McNeese State University facts for kids
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Former name
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Lake Charles Junior College (1939–1940) John McNeese Junior College (1940–1950) McNeese State College (1950–1970) |
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| Motto | Excellence With A Personal Touch |
| Type | Public university |
| Established | September 1939 |
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Parent institution
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UL System |
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Academic affiliations
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Space-grant |
| Endowment | $118 million |
| President | Wade Rousse |
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Academic staff
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302 |
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Administrative staff
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848 |
| Students | 7,626 |
| Undergraduates | 6,961 |
| Postgraduates | 665 |
| Location |
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U.S.
30°10′50″N 93°13′00″W / 30.18056°N 93.21667°W |
| Campus | Urban, 121 acres (49 ha) |
| Colors | Royal blue, Sunflower gold |
| Nickname | Cowboys and Cowgirls |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division I FCS – Southland |
| Mascot | Rowdy |
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McNeese State University is a public university located in Lake Charles, Louisiana. It was founded in 1939 as a small school called Lake Charles Junior College. A year later, it was renamed after John McNeese, an important local teacher. The school got its current name in 1970.
McNeese is part of the University of Louisiana System. It has six different colleges where students can study, plus a school for advanced degrees. The university is known for giving students a quality education with a personal feel.
Contents
History of the University
McNeese State University started in 1939 as part of Louisiana State University. At first, it was a junior college, which means students could only attend for their first two years of college. The school was built on an 86-acre piece of land.
The first three buildings on campus were an administration building, a gym, and an auditorium. All three of these buildings are still used today. In 1940, the school was renamed John McNeese Junior College to honor a famous local school leader.
In 1950, the school became a four-year college called McNeese State College. This meant students could earn a full bachelor's degree there. Ten years later, in 1960, the college began offering master's degrees for students who wanted to continue their education. Finally, in 1970, the school became McNeese State University.
University Presidents
A president is the leader of a university. McNeese has had several presidents since it was founded.
- Joseph T. Farrar (1939–1940)
- William B. Hatcher (1940–1941)
- Rodney Cline (1941–1944)
- Lether Frazar (1944–1955) - He later became the lieutenant governor of Louisiana.
- 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 (2017–2024)
- Wade Rousse (2024–present)
Campus Life and Buildings
The main campus of McNeese is 121 acres and is filled with beautiful live oak trees and flowers. It has about 51 buildings, including the three original ones. One of these, the Bulber Auditorium, is on the National Register of Historic Places because of its unique Art Deco design.
The university also has a 503-acre farm and a 65-acre area just for sports. In total, McNeese owns about 1,600 acres of land used for farming, ranching, and research.
A newer building on campus is the Legacy Center. It has classrooms and training facilities for the H.C. Drew School of Kinesiology (the study of human movement). It is also home to the men's and women's basketball and volleyball teams. The basketball court is named Joe Dumars Court, after a famous McNeese basketball player.
The campus also has several cool statues. These include "An Honest Day's Work" near the entrance, a statue of John McNeese, and a famous cowboy sculpture called “The Bronco Buster.”
What Can You Study at McNeese?
McNeese offers about 50 different degree programs. Students can choose from many subjects in the university's six colleges.
- The College of Agricultural Sciences
- The College of Business
- The Burton College of Education
- The College of Liberal Arts
- The College of Nursing and Health Professions
- The College of Science, Engineering, and Math
McNeese was the first university in Louisiana to offer a program in forensic chemistry, which is used to help solve crimes. It was also one of the first to have a program focused on security and preparing for emergencies.
The College of Nursing and Health Professions is in a building named after Juliet Hardtner, whose father was important in Louisiana's timber industry. The college offers many nursing degrees, including an advanced degree in mental health nursing.
The engineering programs are closely connected to local industries, like oil and chemical companies. This gives students a chance to get real-world experience through internships.
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Bulber Auditorium is on the National Register of Historic Places
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Drew Hall, housing the College of Engineering
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Burton Business Center
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Frasch Hall is home to the Department of Biology and Health Sciences.
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Gayle Hall houses the Harold and Pearl Dripps Department of Agricultural Sciences.
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Frasch Hall Annex
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Entrance to Frazar Memorial Library
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Farrar Hall and Memorial Gymnasium from the quadrangle
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Hardtner Hall
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Office of Student Housing
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Kirkman Hall
Sports at McNeese
McNeese's sports teams are part of the NCAA Division I in the Southland Conference. The school colors are royal blue and sunflower gold. The men's teams are called the Cowboys, and the women's teams are the Cowgirls.
Football
The football team plays in Cowboy Stadium, which can hold 17,000 fans. The stadium is nicknamed "The Hole." The team has had a lot of success, including playing in the national championship games for their division in 1997 and 2002.
Basketball
The men's and women's basketball teams play in The Legacy Center. In 1956, the men's team won a national championship in the NAIA, a college sports organization. The men's team has also played in the famous NCAA men's basketball tournament four times, most recently in 2025. One of the most famous players from McNeese is Joe Dumars, who became a Hall of Fame player in the NBA.
Baseball
The baseball team, the Cowboys, plays at Cowboy Diamond. They have competed in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship several times, including in 2000, 2003, and 2019.
Student Life
Life at McNeese is active and fun. The university has a student newspaper called The Contraband, which has been around since 1939. There is also a yearbook called The Log.
Many students join Greek letter organizations, also known as fraternities and sororities. There are 14 of these groups on campus, giving students a chance to make friends and get involved in community service.
Famous People from McNeese
Many successful people have graduated from McNeese State University. Here are a few of them.
- Adam Johnson – A novelist who won the Pulitzer Prize in 2012.
- Joe Dumars – A famous NBA basketball player for the Detroit Pistons and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.
- Demond Mallet – A professional basketball player who became a star in Germany.
- Bobby Kimball – The original lead singer of the rock band Toto.
- Doug Kershaw – A famous Cajun fiddle player and musician.
- Keith Frank – A popular Zydeco musician.
- R. C. Slocum – The winningest head football coach in the history of Texas A&M University.
- Jefferson J. DeBlanc – A fighter pilot in World War II who received the Medal of Honor.
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Adam Johnson, novelist and winner of 2012 Pulitzer Prize
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Kerry Joseph, a professional football quarterback
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Joe Dumars, member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
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Demond Mallet, a professional basketball star in Europe
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Willie Mount, a Louisiana State Senator
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R. C. Slocum, a famous college football coach
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Fabulous Flournoy current assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors
