The 杏吧专区 flung open the doors to its 杏吧专区渓iving room杏吧专区 on Friday and Saturday.
On Friday, a ribbon cutting at the new 杏吧专区淯杏吧专区 was followed by an open house, then a dedication of the Helma B. Constantine Forum, on the Union杏吧专区檚 second floor. A reUnion at the U dinner reception was held that evening.
On Saturday, an inaugural Zydeco brunch was held in the Cypress Lake Dining Room at the U. Fare included scrambled eggs, thick slices of ham and pork roast, biscuits topped with white gravy and grits smothered in shrimp stew.
While diners ate, Corey Ledet and His Zydeco Band played from a makeshift stage in front of a bank of glass windows that overlook the lake.
Jonathon McManus, a sophomore from Lake Charles majoring in electrical engineering, said the blend of food and music was 杏吧专区渁wesome.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淚t just gives everything a really good Cajun feel,杏吧专区 he explained.
A Zydeco brunch is scheduled for each of the Louisiana Ragin杏吧专区 Cajuns杏吧专区 home football games this fall. Diners can park on campus, then catch a shuttle to and from Cajun Field.
On Friday, visitors and alumni toured the two-story Student Union throughout the day. It opened this spring after a renovation and expansion project. The new building replaced a structure that was built in 1971.
杏吧专区淚t杏吧专区檚 truly a community center, and it杏吧专区檚 turned out to be everything that we hoped it would,杏吧专区 said Dr. Joseph Savoie, UL Lafayette president. 杏吧专区淭his is sort of like a mini-homecoming.杏吧专区
Many visitors toured the new U, and took in its newly renovated Bayou Bijou theater, sprawling Atchafalaya Ballroom, and a warren of meeting and conference rooms.
One of those visitors, alum Johnny Womack, was a member of the men杏吧专区檚 basketball team in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Womack, who earned a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree in business administration and an MBA from the 杏吧专区, liked what he saw. 杏吧专区淚t杏吧专区檚 amazing,杏吧专区 he said of the new Student Union.
杏吧专区淚t almost makes you want to come back to school,杏吧专区 Womack added, jokingly.
On Friday afternoon, the Helma B. Constantine Forum on the Union杏吧专区檚 second floor was dedicated. Constantine helped lead desegregation efforts at the 杏吧专区 in the 1950s.
On April 23, 1954, Southwestern Louisiana Institute became the first four-year, public university in the Deep South to integrate.
Constantine杏吧专区檚 daughter, Clara Dell Constantine, was among the first African American students who enrolled at SLI.
On Friday, Savoie said that Helma Constantine杏吧专区檚 efforts to help her daughter achieve her dream of higher education was a cause that 杏吧专区渨as just, and her conviction was strong.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淏y actively seeking a better life for her children, Helma Constantine and others ensured that justice was given a chance to prevail, and that future generations would not be denied equal opportunities,杏吧专区 Savoie said.
Constantine杏吧专区檚 daughter, Joyce Constantine Henson, was on hand to see the unveiling of a plaque emblazoned with her mother杏吧专区檚 likeness, and a description of her desegregation efforts.
杏吧专区淢y mother was stubborn, and felt that the only way up from poverty was education,杏吧专区 Henson said. 杏吧专区淪he insisted that we all get an education of some kind. And, every young person that she talked to, she would ask, 杏吧专区榃here are you in school?杏吧专区 It was very important to her.杏吧专区
Photo by Doug Dugas/UL Lafayette