Home About Articles Contact

My Latest Work

Where Y'at Magazine •

Experience NOLA with Walking with the Gay Ghosts of New Orleans

Have you ever wondered what it's like to walk alongside the gay spirits and listen to the untold queer lore of one of the most notorious haunted and diverse cities in Louisiana? Well, Walking with the Gay Ghosts of New Orleans has you covered!

Returning for News Orleans Pride, tours will be available from Thursday, June 11 to Sunday, June 14 during select hours. The event's availability can be found online. The guided tour takes about an hour and 45 minutes and costs $33.46 per person....
Potpourri •

NSU Soccer reinforces team identity and adaptability to the demands of college athletics

The 2025-2026 NSU soccer season reinforced the team’s identity and improved the varying levels of understanding of the demands of college athletics.
For Kendall Hemperley, a freshman nursing major, the shift to Division I play was an immediate adjustment. She said this came in the form of the training schedule, which she described as a substantial change from what she was used to in high school. “Practicing, what, three times a day? In high school, it was only one practice a day and not nearly a...
Potpourri •

Sharye Belcher serves her first year as editor-in-chief of Potpourri, NSU’s student yearbook.

Potpourri, which runs from March to March each year, has served as the official yearbook of Northwestern State University since 1909, its staff dedicated to elevating the voices of students, faculty, staff and campus organizations each year.
Sharye Belcher, a junior nursing major, has served on the staff since her freshman year, and now, as Editor-in-Chief, she has continued her passion for creating a yearbook with this year’s theme, “Purple Reign.” The book’s cover features the iconic playbill...
Potpourri •

Lady Demon Volleyball looks forward to next season after finishing 2025 with a 1-29 overall record

Under the helm of first-year head coach Ben Kazeta’s leadership, Northwestern State University’s volleyball team finished its 2025 season with a 1-29 overall record.
Julia Whitfield, a freshman business administration major and middle blocker, committed to NSU to be close to her family and fell in love with the community’s support for the university. Ever since she started playing for NSU, the team has been nothing but supportive.
“This team just gives me a high. Every day I walk in here [Prathe...
Potpourri •

NSU’s Rowing Team prides itself on community and competitive spirit

Northwestern State University’s rowing team prides itself on community and competitive spirit. In the 2025-2026 season, the team has grown and fostered talent, making this season memorable for its members.
Sophia Witman, a sophomore biology major, decided to join the rowing team because she rowed for one year in middle school and for two years in high school. “I wanted to continue competing in a sport I love,” Witman said. “Our rowing team was actually one of the reasons I chose to attend NSU.”...
Potpourri •

NSU Club Volleyball blends competition and fun

Club volleyball at Northwestern State University of Louisiana blends competition and fun regardless of a student’s major or classification. Comforting and fun spaces like these attract students to return to the Wellness, Recreation and Activities Center courts for weeks.
The club draws a wide mix of players: former high school athletes, students who grew up playing multiple sports and others who miss the feeling of being part of a team. Members of the team have varying years of experience that a...
Potpourri •

Pi Kappa Alpha prides itself on scholarship, leadership, athleticism and their gentlemen’s ways

Joining Northwestern State University’s campus in 2014, Pi Kappa Alpha, a fraternity commonly known as PIKE, prides itself on its four core values: scholarship, leadership, athleticism and their gentlemen’s ways.
After rushing during his sophomore year, Christopher Richard, a senior communication major and former Fall 2025 president of PIKE, shared how he found his Greek home and what his leadership position meant to him. “I’ve really grown in the organization because of the opportunities that i...
PLUGGED IN •

Behind the ballot: How AI is shaping today’s political climate

Artificial Intelligence is currently reshaping modern politics, influencing everything from how campaigns target voters to how governments make policy decisions. Is the rapid growth of AI’s influence going to improve democratic participation if regulated properly, or instill mistrust and unavoidable biases come this year’s midterms?  Throughout 2025, the use of AI reshaped how consumers view the world on a global scale. According to an article published Jan. 16, 2026 by Atlantic Council experts,...
The Current Sauce •

NSU students react to tragic shooting in Shreveport

With many Louisianians struggling to grasp the reality of one of the nation’s deadliest mass shootings in years, many Northwestern State University of Louisiana students are speaking out about gun and domestic violence.
On Sunday, April 19, Shamar Elkins, the 31-year-old gunman, fatally shot eight children, including seven of his own, in an attack on his family. According to the Associated Press, two women, one of whom was the gunman’s wife and mother of their children, were shot and critically...
The Current Sauce •

NSU Alumnus Sherman Desselle inducted into CAPA Hall of Fame

“It all started with a roast beef sandwich,” Sherman Desselle, Northwestern State University of Louisiana alumnus, recalled, remembering how one part-time job changed the trajectory of his whole life. Now, he has been inducted into the Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts’ Hall of Fame. 
In 2007, Deselle moved back home to Alexandria, La., after graduating from NSU. He shared that when he worked part-time at a deli, he struggled with the idea of what he wanted his future to look like, whi...
The Current Sauce •

NSU and LSMSA plan Innovation Park; construction expected in late 2026

Northwestern State University of Louisiana and the Louisiana School for the Math, Science, and the Arts plan to break ground on Innovation Park within the next year.
Innovation Park will serve as a collaborative space for NSU and LSMSA students, intended to be an innovative and incubation center for small business and entrepreneurs to get ideas and advice.
According to NSU’s website, this project is a part of the larger City of Natchitoches Master Plan that looks to connect NSU, LSMSA, the histo...
The Current Sauce •

Turning Point USA approved as Recognized Student Organization at NSU

Northwestern State University of Louisiana approved a Turning Point USA chapter as a Recognized Student Organization (RSO) on Nov. 20 following a closed committee hearing last semester.
Eddie Horton, head of the Committee on Organizations, said the committee reached a group consensus on Nov. 19 to approve the chapter after reviewing that the paperwork was in order.
“It is not our job to stop an organization for any other reason than paperwork,” Horton said. “The content of the organization is mo...
The Current Sauce •

Debate rises surrounding potential Turning Point USA chapter at NSU

The potential launch of a Turning Point USA chapter at Northwestern State University of Louisiana has sparked discussion among students and faculty in the last few months.
TPUSA describes itself as a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to restoring traditional American values like patriotism and respect for life, liberty, family and fiscal responsibility through conservative activism on high school and college campuses around the country.
Dutch Kor, a junior biology major and the TPU...
The Current Sauce •

Letter from the Editor: Looking ahead, reflecting back

I’ve always thought about the butterfly effect, the idea that something small can have a much larger effect on your life. One decision changed the entire trajectory of my life, and I’m grateful that I’m too stubborn when it comes to sitting still in comfort.
During my junior year of high school, I became aware of The Current Sauce.
I took a risk and moved from southern Louisiana to get a fresh start. Even though I knew who I was before joining The Current Sauce and even before attending Northwes...
The Current Sauce •

State officials travel to NSU in response to Red River mill closure

Gov. Jeff Landry spoke to community officials, legislators and leaders in business, industry, education and economic development at Northwestern State University of Louisiana about the closure of the International Paper Red River containerboard mill in Campti.
The Red River containerboard mill is set to close in April and is estimated to leave nearly 500 residents of Natchitoches Parish unemployed prompting attention statewide.
On Feb. 13, International Paper, a global leader in sustainable pack...
The Current Sauce •

NSU’s University Police arrest made after UP2 fire alarms falsely pulled

Northwestern State University of Louisiana University Police arrested a suspect after several incidents occurred where a fire alarm had been falsely pulled at the on-campus residence building University Place II.
UP2 experienced falsely pulled fire alarms on multiple occasions this semester including on Sept. 7, Oct. 8, 13 and 17, according to police blotters and records.
On Oct. 17, 2024, Antonio Sumler was arrested for the charge of criminal mischief for allegedly pulling the fire alarm, polic...
The Current Sauce •

Navigating going home for the holidays after the 2024 Presidential Election

As Northwestern State University of Louisiana’s students travel back home for the holidays, there are usually hot topics bound to be brought up at the dinner table.
After the conclusion of the 2024 presidential election, many students are preparing themselves for what the holiday season will look like at home, regardless of what party or candidate they chose to support.
If your family is the type to bring up politics, you are often put in difficult situations. No one really talks about what to d...
The Current Sauce •

NSU Demons Head Football Coach Blaine McCorkle introduced and welcomed in public press conference

Northwestern State University of Louisiana held a public press conference to announce Blaine McCorkle, the new head football coach for the 2024-2025 season, on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023 in the Donald G. Kelly Athletic Complex.
Director of athletics Kevin Bostian addressed the search for hiring the right candidate for the job, reaffirmed the decision to hire McCorkle and welcomed him and his family to NSU.
“The process was quick and deliberate, it was thorough and we had over 60 candidates for the...
The Current Sauce •

NSU athletic director Kevin Bostian addresses the decision to cancel the season and the future of football

Northwestern State University of Louisiana director of athletics Kevin Bostian met with reporters from The Current Sauce for an on-camera interview outlining steps taken before announcing the cancellation of the 2023 football season.
Bostian addressed consulting select members of the team and mental health experts, the criticism and concerns from the community, rumors of investigations from the Southland conference, current student athletes’ scholarships and what’s next for NSU football.
In the...