In 1959, the Louisiana Legislature authorized the establishment of LSUA as a two-year commuter college under the governance of the LSU Board of Supervisors. LSUA registered its first students in September of 1960. The first degree program, an Associate in Nursing degree, was initiated in the Division of Nursing in 1964.
The additional academic divisions of Liberal Arts, Business Administration, and Sciences were created in 1967. In 1974, LSUA was accredited by the Commission on 吃瓜直播s of the Southern Association of 吃瓜直播s and Schools (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees. This accreditation was reaffirmed in 1984, 1994, and 2004.
Only one associate degree was available at LSUA from 1964 to March 1986, when the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science transfer degrees were approved. Over the next 15 years, several associate degree and certificate programs were added that the university continues to offer including:
From 1976 through Spring 2003, Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical 吃瓜直播 offered the upper-level course work for select bachelor's degree programs on the LSUA campus through a program known as LSU Senior 吃瓜直播. Initially, the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Bachelor of General Studies were offered. The Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education was added in 1982-83.
ALEXANDRIA - The LSUA Foundation is celebrating its 30th anniversary! The Foundation's mission is to build philanthropy, advocacy, and support for educational excellence at LSUA.
With a vision of advancing LSUA to be a nationally recognized University for lifelong student success, the LSUA Foundation has worked tirelessly toward this end since 1992. That first decade saw the development of the Educational Challenge Fund and the establishment of the LSUA Child Care Center.
In the early 2000s, the Foundation took enormous strides toward its current footprint in Central Louisiana. In 2003, the LSUA Alumni and Friends Association was established as the premiere opportunity for engaging graduates and community supporters. In 2006, the Foundation acquired the Alexandria Museum of Art. An affiliated entity of the LSUA Foundation, the Alexandria Museum of Art, provides a state-of-the-art facility for exhibiting the work of regional, national, and international artists. While the museum鈥檚 core mission involves providing opportunities for cultural enrichment to the Central Louisiana community, it also contributes in substantial ways to the academic programs and activities of Louisiana State University at Alexandria (LSUA). Additionally, The Oaks, LSUA鈥檚 on-campus student housing option, opened in 2007 as a project of the Foundation.
Over the next decade, the Foundation focussed on a series of fundraising efforts and direct contributions to the advancement of LSUA. Thanks to the Mulder Charitable Trust, the Foundation received its largest gift ever at $6.2 million in 2013. This gift continues to provide support for student scholarships and faculty endowments. In 2014, the Foundation received over $3 million from the John and Anne McCann Estate, funding scholarships and faculty resources to date.
With support from the Foundation, in 2014, the university undertook efforts to update the campus master plan, create a recruitment call center, and refurbish an existing house on campus for use as the Foundation office. A major addition to the reach of the Foundation came later that year with the addition of the Generals Athletic Association (GAA). The GAA was created to serve the NAIA athletic teams as the non-profit association vested in fundraising to support LSUA teams and athletes. Additionally, between 2015 and 2017, the Foundation funded multiple initiatives at LSUA including the construction of the ICON Corner and renovations to the Coughlin Hall auditorium.
Since 2019, the Foundation has spearheaded the bold 鈥淔ierce for LSUA鈥� capital campaign aimed at creating a private funding match for the new Student Success Center made possible by a partnership with the State of Louisiana. This effort has netted over $5 million to date, including a major $2 million gift from RoyOMartin.
鈥淎cademic excellence, student success, and faculty development have been at the forefront of our fundraising efforts over the last 30 years,鈥� said Stephen F. Wright, LSUA Foundation Board Chair. 鈥淥ur Board of Directors is consistently working with donors to create opportunities that impact the lives of our students and faculty to support LSUA as one of the fastest growing universities in Louisiana.鈥�
Kelly Pepper, LSUA Foundation President, added, 鈥�We want to thank our donors for their contributions, allowing the LSUA Foundation, in partnership with LSUA, to support critical mission-driven decisions. While a lot has changed over the last 30 years, our constant is that we are dedicated to building philanthropy and support for LSUA."
