Lamar University
Encyclopedia
Lamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a comprehensive coeducational public
research university
located in Beaumont
, Texas
, United States
. Lamar confers bachelors, masters
and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education. Lamar has been a member of The Texas State University System
since 1995 and was previously the flagship institution of the now defunct Lamar University System
. As of fall of 2011, the university had 14,522 students, the highest enrollment in the university’s 88-year history.
Lamar University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
. Lamar is characterized as a National University in the 2011 addition of U.S. News & World Report
. Lamar is a member of the stateu online academic partnership that offers high school students the ability to earn college credits before college. Lamar was one of 10 colleges nationwide named to the Great Colleges to Work For Honor Roll by the Chronicle of Higher Education in 2009. In July 2010 Lamar was chosen to join the Gulf Project, a coalition of scientists, policy experts and researchers working to protect Texas’ economy
and environment
in the event of a disaster such as the Deepwater Horizon explosion
in the Gulf of Mexico
.
Lamar University started on September 17, 1923 as South Park Junior College, operating on the unused third floor of the new South Park High School, Pietzsch acted as the first president of the college. South Park Junior College became the first college in Texas to receive Texas Department of Education
approval during the first year of operation, and became fully accredited in 1925.
, a former president of Texas during it's years as a republic. Mirabeau B. Lamar is regarded as the "Father of Texas Education," a statue of him resides in the quadrangle of the campus near the Setzer Student Center. The inscription on the statue states one of former President Lamar's most famous quotes: "The cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy and, while guided and controlled by virtue, the noblest attribute of man. It is the only dictator that freemen acknowledge and the only security that freemen desire." The next year, 1933, the separation of the college from South Park High School began with construction of new facilities. By 1942, the college was completely independent of the South Park school district, and operations moved to the current campus.
, an influx of veterans boosted enrollment, and the Lamar board of trustees asked the Texas Legislature to promote Lamar College to a four-year state college. The initial attempt in 1947, led by Texas Representative Jack Brooks
failed, but the following year the bill passed both houses. On June 14, 1949, Governor Beauford Jester signed the bill creating Lamar State College of Technology with the new entity to focus on engineering and science, an emphasis that continues today.
. In 1970, Lamar State College began offering its first doctoral program, the Doctor of Engineering, and in 1971 the college's name was officially changed to Lamar University.
, creating Lamar University-Port Arthur. In 1983, state Senator Carl Parker sponsored a bill creating the Lamar University System, and in 1986, Lamar University-Orange and Lamar University-Port Arthur were granted accreditation separate from the main campus. Lamar Institute of Technology was created in 1990 to provide technical, business, health and industrial education through programs two years or fewer in length.
In 1995, the Lamar University System was incorporated into the Texas State University System
, with the Lamar State College - Orange, Lamar State College - Port Arthur and Lamar Institute of Technology
campuses becoming separate entities within the system. In the fall of 1998 the Lamar University faculty numbered 423 and student enrollment was 8,241. Since the reorganization, Lamar University's enrollment has continually increased; Enrollment reached 14,000 students in 2009. Recently numerous construction projects have revitalized or replaced old buildings. In addition football was revived as a varsity sport.
The campus was moved to the current site in 1942 because the school had out grown it's current location and taken on a more regional role. In the late 1990s, Lamar began undertaking campus improvement projects. Most buildings on the campus dated to the late 1960s and 70s and had deteriorated since. Many older buildings in the northern part of the campus were gutted and refinished one-by-one.
In 2001, the University began replacing its 1960s-vintage residence halls with new apartment
-style housing facilities, dubbed "Cardinal Village." Older campus housing facilities have been demolished as the Cardinal Village complex has expanded to meet demand. Demand for on-campus housing has risen, coinciding with the opening of the new residence halls. Cardinal Village II, III & IV were built specifically to meet these demands. , a new gourmet food court style dining hall was opened to provide students with a wider selection of dining opportunities.
In March 2005, the McDonald Gym temporarily closed. The gym underwent extensive renovation and adjacent to it a new recreational sports center was built. The $19 million center, named the Sheila Umphrey Recreational Sports Center, opened in April 2007. The 129500 feet (39,471.6 m) facility includes 13000 square feet (1,207.7 m²) of cardiovascular and free-weight training; a one-tenth-mile indoor walking/jogging track; a 43 feet (13.1 m) climbing wall; basketball, volleyball and badminton courts; racquetball, handball and squash courts; a wellness and fitness center; health food café and juice bar; lounge areas with pool tables; an outdoor putting green; and air hockey, foosball, video games and TV.
In August 2007, the University completed construction on Cardinal Village IV, a $16-million expansion of its state-of-the-art residence halls. The University completed construction of Cardinal Village Phase V in August 2010 bringing on-campus housing capacity to 2,500 students.
The University, in anticipation of the return of football program in 2010, renovated and upgraded Provost Umphrey Stadium (formerly Cardinal Stadium) and a new state-of-the-art Athletics Complex.
, College of Education and Human Development, College of Business, College of Fine Arts and Communications and the College of Arts and Sciences. Lamar is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
and is one of only two universities classified as such within the Texas State University System
. Lamar and Kunming University of Science and Technology
in southwest China
have an exchange program that allows Chinese students to attend Lamar for one year while pursuing their bachelors degree.
The university also has many academic units that fall outside of the five main colleges. The College of Graduate Studies handles graduate students. The Center for Teaching and Learning Enhancement offers training and support to faculty and runs the universities Active and Collaborative Engagement for Students (ACES) Program. The ACES program is designed to provide support to high risk students and integrate active learning methods into all core courses at LU. The university also provides secondary education through the Texas Academy for Leadership in the Humanities, stateu.com
and the Texas Governor's School.
In the summer of 2009, Lamar University partnered with the University of Texas at Arlington
to create an online dual credit program for high school students in Texas, stateu.com
. The partnership between the two universities operates at the website stateu.com
. Online dual credit courses are available for free to high school students through state funding via House Bill 3646.
The BAAS online degree completion program, an expansion of a degree the University has offered for almost 20 years, is offered online through Lamar University Academic Partnerships. The online degree completion program is priced affordably at one of the lowest tuition rates in the country.
The Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities
(better known as TALH), is a dual-credit high school program created for gifted and talented high school students in their junior and senior years. Students live on campus in the cardinal village. The program enjoys great success most students receive major scholarships upon completion such as Lamar's very own Mirabeau Scholarship. The participants are known to Lamar students as the Academy Kids, citing their young age.
(ACTA) released a study on core curriculum standards for 715 4-year institutions. The study compared colleges on their commitment to core subjects deemed essential to a well-rounded, competitive education. Lamar was one of only 16 institutions to receive an A rating. The study was featured in the Washington Post with a tag line "Forget Harvard and think Lamar." In October 2010 the University announced that they would raise admission standards for the second time in 2 years because of the increased enrollment. The enrollment standards increase will take effect in the fall of 2011. Lamar is considered a National University by the U.S. News and World Report's 2012 ranking. In 2010 only 47% of students who applied to Lamar were admitted.
is arguably the schools most respected program. Lamar's birth was in large part due to the demand for technically trained individuals in the area, after the 1901 Spindletop
oil discovery, making Beaumont, Texas
one of the most heavily industrialized areas of the United States
. The School was founded in 1923 as a junior college
. On September 1, 1951 the Texas Legislature promoted the school to a 4 year institution and renamed the school Lamar State College of Technology. The legislature specifically noted the school would emphasize engineering, technology
, and science
to serve the regions large industrial base. The school immediately began granting engineering degrees in 1951. In 1970, Lamar's history as a science and technology school was again a driving force in a name change. The state authorized Lamar to offer its first doctoral degree program, the doctor of engineering. A dream shared by many became a reality on May 3, 1971, when Gov. Preston Smith signed a bill changing the name of Lamar State College of Technology to Lamar University. In 2005, Lamar's First Ph.D program was established in the College of Engineering: the Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering.
The College of Engineering has 10 research centers located under its authority. These are coordinated under the Texas Centers for Technology Incubation (TCTI). The College also participates in the Texas Space Grant Consortium, which sponsors research on space based technologies.
The Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical Engineering
was established with a $5 million donation from Dan F. Smith in 2009.
