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President’s Message
LSUS educational values unchanged since opening doors for classes in ‘67

B. Bruce Simon
LSUS Foundation President

Fall is under way at LSUS as the university begins a year-long celebration of 40 years of excellence since its founding date in 1967. And, the LSUS Foundation is busy accomplishing its mission! While I send a sincere thank you to all current Foundation members for their continued support, I sincerely invite new friends, alumni and community leaders to join our efforts and become part of this 40-year celebration of academic excellence at LSUS. Your help is essential to future growth and will pay big dividends as an investment in our future leaders.

I speak not as a graduate of LSUS, but as a businessman and community resident who recognizes that all great cities need a great public university. LSUS’ educational values of academic excellence have been unchanged from the day it opened as the area’s only public four-year university. The Belden Daniels Strategic Analysis of Northwest Louisiana noted that the Shreveport/Bossier Metro area is the most underserved of all metro areas in Louisiana in offerings of undergraduate and graduate programs. We are severely limited in educational opportunities at the master’s and doctoral levels. This limits higher education opportunities for the citizens in this region and can have a negative effect on economic development.

Daniels further noted that LSUS needs to offer more applied research that has the potential of creating or attracting new businesses and industries. Success in these areas requires both political will and community support. This says to me that we all have much to gain in investing in the future growth of our public university.

On behalf of the Foundation and its Board of Directors, I join Chancellor Marsala and the entire LSUS University Development staff in their enthusiasm for the Foundation’s continued growth and success in what promises to be a very exciting year. Become a member of the Foundation. Help us help the students, faculty and our university become better and brighter for our community, the region and the world today..