Press Release

Tijuana Teneda Ricks, the daughter of Thomas L. and Noeida Gerard Ricks of LaPlace, will receive a Master’s degree in Drama from Yale University on May 24.

Ricks is a 1996 graduate of Lutcher High School, where her mother served as librarian for 25 years. Noeida is presently assigned to Vacherie Elementary and Vacherie Primary School as a Literacy Teacher and Librarian. Thomas, her father, is a 22 year veteran of the United States Airforce and is presently an employee at Dow Chemical in St. Charles Parish. Ricks is the granddaughter of Stella Mae Gerard and the late Irby Gerard of Gramercy and the late Thomas and Hannah Mae Benjamin Ricks of Selma North Carolina.

In 2000 Ricks graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri after making her selection from a total of seven scholarships. While at Washington University, Ricks accomplished two majors, one in drama and the other in psychology and still maintained an academic average that won her the Thurgood Marshall award for excellence in education. Ricks has starred in may plays both in St. Louis and New Haven and developed a singing career.

During the summer of 2000, Ricks flew to Oakland, Calif.to compete with more than 60,000 candidates nationwide to win one of eleven scholarships offered by the Yale School of Drama and before she returned to St. Louis knowledge of her winning were known by friends and family.

Upon graduation from Yale, Ricks will fly to Burbank, Calif. to put on a showcase for agents, along with the other 10 scholarship members.