NSU College of Nursing marks 75 years, honors late dean
NATCHITOCHES, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Northwestern State University's College of Nursing and School of Allied Health (CONSAH) celebrated two anniversary milestones and honored the late Dr. Joel Hicks, who served as dean before his passing in October.
The College of Nursing marked its 75th year, with the School of Allied Health marking its 55th year.
'Northwestern State was the first school that answered the call to educate nurses 75 years ago and put it in a collegiate setting, and we continue to be the leader in nursing and allied health education, moving the professions forward,' said Dr. Greg Handel, NSU's executive vice president and provost.
According to a press release, NSU admitted its first nursing students in 1949 and created a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Louisiana's oldest state-supported nursing program.
The Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology (BSRT) program was established in the Department of Life Sciences in 1968 and moved to the College of Nursing in 1994. In 2008, it was changed to the Radiologic Sciences program and is now under CONSAH.
Newly appointed CONSAH Dean Dr. Aimee Badeaux was recognized by Handel along with former deans Dr. Norann Planchock (Dean Emeritus), Dr. Dana Clawson, and former dean Dr. Joel Hicks.
LSU Health Shreveport honors supporters during inaugural Rasberry Lectureship
NSU's presentation of the Dr. Joel Hicks Memorial Scholarship honored Hicks' wife Angela, daughter Katelyn, and son-in-low Parker Powell. Nearly $12,000 was donated through the NSU Foundation to a scholarship in his memory.
'When friends and family suggested starting a scholarship fund in Joel's name, we couldn't think of a better way to honor Joel,' said the Hicks family in a statement. 'Once the donations reached the endowment level, we were overwhelmed and humbled by the kindness shown to us. Joel would have been speechless.'
Badeaux was chosen as dean on April 24 and said that NSU's success would not be possible without alums and community support.
'It is the deepest honor of my life to be able to continue this important work,' Badeaux said. 'I would be remiss not to thank all of those that came before me in this role and our faculty and staff. I believe that we are the innovative pace setters and we are the leaders with the work that we do.'
Northwestern State University expanding club sports programs to meet student requests
Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux recognized CONSAH's presence in Shreveport and its impact on regional healthcare.
'I thank Northwestern for having this facility here, for preserving the Line Avenue school,' Arceneaux said. 'I am grateful that you're here and for what you do. I'm grateful for nurses and other healthcare professionals that you produce. This is very important for the city of Shreveport.'
The public is invited to a second reception to celebrate CONSAH's anniversary on Thursday, May 8, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at NSU's CENLA campus, 1410 Neel Kearby Blvd. in Alexandria.
'We look forward to another 75 years of excellence and being the leader in nursing and allied health professions, being responsive to the needs of our students and of society, and being a strong and true original presence here in Shreveport,' Handel said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Billy Joel Attempted Suicide Twice and Fell into a Coma After Affair with Friend's Wife. Why He Wanted to 'End It All'
Billy Joel reveals he attempted suicide twice after he had an affair with his best friend's wife in his new documentary After the suicide attempts, the "Vienna" singer checked himself into an "observation ward" and channeled his emotions into his music Joel ended up marrying the woman, Elizabeth Weber, years laterBilly Joel is opening up about a dark period in his life. On Wednesday, June 4, the first part of the the "Vienna" singer's new documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, premiered at Tribeca Festival in New York City. During the first part of the documentary, Joel, 76, revealed that he underwent two suicide attempts — and fell into a coma — after he had an affair with his former bandmate's wife. In his early 20s, Joel — who was absent from the premiere — was in a band called Attila with his best friend Jon Small. At the time, he moved in with Small, Elizabeth Weber — who was Small's wife at the time — and their son. "Bill and I spent a lot of time together," Elizabeth said in the documentary, adding that it was a "slow build." Then, Small realized something was up and Joel came to him with the truth: "I'm in love with your wife." "I felt very, very guilty about it. They had a child. I felt like a homewrecker,' the "Piano Man" singer said. 'I was just in love with a woman and I got punched in the nose which I deserved. Jon was very upset. I was very upset." The fight was the end of Attila — and the end of their friendship for a while. Meanwhile, Elizabeth took off, Joel started drinking and this marked the beginning of a spiral for the star. (Years later, Elizabeth and Joel reconnected and were married from 1973-1982.) 'I had no place to live. I was sleeping in laundromats and I was depressed I think to the point of almost being psychotic," he said in the documentary. "So I figured, 'That's it. I don't want to live anymore.' I was just in a lot of pain and it was sort of like why hang out, tomorrow is going to be just like today is and today sucks. So, I just thought I'd end it all." A the time, Joel's sister, Judy Molinari, was working as a medical assistant and she gave him sleeping pills to help him sleep. 'But Billy decided that he was going to take all of them… he was in a coma for days and days and days," she said in the documentary, adding tearfully: "I went to go see him in the hospital, and he was laying there white as a sheet. I thought that I'd killed him." Joel acknowledged that he was "very selfish" at the time and remembered waking up in the hospital thinking he wanted to do it again — but this time "right." The next time, he drank a bottle of "lemon Pledge," Molinari revealed, and Small took him to the hospital. 'Even though our friendship was blowing up, Jon saved my life,' Joel said. Small added, "He never really said anything to me, the only practical answer I can give as to why Billy took it so hard was because he loved me that much and that it killed him to hurt me that much. Eventually I forgave him." After the suicide attempts, the "We Didn't Start the Fire" singer felt like a "lost soul" and checked himself into an "observation ward." The experience was life-changing for Joel, who was released within a couple of weeks. "I got out of the observation ward and I thought to myself, you can utilize all those emotions to channel that stuff into music," he said. Billy Joel: And So It Goes is slated to hit HBO in July. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 24/7. Read the original article on People
New York Times
2 days ago
- New York Times
‘And So It Goes' Traces Billy Joel's Dramatic Early Days: 5 Takeaways
The Tribeca Festival's opening-night premiere of the upcoming HBO documentary 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes' was marked, in part, by the absence of Billy Joel himself. Late last month, the musician announced that he was canceling all of his upcoming concerts because of a brain disorder called normal pressure hydrocephalus, which has led to problems with his hearing, vision and balance. After Robert De Niro called Joel 'the poet laureate of New York' and helped introduce the film with a dramatic reading of some of his lyrics ('He works at Mr. Cacciatore's down on Sullivan Street,' he intoned), one of the film's co-directors, Susan Lacy, told the Beacon Theater audience that Joel sent his greetings — with typical wry humor: 'In fact, he said, 'Getting old sucks, but it's still preferable to getting cremated.'' The audience roared with laughter. On a note of encouragement, Lacy said Joel 'will be back.' The crowd broke out into applause throughout the screening, which included just the first part of the two-part film. It still ran nearly two and a half hours as it covered Joel's childhood and rise to fame through his infamous 1982 motorcycle accident. (To put that in perspective: It doesn't get to the writing of 'Uptown Girl.' No Christie Brinkley yet.) There are pictures and footage of early Joel performances and stories about the surprisingly robust Long Island rock scene of the 1960s. But 'Part One' is largely an intimate portrait of Joel's relationship with his first wife, Elizabeth Weber, who would eventually become his manager, and it elevates her to a starring role in his life. It also features a host of stories about the making of some of his best-known songs, and tidbits about his Long Island obstinance. Here's some of what we learned. As Joel's relationship with Weber first foundered, he attempted suicide twice. Joel and Weber's relationship began in dramatic fashion: She was married to Jon Small, Joel's early bandmate, and had a son with him. Joel and Small first played together in a group named the Hassles, then broke off to start a Led Zeppelin-inspired metal outfit called Attila. (An album cover shoot featuring a longhaired Joel standing amid sides of raw beef, wearing fur, is something to behold.) Eventually, Joel fell in love with Weber, but when a guilt-ridden Joel shared his feelings with Small, he got punched in the nose and Weber left. Despondent, Joel overdosed on pills and was in a coma for days. His sister, Judy Molinari, who had provided the pills to help him sleep, recounts her guilt onscreen. 'I felt that I killed him,' she says. Joel drank a bottle of furniture polish in another attempt on his life. After moving back into his mother's house, he checked into an observation ward where his own struggles were put into perspective. From there he started to channel his feelings into music, and the songs that he wrote as a result of the experience would become his first solo album, 'Cold Spring Harbor.' After about a year, Weber re-entered his life. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Billy Joel Tells Howard Stern: 'I'm Not Dying'
Howard Stern revealed a conversation with Billy Joel where the music icon discussed his recent diagnosis of a brain condition. The 76-year-old 'Piano Man' singer recently revealed he was diagnosed with a brain disorder called Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) and announced while canceling his upcoming concerts for at least four months. NPH is a brain disorder where excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain's ventricles. The news has caused fans to worry about Joel's health. More from The Hollywood Reporter ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus on Writing a Musical Assisted by AI and Those Kiss Avatars: SXSW London Diddy Trial Sees Heckler Disrupt Court as Judge Learns Anonymous Witness' Name Leaked Online Heart Band Members Report Stolen Instruments, Offer Reward for Their Return On Tuesday's episode of The Howard Stern Show, the Sirius XM radio host said had dinner with Joel a couple of weeks earlier for the singer's birthday. 'We had dinner together, it went fine,' Stern said. 'He does have issues. But he said to me — so I'm not saying anything crazy — 'Yeah, you can tell people: I'm not dying.' He wants people to know that. He's got to deal with some medical stuff. But he was delightful. We had a great time with the wives. Billy's doing okay.' Two weeks ago, Joel's team posted a statement to his official social media announcing his diagnosis, which explained: 'This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance. Under his doctor's instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period. Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health … He is grateful for the support from fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage.' Joel added in a statement, 'I'm sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience and thank you for understanding.' Alexis Roderick Joel, the singer's wife, also said in a statement: 'Thank you for the outpouring of love and support. We are so grateful to the wonderful care and swift diagnosis we received. Bill is beloved by many, and to us, he is a father and husband who is at the center of our world. We are hopeful for his recovery. We look forward to seeing you all in the future.' Last year, Joel played the 100th show as part of a decade-long residency at Madison Square Garden. He also performed at the Grammys for the first time in over 20 years. His upcoming tour included 17 shows in stadiums across North America and England. Fans were automatically refunded for the canceled shows. — Jackie Strauss contributed to this report Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More
