Posted on February 24, 2025
Nicholls State University is going to host a big first in the continued fight to raise awareness in our state’s continued fight against coastal erosion.
Nicholls will host the inaugural Louisiana’s Restoration Generation Coastal Summit on March 12, 2025 in the Cotillion Ballroom.
The event will be hosted from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. and it is sponsored by Restore the Mississippi River Delta and the Nicholls Mass Communication Department. The event aims to explore issues related to conservation in Coastal Louisiana while inspiring the next generation of coastal advocates.
During the day, there will be presentations, panel discussions, coastal and cultural vendors, live Cajun music and more.
Bren Haase is the executive director of the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program. Haase will deliver a keynote presentation on ‘Restoration in the Barataria and Terrebonne Estuaries.’
The panels will include ‘The People of our Coast,’ ‘Careers in Coastal Restoration,’ and ‘Louisiana’s Restoration Generation: Students Making an Impact.’
“We are thrilled to partner with Nicholls State University for the first Coastal Summit. This event is a fantastic opportunity for students to learn about Louisiana’s land loss crisis and discover solutions they can directly plug into to help, while also exploring careers in coastal restoration. By engaging in these critical discussions, these students are standing up for their coast— helping to drive meaningful discussions that can help shape the future of Louisiana’s coast,” said Emily Guidry Schatzel, senior communications manager for Restore the Mississippi River Delta.
Attendees can register and secure their spot at the event at Nicholls.edu/maco/coastal-summit.
Registration is not required, but it is encouraged. Registrants will receive a conference bag, discounted Louisiana-themed lunch in the Vernon F. Galliano Dining Hall and entry into a raffle drawing.
The summit is free and the public is invited to attend. Pre-registration at the above-listed website closes on March 6.
The inaugural Summit is part of a service learning project for students who are studying Environmental Communication, Global Communication and Public Relations.
Louisiana’s Restoration Generation is a movement of college students who aim to engage the college student population on issues of concern in Coastal Louisiana, while encouraging students to explore career paths in restoration industries. They also aim to inspire students to become conservation advocates for Coastal Louisiana.
It is part of the Nancy Sanderson Matherne Institute for Global Communication in the Nicholls Department of Mass Communication
“Communication on coastal issues is something important to us in the Department of Mass Communication. We see this as an opportunity to give our students important real-world experience while making an impactful difference for our community and our state,” said Nicki Boudreaux, assistant professor of Mass Communication and director of the NSM Institute for Global Communication. “This is our opportunity to create a movement.”
