NATCHITOCHES – Frederick Nichols of Winnfield and Christopher Soileau of Kinder have been selected to represent Northwestern State University in this year’s cohort of the Reginald F. Lewis Scholars Program, an initiative of the University of Louisiana System. The program recruits Black male students and provides educational programs, mentoring opportunities and co-curricular experiences to improve outcomes.
Each cohort includes two students from each school in the University of Louisiana System for a total of 18 members each year. Nichols and Soileau join the third cohort of scholars.
Nichols, the younger of two siblings, is a 2022 graduate of Winnfield High School. He is pursuing a degree in business and marketing and hopes to become an entrepreneur and open his own gym. He is most looking forward to the opportunity to engage with mentors.
“What I have learned so far is that you can learn from anyone, anywhere. You just have to be receptive to what is being said,” Nichols said.
Soileau is a 2022 graduate of Kinder High School and is a health and exercise science major at NSU. He is the second person in his family to attend college and hopes to one day open a chain of clinics around the country. He cited his father and fellow student Ebenezer Aggrey, who is part of last year’s R.F. Lewis Scholars cohort, as important mentors.
“Through this program I hope to learn how to use my skills and my strengths to not only better myself but the people around me as well,” he said. “So far as a scholar I have learned to take every opportunity given to you because you never know the end result.”
More information on the Reginald F. Lewis Scholars program is available at https://www.ulsystem.edu/rflewis-scholars/
