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 Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges 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 College offered the upper-level course work for select bachelor's degree programs on the LSUA campus through a program known as LSU Senior College. 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.
“We grew up in poverty. At times it was so bad I can remember eating at our local soup kitchen with homeless people sitting beside me,” said Louisiana State University of Alexandria Fall 2020 graduate, Fayla Brown.
Brown, a Marksville native, had a tumultuous childhood. From dealing with her parent’s divorce, being separated from her siblings, growing up in poverty, and getting in trouble with the law, Fayla ultimately dropped out of high school at the age of 16.
“I felt like I had already failed and was too far gone,” she said. “I had so many negative influences and dropping out seemed to become my only option.”
The despair didn’t end there.
At 19, Fayla’s mother was killed in a car accident. She was distraught and utterly defeated. But by an act of God, Fayla claimed, she received a phone call shortly after her mother’s death telling her to apply for a job with the Ekhaya Youth Project working with at-risk teens.
“This was my saving grace,” she said. But as Fayla began working and mentoring youth in Central Louisiana, she realized something was missing.
“The kids I worked with were inspiring me, it was time for me to flip the script. I needed to be better for them, for my community, but most importantly, for myself.”
Brown, and a teen she mentored, decided to enroll in a GED program. Upon studying and completing the tests, she earned her high school diploma in March of 2016.
Gaining a bit of confidence, Fayla decided to try and enroll at LSUA; however, her past indiscretions caught up with her. She did not meet admission standards at that time and was unable to enroll. LSUA referred her to LSUE through the Pathways to Success program.
“I was terrified all over again. After not being able to get in to LSUA, I felt like I wasn’t good enough and didn’t belong in college, but the Pathways to Success program was amazing. I learned so much about myself and had so many people rooting for me. All of the LSUA faculty who taught my classes were waiting and willing to help,” Brown said.
Through this program, Fayla was able to eventually enroll in LSUA in the spring of 2019; however, the fear kicked in again.
“I had the worst semester of my academic year then. I was so nervous because I was finally at a four-year college. I had hyped it up too much in my mind and let my fear take over. My advisor, Dr. Rob Wright, was amazing though. He walked me through it and encouraged me to stick with it.,” she said.
Regaining some confidence, Fayla began taking more credit hours a semester and earning better grades. By taking 18-24 hours a semester, she was able to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 3 ½ years. So excited about her graduation, Fayla participated in the drive-thru commencement that LSUA held on December 18. Although her family was unable to attend due to the COVID-19 restrictions, they were able to watch her walk across the stage via the live stream to receive the diploma-- one moment of triumph to exemplify a lifetime of obstacles.
And she’s not done yet.
Fayla has been accepted into a master’s degree program at Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, Texas to earn a Master of Social Work. To ensure she completes the program, she has even pushed back her wedding until the fall of 2022 after she should graduate.
“I know my journey isn’t complete,” Fayla said. “I want to keep furthering my education, so I have all the skills needed to help those like me. My passion is to change lives the way mine was. I want those dejected to know that once you give way to fear, there is so much waiting for you on the other side. LSUA was my light at the end of the tunnel. Everyone there was waiting on the other side to help me through and now I have a future without limits. I am blessed.”
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 College 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 College 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 College, 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 College (Okla.), Huston-Tilloston University (Texas), Jarvis Christian College (Texas), Langston University (Okla.), LSU-Shreveport, Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas), Paul Quinn College (Texas), Texas College, University of St. Thomas (Texas), University of Texas-Brownsville, University of the Southwest (New Mexico) and Wiley College (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.