Johnny Antoon

Antoon was one of Northwestern State’s most loyal supporters. In 1975, Antoon opened his bar, which became a Natchitoches establishment for generations of Northwestern State students. In 1981, he opened the Student Body. Antoon also owned two restaurants, Monjuni’s and Antoon’s Riverfront Restaurant. Each of his businesses employed many NSU students who earned money to pay for college expenses and gained valuable experience which helped them get a job after college. Many of those students worked for Antoon for most of their time in college. Antoon was noted for always finding a way to help a student who needed a job. 

In 2008 on his 65th birthday, Antoon’s friends and family created the Johnny Antoon Scholarship to assist Northwestern students. Each year, a weekend of activities including a golf tournament to raise funds to enhance the scholarship fund which has awarded more than $100,000 to NSU students. The endowment has grown to more than $110,000. 

Antoon started summer school after graduating from high school but joined the Army a few weeks later. He returned to Northwestern after being discharged and earned a Bachelor Arts in Health and Physical Education in 1968 and a Master of Arts in History in 1972. Antoon also taught history at NSU. He passed away in 2015.