NATCHITOCHES – The late Joe Salter, a distinguished alumnus of Northwestern State University and former Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives, and his family were honored during a scholarship celebration Dec. 5 in which University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors Member Robert “Skeeter” Salim announced the Joe and Bettye Salter Family Scholarship created and fully endowed at $100,000 through the NSU Foundation.
Family, friends, colleagues and alumni were present for the announcement. Salim spoke of the late Mr. Salter as a man of faith and character, the epitome of a gentleman.
“Joe loved his family and when we were talking about doing this endowment, which will benefit children for the next 100 years through education, I said he wouldn’t want this to be the Joe Salter memorial scholarship. He would want it to be the Joe and Bettye Salter Scholarship and that’s what we’ve done,” Salim said.
NSU President James Genovese said Mrs. Salter was “the wind beneath the wings of Joe Salter.”
“We gather to recognize a life defined by service, leadership and an unwavering belief in the power of education,” Genovese said. “Joe Salter was not only an outstanding public servant, a respected legislator and a proud alumnus of this great university, he was a man whose work shaped communities, strengthened our state and elevated opportunities for countless Louisianians.”
Mr. Salter passed away in August. He was one of the most respected leaders in state government. Elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1986, he served more than 20 years. As the 62nd Speaker of the House, he was the first from his district to hold the position. Alongside his legislative service, Salter devoted his career to education as a teacher and administrator in the Sabine Parish school system.
Salter also served as a member of the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors, which is the management board over nine public universities, including NSU. A Florien resident, he was reappointed by Governor Jeff Landry on January 4, 2025, to represent the 4th Congressional District, with his term extending through December 31, 2030.
Throughout his service, Salter demonstrated outstanding leadership and was the recipient of numerous honors, including awards from the Louisiana Council on Aging, Louisiana Public Broadcasting and the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, as well as induction into NSU’s Long Purple Line, the university’s alumni hall of distinction, and multiple halls of fame recognizing his work in education, politics and athletics.
Speaking on behalf of his parents, Brantley Salter said the scholarship and celebration were a testimony to his father’s life and legacy.
“What an amazing thing for my sister and I to live the rest of our lives seeing this happen every year, seeing such an amazing endowment go on and help people through education,” Brantley Salter said. “I know that my daddy would be more than ecstatic.”
Friends can contribute to the scholarship by visiting www.northwesternstatealumni.com/salter-scholarship. Checks can also be mailed to the NSU Foundation, 535 University Parkway, Natchitoches, LA 71497 with Memo: Joe and Bettye Salter Scholarship.