Lamar University Chemical Engineering has the proud history of being one of the top rated programs in the country. The program continually produces the same or more M.S. in Chemical Engineering graduates than Universities such as Stanford
, IIT
and MIT. The new building housing the Ph.D. program will be completed in mid 2010.
The Civil Engineering
department is one of the broadest departments in the College. Headed by Dr. Robert L. Yuan. It offers eight degrees.
In the Fall of 2008 the Civil Engineering department started a new program, the Reese Construction Management program, with a 1.25 million dollar donation from Jerry and Sheila Reese. The program is headed by Steve McCrary Ph.D.
The Philip M. Drayer Department of Electrical Engineering
was endowed with a 5 million dollar gift from Philip M. Drayer in 2007.
The department has been chaired by Harley Myler, Ph.D., since 2001. Dr. Myler is the inaugural holder of the Mitchle Endowed chair in Telecommunications. The department has many successful alumni in the industry including Phil Drayer (LUEE ’67), and Charles Garrett (LUEE ’59) inventor and founder of Garrett Metal Detectors.
The Industrial Engineering
department is currently headed by Dr. Victor Zaloom, with Dr. Brian Craig as interim Department Chair. It offers two undergraduate degrees: B.S. Industrial Engineering, and B.S. in Industrial Technology; and four graduate degrees: Master of Engineering Industrial Engineering, Master of Science Industrial Engineering, Doctor of Engineering in Industrial Engineering, and Master of Engineering Management
.
degrees in business and economics were granted by the Division of Business, which
was established in 1951, and the School of Business, established in 1954.
All under-graduate and graduate degree programs of the College of Business are accredited by
AACSB International.
Four departments—Accounting and Business Law; Economics
and Finance
;
Information Systems
and Analysis
; and Management
and Marketing
—make up the
College of Business. The Bachelor of Business Administration degree is granted in all
areas. A Bachelor of Science degree is granted in Economics.
The Aspen Institute Center for Business Education's 2011-2012 edition of Beyond Grey Pinstripes ranked Lamar's MBA program in the top 100 in the world for the third consecutive year. In November 2010 Janie Nelson Steinhagen and Mark Steinhagen created the Janie Nelson Steinhagen and Mark Steinhagen Global Fellows Endowment in the College of Business. The Endowment will provide graduate students and faculty with opportunities to gain first-hand knowledge of the global marketplace.Beginning in summer 2012, five or six student Steinhagen Global Fellows will travel abroad, accompanied by a College of Business faculty Steinhagen Global Fellow. They will participate in classes and seminars with other students, visit businesses and experience the culture of the country – all at an advanced level.
Through the Entrepreneurship Lecture Series, endowed by a business alumnus, students and faculty have the opportunity to be inspired by the world's leading entrepreneurs. The series brings high profile and dynamic speakers to the campus yearly.
& Consumer Sciences; Health
& Kinesiology
and Professional Pedagogy.
The teacher preparation and education graduate programs of the College of Education and Human Development are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
(NCATE) at both the initial teacher preparation and advanced preparation levels. Lamar is among the largest educators of teachers in the nation due to its large Masters in Education program.
Family and Consumer Science graduates with post-baccalaureate work experienced a 100 percent pass rate on the American Dietetic Association
(ADA) Registration Examination.
The Educator Preparation Program (EPP) is Accredited by the State Board of Educator Certification and has a 96% summary pass rate for all certification tests.
The College host the Governor's School of Texas
, a 3 week summer program for gifted high school students.
. The campus is 7 miles (11.3 km) from the Southeast Texas Regional Airport
, 2 miles (3.2 km) from the Neches River
and 5 miles (8 km) from Downtown Beaumont
. The Big Thicket National Preserve, Village Creek State Park
, and The Gulf of Mexico are all located within 30 minutes of the school. Facilities include the 10,080 seat Montagne Center
, the eight story Mary and John Gray Library
and the 16,000 seat Provost Umphrey Stadium.
serves as a symbol for the university. The library was completed on April 26, 1976 taking 2 and a half years to complete. It was named for Mary and John Gray who are considered the "First Family" of the University. Its collection exceeds 1.3 million volumes with interlibrary accessibility providing access to millions more. The online catalog locates titles, and students may search selected databases at no cost. When you need an answer, a service-oriented library staff provides assistance in the use of reference materials, documents, special collections and instructional media.
which had previously served as the universities sports center and home of the Volleyball program. The naming of the center was made possible by a $5 million donation by local legendary lawyer Walter Umphrey in 2005. The 129550 square feet (12,035.6 m²) Center includes a 13000 sq ft (1,207.7 m²). cardiovascular room a one-tenth-mile walking/jogging track; a 43 feet (13.1 m) climbing wall; basketball, volleyball and badminton courts; racquetball, handball and squash courts. The center also sports a wellness and fitness center; health food café and juice bar; The lounge areas include pool tables, putting green, air hockey, foosball, video games and large screen TV. The Center is home to the Recreational Sports Office which organizes and host intramural sports leagues and club sports teams in sports such as: Volleyball, Basketball, Flag Football, Cricket, Badminton, Indoor Soccer, Pool, Ultimate Frisbee and Air Hockey.
, grill
and central bakery
to pizza
, stir fry, Mexican food, pasta
, deli
and soup
stations. Striking interiors, the latest in high-tech equipment and taste-satisfying food that’s focused on variety all combine to create a palate-pleasing dining experience at the center of campus. On campus food services are provided by external company Chartwells who, in addition to the dining hall, provides options to franchised chains Papa Johns, Pizza Hut
, Starbucks
, and a generic burrito shop.
Merchandise. Administrative divisions located in the Set include the Center for Teaching and Learning Enhancement and the Office of Planning and Assessment.
serves as a teaching facility and art museum for Lamar. The museum was established in 1983. The museum offers students an opportunity to experience diverse styles that reflect international trends as well as exhibit their own work. The Art Museum is open from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday. Admission to the museum is completely free. The Museum's permanent collection includes 19th and 20th century paintings from American and European artist and Tribal Art from Africa
, New Guinea
, and Pre-Columbian Mexico
.
salt dome
in South Beaumont, the boomtown
that sprung up around the well was known as Gladys City. The discovery soon produced 100,000 barrels of oil per day, making it the most productive in the world at that time. This productivity sparked an oil boom in Texas that continues to this day.
teams
of Lamar University. The inception of the nickname "Cardinals" dates back to the school's name change to Lamar in 1932. The teams compete in Division I of NCAA athletics for all of its varsity sports. Lamar has participated in practically every level of collegiate athletics from its inception as a junior college
in 1923 to its realization as a university
in 1971. Lamar sponsors fourteen teams (seven men's teams and seven women's teams) that compete in the NCAA's Southland Conference
. The newest team is the reinstated football
team, and women's softball
will be added in the 2013 season. After the addition of softball Lamar will be the only Southland Conference program to sponsor all men's and women's sports.
The Cardinals participate in men's and women's basketball
, golf
, track and field
, cross country
, tennis
, women's soccer and volleyball
, and men's baseball
and football
.
Cardinal fans responded when he delivered a 6-3-2 club in 1979, his first season with the team. Lamar set all-time attendance records under Kennan by averaging 16,380 in 1980. Games against Louisiana Tech (17,600) and West Texas State (17,250) rank second and third, respectively, behind the standing-room-only 18,500 Baylor drew for the 1980 opener. The football program's signature win came on September 5, 1981 in Waco, the Cardinals triumphed with an 18-17 win over the UPI #20 ranked Baylor Bears
. In 1987 Lamar football went independent to join the American South Conference, and the program was dropped altogether in 1989.
On January 30, 2008, 78% of Lamar students voted to approve the athletics fee required for football's resurrection. This vote set in motion the football team's return for the 2010 season. Regents of The Texas State University System approved the athletics fee to reinstate football at its regular meeting February 20, 2008. On May 19, 2008, Ray Woodard
was chosen as head coach for the football program. Thanks to a major gift from an anonymous donor, the football field now bears the name W.S. “Bud” Leonard Field, named for a former player and longtime Lamar advocate, and regent.
The Lamar University Cardinals football team returned to the gridiron, after a 21 year hiatus, on September 4, 2010. The first year squad compiled a respectable 5-6 record. The Cardinals open Southland Conference play in 2011.
