Demons,

President James T. “Jimmy” Genovese
Northwestern State University