MEDIA ADVISORY – ULS Student Board Member to Be Inducted Tomorrow

MEDIA ADVISORY – ULS Student Board Member to Be Inducted Tomorrow – Jun 28, 2007

Ricard is First Nicholls Student on ULS Board Since 1981

BATON ROUGE, La. – The Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System will induct its new student member tomorrow during its meeting in Baton Rouge. Olinda Ricard will be the first Nicholls State University Student Government Association President to serve on the ULS Board since 1983.

Ricard was elected to the ULS Board by her fellow SGA presidents in the System. Her service on the Board also extends to serving as a voting member on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Presidential Search Committee.

“It’s important that students continue to have a voice in the decision making process to ensure that our system evolves to meet the ever changing demographics of today’s student,” said Ricard. “I am enthusiastic, yet humbled, to have this opportunity to help shape the quality of higher education for current and future students of the UL System.”

As a non-traditional, single-mother of four children, Ricard received an Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts from Nicholls and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in business management and sociology. She is serving her second consecutive term as SGA President.
During her four years at Nicholls, Ricard has made a significant impact, serving on numerous committees and organizations including the University President’s Cabinet, the Nontraditional Student Organization, the Multicultural and Speakers Committee, the Service Learning Committee, and the International Education Committee.

This past spring, she hosted the second annual ULS “X-treme Spring Break” on the Nicholls campus, where over 75 students traded their spring breaks to volunteer to build homes with Habitat for Humanity for hurricane victims.

“Olinda is a wonderful example of what an engaged student can accomplish,” said UL System President Sally Clausen. “She will be an active participant on the Board and will carry on the strong student leadership we have seen in the past.”

Born in Killeen, Texas, Ricard is the daughter of Olinda Smith of Trinidad and Darryl Ricard of Baton Rouge. Her children are Albion (13), Glendell (10), Glennette (8), and Glennessa (7).

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For More Information Contact:
Jackie Tisdell
jtisdell@uls.state.la.us