The men's program was previously coached by notable coaches Billy Tubbs
and Pat Foster
and is currently under the direction of Pat Knight
. The women's team is currently under direction of Larry Tidwell
.
Both the men and women's programs have the highest average attendance in the Southland Conference
and play their games in the 10,080 seat Montagne Center
.
For Fall 2010, the university enrolled, 9,800 undergraduate, 4,200 graduate students. For Fall 2010, the undergraduate student body was 41% male and 59% female. In 2009 the five most popular fields of study were Businesss, Engineering, General studies, Interdisciplinary studies and Nursing. The student to faculty ratio was 19:1, among the lowest in the state of Texas.
of Lamar. The paper was known previously as the S'Park Plug and the Red Bird before becoming the University Press in recognition of Lamar gaining university
status in 1971. The University Press has grown into one of Lamar’s showpieces. It is the largest student-run business on campus, and it has become one of the most respected student newspapers in the country. Since 1977, the University Press and its magazines have garnered more than 800 awards, including first place for Best Non-Daily Student Newspaper in 1994 and 2005 from The Associated Press Managing Editors of Texas and second place from the same group in 1988, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2011. The UP has averaged more than 26 awards a year in those 29 years.
.
LUTV also supports C-SPAN
and the SETCAST program, covering 222 governmental meetings for the Southeast Texas Regional Council of Governments. These public meetings are aired on local cable systems in Orange, Port Arthur and Beaumont. The program provides 10 full-time scholarships for Lamar television students.
The program emphasizes industry-standard equipment with a mix of linear and nonlinear editing equipment including Media 100, Final Cut Pro, Premiere 6.5, and Tech Toaster II, along with digital and tape-based cameras and 20 editing stations.
LUTV provides students with the opportunity to envision, write, create, direct, report, anchor and star in their own productions.
. College Panhellenic Council (CPC) is the governing body for the three National Pan-Hellenic Council
chapters at LU. National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) governs the eight historically African American
fraternities and sororities, while The Inter-Fraternity Council (IFC) governs men's fraternities.
Lamar University Greek Organizations
Fraternities
Sororities
Co-Ed
The 'L' Yell
The 'L' Yell occurs during football kickoffs. To accomplish the 'L' Yell, fans form an L with their right hand raised in the air. At ten seconds prior to kickoff, fans yell "L" until the kicker hits the ball, then the entire stadium yells the letter "U" and rocks the L in their right hand to the right, this forms a U shape. This signifies LU which is a popular moniker for the university. The "'L' Yell" achieves a Doppler effect
in the football stadium and is used to intimidate the opposing team. This tradition carries over into many other sports such as free throws in basketball games and serves during volleyball.
Traditions of Lamar University also extend to singing the schools fight song Go Big Red and the Alma Mater.
The average starting salary for a Lamar graduate is among the highest in Texas. The median starting salary for a Lamar graduate is $42,000 and the median mid-career salary is $77,400. Lamar has the highest median starting and mid-career salary in the Texas State University System.
There have been several Cardinals go on to distinguish themselves nationally and internationally in sports such as PGA Tour
golfer Chris Stroud
, MLB player Kevin Millar
and college coaches such as Billy Tubbs
and Jim Gilligan
.
In Business many cardinals have gone on to found companies and lead Fortune 500
companies. Dan F. Smith an engineering alumnus was CEO of Lyondell. Tom Giannopolous heads MICROS. Charles Garrett another engineering alumnus founded invented and is CEO of Garrett Metal Detectors, one of the worlds largest suppliers of security metal detectors.
In politics such leaders as Jack Brooks
, Nick Lampson
and Elvin Santos have gone on to be national politicians.
Public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individuals, and the public is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the Öffentlichkeit or public sphere. The concept of a public has also been defined in political science,...
research university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
located in Beaumont
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Lamar confers bachelors, masters
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education. Lamar has been a member of The Texas State University System
Texas State University System
The Texas State University System was created in 1911 to oversee the state's normal schools. Since its creation it has broadened its focus and comprises institutions of many different scopes. It is the oldest multi-system University System in Texas...
since 1995 and was previously the flagship institution of the now defunct Lamar University System
Lamar University System
The Lamar University System was a University system based in Beaumont, Texas. It comprised four institutions: the flagship, Lamar University, and the member institutions Lamar State College Port Arthur, Lamar State College Orange, and Lamar Institute of Technology. The system and it's member...
. As of fall of 2011, the university had 14,522 students, the highest enrollment in the university’s 88-year history.
Lamar University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
. Lamar is characterized as a National University in the 2011 addition of U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
. Lamar is a member of the stateu online academic partnership that offers high school students the ability to earn college credits before college. Lamar was one of 10 colleges nationwide named to the Great Colleges to Work For Honor Roll by the Chronicle of Higher Education in 2009. In July 2010 Lamar was chosen to join the Gulf Project, a coalition of scientists, policy experts and researchers working to protect Texas’ economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
and environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
in the event of a disaster such as the Deepwater Horizon explosion
Deepwater Horizon explosion
The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion refers to the April 20, 2010 explosion and subsequent fire on the Deepwater Horizon semi-submersible Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit , which was owned and operated by Transocean and drilling for BP in the Macondo Prospect oil field about southeast of the...
in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
.
Founding and Establishment
The idea for a public junior college in Beaumont's South Park was formed by Louis R. Pietzsch. Pietzsch had become intensely interested in the junior college movement while enrolled in summer school at the University of Chicago in 1918, and by 1921, was convinced that South Park should have a junior college.Lamar University started on September 17, 1923 as South Park Junior College, operating on the unused third floor of the new South Park High School, Pietzsch acted as the first president of the college. South Park Junior College became the first college in Texas to receive Texas Department of Education
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
approval during the first year of operation, and became fully accredited in 1925.
Early growth and campus changes
In 1932, recognizing that the junior college was now serving the region, the college renamed itself Lamar College, after Mirabeau B. LamarMirabeau B. Lamar
Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar was a Texas politician, diplomat and soldier who was a leading Texas political figure during the Texas Republic era. He was the second President of the Republic of Texas, after David G. Burnet and Sam Houston.-Early years:Lamar grew up at Fairfield, his father's...
, a former president of Texas during it's years as a republic. Mirabeau B. Lamar is regarded as the "Father of Texas Education," a statue of him resides in the quadrangle of the campus near the Setzer Student Center. The inscription on the statue states one of former President Lamar's most famous quotes: "The cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy and, while guided and controlled by virtue, the noblest attribute of man. It is the only dictator that freemen acknowledge and the only security that freemen desire." The next year, 1933, the separation of the college from South Park High School began with construction of new facilities. By 1942, the college was completely independent of the South Park school district, and operations moved to the current campus.
Lamar State College of Technology
With the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, an influx of veterans boosted enrollment, and the Lamar board of trustees asked the Texas Legislature to promote Lamar College to a four-year state college. The initial attempt in 1947, led by Texas Representative Jack Brooks
Jack Brooks (politician)
Jack Bascom Brooks is a retired Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Texas, who served for more than 40 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was defeated for reelection in the 1994 election...
failed, but the following year the bill passed both houses. On June 14, 1949, Governor Beauford Jester signed the bill creating Lamar State College of Technology with the new entity to focus on engineering and science, an emphasis that continues today.
Path to university status
Enrollment continued to grow throughout the 1950s and 1960s, reaching 10,000 students. Graduate work was authorized in 1960, when master's degrees were offered in several fields. The enrollment plateaued 1970s as the baby boomers generation reached adulthood. In 1969, Lamar State College opened its first branch in Orange, TexasOrange, Texas
Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
. In 1970, Lamar State College began offering its first doctoral program, the Doctor of Engineering, and in 1971 the college's name was officially changed to Lamar University.
Modern History
In 1975, the university merged with Port Arthur College in Port Arthur, TexasPort Arthur, Texas
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 57,755 people, 21,839 households, and 14,675 families residing in the city. The population density was 696.5 people per square mile . There were 24,713 housing units at an average density of 298.0 per square mile...
, creating Lamar University-Port Arthur. In 1983, state Senator Carl Parker sponsored a bill creating the Lamar University System, and in 1986, Lamar University-Orange and Lamar University-Port Arthur were granted accreditation separate from the main campus. Lamar Institute of Technology was created in 1990 to provide technical, business, health and industrial education through programs two years or fewer in length.
In 1995, the Lamar University System was incorporated into the Texas State University System
Texas State University System
The Texas State University System was created in 1911 to oversee the state's normal schools. Since its creation it has broadened its focus and comprises institutions of many different scopes. It is the oldest multi-system University System in Texas...
, with the Lamar State College - Orange, Lamar State College - Port Arthur and Lamar Institute of Technology
Lamar Institute of Technology
Lamar Institute of Technology is a public technical school in Beaumont, Texas. LIT was formerly a part of Lamar University, but became a separate institution when the university joined the Texas State University System in 1995.- Accreditation :...
campuses becoming separate entities within the system. In the fall of 1998 the Lamar University faculty numbered 423 and student enrollment was 8,241. Since the reorganization, Lamar University's enrollment has continually increased; Enrollment reached 14,000 students in 2009. Recently numerous construction projects have revitalized or replaced old buildings. In addition football was revived as a varsity sport.
The campus was moved to the current site in 1942 because the school had out grown it's current location and taken on a more regional role. In the late 1990s, Lamar began undertaking campus improvement projects. Most buildings on the campus dated to the late 1960s and 70s and had deteriorated since. Many older buildings in the northern part of the campus were gutted and refinished one-by-one.
In 2001, the University began replacing its 1960s-vintage residence halls with new apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
-style housing facilities, dubbed "Cardinal Village." Older campus housing facilities have been demolished as the Cardinal Village complex has expanded to meet demand. Demand for on-campus housing has risen, coinciding with the opening of the new residence halls. Cardinal Village II, III & IV were built specifically to meet these demands. , a new gourmet food court style dining hall was opened to provide students with a wider selection of dining opportunities.
In March 2005, the McDonald Gym temporarily closed. The gym underwent extensive renovation and adjacent to it a new recreational sports center was built. The $19 million center, named the Sheila Umphrey Recreational Sports Center, opened in April 2007. The 129500 feet (39,471.6 m) facility includes 13000 square feet (1,207.7 m²) of cardiovascular and free-weight training; a one-tenth-mile indoor walking/jogging track; a 43 feet (13.1 m) climbing wall; basketball, volleyball and badminton courts; racquetball, handball and squash courts; a wellness and fitness center; health food café and juice bar; lounge areas with pool tables; an outdoor putting green; and air hockey, foosball, video games and TV.
In August 2007, the University completed construction on Cardinal Village IV, a $16-million expansion of its state-of-the-art residence halls. The University completed construction of Cardinal Village Phase V in August 2010 bringing on-campus housing capacity to 2,500 students.
The University, in anticipation of the return of football program in 2010, renovated and upgraded Provost Umphrey Stadium (formerly Cardinal Stadium) and a new state-of-the-art Athletics Complex.
Academics
Lamar offers 63 undergraduate, 47 master's and nine doctoral degree programs in five academic colleges, these include the College of EngineeringLamar University College of Engineering
-References:...
, College of Education and Human Development, College of Business, College of Fine Arts and Communications and the College of Arts and Sciences. Lamar is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is a framework for classifying, or grouping, colleges and universities in the United States. The primary purpose of the framework is for educational research and analysis, where it is often important to identify groups of roughly...
and is one of only two universities classified as such within the Texas State University System
Texas State University System
The Texas State University System was created in 1911 to oversee the state's normal schools. Since its creation it has broadened its focus and comprises institutions of many different scopes. It is the oldest multi-system University System in Texas...
. Lamar and Kunming University of Science and Technology
Kunming University of Science and Technology
Kunming University of Science and Technology is located in Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province, Southwestern China.As the goal by 2010, KUST is to become a key university with strong science and engineering background...
in southwest China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
have an exchange program that allows Chinese students to attend Lamar for one year while pursuing their bachelors degree.
The university also has many academic units that fall outside of the five main colleges. The College of Graduate Studies handles graduate students. The Center for Teaching and Learning Enhancement offers training and support to faculty and runs the universities Active and Collaborative Engagement for Students (ACES) Program. The ACES program is designed to provide support to high risk students and integrate active learning methods into all core courses at LU. The university also provides secondary education through the Texas Academy for Leadership in the Humanities, stateu.com
Stateu.com
StateU.com is an online high school dual credit program in the state of Texas.-History:Stateu.com is an academic partnership formed in 2009 between Lamar University and the University of Texas at Arlington to offer online dual credit courses to high school students in the state of Texas...
and the Texas Governor's School.
In the summer of 2009, Lamar University partnered with the University of Texas at Arlington
University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington is a public research university located in Arlington, Texas, United States. The campus is situated southwest of downtown Arlington, and is located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. The university was founded in 1895 and served primarily a military...
to create an online dual credit program for high school students in Texas, stateu.com
Stateu.com
StateU.com is an online high school dual credit program in the state of Texas.-History:Stateu.com is an academic partnership formed in 2009 between Lamar University and the University of Texas at Arlington to offer online dual credit courses to high school students in the state of Texas...
. The partnership between the two universities operates at the website stateu.com
Stateu.com
StateU.com is an online high school dual credit program in the state of Texas.-History:Stateu.com is an academic partnership formed in 2009 between Lamar University and the University of Texas at Arlington to offer online dual credit courses to high school students in the state of Texas...
. Online dual credit courses are available for free to high school students through state funding via House Bill 3646.
The BAAS online degree completion program, an expansion of a degree the University has offered for almost 20 years, is offered online through Lamar University Academic Partnerships. The online degree completion program is priced affordably at one of the lowest tuition rates in the country.
The Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities
Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities
The Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities is a residential high school supported by disciplines of the humanities located at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. The Academy is one of only two residential programs for gifted and talented high school students recognized by the Texas State...
(better known as TALH), is a dual-credit high school program created for gifted and talented high school students in their junior and senior years. Students live on campus in the cardinal village. The program enjoys great success most students receive major scholarships upon completion such as Lamar's very own Mirabeau Scholarship. The participants are known to Lamar students as the Academy Kids, citing their young age.
Recognition, awards and ranking
In August 2010 the American Council of Trustees and AlumniAmerican Council of Trustees and Alumni
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni is a non-profit organization whose stated mission is to "support liberal arts education, uphold high academic standards, safeguard the free exchange of ideas on campus, and ensure that the next generation receives a philosophically rich, high-quality...
(ACTA) released a study on core curriculum standards for 715 4-year institutions. The study compared colleges on their commitment to core subjects deemed essential to a well-rounded, competitive education. Lamar was one of only 16 institutions to receive an A rating. The study was featured in the Washington Post with a tag line "Forget Harvard and think Lamar." In October 2010 the University announced that they would raise admission standards for the second time in 2 years because of the increased enrollment. The enrollment standards increase will take effect in the fall of 2011. Lamar is considered a National University by the U.S. News and World Report's 2012 ranking. In 2010 only 47% of students who applied to Lamar were admitted.
College of Engineering
The College of EngineeringCollege Of Engineering
A college of engineering generally refers to an institute which offers engineering course at undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral level. Either these institutes are part of a university or are affiliated to some university. The duration of the undergraduate course is four to five years depending...
is arguably the schools most respected program. Lamar's birth was in large part due to the demand for technically trained individuals in the area, after the 1901 Spindletop
Spindletop
Spindletop is a salt dome oil field located in the southern portion of Beaumont, Texas in the United States. The Spindletop dome was derived from the Louann Salt evaporite layer of the Jurassic geologic period. On January 10, 1901, a well at Spindletop struck oil . The new oil field soon produced...
oil discovery, making Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
one of the most heavily industrialized areas of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The School was founded in 1923 as a junior college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
. On September 1, 1951 the Texas Legislature promoted the school to a 4 year institution and renamed the school Lamar State College of Technology. The legislature specifically noted the school would emphasize engineering, technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
, and science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
to serve the regions large industrial base. The school immediately began granting engineering degrees in 1951. In 1970, Lamar's history as a science and technology school was again a driving force in a name change. The state authorized Lamar to offer its first doctoral degree program, the doctor of engineering. A dream shared by many became a reality on May 3, 1971, when Gov. Preston Smith signed a bill changing the name of Lamar State College of Technology to Lamar University. In 2005, Lamar's First Ph.D program was established in the College of Engineering: the Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering.
