McNeese State University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
McNeese State University

Former name	Lake Charles Junior College (1939–1940) John McNeese Junior College (1940–1950) McNeese State College (1950–1970)
Motto	Excellence With A Personal Touch
Type	Public university
Established	September 1939
Parent institution	UL System
Academic affiliations	Space-grant
Endowment	$118 million
President	Daryl Burckel
Academic staff	302
Administrative staff	848
Students	7,626
Undergraduates	6,961
Postgraduates	665
Location	Lake Charles, Louisiana , U.S. 30°10′50″N 93°13′00″W / 30.18056°N 93.21667°W / 30.18056; -93.21667
Campus	Urban, 121 acres (0 km2)
Colors	Royal blue, Sunflower gold
Nickname	Cowboys and Cowgirls
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FCS – Southland
Mascot	Rowdy

McNeese State University is a public university located in Lake Charles, Louisiana. It first opened in 1939 as Lake Charles Junior College. A "junior college" means it only offered the first two years of college classes.

Later, it was renamed McNeese Junior College to honor John McNeese. He was an important local educator. In 1970, it became McNeese State University, offering many more degrees. McNeese is part of the University of Louisiana System. It is known as a Master's University, meaning it offers advanced degrees. The university has six main colleges and a graduate school.

Discovering McNeese History

Statue of John McNeese on campus. He was a pioneer educator and the university's namesake.

McNeese State University started in 1939. It was first a part of Louisiana State University. Back then, it was called Lake Charles Junior College. It only offered classes for the first two years of college. The university opened on 86 acres of land. This land was given by the local government.

There were two original buildings. These were Kaufman Hall and Ralph O. Ward Memorial Gym. A third building, Francis G. Bulber Auditorium, was finished in 1940. All three buildings are still used today. In 1940, the college was renamed John McNeese Junior College. This was to honor John McNeese, the first school superintendent in the area.

In 1950, the college became its own four-year school. It was then called McNeese State College. It separated from Louisiana State University. In 1960, McNeese was allowed to offer master's degrees. These are advanced degrees you get after a bachelor's degree. In 1970, its name changed to McNeese State University.

University Leaders Over Time

The President's Home at McNeese State University.

Here are the people who have led McNeese State University:

• Joseph T. Farrar (1939–1940)
• William B. Hatcher (1940–1941)
• Rodney Cline (1941–1944)
• Lether Frazar (1944–1955)
• Wayne N. Cusic (1955–1969)
• Thomas S. Leary (1969–1980)
• Jack Doland (1980–1987)
• Robert Hébert (1987–2010)
• Philip C. Williams (2010–2017)
• Daryl Burckel (2017–Present)

Exploring the Campus

The Quadrangle looking toward the Student Union, also known as The Ranch.

McNeese State University has 79 buildings. They are spread out over about 1,560 acres. The main campus is 121 acres. It has many live oak trees and colorful azaleas. About 51 buildings are on the main campus. This includes the three original buildings: Kaufman Hall, Ralph O. Ward Memorial Gym, and Francis G. Bulber Auditorium. Bulber Auditorium is a cool example of Art Deco style. It is listed as a historic place.

The campus also includes the McNeese Farm, which is 503 acres. There's a 65-acre athletic campus too. The newest building is the Legacy Center. It's a huge 145,000 square foot building. It has classrooms and offices for health and sports programs. It's also home to the men's and women's basketball and volleyball teams. The basketball court is named Joe Dumars Court. He is a famous basketball player from McNeese. The basketball arena can seat 4,242 fans.

The Southwest Louisiana Entrepreneurial and Economic Development (SEED) Center helps local businesses. It also helps students learn about business. It has business incubators. These are places where new businesses can get started with help.

The Jack V. Doland Field House is named after a former coach and president. This building has the ticket office and a Hall of Fame room. It also has a special area for student-athletes to study. There's a modern weight room and locker rooms for the football team.

The campus has four important sculptures. These include "An Honest Day's Work" and a statue of John McNeese. There's also "The Cowboy" and a copy of "The Bronco Buster."

The McNeese State Recreational Sports Complex is a great place to stay active. It has two weight rooms, basketball courts, and tennis courts. There's also an indoor track and a large swimming pool.

Academic Programs and Learning

Contraband Bayou runs through the southern portion of the McNeese campus.

The Shearman Fine Arts Center stands behind the McNeese Entrance Plaza.

McNeese State University offers 50 different degree programs. These are spread across its six colleges and the graduate school. There are 33 undergraduate degrees, 16 graduate degrees, and one doctoral degree.

McNeese was the first university in Louisiana to offer a degree in forensic chemistry. This is like the science used in crime shows! It was also one of the first schools to offer a degree in terrorism, preparedness, and security.

The College of Nursing and Health Professions is in Juliet Hardtner Hall. In 2021, this college started offering a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. This is a very advanced degree for nurses who want to specialize in mental health.

The English and Foreign Languages Department publishes The Arena. This is a yearly collection of art, essays, stories, and poems by students.

Many professors at McNeese have won Fulbright Awards. These awards let them teach or do research in other countries. McNeese professors have taught in places like Rwanda, Greece, and Korea.

The College of Business is highly rated. Less than 5% of business schools worldwide have its special accreditation. This means it meets very high standards.

