History
McNeese State University was established by the Louisiana Legislature in 1938 and opened its doors for its first fall session on September 11, 1939, with 140 students and just three buildings. The institution was first named the Lake Charles Junior College and was a division of Louisiana State University. The following fall, the school changed its name to John McNeese Junior College to honor John McNeese, a renowned Southwest Louisiana educator and the first superintendent of schools in Imperial Calcasieu Parish. In 1950, McNeese became a four-year college in its own right and came under the authority of the Louisiana Board of Education and would receive accreditation in 1954 by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Finally, in 1970, McNeese State University became the official name of the institution.
McNeese, located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, consists of the 122-acre main campus, the 65-acre Doland Athletics Complex that includes the state-of-the-art Legacy Center, the Southwest Louisiana Entrepreneurial and Economic Development Center, the Center for Advancement of Meat Production and Processing, KBYS 88.3 FM Radio Station and three working farms with over 1,200 acres of property used for research, farming, and ranching. The main campus comprises over 50 buildings including the three original structures – Kaufman Hall, Ralph O. Ward Memorial Gym (the Arena), and Francis G. Bulber Auditorium, a striking example of Art Deco architecture listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
For over eight decades, the institution has been recognized as one of the finest regional universities in the South. McNeese is a dynamic, student-centric university comprised of students from throughout Louisiana, the United States, and over 50 countries.
Our Mission and Foundational Statements
Our Mission
Our mission is to deliver a life-changing higher education experience by fostering a dynamic teaching and learning community committed to excellence with a personal touch.
Our Vision
Our vision is to be the premier regional university in Louisiana and Southeast Texas, recognized for excellence in academic programs, scholarship, student success, and impactful community engagement.
Our Core Values
McNeese State University upholds six core values that shape our actions and guide decision-making:
- Student-Centric – We prioritize students at the core of everything we do, dedicating ourselves to their academic achievement, personal development, and overall well-being.
- Adaptable – We embrace change and continuously evolve to meet the challenges of a dynamic world.
- Collaborative – We cultivate partnerships and teamwork across disciplines and communities to drive progress and innovation.
- Transparent – We foster trust and understanding by communicating openly and honestly.
- Accountable – We hold ourselves responsible for achieving excellence in all aspects of our work.
- Accommodating – We foster an environment that supports and respects the needs of individuals, ensuring access and opportunity for all.
At McNeese State University, we foster an adaptable and collaborative environment where innovation and teamwork drive progress. We are student-centric in all we do, ensuring that our actions support student success and well-being.
Excellence with a Personal Touch: An Organizational Statement
McNeese State University strives for excellence in all we do as we work to become the premier regional university for Louisiana and southeast Texas. We enhance the quality of life in our region through academic programs designed to support economic development and an educational experience that provides our students with life-changing opportunities. We embrace a culture of continuous improvement, where each goal achieved serves as a foundation for the next, fostering perpetual growth.
The Value of an Education at McNeese
For over 80 years, McNeese State University has been trusted and respected as an institution of innovation and academic excellence. Ranked as one of the top public universities in the United States and one of the finest regional universities in the South, our university is also recognized as having one of the best returns on investment for tuition and high average starting salaries for its graduates.
Our low tuition rates, combined with high-quality curricula developed and taught by experienced faculty, plus a thriving on-campus community, mean that students receive a high value education for a fraction of the cost of larger universities. With 34 undergraduate academic programs and 16 graduate programs to choose from, a thriving athletics tradition and vibrant campus life, McNeese offers all the benefits of a large university with a personalized touch.
Accreditation
McNeese achieved Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges accreditation in 1954 and maintains its regional accreditation status as a Level V institution authorized to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degrees and undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, graduate, and post-master’s certificates. We also provide opportunities for continuing education in supporting our values of lifelong learning.
As a member of the University of Louisiana System and a selective admissions institution, McNeese offers programs through the William J. Doré, Sr. School of Graduate Studies and six academic colleges: Agricultural Sciences; Business; Education; Liberal Arts; Nursing and Health Professions; and Science, Engineering, and Mathematics. Many of our colleges and degree programs have been awarded additional accreditation from professional and industry organizations.
Community Partnerships
Located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, McNeese serves as an economic and workforce development partner for Southwest Louisiana employers. Located in one of the fastest growing areas in the state, McNeese provides well-qualified employees for the local petrochemical, agricultural and hospitality industries, as well as hospitals and public and private schools throughout Southwest Louisiana. Our graduates also go on to successfully start their own businesses, from law offices to veterinary practices. Throughout the U.S. and abroad, McNeese alumni are changing lives and making valuable contributions. Graduates have gone on to become successful CEOs and lawmakers, pioneering doctors and scientists, groundbreaking entertainers and professional athletes, and award-winning artists and authors.
But our impact stretches beyond preparing students to enter the workforce or continue their education as graduate students and doctoral candidates. McNeese, through partnerships with local industry, organizations, and government, provides enrichment opportunities for the Southwest Louisiana community and beyond, including our on-campus radio station KBYS, our cultural Banners at McNeese series, the Kay Doré Counseling Clinic, the McNeese Autism Program, our Heifer Development Program, our summer STEM academy, and our partnership with the Southwest Louisiana Entrepreneurial and Economic Development (SEED) Center.
Leadership Team
The University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors appointed Dr. Kedrick Nicholas as the interim president of McNeese State University, effective Monday, Nov. 17. Prior to being named interim, Dr. Nicholas served as the senior vice president for student affairs.
Born and raised in New Orleans, Dr. Nicholas has been part of the McNeese family since he was recruited to join the football team. During his time as a student-athlete, he earned several defensive honors and was named to the President’s Honor list several times. Dr. Nicholas began his career at McNeese in 2005.
Dr. Nicholas received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from McNeese and his doctorate in educational leadership at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
As the senior vice president, Dr. Nicholas worked closely with the president of McNeese on broad conceptual efforts on campus, university-wide budget management, partnerships with external entities, and relationships with governing authorities on the system and state levels.
As senior vice president of student affairs, Dr. Nicholas oversees and provides vision for all aspects of the student affairs at McNeese. His ongoing leadership efforts focus on establishing cohesion, increasing resource allocation efficiency, and effectively meeting the student body’s holistic needs. This is evident in the recent Division of Student Affairs Strategic Plan Dr. Nicholas authored using input from students and colleagues.
At McNeese, he has also served as dean of student affairs, dean of students, associate dean of students, director of campus life and engagement, assistant dean of student services, coordinator of student activities, and a verification officer in the financial aid office. During the 2023-2024 academic year, he guided an institutional transition at the University of New Orleans as a special assignment from the University of Louisiana System.
