McNeese State University
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McNeese State University | |
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Motto: | Excellence With A Personal Touch |
Established: | September 1939 |
Type: | Public |
President: | Dr. Robert Hebert |
Faculty: | 302 full-time faculty |
Staff: | 848 full-time & part-time employees |
Undergraduates: | 7053 (Fall 2007) |
Postgraduates: | 1042 (Fall 2007) |
Location: | Lake Charles, LA, USA |
Campus: | Urban |
Colors: | Blue & Gold |
Mascot: | Cowboys |
Website: | www.mcneese.edu |
McNeese State University, founded in 1939, is a university located in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Originally called Lake Charles Junior College, the name became John McNeese Junior College in 1940; the school was part of the Louisiana State University system. In 1950, the school parted from the LSU system and became McNeese State College; in 1970, the institution gained university status.
McNeese's colors are blue and gold. The school's men's sports teams are known as the Cowboys, while the women's athetic teams are the Cowgirls. McNeese State sports teams participate in NCAA Division I (Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA) for football) in the Southland Conference.
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[edit] History
McNeese State University was founded in 1939 as a division of Louisiana State University, offering only the first two years of higher education. Originally called Lake Charles Junior College, the name became John McNeese Junior College in 1940 by resolution of the University Board of Supervisors in honor of a pioneer Southwest Louisiana educator.
Advanced to four-year status and separated from L.S.U. in 1950, the University was renamed McNeese State College; and its administration was transferred to the Louisiana State Board of Education. Act 138 of the 1970 Louisiana Legislature gave the institution its present name, McNeese State University. McNeese was first accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in 1954.
The Legislature authorized McNeese to offer curricula leading to the master's degree in 1960, and to the degree of Educational Specialist in 1966. In addition to the Graduate School, McNeese State University's academic organization includes the colleges of Business, Education, Engineering and Technology, Liberal Arts, Nursing, Science, the Division of Continuing Education, and the Division of Basic Studies.
McNeese opened its doors in 1939 on an 86 acre tract donated by the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury with a physical plant of two buildings: the former Administration Building (Kaufman Hall) and the McNeese Arena (Ralph O. Ward Memorial Gym). The Main Auditorium, now Francis G. Bulber Auditorium, was completed in 1940 as the third building on the campus. The three structures are still in use today. In 1989, the auditorium was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.
[edit] University leadership
- Dr. Joseph T. Farrar (1939-1940
- Dr. William B. Hatcher (1940-1941)
- Dr. Rodney Cline (1941-1944)
(Prior to 1944, University leadership were called deans. After 1944, the term President came to designate the universities' head individual)
- Dr. Lether Edward Frazar (1944-1955) Retired in 1955, became lieutenant governor of Louisiana thereafter
- Dr. Wayne N. Cusic (1955-1969) Retired in 1969
- Dr. Thomas S. Leary (1969-1980) Resigned from presidency
- Dr. Jack Doland (1980-1986) Resigned in order to run for state office
- Dr. Robert Hebert (1986-present)
[edit] Campus
The McNeese State University main campus occupies 121 acres (0.49 km²) in south Lake Charles along the Contraband Bayou. The main campus also includes 68 main buildings. In addition to the main campus, the physical plant also includes the 503-acre (2.04 km²) McNeese Farm, a 65 acre Athletic plant, the Burton Coliseum, and nearly 1,600 acres (6.5 km²) of donated farm property.[1]
[edit] Academics
McNeese State University offers 83 degree programs under the Colleges of Business, Education, Engineering and Technology, Liberal Arts, Nursing and Science, the Division of General and Basic Studies, and the Doré School of Graduate Studies. It is the first university in the state of Louisiana to offer a concentration in Forensic Chemistry, and was one of the first schools in the nation to offer a concentration in Terrorism, Preparedness and Security.
Joe Gray Taylor, distinguished historian of Louisiana and the American South, was the chairman of the McNeese history department and later the dean of the College of Liberal Arts prior to his death in 1987.
The English department, in conjunction with the local chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, publishes The Arena, which is an annual collection of art, essays, fiction, and poetry by students, regardless of major.
[edit] Athletics
McNeese State University's teams are nicknamed the Cowboys and Cowgirls. Their football team plays at Cowboy Stadium, also known as "The Hole", on the edge of campus. The team played in the inaugural Independence Bowl game in 1976, a 20-16 victory over Tulsa. They would go on to make two more appearances in 1979 and 1980. The Cowboys football team have more recently played in two Division I-AA Finals, in 1997 and 2002. Their basketball teams play at Burton Coliseum south of campus. The baseball team hosts games at Cowboy Diamond.
[edit] Student organizations
McNeese State University's speech and debate team is recognized as a national powerhouse and boasts numerous national championships over the last 40 years.
The McNeese State University newspaper is The Contraband, a weekly publication which has existed since 1939.
The university's award winning student yearbook is "The Log". It was first published in 1941.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Danny Ardoin - Major League Baseball catcher in the Los Angeles Dodgers system
- Ben Broussard - Major League Baseball first baseman for the Seattle Mariners
- Tierre Brown - Perennial National Basketball Association player and MVP of the NBA Development League in 2004
- James David Cain - Veteran state representative and state senator from Calcasieu, Beauregard, and Vernon parishes
- Jefferson J. DeBlanc - Medal of Honor recipient.
- Andre Dubus - Writer of short fiction, including the work "Killings" which was adapted into the Oscar-nominated motion picture In the Bedroom
- Joe Dumars - National Basketball Association former guard for the Detroit Pistons and MVP of the 1989 NBA Finals; member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
- Bob Howry - Major League Baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
- Ray Fontenot - Former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1983-1986. He pitched for the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, & Minnesota Twins
- Dan Richey - Former state representative and state senator and Republican political activist
- B.J. Sams - Punt and kick-off returner for the Baltimore Ravens
- Zach Bronson - Former Safety for the San Francisco 49ers from 1997-2003
- Kavika Pittman - Former Defensive End and 2nd-round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1996 NFL Draft
- Kerry Joseph - Quarterback of the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. Recipient of the 2007 Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy and the CFL Most Outstanding Player award. In 2007, he lead the Saskatchewan Roughriders to victory in the 2007 Grey Cup. Also played for the Ottawa Renegades. He is only the 3rd QB in CFL history to rush for more than a 1,000 yards in one season. Former safety for the Seattle Seahawks.
- Leonard Smith - Former 1st round draft pick, 17th overall, of the St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) in the 1983 NFL Draft. He played cornerback and safety in the NFL for the Cardinals from 1983-1988 and the Buffalo Bills from 1988-1991.
- Bryant Keith Ortego - Bryant Keith Ortego (born in Eunice, Louisiana) is a former American football wide receiver for the Chicago Bears of the NFL. He was a member of the Bears team that won Super Bowl XX following the 1985 NFL season.
- Keith Frank - Zydeco Musician
- Eric Pete - National bestselling author of fiction whose novels include: Real for Me, Someone's in the Kitchen, Gets No Love, Don't Get It Twisted, Lady Sings the Cruels, Blow Your Mind, and Sticks & Stones. His works have made numerous bestseller lists including Essence Magazine. He has been featured at such events as the NAACP National Convention, National Book Club Conference, and Essence Music Festival. His websites include: www.ericpete.com and www.myspace.com/authorericpete.
[edit] Notable Faculty
- Joe Gray Taylor - Historian of Southern and Louisiana History.
- Neil Connelly - Professor of English and Director of Creative Writing
[edit] References
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[edit] External links
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