University of Louisiana at Lafayette

When Dr. Edwin Stephens became the University's first president in 1900, the Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute had no campus, faculty, or students. Over the next 37 years, he built the foundation for what would become the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

On the northeast corner of campus, you'll find the Century Oaks, which President Stephens planted in 1901. And just like the oaks, the University has grown.

Student enrollment is at a record high, graduation rates are climbing, research funding tops $74 million annually, and more than 30 buildings have been constructed or renovated since 2000.

As we grow, we're making sure to stay true to our roots. We remember our rich history through academic programs, like traditional music and Francophone studies, and through research to find our ancestors' original settlements. It's also why we also host an annual campus-wide crawfish boil. Visit and experience the joie de vivre felt across campus.