McNeese State University, a respected regional university in the South, is located in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Established in 1938 by the Louisiana Legislature, the university opened its doors on September 11, 1939. Initially known as Lake Charles Junior College, a division of Louisiana State University, it began with 140 students and three buildings. The following year, the name changed to John McNeese Junior College, honoring John McNeese, a prominent educator and the first school superintendent of Imperial Calcasieu Parish.
In 1950, McNeese achieved four-year college status, coming under the Louisiana Board of Education’s authority. Accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges followed in 1954. Finally, 1970 marked the official transition to McNeese State University.
The university’s main campus in Lake Charles spans 122 acres and is complemented by the 65-acre Doland Athletics Complex, home to the Legacy Center. Additionally, McNeese includes the Southwest Louisiana Entrepreneurial and Economic Development Center, the Center for Advancement of Meat Production and Processing, KBYS 88.3 FM Radio Station, and over 1,200 acres of farm land used for research and agriculture.
The main campus features over 50 buildings, including the original Kaufman Hall, Ralph O. Ward Memorial Gym (the Arena), and Francis G. Bulber Auditorium. The Bulber Auditorium, a striking example of Art Deco architecture, is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.
For more than eighty years, McNeese State University has provided quality education as a leading regional university. It attracts students from across Louisiana, the United States, and over 50 countries, fostering a dynamic and student-focused academic environment in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