The College of Engineering has 10 research centers located under its authority. These are coordinated under the Texas Centers for Technology Incubation (TCTI). The College also participates in the Texas Space Grant Consortium, which sponsors research on space based technologies.
The Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
was established with a $5 million donation from Dan F. Smith in 2009.
Lamar University Chemical Engineering has the proud history of being one of the top rated programs in the country. The program continually produces the same or more M.S. in Chemical Engineering graduates than Universities such as Stanford
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, IIT
Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology, commonly called Illinois Tech or IIT, is a private Ph.D.-granting university located in Chicago, Illinois, with programs in engineering, science, psychology, architecture, business, communications, industrial technology, information technology, design, and law...
and MIT. The new building housing the Ph.D. program will be completed in mid 2010.
The Civil Engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
department is one of the broadest departments in the College. Headed by Dr. Robert L. Yuan. It offers eight degrees.
In the Fall of 2008 the Civil Engineering department started a new program, the Reese Construction Management program, with a 1.25 million dollar donation from Jerry and Sheila Reese. The program is headed by Steve McCrary Ph.D.
The Philip M. Drayer Department of Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
was endowed with a 5 million dollar gift from Philip M. Drayer in 2007.
The department has been chaired by Harley Myler, Ph.D., since 2001. Dr. Myler is the inaugural holder of the Mitchle Endowed chair in Telecommunications. The department has many successful alumni in the industry including Phil Drayer (LUEE ’67), and Charles Garrett (LUEE ’59) inventor and founder of Garrett Metal Detectors.
The Industrial Engineering
Industrial engineering
Industrial engineering is a branch of engineering dealing with the optimization of complex processes or systems. It is concerned with the development, improvement, implementation and evaluation of integrated systems of people, money, knowledge, information, equipment, energy, materials, analysis...
department is currently headed by Dr. Victor Zaloom, with Dr. Brian Craig as interim Department Chair. It offers two undergraduate degrees: B.S. Industrial Engineering, and B.S. in Industrial Technology; and four graduate degrees: Master of Engineering Industrial Engineering, Master of Science Industrial Engineering, Doctor of Engineering in Industrial Engineering, and Master of Engineering Management
Master of Engineering Management
The Master of Engineering Management degree, often abbreviated MEM, can be either an academic or professional master's degree that bridges the gap between the field of engineering and the field of business. A variation is the Master of Science in Engineering *and* Management...
.
College of Business
The University established the College of Business in 1972. Prior to this time,degrees in business and economics were granted by the Division of Business, which
was established in 1951, and the School of Business, established in 1954.
All under-graduate and graduate degree programs of the College of Business are accredited by
AACSB International.
Four departments—Accounting and Business Law; Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and Finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
;
Information Systems
Information systems
Information Systems is an academic/professional discipline bridging the business field and the well-defined computer science field that is evolving toward a new scientific area of study...
and Analysis
Analysis
Analysis is the process of breaking a complex topic or substance into smaller parts to gain a better understanding of it. The technique has been applied in the study of mathematics and logic since before Aristotle , though analysis as a formal concept is a relatively recent development.The word is...
; and Management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
and Marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
—make up the
College of Business. The Bachelor of Business Administration degree is granted in all
areas. A Bachelor of Science degree is granted in Economics.
The Aspen Institute Center for Business Education's 2011-2012 edition of Beyond Grey Pinstripes ranked Lamar's MBA program in the top 100 in the world for the third consecutive year. In November 2010 Janie Nelson Steinhagen and Mark Steinhagen created the Janie Nelson Steinhagen and Mark Steinhagen Global Fellows Endowment in the College of Business. The Endowment will provide graduate students and faculty with opportunities to gain first-hand knowledge of the global marketplace.Beginning in summer 2012, five or six student Steinhagen Global Fellows will travel abroad, accompanied by a College of Business faculty Steinhagen Global Fellow. They will participate in classes and seminars with other students, visit businesses and experience the culture of the country – all at an advanced level.
Through the Entrepreneurship Lecture Series, endowed by a business alumnus, students and faculty have the opportunity to be inspired by the world's leading entrepreneurs. The series brings high profile and dynamic speakers to the campus yearly.
College of Education and Human Development
The College of Education an Human Development comprises four departments: Educational Leadership; FamilyFamily
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
& Consumer Sciences; Health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
& Kinesiology
Kinesiology
Kinesiology, also known as human kinetics is the scientific study of human movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, mechanical, and psychological mechanisms. Applications of kinesiology to human health include: biomechanics and orthopedics, rehabilitation, such as physical and occupational...
and Professional Pedagogy.
The teacher preparation and education graduate programs of the College of Education and Human Development are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education was founded in 1954 to accredit teacher certification programs at U.S. colleges and universities. NCATE is a council of educators created to ensure and raise the quality of preparation for their profession. NCATE is recognized by the U.S....
(NCATE) at both the initial teacher preparation and advanced preparation levels. Lamar is among the largest educators of teachers in the nation due to its large Masters in Education program.
Family and Consumer Science graduates with post-baccalaureate work experienced a 100 percent pass rate on the American Dietetic Association
American Dietetic Association
The American Dietetic Association is the United States' largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, with nearly 72,000 members. The American Dietetic Association is officially changing its name to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The announcement was made Saturday, September...
(ADA) Registration Examination.
The Educator Preparation Program (EPP) is Accredited by the State Board of Educator Certification and has a 96% summary pass rate for all certification tests.
The College host the Governor's School of Texas
Governor's School of Texas
The Governor's School of Texas, formerly the Texas Honors Leadership Program , is a summer program for academically talented high school students from Texas, who have completed their sophomore or junior years. The program is a member of the National Conference of Governor's Schools...
, a 3 week summer program for gifted high school students.
College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences houses a wide variety of Lamar's Academic programs. Fields of Study include but are not limited to: Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Nursing, Music, English, Foreign Language, History, Political Science and Psychology. The College is home to the Joanne Gay Dishman Department of Nursing. The nursing department consists of BSN and ADN degrees. They have recorded a nearly 100% pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam, a national exam required to receive a license to practice.College of Fine Arts and Communications
The College of Fine Arts and Communications offers degrees in communication fields such as Journalism and Broadcasting and Fine Arts degrees such as Art, Theater, Music and Dance. Department programs are housed in the Music, Theater, Art and Communications buildings. The college is home to the Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music. The department of communications operates a local TV and radio station. The Department of Art's faculty includes Internationally acclaimed artists Keith Carter and Prince Varughese Thomas.Campus
The Lamar University campus is located off of Martin Luther King Boulevard, near U.S. Highway 69, in the southeast part of Beaumont, TexasBeaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
. The campus is 7 miles (11.3 km) from the Southeast Texas Regional Airport
Southeast Texas Regional Airport
Jack Brooks Regional Airport , is a public airport located near Port Arthur, Texas, United States, nine miles southeast of the central business district of Beaumont and northeast of Port Arthur...
, 2 miles (3.2 km) from the Neches River
Neches River
The Neches River flows for through east Texas to its mouth on Sabine Lake near the Rainbow Bridge. Two major reservoirs, Lake Palestine and B. A. Steinhagen Reservoir are located on the Neches. Several cities are located along the Neches River Basin, including Evadale, Tyler, Lufkin, Silsbee,...
and 5 miles (8 km) from Downtown Beaumont
Downtown Beaumont
Downtown Beaumont is the central business district of Beaumont, Texas. It is where the city's highrise buildings are located, as well as being the center of government and business for the region...
. The Big Thicket National Preserve, Village Creek State Park
Village Creek State Park
Village Creek State Park is a state park located in the Piney Woods of eastern Texas in the Hardin County community of Lumberton. The heavily forested park opened in 1994...
, and The Gulf of Mexico are all located within 30 minutes of the school. Facilities include the 10,080 seat Montagne Center
Montagne Center
Montagne Center is a 10,080-seat multi-purpose arena in Beaumont, Texas. It was built in 1984. It is home to the Lamar University Cardinals basketball team. The area floor can host sporting events like basketball, volleyball, wrestling, boxing and martial arts tournaments. With stadium and floor...
