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.
Celebrating the completion of an intensive 10-week online business training program for local entrepreneurs, 23 students were recognized Wednesday night at Louisiana State University of Alexandria as the initial graduates of the LaunchPad training program. LaunchPad is a joint venture between the City of Alexandria and the LSUA 吃瓜直播 of Business.
The graduation ceremony, held in the Coughlin Auditorium at LSUA, was the first opportunity for the students and instructors to meet in person. Due to Covid-19 concerns, the 20 90-minute classroom sessions were conducted online. Before they received their certificates, students presented their marketing 鈥渆levator pitch鈥� and gave a brief overview of their business plan.
鈥淭he program was greatly helpful. I鈥檓 much more confident now about starting my own business,鈥� said Kendall Kirsch, CEO and founder of Basically Brilliant, a web design and consulting firm. 鈥淭he Kaufman FastTrac庐 program had great information. And I can鈥檛 say enough about the instructors from LSUA. They did a wonderful job of filling in the gaps and explaining how it fit my business. I鈥檓 really excited about working for myself, and I can鈥檛 wait to launch my business.鈥�
Alexandria Mayor Jeff Hall delivered the keynote remarks at the ceremony. 鈥淚 was so very impressed to meet the students and hear about their business plans,鈥� Hall said. 鈥淲e talk all the time about attracting new business and industry to central Louisiana, and that is great, but this program is a way to support our local entrepreneurs and develop the talent we already have in our community. Tonight we heard some amazing business ideas. We have students wanting to create 鈥� or who have already started 鈥� businesses offering website design, package shipping, clothing and apparel, cosmetics, Latin American goods and educational products. We heard from students focused on health and wellness, pet care services, dance classes 鈥� the list goes on and on. It is truly amazing the talent we have right here in our community.鈥�
Hall added, 鈥淭he LaunchPad program offers a tremendous advantage for a start-up business or entrepreneur. We are extremely fortunate to have outstanding resources available to us at the LSUA 吃瓜直播 of Business and we are grateful to LSUA Chancellor Dr. Paul Coreil and Dr. Randall Dupont for stepping forward to help us serve our local business community. This is a program that will provide tremendous benefit not just to Alexandria, but to all of Central Louisiana.鈥�
鈥淯niversity collaboration with the City of Alexandria is community development at its best,鈥� Coreil said. 鈥淭his type of project extends and links well with our community outreach goals and objectives for LSUA.鈥�
吃瓜直播 of Business Dean Dupont, who coordinated and led the event, commented on the significance of this type of program. 鈥淎ny time we can provide more education for community entrepreneurs, that is a win for the region as a whole. These participants received in-depth knowledge on how to successfully start and grow a business. The economic effects of this type of programming will be felt all across Central Louisiana.鈥�
The LaunchPad program began March 1 and utilized Kauffman FastTrac庐 online content. Topics covered include market research, business model design, pricing strategy, legal strategy, distribution and sales, financial management and building the organization. The majority of funding for the program came from a $15,000 grant from the National League of Cities.
The City of Alexandria is designated as a Small and Emerging Business Development Intermediary by Louisiana Economic Development. As such, the City is required to offer economic development-related training and project funding to SEBD certified small and emerging businesses. However, since only a small number of local small businesses that are eligible for SEBD certification have been certified, attendance has been low at local SEBD training events. LaunchPad was created as means to build that local small business base.
鈥淭he tremendous success we saw with this class proves we have many people locally who are interested in starting a small business, or who are just starting out,鈥� said Richard Johnson, an economic development specialist with the City of Alexandria. 鈥淲e are encouraging each of the program graduates to complete their SEBD certification and take advantage of the ongoing training and support resources available.鈥�
Evelyn Jones, business consultant with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), was on hand at the graduation and pledged her support for the graduates. Jones works for LSUA and her SBDC office is located inside the Central Louisiana Regional Chamber of Commerce building on Third Street in downtown Alexandria.
"Starting a business is challenging and can be complicated, so the more knowledge one can have about the many aspects of entrepreneurship, the better,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淭he Launchpad program did just that for the participants, and they've got a head start in the process. Additional help and resources are available through the LSUA Small Business Development Center. As a program of the SBA and LED, we're here to provide necessary tools like industry research, business plans and financial projections with one-on-one, no-cost consulting."
LaunchPad student Victoria 鈥淧inky Bob鈥� Byrom, CEO and founder of Envisioned Aromas, said the SBDC support was one of the many benefits of participating in the LaunchPad program. 鈥淢s. Evelyn has been an amazing asset to myself and the development of my company. She has been assisting me in everything from locating cheaper prices on some of my needed inventory to helping me make new connections in my field of business,鈥� she said. 鈥淪he helps make the extremely daunting and overwhelming task of running your own business seem very easy with the right help. The SBDC is more than just an agency helping small businesses grow, they are amazing individuals who really want to see you succeed in business and in life.鈥�
Graduates in the inaugural class include: Ricardo Brown, Victoria Byrom, Sharon Davidson, Erin Harrison, Miriam Hicks, Brieanna Howell Cowher, Fannietta Johnson, Kendall Kirsch, Sara Lowry, Andrea Martin, Crystal Martinez, Kendrick Moton, Ninette Peek, Yolanda Randle, Courtney Robinson, Pamelaia Sanders, Sarita Sharma, Natasha Shipp, Nieshala Smith, Carrie Spriggins, LuAnn Thomas, Shawanna Thomas and Pam Walls.
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.