Dr. Steve Horton was appointed Associate Provost and Dean after serving as a department head, professor, and media adviser in the Department of Journalism.

Horton oversees the university's graduate programs, the University's academic colleges and divisions, the Office of Institutional Research, the Office of Planning and Assessment, and the Aquaculture Center. Horton also oversees the activities of the Human Studies Institutional Review Board (IRB).  He also coordinates the University's international program initiatives, including the International Student Exchange Program.

Horton is a professor of education.

As a faculty member, Horton has authored or co-authored more than 25 professional publications for state, regional, national and international journals. He has also been involved in more than 40 professional presentations. Horton serves as a site team evaluator for the Accrediting Council for the Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.

Horton is also the SACS liaison for the University.

Horton is a member of the Board of Directors of City Bank & Trust Company. He is also a member of the Natchitoches Historic District Commission, and is on the Board of Directors of the Cane River National Heritage Area Commission. Horton is also past president and a member of the Board of Directors of the Natchitoches Historic Foundation and the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Society.

A native of New Iberia, Horton earned bachelor's degrees at NSU. He received a master's and doctorate at Louisiana State University. He and his wife, the former Emilyn Matthews (BA, Journalism, NSU, 1987), have two daughters

Janine Waters joined Northwestern's family in 1982 as a secretary in the College of Education. She moved to the Graduate School in 1984 as the administrative secretary to the dean. Since then she has assisted more than 6,000 students with degree plans, graduate assistantship appointments, degree candidate applications--you name it. She has worked with seven graduate deans since joining the Graduate School.

As the Graduate School's coordinator, Waters' responsibilities include graduate admissions, graduation check-out, graduate assistantship appointments, and coordinating with University graduate faculty in the day-to-day operations of over 20 graduate programs on campus. She also serves as secretary to the Graduate Council, the governing body of the Graduate School.

Waters has an associate degree in secretarial science. She is the mother of two daughters and five grandchildren. In her spare time, she sings in her church choir and is an avid deer hunter.

Carrie Smith joined the Graduate School staff in 2003 after a career in the health care industry. A native of Montgomery, Smith considers herself a “military brat,” living most of life all over the United States and abroad.

Since joining the Graduate School, Chandler is considered the “calming” voice of the office. She provides counsel to graduate students requesting program information and applications. She is responsible for processing applications and notifying students of acceptance, while assisting the dean with the many responsibilities of the office.

Chandler travels daily over 90 miles to work. Her hobbies are reading, cooking, and art. She also enjoys being around people, especially those who are from places all over the world. Their experiences empower her.