Nicholls to host the Inaugural Louisiana’s Restoration Generation Coastal Summit
THIBODAUX, La. – Nicholls State University is set to host the inaugural Louisiana’s Restoration
Generation Coastal Summit on March 12, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Cotillion Ballroom.
The event, sponsored by Restore the Mississippi River Delta and the Nicholls Mass
Communication Department, aims to explore issues related to conservation in Coastal
Louisiana while inspiring the next generation of coastal advocates.
The summit will feature presentations, panel discussions, coastal and cultural vendors, and live
Cajun music. Bren Haase, executive director of the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary
Program, will deliver a keynote presentation on “Restoration in the Barataria and Terrebonne
Estuaries.” 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 at www.nicholls.edu/maco/coastal-summit. While registration is not
required, 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 open to the public. Pre-registration closes on Thursday, March 6, 2025.
The Summit is part of a service learning project for students 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, encourage students to explore career
paths in restoration industries, and inspire students to become conservation advocates for
Coastal Louisiana. It is a 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.”
For more information, contact nicki.boudreaux@nicholls.edu.