, the eight story Mary and John Gray Library
Mary and John Gray Library
The Mary and John Gray Library is an eight-story University Library at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. The library is part of the Federal Depository Library Program that aims to provide government documents free to the public. The library serves as the university's primary research and study...
and the 16,000 seat Provost Umphrey Stadium.
Cardinal Village
Cardinal Village is the university's community of apartment-style dormitories, part of Lamar University's investment in student life on campus. As of 2010 there were five "Phases" of Cardinal Village with the ability to house 2500 students. Each room includes a private bedroom, furnished unit that is equipped with the necessities of college life; Such as a mini-refrigerator, microwave, computer desk, telephone outlets, cable TV ready, and easy connectivity to the University’s network. Cardinal Village not only offers housing but community centers, study areas, meeting rooms, fitness centers, a swimming pool, on-site laundry facilities, basketball and volleyball courts, social lounges, and parking. During the summer of 2011 all five phases of Cardinal village were renamed after previously demolished buildings on campus: Phase I - Gentry Hall, Phase II - Morris Hall, Phase III - Combs Hall, Phase IV - Campbell Hall and Phase V - Monroe Hall.Mary & John Gray Library
As the tallest structure on campus at 8 stories, The Mary and John Gray LibraryMary and John Gray Library
The Mary and John Gray Library is an eight-story University Library at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. The library is part of the Federal Depository Library Program that aims to provide government documents free to the public. The library serves as the university's primary research and study...
serves as a symbol for the university. The library was completed on April 26, 1976 taking 2 and a half years to complete. It was named for Mary and John Gray who are considered the "First Family" of the University. Its collection exceeds 1.3 million volumes with interlibrary accessibility providing access to millions more. The online catalog locates titles, and students may search selected databases at no cost. When you need an answer, a service-oriented library staff provides assistance in the use of reference materials, documents, special collections and instructional media.
Sheila Umphrey Recreational Sports Center
The Sheila Umphrey Recreational Sports Center was completed in 2007 for $18 million. The construction included renovation of the McDonald GymMcDonald Gym
McDonald Gym is a volleyball gymnasium located on the campus of Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas USA. The Gym has been home solely to the Lamar Lady Cardinal Volleyball Team since its renovation was completed in 2007...
which had previously served as the universities sports center and home of the Volleyball program. The naming of the center was made possible by a $5 million donation by local legendary lawyer Walter Umphrey in 2005. The 129550 square feet (12,035.6 m²) Center includes a 13000 sq ft (1,207.7 m²). cardiovascular room a one-tenth-mile walking/jogging track; a 43 feet (13.1 m) climbing wall; basketball, volleyball and badminton courts; racquetball, handball and squash courts. The center also sports a wellness and fitness center; health food café and juice bar; The lounge areas include pool tables, putting green, air hockey, foosball, video games and large screen TV. The Center is home to the Recreational Sports Office which organizes and host intramural sports leagues and club sports teams in sports such as: Volleyball, Basketball, Flag Football, Cricket, Badminton, Indoor Soccer, Pool, Ultimate Frisbee and Air Hockey.
Dining Hall
The Universities Dining Hall provides a bistro ambience. It was completed in 2006 for $6.2 million and provides a state-of-the-art dining experience. The 25000 square feet (2,322.6 m²) hall is set on a food court-style floor plan that offers a variety of seating areas from barstools to booths. Dining options range from a salad barSalad bar
A salad bar is a buffet-style table or counter at a restaurant or food market on which salad components are provided for customers to assemble their own salad plates...
, grill
Grilling
Grilling is a form of cooking that involves dry heat applied to the surface of food, commonly from above or below.Grilling usually involves a significant amount of direct, radiant heat, and tends to be used for cooking meat quickly and meat that has already been cut into slices...
and central bakery
Bakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
to pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
, stir fry, Mexican food, pasta
Pasta
Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, now of worldwide renown. It takes the form of unleavened dough, made in Italy, mostly of durum wheat , water and sometimes eggs. Pasta comes in a variety of different shapes that serve for both decoration and to act as a carrier for the...
, deli
Delicatessen
Delicatessen is a term meaning "delicacies" or "fine foods". The word entered English via German,with the old German spelling , plural of Delikatesse "delicacy", ultimately from Latin delicatus....
and soup
Soup
Soup is a generally warm food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water, or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth.Traditionally,...
stations. Striking interiors, the latest in high-tech equipment and taste-satisfying food that’s focused on variety all combine to create a palate-pleasing dining experience at the center of campus. On campus food services are provided by external company Chartwells who, in addition to the dining hall, provides options to franchised chains Papa Johns, Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
, Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
, and a generic burrito shop.
Setzer Student Center
The Setzer Student Center (or the Set as it is known by students) hosts social and cultural activities throughout the year and is the hub for campus student organizations. The lounge areas, Mirabeau’s Café and the Cardinal’s Nest eatery provide students with a place to socialize and relax. The Setzer Center also houses the bookstore, which stocks text books, school supplies, and Lamar University/Lamar CardinalsLamar Cardinals
The Lamar Cardinals refers to the collegiate athletic teams of Lamar University. The inception of the nickname "Cardinals" dates back to the schools name change to Lamar in 1932. The teams compete in Division I of NCAA sports...
Merchandise. Administrative divisions located in the Set include the Center for Teaching and Learning Enhancement and the Office of Planning and Assessment.
Dishman Art Museum
The Dishman Art MuseumDishman Art Museum
The Dishman Art Museum is an art museum on the campus of Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. Admission to the museum is completely free; the gallery is open from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday. The museum also serves as a teaching facility in the Art Department at Lamar University. Exhibitions...
serves as a teaching facility and art museum for Lamar. The museum was established in 1983. The museum offers students an opportunity to experience diverse styles that reflect international trends as well as exhibit their own work. The Art Museum is open from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday. Admission to the museum is completely free. The Museum's permanent collection includes 19th and 20th century paintings from American and European artist and Tribal Art from Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, and Pre-Columbian Mexico
Pre-Columbian Mexico
The pre-Columbian history of the territory now within the contemporary nation of Mexico is known through the work of archaeologists and epigraphers, and through the accounts of the conquistadors, clergymen, and indigenous chroniclers of the immediate post-conquest period...
.
Spindletop-Gladys City Museum
The Spindletop-Gladys City Museum is an open-air museum. The museum commemorates the 1901 discovery of oil by the Lucas Gusher in Beaumont. The oil discovery was located on SpindletopSpindletop
Spindletop is a salt dome oil field located in the southern portion of Beaumont, Texas in the United States. The Spindletop dome was derived from the Louann Salt evaporite layer of the Jurassic geologic period. On January 10, 1901, a well at Spindletop struck oil . The new oil field soon produced...
salt dome
Salt dome
A salt dome is a type of structural dome formed when a thick bed of evaporite minerals found at depth intrudes vertically into surrounding rock strata, forming a diapir....
in South Beaumont, the boomtown
Boomtown
A boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
that sprung up around the well was known as Gladys City. The discovery soon produced 100,000 barrels of oil per day, making it the most productive in the world at that time. This productivity sparked an oil boom in Texas that continues to this day.
Athletics
The Lamar Cardinals (or Cards) refers to the collegiate athleticAthletic sports
Athletics is a term encompassing the human competitive sports and games requiring physical skill, and the systems of training that prepare athletes for competition performance. Athletic sports or contests, are competitions which are primarily based on human, physical competition, demanding the...
teams
Team sport
A team sport includes any sport which involves players working together towards a shared objective. A team sport is an activity in which a group of individuals, on the same team, work together to accomplish an ultimate goal which is usually to win. This can be done in a number of ways such as...
of Lamar University. The inception of the nickname "Cardinals" dates back to the school's name change to Lamar in 1932. The teams compete in Division I of NCAA athletics for all of its varsity sports. Lamar has participated in practically every level of collegiate athletics from its inception as a junior college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
in 1923 to its realization as a university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in 1971. Lamar sponsors fourteen teams (seven men's teams and seven women's teams) that compete in the NCAA's Southland Conference
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
. The newest team is the reinstated football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team, and women's softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
will be added in the 2013 season. After the addition of softball Lamar will be the only Southland Conference program to sponsor all men's and women's sports.
The Cardinals participate in men's and women's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, women's soccer and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, and men's baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
.
