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.
Louisiana State University of Alexandria held its annual Employee Recognition Dinner on Tuesday, March 28 to celebrate the hard work and dedication of faculty and staff.
The most prestigious recognition awarded each year is the Bolton Award for Teaching Excellence. Established in 1989, the estate of Mrs. James C. Bolton provides funds to the University for an award to recognize excellence in teaching at LSUA.
The Bolton Award for Teaching Excellence is presented annually to the full-time faculty member who best exemplifies the University’s commitment to teaching, service, and professional development. The recipient of this honor is recognized with a cash award and a plaque for outstanding contributions to the University.
The Bolton Award recipient for 2022-2023 is Carol Corbat, Professor of Biological Sciences. Corbat grew up on a family farm in northeast Indiana, where she developed a passion for the outdoors that lead her to pursue a B.S. in Wildlife Science at Purdue University and an M.S. in Wildlife Management at Penn State. She earned a doctorate in Forest Resources from the University of Georgia. Corbat has served LSUA in the classroom and in various administrative roles for 32 years.
LSUA also recognizes the recipients of nine endowed professorships. The professorships are established through private donations to the LSUA Foundation and matched through the Board of Regents Support Fund to establish a $100,000 professorship endowment.
The recipients of this year’s endowed professorships are:
The Howard and Eloise Mulder Endowed Professorship #2 shall be awarded to a faculty member at LSUA in any discipline, determined according to university need - Cole Franklin, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies.
The Howard and Eloise Mulder Endowed Professorship #2 shall be awarded to a faculty member at LSUA in any discipline, determined according to university need -Skyler Braswell, Assistant Professor of Nursing.
The Capital One Endowed Professorship in Business is awarded to a faculty member of the BusinessDepartment - Adena Lejeune, Associate Professor of Accounting.
The Roy O. Martin, Jr. Endowed Professorship in Business is open specifically to faculty members engaged in Business Administration and Computer Information Services who actively incorporate the study of business best practices into the curricula - Long Li, Associate Professor of CMIS.
The Cliffe E. Laborde, Sr. Endowed Professorship in Education shall be awarded to a faculty member who teaches in current or future education programs - Susan Myrick, Associate Professor of Education.
The Jack and Sue Ellen Jackson Endowed Professorship in Education shall be awarded to a faculty member who teaches in a program within the Education Department - Emily Weeks, Assistant Professor of Education.
The Richard Bryan Gwartney Endowed Professorship shall be awarded to a faculty member who teaches a theater or arts program within the College of Liberal Arts - Patrick Hunter, Assistant Professor of Theatre.
The Rapides Regional Medical Center Endowed Professorship in Radiologic Technology shall be awarded to a faculty member in the Allied Health Department who teaches radiologic technology courses - Elizabeth Azua, Instructor of Radiologic Technology.
The Huie Dellmon Trust Endowed Professorship in Science shall be awarded to a faculty member who teaches in the LSUA Division of Science - Cheryl Bardales, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences.
Endowed professors receive a salary stipend as well as additional funds for professional development or travel activities. Professorships are usually awarded for a two-year term.
The Staff Senate Boss of the Year award is given by direct reports to a manager who demonstrates excellence in personnel management, leadership, responsibility, and professionalism. This year’s winner is Elizabeth Beard, Interim Provost and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
The Staff Senate Scholarship is awarded to two full-time staff members to defray the costs of achieving a degree or continuing their education. This year’s scholarship recipients are Marty Brown, LSUA Police Sergeant, and Takeyra Wagner, Educational Technology Specialist.
Student Choice Awards are included in this year’s program. Current LSUA students nominate the awardees. The winners are:
Life Changing Class – Aime Starks, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Clinical
Outstanding Staff Service – Tyler Unsicker, Director of Athletics
The Teaching Innovation Award and Grant are given to showcase and reward innovative teaching in the classroom. The winners are:
Teaching Innovation Award - Shonu Nangia, Professor of Foreign Languages
Teaching Innovation Grant - Purujit Gurjar, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and
Sona Kumar, Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Medical
Laboratory Science
The Outstanding Staff Service Award program began in the 1970-71 academic year as a means of recognizing and rewarding superior performance and outstanding contributions to the University by non-teaching employees. The recipient of this honor receives a plaque and cash award for his or her service to LSUA.
This year’s recipients of the Staff Outstanding Service Award are Kristie Jacobs (classified) and Haley Bryant (unclassified).
The Faculty Award for Outstanding Scholarship is given to a faculty member who exemplifies outstanding research and scholarship. This year’s winner is Christof Stumpf, Professor of Biological Sciences.
The Faculty Award for Outstanding Service recipient is Brenda Ellington, Associate Professor of English.
The Outstanding Adjunct Award recipient is Zebulon Winstead, Adjunct Instructor of Business.
The Service Above Self Award is given to an individual who has gone above and beyond the call of duty throughout the past year to ensure the well-being of LSUA students. The award is presented by LSUA Chancellor Paul Coreil. This year’s recipient is Chad Gauthier, Safety & Risk Manager and Interim Director of Facilities.
Four new awards were added this year to the slate of honors given to LSUA’s outstanding faculty and staff.
The Rising Star Award will be presented annually to a staff member who has worked at LSUA for fewer than five years and who has made outstanding, novel contributions to campus life, culture, and/or programming. This year, the award goes to Caleb Funderburk, Coordinator of Intramurals and Wellness.
The Four-Star Service Award will be presented annually to a staff member who has worked at LSUA for more than ten years and who has made long-lasting contributions to the institution's operations, student success, and/or campus culture. This year, the award goes to Teresa Seymour, Director of Distance Learning.
The Diversity Champion Award will be presented annually to full-time university staff and faculty who have exhibited excellence in attention to diversity. This award honors individuals who have embedded diversity, equity, and inclusion into their work or teaching pedagogy, promoted social justice, and removed barriers for underrepresented populations.
This year’s Diversity Champion Staff Award goes toMechelle Williams,LSUA Police Officer.
This year’s Diversity Champion Faculty Award goes to Jessica Ringo, Chair of Chemistry and Physics.
LSUA also honors Service Learning employees, those who have retired in the past year, as well as all employees who have 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years of service to LSUA. Brenda Ellington was specially recognized for her dedication of 35 years of teaching at LSUA.
Written by Adam Lord
Photo credit - Nathan Parish | LSUA 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 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.