The work of the LSUA Foundation is invaluable to the success of LSUA鈥檚 mission to provide students with the education, skills, development, and other resources needed to establish the foundation for their future success.
Pictured
Back Row (L to R): Ben Luke, Blake Chatelain, Michael Crowell, Mark Brown, Kelly Pepper, Lawrence Searcy, Daryl Deshotel, Trish Leleux, Bill Fontenot
Front Row (L to R): Charlie Weems, Paul Coreil, Glenda Stock Smith, Stephen Wright, Aloysia Ducote, Nell Shehee.
Board members not pictured: Jason Cobb, Kyle Downs Weems, Chris Karam, Spencer Martin, Deborah Randolph, Dr. Robert Freedman
Written by Adam Lord
Photo credit - Nathan Parish
On June 5, 2001, following approval by the Louisiana State University Board of Supervisors and the Louisiana Board of Regents, the Louisiana Legislature passed legislation (Senate Bill 853) allowing Louisiana State University at Alexandria to offer baccalaureate degrees. In December 2002, SACSCOC approved a substantive change request from LSUA, thereby accrediting the university to award both associate and baccalaureate degrees.
In Fall 2003, LSUA was reorganized into colleges and departments rather than divisions. The 吃瓜直播 of Arts and Sciences is comprised of the departments of Arts, English and Humanities; Behavioral and Social Sciences; Biological Sciences; and Mathematics and Physical Sciences. The 吃瓜直播 of Professional Studies is comprised of the departments of Allied Health, Business Administration, Education, and Nursing.
LSUA began offering four baccalaureate degrees in Fall 2003: Bachelor of Science in Biology, Bachelor of General Studies, Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, and Bachelor of Liberal Studies. Because there were students at LSUA who had completed upper-level course work through LSU Senior 吃瓜直播, LSUA produced its first bachelor's degree graduates in December 2003.
A Bachelor of Science in Psychology, approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors in March 2005, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, approved by the LSU Board in June 2006, are now offered. In 2008 the university began offering Bachelor of Arts degrees in English, Communication Studies, and History, along with Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, and Nursing.
In addition to the Department of Education offering courses that lead to an Associate of Arts in The Care and Development of Young Children and the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, courses are offered for alternative certification in the following areas: Elementary Education, Grades 1-5; Health and Physical Education, Grades K-12; and Secondary Education, Grades 6-12 for the areas of biology, English, history, and mathematics. Students who major in biology, English, history, or mathematics may declare Secondary Education as a minor in these areas of study, earning certification to teach that subject in Grades 6-12. Add-on certifications are available for Early Childhood Education (PK-3) and Special Education in area of existing certification(s).
The Oaks, the university’s first student housing complex, opened in the fall of 2007. The complex, which includes four apartment buildings and a community center.
LSUA hired its first athletic director in January 2007 and began competing in NAIA men’s baseball and women’s fast-pitch softball in Spring 2008. In January 2010, LSUA’s new on-campus baseball-softball complex was unveiled in an opening day dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The complex is located on the north side of campus adjacent to the Fitness Center and features seats transferred from the famed Alex Box Stadium on the Baton Rouge campus.
LSUA added five sports in 2014 including men’s and women’s basketball and soccer teams along with women’s tennis. LSUA joined the Red River Athletic Conference in 2014. The RRAC includes Bacone 吃瓜直播 (Okla.), Huston-Tilloston University (Texas), Jarvis Christian 吃瓜直播 (Texas), Langston University (Okla.), LSU-Shreveport, Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas), Paul Quinn 吃瓜直播 (Texas), Texas 吃瓜直播, University of St. Thomas (Texas), University of Texas-Brownsville, University of the Southwest (New Mexico) and Wiley 吃瓜直播 (Texas) in addition to LSUA.
The university’s newest building, Mulder Hall, was opened in August 2011. The building is a 70,000 square-foot facility that provides 18 classrooms, 4 academic department office suites, 52 faculty offices, 2 conference rooms, a computer lab and a writing lab, a painting and drawing studio, a ceramics studio, a photography suite, and a black box theater that seats 175 people.