Football
Under head coach Larry KennanLarry Kennan
Larry Kennan is a former American football coach. He is currently the staff director of the NFL Coaches Association.-Coaching career:Kennan's coaching career began at his alma mater La Verne in 1966...
Cardinal fans responded when he delivered a 6-3-2 club in 1979, his first season with the team. Lamar set all-time attendance records under Kennan by averaging 16,380 in 1980. Games against Louisiana Tech (17,600) and West Texas State (17,250) rank second and third, respectively, behind the standing-room-only 18,500 Baylor drew for the 1980 opener. The football program's signature win came on September 5, 1981 in Waco, the Cardinals triumphed with an 18-17 win over the UPI #20 ranked Baylor Bears
Baylor Bears
Baylor Bears refers to the sports teams of Baylor University. Baylor's men's sports teams are nicknamed the Bears, and some women's teams are nicknamed the Lady Bears. Student athletes participate in the NCAA's Division I, and Baylor is the only private school in the Big 12 Conference...
. In 1987 Lamar football went independent to join the American South Conference, and the program was dropped altogether in 1989.
On January 30, 2008, 78% of Lamar students voted to approve the athletics fee required for football's resurrection. This vote set in motion the football team's return for the 2010 season. Regents of The Texas State University System approved the athletics fee to reinstate football at its regular meeting February 20, 2008. On May 19, 2008, Ray Woodard
Ray Woodard
Ray Woodard is a former American football defensive tackle and current head coach at Lamar University. He was hired on May 19, 2008 to resurrect the Lamar Cardinals football program that was discontinued in 1989. Woodard played college football at Kilgore College and Texas, was selected 199th...
was chosen as head coach for the football program. Thanks to a major gift from an anonymous donor, the football field now bears the name W.S. “Bud” Leonard Field, named for a former player and longtime Lamar advocate, and regent.
The Lamar University Cardinals football team returned to the gridiron, after a 21 year hiatus, on September 4, 2010. The first year squad compiled a respectable 5-6 record. The Cardinals open Southland Conference play in 2011.
Basketball
Founded in 1924 the men's and women's basketball teams at Lamar have both advanced deep into the NCAA tournament. The men's team has 4 NIT appearances 5 NCAA tournament appearances, 4 second round appearances and 1 sweet 16 appearance. While the women's team has 1 NIT appearance, 2 NCAA tournament appearance and 1 elite eight appearance.The men's program was previously coached by notable coaches Billy Tubbs
Billy Tubbs
Billy Tubbs is a former men's college basketball coach. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native has been the head coach of his alma mater Lamar University , the University of Oklahoma and Texas Christian University .Tubbs was known for his high scoring offense and full-court press defense.Tubbs achieved many...
and Pat Foster
Pat Foster
Pat Foster is a former basketball head coach. Foster coached NCAA men's basketball at Lamar University, University of Houston, and University of Nevada, Reno.At Houston, he succeeded legendary head coach Guy Lewis.-Head coaching record:...
and is currently under the direction of Pat Knight
Pat Knight
Patrick "Pat" Knight is an American college basketball coach for Lamar University. He became the coach of the Lamar Cardinals basketball team on April 5, 2011. He was previously the head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball team until March 7, 2011...
. The women's team is currently under direction of Larry Tidwell
Larry Tidwell
-Awards:In 2010, the Texas Assosciation of Basketball Coaches named Tidwell "Division I Coach of the Year" for women's college basketball.In 2008, Tidwell was the recipient of the TGCA's prestigious Margaret McKown Distinguished Service Award for his then 32 years of service to the organization....
.
Both the men and women's programs have the highest average attendance in the Southland Conference
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
and play their games in the 10,080 seat Montagne Center
Montagne Center
Montagne Center is a 10,080-seat multi-purpose arena in Beaumont, Texas. It was built in 1984. It is home to the Lamar University Cardinals basketball team. The area floor can host sporting events like basketball, volleyball, wrestling, boxing and martial arts tournaments. With stadium and floor...
.
Student Profile
| Lamar University | Texas | U.S. Census | |
|---|---|---|---|
| African American African American African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States... |
23% | 12.0% | 12.9% |
| Asian American Asian American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,... |
3% | 3.6% | 4.6% |
| Non-Hispanic White White people White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin... |
58% | 46.7% | 65.1% |
| Hispanic American | 9% | 36.9% | 15.8% |
| Native American Native Americans in the United States Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as... |
0.4% | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Foreign Foreign Foreign may refer to:*Foreign corporation, a corporation that can do business outside its jurisdiction*Foreign key, a constraint in a relational database*Foreign language, a language not spoken by the people of a certain place... |
8% | N/A | N/A |
For Fall 2010, the university enrolled, 9,800 undergraduate, 4,200 graduate students. For Fall 2010, the undergraduate student body was 41% male and 59% female. In 2009 the five most popular fields of study were Businesss, Engineering, General studies, Interdisciplinary studies and Nursing. The student to faculty ratio was 19:1, among the lowest in the state of Texas.
University Press
The University Press also known as the UP is the student operated newspaperStudent newspaper
A student newspaper is a newspaper run by students of a university, high school, middle school, or other school. These papers traditionally cover local and, primarily, school or university news....
of Lamar. The paper was known previously as the S'Park Plug and the Red Bird before becoming the University Press in recognition of Lamar gaining university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
status in 1971. The University Press has grown into one of Lamar’s showpieces. It is the largest student-run business on campus, and it has become one of the most respected student newspapers in the country. Since 1977, the University Press and its magazines have garnered more than 800 awards, including first place for Best Non-Daily Student Newspaper in 1994 and 2005 from The Associated Press Managing Editors of Texas and second place from the same group in 1988, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2011. The UP has averaged more than 26 awards a year in those 29 years.
KVLU
KVLU is Lamar's very own public radio station. The station is member-supported but receives funding from the university as well. The station operates on campus. Students in the Communications Department can gain real-world experience on the staff of KVLU, or by hosting their own program.LUTV
LUTV is Lamar's student operated Television Station. The Programs of LUTV are broadcast on local cable TV. Programming includes newscasts to talk shows to soap operas, Lamar University's television programming runs the gamut all programming is student-created and student inspired. LU students produce a weekly 30-minute newscast, a light-news package bundled with a talk-show, and four unique student and faculty talk shows, all aired on local Public-access televisionPublic-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
.
LUTV also supports C-SPAN
C-SPAN
C-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...
and the SETCAST program, covering 222 governmental meetings for the Southeast Texas Regional Council of Governments. These public meetings are aired on local cable systems in Orange, Port Arthur and Beaumont. The program provides 10 full-time scholarships for Lamar television students.
The program emphasizes industry-standard equipment with a mix of linear and nonlinear editing equipment including Media 100, Final Cut Pro, Premiere 6.5, and Tech Toaster II, along with digital and tape-based cameras and 20 editing stations.
LUTV provides students with the opportunity to envision, write, create, direct, report, anchor and star in their own productions.
Greeks
Lamar boasts 17 National Fraternities and SororitiesFraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
. College Panhellenic Council (CPC) is the governing body for the three National Pan-Hellenic Council
National Pan-Hellenic Council
The National Pan-Hellenic Council is a collaborative organization of nine historically African American, international Greek lettered fraternities and sororities. The nine NPHC organizations are sometimes collectively referred to as the "Divine Nine"...
chapters at LU. National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) governs the eight historically African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
fraternities and sororities, while The Inter-Fraternity Council (IFC) governs men's fraternities.
Fraternities
- Alpha Phi AlphaAlpha Phi AlphaAlpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
- Sigma Phi DeltaSigma Phi DeltaΣΦΔ is an international social fraternity of engineers. Billing itself as "The Premier International Fraternity of Engineers", the organization is the only fraternity of its kind that draws its membership exclusively from male engineering students at ABET-accredited colleges and universities, as...
- Kappa SigmaKappa SigmaKappa Sigma , commonly nicknamed Kappa Sig, is an international fraternity with currently 282 active chapters and colonies in North America. Kappa Sigma has initiated more than 240,000 men on college campuses throughout the United States and Canada. Today, the Fraternity has over 175,000 living...
- Kappa Upsilon ChiKappa Upsilon ChiKappa Upsilon Chi is a national men's fraternity composed of Christian collegians seeking to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Kappa Upsilon Chi was founded in 1993 at Texas Tech University....
