Laurie Nichols is an American academic administrator serving as the 11th president at Black Hills State University.

Nichols previously served as the 26th president of the University of Wyoming.

She was the dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences at South Dakota State University from 1994 to 2008, and interim president of Northern State University from August 2008 to June 2009.

[5] She assumed the presidency of Black Hills State University in 2019,[6] initially on an interim basis.

Her appointment as president was confirmed by the South Dakota Board of Regents in December 2019.