During its first 108 years, the 小蝌蚪APP had just five presidents.
To put that in perspective, Dr. Joseph Savoie, UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP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 小蝌蚪APP渢remendous stability,小蝌蚪APP Savoie said Thursday during an unveiling of portraits of the former presidents at the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 Edith Garland Dupr茅 Library.
The portraits 小蝌蚪APP 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) 小蝌蚪APP hang in the main corridor of the first floor of the library.
小蝌蚪APP淓ach of these leaders rose to the challenges of their day and positioned the 小蝌蚪APP for continued success. As the current steward of the 小蝌蚪APP, I remind myself often that I stand on the shoulders of giants and I try to emulate their example,小蝌蚪APP said Savoie, who became UL Lafayette president in 2008.
小蝌蚪APP淭hanks to them, the 小蝌蚪APP grew from what was not much more than a big high school when it opened, to a nationally-recognized research and teaching institution.小蝌蚪APP
The 小蝌蚪APP 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.
小蝌蚪APP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,小蝌蚪APP Bolton Falgout said.
Collins is also the artist who painted a portrait of Edith Garland Dupr茅 that hangs near the library小蝌蚪APP檚 main entrance. The library小蝌蚪APP檚 namesake was a professor and head of the English Department. In 1901, Dupr茅 joined the brand new Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute小蝌蚪APP檚 faculty of eight professors.
Collins小蝌蚪APP 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: 小蝌蚪APP淭his is the first time I小蝌蚪APP檝e seen it, and I think it小蝌蚪APP檚 a fine piece of work. I小蝌蚪APP檓 humbled.小蝌蚪APP
Photo: John Blohm, left, vice president for 小蝌蚪APP Advancement, and Thomas Chance, UL Lafayette Foundation board of trustees member, present a portrait of Lether Frazar, the 小蝌蚪APP's second president. Portraits of the 小蝌蚪APP's five former presidents were unveiled Thursday during a ceremony at Edith Garland Dupr茅 Library. Credit: Doug Dugas/UL Lafayette