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 (LSUA) and LSU Health New Orleans are thrilled to announce the launch of the first dental hygiene program in Central Louisiana. Working together, LSU Health New Orleans School of Dentistry expanded its Dental Hygiene program to an Off-Campus Instructional Site located in LSUA’s downtown campus.
The dental hygiene program is a two-year Bachelor of Science program that spans students’ junior and senior years of college. The curriculum is designed to challenge and empower students, covering courses like Oral Diagnosis, Radiology, and Physiology. Six students are selected each year, ensuring a focused and personalized educational experience. Students graduate from LSU Health New Orleans School of Dentistry.
“Although we are in New Orleans, we serve all of Louisiana – North and South. East and West. Urban and Rural,” notes Dr. Steve Nelson, Interim Chancellor of LSU Health New Orleans. “Because Alexandria is recognized as a Health Professional Shortage area and there is a great need for dental hygienists and improved access to care, we have been working with LSUA since 2019, along with a strong local contingent of dentists, association reps, the Louisiana Dental Association, and the Louisiana legislature to expand our dental hygiene program here. We owe special thanks to Senator Jimmy Harris for putting the funds in the budget and State Senator Glen Womack for helping to keep them in.”
Dental hygienists are licensed healthcare professionals who work closely with dentists to ensure patients maintain optimal oral health and dental hygiene. Their primary objective is to treat and prevent oral diseases affecting the teeth and gums.
In 2019, shortly after becoming Chancellor of LSUA, Paul Coreil received an outreach from Dr. Trey Carlton, President of the Central Louisiana Dental Association, who expressed the community's strong desire to establish a dental hygiene pathway at LSUA. Together, they engaged with the Dean of the LSU Dental School in New Orleans, who embraced the idea. Tragically, the dean's untimely passing and the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic temporarily stalled these plans.
In 2021, Carlton and Coreil joined forces with Annette Droddy, Executive Director of the Louisiana Dental Association, LSU Health New Orleans Interim Chancellor Dr. Steve Nelson, and School of Dentistry leadership. United in their mission, they collaborated to secure state appropriations that would enable the expansion of the dental hygiene program to Alexandria.
“It is no secret that oral health is very important to overall health, but most people do not know that there is a national shortage of dental hygienists. Central Louisiana is no exception,” noted Dr. Trey Carlton, former president of the Central Louisiana Dental Association. “The vision and commitment from LSUA, LSU Health Sciences Center, and our legislators to open this dental hygiene program is providing a huge opportunity for much-needed health care for our community.”
With funding secured and renovations completed at a downtown Alexandria facility by Rapides Regional Medical Center, the dental hygiene program launched this fall.
This momentous achievement brings access to high-quality dental hygiene education to Central Louisiana, enhancing the region's healthcare resources and contributing to the broader goal of promoting oral health in the community.
"As we celebrate this dental hygiene program, we know we could not reach our goals without partnerships with LSU Health School of Dentistry and the local and state dental associations,” said Paul Coreil, LSUA Chancellor. “This program embodies our commitment to fill a vital workforce gap in Central Louisiana. It is a milestone showcasing how collaboration and foresight can elevate educational and healthcare outcomes in our community."
LSUA continues to offer the most affordable tuition in Louisiana, allowing students to graduate career-ready and debt-free. This program adds another dimension to LSUA's diverse degree offerings, further solidifying its reputation for delivering high-quality, cost-effective education.
At least three of every four dentists and hygienists practicing in Louisiana today are LSU Health New Orleans School of Dentistry graduates. The School is unique among all US dental schools in offering degrees in dentistry, dental hygiene, and dental laboratory technology. By teaching all aspects of dentistry, LSU Health New Orleans School of Dentistry provides a level of training that has earned a national reputation for outstanding academic and clinical education.
Written by Adam Lord (LSUA) and Leslie Capo (LSU Health New Orleans)
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.