During its first 108 years, the 杏吧专区 had just five presidents.
To put that in perspective, Dr. Joseph Savoie, UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 sixth and current president, noted Thursday that the average tenure of a university president in the United States today is seven years.
Having had only five presidents in over 100 years gave UL Lafayette 杏吧专区渢remendous stability,杏吧专区 Savoie said Thursday during an unveiling of portraits of the former presidents at the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 Edith Garland Dupr茅 Library.
The portraits 杏吧专区 of Dr. Edwin L. Stephens (1900-1938), Lether E. Frazar (1938-1940), Dr. Joel L. Fletcher (1941-1965), Dr. Clyde L. Rougeou (1966-1974), and Dr. Ray P. Authement (1974-2008) 杏吧专区 hang in the main corridor of the first floor of the library.
杏吧专区淓ach of these leaders rose to the challenges of their day and positioned the 杏吧专区 for continued success. As the current steward of the 杏吧专区, I remind myself often that I stand on the shoulders of giants and I try to emulate their example,杏吧专区 said Savoie, who became UL Lafayette president in 2008.
杏吧专区淭hanks to them, the 杏吧专区 grew from what was not much more than a big high school when it opened, to a nationally-recognized research and teaching institution.杏吧专区
The 杏吧专区 Foundation commissioned the project.
Artist Janine Collins painted the portraits. A Lafayette resident raised in New Orleans, Collins began painting portraits after attending an unveiling at Tulane Medical School of a portrait featuring her father, Dr. Jason Collins, a physician, said Julie Bolton Falgout, president and CEO of the Foundation.
杏吧专区淛anine has invested much time and energy crafting each portrait, reflecting the era in which each president served, and including something of significance to the subject in every portrait, including the names of family members that are hidden throughout each piece,杏吧专区 Bolton Falgout said.
Collins is also the artist who painted a portrait of Edith Garland Dupr茅 that hangs near the library杏吧专区檚 main entrance. The library杏吧专区檚 namesake was a professor and head of the English Department. In 1901, Dupr茅 joined the brand new Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute杏吧专区檚 faculty of eight professors.
Collins杏吧专区 latest work pleased Dr. Ray Authement, president emeritus and the only living former president. Authement, who was among many invited guests at the event that included family members of several of the former presidents, said: 杏吧专区淭his is the first time I杏吧专区檝e seen it, and I think it杏吧专区檚 a fine piece of work. I杏吧专区檓 humbled.杏吧专区
Photo: John Blohm, left, vice president for 杏吧专区 Advancement, and Thomas Chance, UL Lafayette Foundation board of trustees member, present a portrait of Lether Frazar, the 杏吧专区's second president. Portraits of the 杏吧专区's five former presidents were unveiled Thursday during a ceremony at Edith Garland Dupr茅 Library. Credit: Doug Dugas/UL Lafayette