Alexandria, La. (10/16/2022) – The next phase in LSUA’s exciting new look is finally complete! With community members and dignitaries from across the state on hand, LSUA cut the ribbon. Officials welcomed guests onto the new LSUA Plaza, the culmination of a major infrastructure capital project.
Construction began across LSUA’s campus to overhaul an aging drainage system and redirect the traffic flow entering the campus. The system connects to waterways leading off-campus. Many students and faculty can attest to water that used to plague areas of campus during moderate rain showers. The new drainage system efficiently whisks water away from the heart of the campus. Making roads and sidewalks accessible even in inclement weather.
Crews installed a subterranean system. Road crews provided roads across the whole campus with a smooth, new asphalt overlay. New street lighting line the roadways.
LSUA Chancellor Paul Coreil said in his address, “We are on the go here. We have, and will continue to grow this university. We need a modern campus to produce the educational product needed in our community. LSUA is indebted to the LSU Board of Supervisors, the Central Louisiana Legislative Delegation, the Louisiana National Guard, and the Office of the Governor for standing up to support us in every endeavor we tackle.”
The pinnacle of the project is the new grand entrance to campus on Hwy 71 South and the adjacent pedestrian plaza. Visitors are now welcomed into campus along a divided entry onto a spacious roundabout. Beyond lies the beautiful brick and pavement LSUA Plaza that welcomes pedestrians down a wide, tree-lined boulevard. Once the new Student Success Center is built on the south side of campus, this plaza will serve as one of the main arteries for students walking through campus.
Richard Hartley, Senior Policy Advisor to Governor John Bel Edwards, remarked, “Louisiana has been fortunate the last few years to invest in higher education. The Office of the Governor is excited to be part of this project. We believe having adequate infrastructure directly contributes to the educational outcomes of an institution.”
Valencia Sarpy Jones, Chair of the LSU Board of Supervisors, expressed her excitement, noting, “For over 60 years, LSUA has been making a positive impact across the region…” providing educational and economic opportunities for the citizens of Central Louisiana. Gone are the days of our students wading through knee-deep water to get to class. This is a transformational investment in our university. LSUA will recruit and retain more of our region’s best and brightest students. They will be prepared for the workforce demands of CENLA and beyond. As Chairman, I look forward to continued collaboration and partnership with Chancellor Coreil. And our campus leadership team as we drive toward our ambitious enrollment goal. I hope that we will continue to do good work to elevate LSUA.
Senior Sophie Borhi, reigning Ms. LSUA and President of the LSUA Student Government, explained, “This was a long and messy project. Our campus was beautiful before this work began, but this will ensure a solid foundation for students for years to come. The students of LSUA are thankful to all who were involved in taking this project from a conversation to completion.”
“The completion of this project at this moment is the perfect time to complement the institution’s growth and usher in the modernization of LSUA’s campus,” said Deron Thaxton, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration. “The master plan was set in motion nearly ten years ago. Seeing this project to completion is evidence of our drive to continue moving forward.”