The Engineering departments offer many types of engineering degrees. These include chemical, civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering. Students can also get master's degrees in these fields. The engineering program works closely with local industries. Many students get to do internships. The program is ranked high for how much money graduates can earn.

Courtyard near the Engineering Technology Laboratory building

The Institute for Industry-Education Collaboration offers classes for adults. These programs help people learn new skills for their jobs.

• 

  Bulber Auditorium is on the National Register of Historic Places

• 

  Drew Hall, housing the College of Engineering

• 

  Burton Business Center

• 

  Frasch Hall is home to the Department of Biology and Health Sciences.

• 

  Gayle Hall houses the Harold and Pearl Dripps Department of Agricultural Sciences.

• 

  Frasch Hall Annex

• 

  Entrance to Frazar Memorial Library

• 

  Farrar Hall and Memorial Gymnasium from the quadrangle

• 

  Hardtner Hall

• 

  Office of Student Housing

• 

  Kirkman Hall

Sports and Athletics

Cowboy Stadium, also known as "The Hole".

McNeese's school colors are blue and gold. The men's sports teams are called the Cowboys. The women's teams are called the Cowgirls. McNeese teams play in NCAA Division I. This is the highest level of college sports. They are part of the Southland Conference.

Football Fun

The football team plays at Louis Bonnette Field at Cowboy Stadium. It can hold 17,000 fans. It's also known as "The Hole." The team played in the first-ever Independence Bowl game in 1976. They won that game! They also played in two Division I-AA Finals in 1997 and 2002.

Basketball Excitement

The Cowboys basketball and volleyball teams play in The Legacy Center. This building opened in 2018. In 1956, the Cowboys men's basketball team won the NAIA Division I Men's Tournament. They beat Texas Southern 60 to 55. The men's team has played in the NCAA men's basketball tournament three times, most recently in 2024.

The school's most famous basketball player is Joe Dumars. He was a top pick in the NBA draft. He had a Hall of Fame career with the Detroit Pistons.

The women's basketball team also won their conference tournament in 2011. This earned them a spot in the "Big Dance" (NCAA Tournament). In 2011, both the men's and women's teams won their conference titles. This was the first time this happened in the Southland Conference!

Baseball Action

The baseball team plays at Cowboy Diamond. The Cowboys baseball teams have played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship several times. Their most recent appearances were in 2000, 2003, and 2019.

Soccer Skills

The McNeese Cowgirls soccer team plays at Cowgirl Field. The soccer program started in 1996. They won a regular season championship in 2007. They also won a conference tournament championship. In 2006, they won the Southland Conference tournament. This earned them a spot in the NCAA Championship tournament.

Student Life and Activities

The McNeese Student Union, also known as The Ranch.

McNeese State University has a speech and debate team. It is known as one of the best in the country. They have won many national championships. The university's newspaper is The Contraband. It comes out every week. The student yearbook is The Log. It has won awards and was first published in 1941.

Greek Life

McNeese State University has 14 Greek letter organizations. These are like clubs or fraternities and sororities.

Famous People from McNeese

Alumni (Former Students)

• Fabulous Flournoy – Assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors (NBA).
• Danny Ardoin – Former Major League Baseball catcher.
• Zack Bronson – Former safety for the San Francisco 49ers.
• Ben Broussard – Former Major League Baseball first baseman.
• Tierre Brown – Former NBA player.
• Jefferson J. DeBlanc – World War II fighter pilot and Medal of Honor winner.
• Joe Dumars – Former NBA star for the Detroit Pistons, in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
• Ray Fontenot – Former Major League Baseball pitcher.
• Douglas B. Fournet – Army officer and Medal of Honor winner from the Vietnam War.
• Keith Frank – A famous Zydeco musician.
• Bob Howry – Major League Baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs.
• Adam Johnson – A novelist who won the Pulitzer Prize in 2012.
• Kerry Joseph – Retired quarterback in the Canadian Football League.
• Doug Kershaw – A Cajun musician.
• Bobby Kimball – Singer, original lead singer of the rock band Toto.
• Luke Lawton – Former NFL fullback.
• Demond Mallet – A professional basketball player.
• Keith Ortego – Former NFL wide receiver for the Chicago Bears, won Super Bowl XX.
• Eric Pete – A New York Times bestselling author.
• Kavika Pittman – Former defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys.
• Rupert Richardson – Civil rights activist and former president of the NAACP.
• B. J. Sams – Former NFL punt and kick-off returner.
• Tom Sestak – Defensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills.
• Leonard Smith – Former NFL cornerback and safety.
• R. C. Slocum – Former head football coach at Texas A&M University.
• John Thomson – Former MLB player.
• Taja V. Simpson – American Actress.

• 

  Adam Johnson, novelist and winner of 2012 Pulitzer Prize

• 

  Kerry Joseph, quarterback of the Edmonton Eskimos

• 

  Joe Dumars, Top 50 All-Time NBA Team; member of the Basketball Hall of Fame

• 

  Demond Mallet, the highest paid professional basketball player in Belgium

• 

  Willie Mount, Louisiana State Senator

• 

  R. C. Slocum, head football coach at Texas A&M University

• 

  Fabulous Flournoy current assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors, former player/head coach in the British Basketball League

Faculty (Teachers)

• Ray Authement – Professor of Mathematics and the longest-serving president of a public university in the U.S.
• Edith Killgore Kirkpatrick – Music professor at McNeese.