By Allison Bruchhaus, Director of Public Relations at Louisiana College
[img_assist|nid=7615|title=LC President Joe Aguillard teaches while on African mission trip|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=424]PINEVILLE – In its 105th year Louisiana College continued to fulfill The Great Commission through its “Unchanging Foundations since 1906” theme.
LC continues to grow and thrive as a distinctively Christian college, grounded in the preeminence of Jesus Christ, the authority of the Scriptures and academic excellence and a passion to change the world for Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Enrollment and Faculty Growth
Last year, enrollment numbers surpassed LC’s all-time historical record. More than 1,800 students enrolled in the college. These numbers demonstrate a growth rate of over 89 percent since Dr. Aguillard became President. This year, Louisiana College again opened its doors to the largest freshman and transfer class in the history of the college. Because of the record-breaking enrollment, LC placed more than 40 students at a local hotel, since on-campus housing was filled to capacity.
In addition, more than 40 new faculty and staff members have been hired this year, 19 of whom are faculty added to accommodate the additional classes to be taught as well as to meet the needs of the new academic programs the college is offering. LC maintains a faculty-to-student ratio of 17:1.
International Missions and Partnerships
Louisiana College is living out The Great Commission. Faculty, staff, and students this year participated in international and home mission projects across Louisiana, China, Africa, South America, Mexico, and many more places across the world.
A new partnership with the Opportunity Education Foundation allowed an educational team to train more than 500 teachers in Tanzania, Africa this summer. In addition, hundreds of Louisiana College students, faculty and staff poured out their lives into ministry and mission work for the Kingdom all over the world.[img_assist|nid=7600|title=LC students participate in missions|desc=Louisiana College is living out The Great Commission. Faculty, staff, and students participate in international and home mission projects across Louisiana, China, Africa, South America, Mexico, and many more locations.|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=429]
Louisiana College is now partnering with several colleges and universities in mainland China and over 20 schools in South Korea. As a result, a record number of international students are attending LC this summer and fall with a few hundred anticipated by next year.
School of Divinity
The Caskey School of Divinity opened its doors this fall to more than 50 students, most
of whom are small church and/or bivocational ministers. The vision of the family who founded Caskey is to serve these ministers and the new Dean, Chuck Quarles Ph.D., is most excited about the new class, new faculty, and vision for the divinity school. The Louisiana College Board of
Trustees received $4.5 million with $1 million planned for matching gifts, given by an anonymous foundation that supports the mission of the college. The name of the school is The Caskey School of Divinity, after a Southern Baptist minister who tirelessly worked and evangelized in Louisiana.
Most classes are offered through a unique delivery system including evenings, weekends, and holidays. The Caskey family has made it possible for qualified students who are admitted to pursue the degree programs tuition-free. The divinity school is now taking applications for the next cohort to begin in January 2012.
Paul Pressler School of Law
Support has continued to grow for the Louisiana College School of Law. J. Michael Johnson, Esq., began his tenure as dean in July 2010. A strong Christian lawyer with vast experience as Senior Legal Counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, Dean Johnson is also a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Shreveport. Louisiana College’s Judge Paul Pressler School of Law will welcome students in the former Joe D. Waggoner Federal Building.
Renovations of one of downtown Shreveport’s largest landmarks are taking place to serve as the home of the new law school. Louisiana College has implemented a three-plus-three pre-law preparation program for students wishing to prepare for the Pressler Law School and graduate in a shorter period of time. After three years at LC and one successful year in the law school, students earn the bachelor’s degree from LC and, after two additional years, the juris doctorate from the Pressler School of Law.
Nursing, Medicine, and Allied Health
Louisiana College has opened a nurse-led clinic on campus that serves the public with quality health care. The nursing faculty who are credentialed nurse practitioners treat patients from the public as well as college employees in the walk-in clinic on campus and share Jesus in so doing. In addition, the inaugural class of the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing has graduated with a 100 percent passage rate on the NCLEX exam! In order to meet the demands of the nursing students, additional faculty have been hired and additional clinical sites have been added as well.[img_assist|nid=7601|title=LC Students on the go|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=640|height=480]
The School of Medicine is continuing to move forward with current Huey P. Long Hospital building being offered to us to house the new Medical school.
The current hospital services will be moved to another location, which will take a period of time during which LC will have time to renovate and make necessary changes to meet accreditation standards. The facility can also help to meet the growing needs of nursing and allied health programs.
The first class of the physical therapy assistant program has graduated and the students have been successfully employed in the medical workforce.
An Emergency Medical Technician associate degree program has been added and an Occupational Therapy Assistant degree program is also in stages of implementation.
Louisiana College is a place where souls are being saved, lives are being changed, and the Lord is leading every day in the lives of faculty, staff and students.
Thank you for your strong and continued support for the Kingdom of Christ. Louisiana College, Unchanging Foundations since 1906.