Press Release

THIBODAUX – Nicholls State University recently recognized an NSU employee and a student with its third annual Woman of Achievement Awards in honor of Women’s History Month.

Louise “Do” Bonin of Thibodaux, the senior women’s administrator and associate athletic director at NSU, and Marie Anne Ory, a Mass Communication senior from La Place, were named the 2004 NSU Women of Achievement at a recent luncheon sponsored by the Louisiana Center for Women and Government. The event featured guest speaker state Rep. Karen Carter from District 93 discussing “Women Inspiring Hope and Possibility.”

The awards recognize women at Nicholls State University whose achievements have contributed to future opportunities for other women, who serve as healthy role models for other women, have contributed to the advancement of their field of study, career or interest and contribute to the historical legacy of women.

Bonin, a native of New Iberia, led the Lady Colonels basketball team for 10 years as head coach. In that time she took the team to the Southland Conference Tournament in 1998 and 1999 and earned SLC Coach of the Year honors following the 1998-99 season. She also serves as chair of the Title IX Oversight Committee at Nicholls, seeking ways to ensure equality for women athletes. During her tenure at Nicholls she has significantly enhanced the scholarship opportunities for women athletes with the addition of women’s golf and soccer teams and by increasing the number of grants offered in existing sports. Under her leadership, more women athletes than ever before have the opportunity to participate in sports and receive athletic scholarships.

Ory has spent nearly four years working for the student newspaper, The Nicholls Worth, including serving the past two years as editor. She is also president of the Nicholls chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and historian of the NSU chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. She was awarded a Walls Scholarship from the NSU Department of Mass Communication, has been recognized in “Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges” and earned runner-up honors in the 2002 Roy W. Howard National Reporting Competition. Ory also works during the summer in the customer service department of the Zephyrs minor league baseball team in New Orleans. She was recently hired by the La Place newspaper, L’Observateur, as editor of a monthly section of the newspaper.