Southeastern honors Nevers with honorary doctorate
Tuesday, April 30, 2019 
by: Tonya Lowentritt
HAMMOND – Former Louisiana House and Senate member Ben Nevers will be honored
with a Southeastern Louisiana University Honorary Doctor of Humanities degree as part
of the university’s commencement ceremonies at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 18, at the University
Center.
That morning the university will confer more than 1,000 degrees on students who
are graduating with bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.
“As a stalwart proponent of education throughout more than two decades of public
service, Ben Nevers truly deserves this recognition, which is one of the highest honors
the university can bestow,” said Southeastern President John L. Crain. “Education
at all levels in Louisiana has benefitted from his unwavering dedication.”
Nevers was a Democratic member of the Louisiana Legislature, serving in both
the House of Representatives and Senate, from 1999 until 2016, at which time he accepted
Governor John Bel Edwards’ invitation to serve as chief of staff. One of Nevers’ primary
roles while serving as chief of staff was coordinating the state’s response to record
levels of flooding in 2016. During his time at the Capitol, Nevers cultivated a reputation
as a legislator respected by members of both parties.
A U.S. Army veteran, he was previously a member of the Bogalusa School Board.
He also served as the president and CEO of Nevers Electrical and Contracting, a company
he founded in 1980.
Nevers, who represented Louisiana’s District 12, was first elected to the Senate
in 2003 after having served five years in the House of Representatives. A former member
of the Northshore Legislative Delegation, his district covered areas in St. Tammany,
Washington and Tangipahoa parishes, including Southeastern.
Education was a cornerstone issue of his Legislative tenure. As head of the Senate
Education Committee and chairman of the Postsecondary Education Review Commission,
Nevers championed the importance of education in Louisiana.
He served as a member of various statewide educational committees, including
the Louisiana Tuition Trust Authority, the Louisiana High School Redesign Commission,
and the Blue Ribbon Commission for Educational Excellence.
Over the years, Nevers has served with several non-profit organizations that
reflect his interests in agriculture, economic development, education, health care
and infrastructure. He is a former president of the United Way, served on the executive
board for the Istrouma Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the St. Tammany
Right to Life Association, the Louisiana Farm Bureau, the Louisiana and Washington
Parish Cattleman’s associations and Washington Parish Forestry Landowners Association.
Nevers is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2015 Mondale-Brooke
Award for Fair Housing Leadership and Civic Participation and the 2016 Russell B.
Long Legislative Service Award. In addition, he is a 2017 American Federation of Labor
and Congress of Industrial Organizations Hall of Fame Inductee. He has also been recognized
with the President’s Award from the Louisiana School Psychological Association, the
Louisiana School Board Association’s Legislator of the Year Award, and several awards
from Louisiana Family Forum.
