The annual "Academic Achievement Banquet" for the NSU Athletic Department was held last evening and I have to say that this is one of my favorite functions of the year to attend because it places emphasis on what is paramount not only for the athletic program but for our university.....academic success!
Kent Gresham and The Landing Restaurant once again donated a wonderful meal for all student-athletes whose GPA last year exceeded 3.0 either or both semesters. Dr. Randy Webb in a brief address lauded the student-athletes for their achievements and told them how well-prepared they will be for the future. A nice touch to this evening is having endowed scholarship donors in attendance and sitting with the student-athlete who is the designee of their scholarship. As a sidenote, the number of endowed athletic scholarships is now up to 58 through the hard work of someone who himself once sat at the Academic Banquet - Associate Athletic Director William Broussard. And finally, I would be remiss for not recognizing the hard work of our academic support staff - Jodie Heinicka, Carrie Crowell, and Cary Bruno - in planning the banquet but more importantly, for what they do throughout the year to help and encourage the academic success of nearly 400 student-athletes.
One final note - among the scholarship donors in attendance were Roddy and Ashley Rodriguez, parents of the late Kurt Rodriguez (#58) who was a four-year starter at linebacker for NSU and passed away unexpectedly a year or so after graduating. Kurt's parents established the scholarship in his memory and to this day continue to raise money for it. They are two very special people and it meant so much to me that they made the trip from New Orleans to Natchitoches for the banquet.
Greg Burke
Athletic Director
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