1. The historic Louisiana flooding in August brought out the best in folks. Students and staff helped families in some of the hardest hit areas, supplies donated from Sun Belt friends were distributed, donations and grant monies were supplied to students in need, and diplomas lost to flood waters were replaced for free.
2. The freshman Class of 2020 was the most academically prepared in UL Lafayette history. A record 160 valedictorians were in the third-largest class of 3,024 students, and 626 first-time freshmen enrolled in the University’s Honors Program.
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3. The Cajundome’s $22 million renovation breathed new life into the home of the Ragin’ Cajuns basketball program with all-new seating; LED lighting; improved sound, facilities, and concessions; and a stunning new basketball court with a graphic depiction of campus’ beloved Cypress Lake. Read more >
4. Several UL Lafayette professors brought laughter to thousands when they read and responded to students’ reviews in a “Rate My Professor” video released on Facebook. The video was seen almost 300,000 times and garnered over 700 comments. Watch the video >
5. Graduate student David Penning changed the world’s assumption that venomous snakes strike faster than harmless ones. Penning’s research on the speed of snake strikes was published in the international journal “Biology Letters” and covered in the New York Times, National Geographic, and BBC.com. Read more >
6. UL Lafayette was recognized as the first higher education institution in Louisiana to earn a “Green Ribbon School” designation from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the U.S. Department of Education. The Office of Sustainability introduced the successful Geaux Vélo bike-share program on campus, planted hundreds of trees, and earned the Tree Campus USA designation for the 7th consecutive year. Read more >
7. The B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration MBA program was rated among the top 71 in the nation by CEO Magazine. Students from the program were also recognized for their work in the international business consulting challenge “Global E-Team X-Culture Project.” Read more >
8. The New Iberia Research Center partnered with the nonprofit organization Project Chimps in an unprecedented agreement to resettle 220 retired chimpanzees, the largest such population of any U.S. research center. The University is contributing funding toward their care at the new sanctuary in northern Georgia. Read more >
9. Charitable efforts by undergraduate fraternity men won a free concert for UL Lafayette students by rapper Lil' Wayne. A water drive to help the people of Flint, Mich. held by Alpha Phi Alpha was entered in the Social Wave for Change online contest by Tidal, a music-streaming website, and won the $150,000 prize through a popular vote. Read more >
10. UL Lafayette’s team of petroleum engineering and geology students placed first in North America and second in the world at the international PetroBowl Championship held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Read more >