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.
Two junior chemistry students at LSUA have each been offered summer research positions at top universities! Destiny Harrison and Kendall Powell have both been accepted to the national Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program.
Students apply to participate in an REU program at large, research-intensive universities, and if selected, they get an opportunity to conduct research with an esteemed professor for a summer. These programs span many disciplines and are funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The REU program is incredibly selective and difficult to get into, with less than 6% acceptance rate nationwide according to a study published by the Council on Undergraduate Research.
Destiny Harrison was accepted into the REU program in Sustainable Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry at Texas A&M. She will conduct research with a professor in the department for ten weeks this summer and receive a $5,000 stipend, along with housing, a meal plan, and moving assistance.
鈥淚 am ecstatic to be granted the opportunity of such an experience,鈥� said Harrison. 鈥淚 firmly believe that this program will be crucial to me figuring out which path I want to take after graduation. I understand that not many students get this experience, so I am grateful!鈥�
Kendall Powell was accepted into the REU program in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cincinnati. She will conduct research with a professor in the department for ten weeks and receive a $6,000 stipend, along with housing, a meal plan, and moving assistance.
Powell noted, 鈥淭he internship that I was accepted into means a lot to me because it will give me a chance to travel outside of the state to improve my professional skills. I will be able to meet new peers in my field. I am excited about this opportunity because I will be able to learn more about obtaining a PhD, which is what I plan on working towards after my undergraduate degree. Overall, this internship is a once-in-a-lifetime program that I am very grateful to have been accepted into.鈥�
Both REU programs also provide students with a glimpse into graduate school life, allow them to present their findings at the end of the summer, and host many professional development and social activities.
Dr. Jessica Ringo, LSUA chemistry professor, said, 鈥淭his is the very first time, to our knowledge, that an LSUA student has secured admittance to a Chemistry REU program. How great that we have two this year! We are so proud of Destiny and Kendall! Destiny and Kendall both have had valuable research experience with LSUA chemistry professors. In addition, they have also excelled in their chemistry lecture courses. We believe this experience at LSUA has prepared them for this reputed nationwide program where they will work shoulder-to-shoulder with other elite scholars and researchers. We wish them the best in their respective programs this summer. Go Generals!鈥�
Written by Dr. Jessica Ringo and Adam Lord, LSUA
Photo credit - Adam Lord, LSUA Division of Strategic Communications
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.