All in the Benoit Family 

For Daniel and John Benoit, brothers from Westlake, McNeese State University’s spring commencement will be a family event. 

Daniel, a 2025 McNeese graduate with a bachelor’s in management, will graduate with a master’s in business administration. John will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in general business administration. Their mom, Dr. Lori Benoit, an assistant professor in McNeese’s Burton College of Education, will be cheering for them both from the faculty section. 

Dr. Benoit received a bachelor’s in secondary English education and master’s degree in English from McNeese and a doctorate degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. She says she loved teaching so much that she wanted to help others prepare for their teaching careers. 

“Graduation is a special milestone and it is even more special to celebrate my sons’ achievements together,” Dr. Benoit said. “I had the privilege of teaching at their high school and transitioning to full-time faculty at McNeese around the same time they entered college, so sitting in the faculty section for their commencement will be extra special.” 

Through McNeese’s College of Business, Daniel found internships with Northwestern Mutual and State Farm, and he is now working full time in the insurance industry.  

“I really enjoyed when McNeese professor Dr. Mitch Adrian brought in local successful business owners and let them talk about their journey and life,” Daniel said. “That showed me a lot of business experience from their eyes and it gave me ideas for how to make an impact in my hometown.” 

John found his path to a business degree when he participated in the College Prep program as a senior in high school. John is a manager at Chick-Fil-A and says his work and courses at McNeese were perfectly aligned. Often times, he used work experience for projects and coursework. Conferences and other learning opportunities, along with McNeese and his work, helped him solidify that serving others while strategically growing a business is what he wants for his future. 

Both Daniel and John will continue at their current jobs after graduation. Daniel hopes to someday pursue a career in finance while John hopes to become a Chick-Fil-A operator. 

Both Daniel and John chose McNeese because of the value and opportunities offered, and they wanted to stay close to their home, family and church. 

“You cannot beat the combination of price, location and academics and the people are the best in the world. I am very grateful to all my professors across campus, especially the College of Business,” John said. “McNeese is a tradition in my family, but I chose McNeese because it was a great fit for me.” 

“Daniel and John represent the fifth generation of our family to graduate from McNeese, so we definitely say, ‘Geaux Pokes,’” Dr. Benoit said. 

“I know how special it has been to be on this journey with my brother and mom. We’ve all been ‘going to school’ together since we were in kindergarten, so it will be very cool to all celebrate together,” Daniel said.