Nursing Student Jacob DeLaune was chosen by Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University to receive the Norman C. Francis Scholarship awarded by Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
Founded in 2014, the $3,000 scholarship is awarded to a student of a LAICU institution who exemplifies the qualities of leadership and service as continuously demonstrated by Dr. Norman Francis, whose 46-year tenure as president of Xavier University of New Orleans earned him the distinction of being the longest-serving college president in the nation.
DeLaune is a fifth semester senior in the FranU BSN program. “I grew up in Gonzales with my mom, dad, and seven siblings. We were all raised in the Catholic church and being Catholic is a big reason I pursued FranU’s nursing program,” he explained.
In March of 2015, his mom passed away due to childbirth complications while giving birth to his youngest sister Jennie.
“This tragedy left my siblings and I without a teacher, as our mother was our primary homeschool teacher. Me and my older brother continued to homeschool with my older sister stepping in and teaching us through the rest of our time in high school. Through this time of hardship and grief, we were all able to continue to grow in our faith and trust in God.”
“My Dad has helped me as a full-time student for the past five years as best as he could and I work as a nurse tech at OLOL Regional Medical Center to fill in the gaps,” said DeLaune.
In his time at FranU, DeLaune has become a part of the Student Nurse Association where he participates in the mentor program for first semester nursing students. After graduation in the fall, he plans to pursue critical care nursing and eventually CRNA school.
LAICU is a statewide nonprofit association which represents Louisiana’s 10 regionally accredited nonprofit private colleges and universities whose member are Centenary College of Louisiana, Dillard University, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, Louisiana College, Loyola University New Orleans, Saint Joseph Seminary College, Tulane University, University of Holy Cross, Xavier University of Louisiana, and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.