- Pi Kappa AlphaPi Kappa AlphaPi Kappa Alpha is a Greek social fraternity with over 230 chapters and colonies and over 250,000 lifetime initiates in the United States and Canada.-History:...
- Sigma NuSigma NuSigma Nu is an undergraduate, college fraternity with chapters in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Sigma Nu was founded in 1869 by three cadets at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia...
- Phi Beta SigmaPhi Beta SigmaPhi Beta Sigma is a predominantly African-American fraternity which was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I...
- Phi Mu Alpha SinfoniaPhi Mu Alpha SinfoniaPhi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music...
- Sigma Phi EpsilonSigma Phi EpsilonSigma Phi Epsilon , commonly nicknamed SigEp or SPE, is a social college fraternity for male college students in the United States. It was founded on November 1, 1901, at Richmond College , and its national headquarters remains in Richmond, Virginia. It was founded on three principles: Virtue,...
- Kappa Alpha PsiKappa Alpha PsiKappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin...
- Kappa Alpha OrderKappa Alpha OrderKappa Alpha Order is a social fraternity and fraternal order. Kappa Alpha Order has 124 active chapters, 3 provisional chapters, and 2 commissions...
- Phi Iota AlphaPhi Iota AlphaPhi Iota Alpha , established December 26, 1931, is the oldest Latino fraternity still in existence, and works to motivate people, develop leaders, and create innovative ways to unite the Latino community. The organization has roots that stem back to the late 19th century to the first Latino...
Sororities
- Sigma Phi LambdaSigma Phi Lambda-History:Sigma Phi Lambda was founded in 1988 at the University of Texas at Austin by Patricia Adams Hogan, Robin Maegen, Gina Williams Goveas, Jacqueline Goveas and Eileen Howell Barlow....
- Alpha Omega EpsilonAlpha Omega EpsilonAlpha Omega Epsilon is a social and professional sorority for women in engineering and technical sciences. The sorority was founded by twenty-seven female engineering students at Marquette University on November 13, 1983, and four months later on March 22, 1984, it became a recognized organization...
- Alpha Delta PiAlpha Delta PiAlpha Delta Pi is a fraternity founded on May 15, 1851 at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The Executive office for this sorority is located on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia. Alpha Delta Pi is one of the two "Macon Magnolias," a term used to celebrate the bonds it shares with Phi Mu...
- Zeta Tau AlphaZeta Tau AlphaZeta Tau Alpha is a women's fraternity, founded October 15, 1898 at the State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia. The Executive office is located in Indianapolis, Indiana...
- Kappa Delta ChiKappa Delta Chi----Kappa Delta Chi , also known as K-D Chi, pronounced Kay-Dee-Kie, is a Greek letter, intercollegiate sorority founded by Latina women in the United States...
- Alpha Kappa AlphaAlpha Kappa AlphaAlpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated by African American college women. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of nine students, led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle...
- Alpha Chi OmegaAlpha Chi OmegaAlpha Chi Omega is a women's fraternity founded on October 15, 1885. Currently, there are 135 chapters of Alpha Chi Omega at colleges and universities across the United States and more than 200,000 lifetime members...
- Mu Sigma UpsilonMu Sigma UpsilonMu Sigma Upsilon is the first multicultural national sorority associated with the National Multicultural Greek Council.It is a non-profit Greek letter organization of college-educated women committed to academics, unification of all women and the services for their communities and...
- Delta Sigma ThetaDelta Sigma ThetaDelta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University...
- Zeta Phi BetaZeta Phi BetaZeta Phi Beta is an international, historically black Greek-lettered sorority and a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council.Zeta Phi Beta is organized into 800+ chapters, in eight intercontinental regions including the USA, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean...
- Sigma Gamma RhoSigma Gamma RhoSigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. was founded on the campus of Butler University on November 12, 1922, by seven school teachers in Indianapolis, Indiana...
Co-Ed
- Alpha Kappa PsiAlpha Kappa PsiΑΚΨ is the oldest and largest professional business fraternity. The Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity was founded on October 5, 1904 at New York University, and was incorporated on May 20, 1905...
- Delta Sigma PiDelta Sigma PiΔΣΠ ' is one of the largest co-ed professional business fraternities. Delta Sigma Pi was founded on November 7, 1907 at the School of Commerce, Accounts and Finance, New York University, New York, New York and is currently headquartered in Oxford, Ohio...
Traditions
The student body of Lamar has developed many traditions over the years. Homecoming events like the Greek vs. Faculty Basketball Game, block party and Cardinal Mania Bonfire occur annually on Homecoming week. Food Fest is an event on campus where every organization is given a booth in the Setzer Student Center from which they can sell food. There are normally over 100 groups that participate in Food Fest. Greek organizations also annually hold Greek Olympics among all the different fraternities and sororities. It is a tradition among Cardinal athletes not to step on the Cardinal head in the athletic complex weight room. The L' Raisers a student spirit organization, is responsible for fostering traditions at athletic events. In 2011 the "Endzone Angels" were formed, they help the Football program with fundraising, recruiting and spirit. The Angels are a group of approximately 30 female students, they wear red dresses and cowboy boots to each home football game.The 'L' Yell
The 'L' Yell occurs during football kickoffs. To accomplish the 'L' Yell, fans form an L with their right hand raised in the air. At ten seconds prior to kickoff, fans yell "L" until the kicker hits the ball, then the entire stadium yells the letter "U" and rocks the L in their right hand to the right, this forms a U shape. This signifies LU which is a popular moniker for the university. The "'L' Yell" achieves a Doppler effect
Doppler effect
The Doppler effect , named after Austrian physicist Christian Doppler who proposed it in 1842 in Prague, is the change in frequency of a wave for an observer moving relative to the source of the wave. It is commonly heard when a vehicle sounding a siren or horn approaches, passes, and recedes from...
in the football stadium and is used to intimidate the opposing team. This tradition carries over into many other sports such as free throws in basketball games and serves during volleyball.
Traditions of Lamar University also extend to singing the schools fight song Go Big Red and the Alma Mater.
Alumni
The Alumni of Lamar University have gone on to distinguish themselves in every aspect of society. With over 75,000 alumni the school has a significant alumni base.The average starting salary for a Lamar graduate is among the highest in Texas. The median starting salary for a Lamar graduate is $42,000 and the median mid-career salary is $77,400. Lamar has the highest median starting and mid-career salary in the Texas State University System.
There have been several Cardinals go on to distinguish themselves nationally and internationally in sports such as PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
golfer Chris Stroud
Chris Stroud
Chris Stroud is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.Stroud was born in Nederland, Texas. He played collegiately at Lamar University and was a two-time All-American. As an amateur, he won the 2003 North and South Amateur and played on the 2004 Palmer Cup...
, MLB player Kevin Millar
Kevin Millar
Kevin Charles Millar is an American former professional baseball first baseman and current analyst for MLB Network and New England Sports Network. Millar played college baseball at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where he continues to reside in the off-season. Millar is the nephew of former...
and college coaches such as Billy Tubbs
Billy Tubbs
Billy Tubbs is a former men's college basketball coach. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native has been the head coach of his alma mater Lamar University , the University of Oklahoma and Texas Christian University .Tubbs was known for his high scoring offense and full-court press defense.Tubbs achieved many...
and Jim Gilligan
Jim Gilligan
Jim Gilligan is the head baseball coach of the Lamar Cardinals college baseball program.In his 30 seasons as head coach, Gilligan has guided Lamar University's baseball team to 11 conference championships, 11 NCAA regional appearances, and four conference titles...
.
In Business many cardinals have gone on to found companies and lead Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
companies. Dan F. Smith an engineering alumnus was CEO of Lyondell. Tom Giannopolous heads MICROS. Charles Garrett another engineering alumnus founded invented and is CEO of Garrett Metal Detectors, one of the worlds largest suppliers of security metal detectors.
In politics such leaders as Jack Brooks
Jack Brooks (politician)
Jack Bascom Brooks is a retired Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Texas, who served for more than 40 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was defeated for reelection in the 1994 election...
, Nick Lampson
Nick Lampson
Nicholas Valentino 'Nick' Lampson is an American politician from the state of Texas and was a Congressman representing the 22nd Congressional District of Texas. He was defeated by Pete Olson on November 4, 2008 in his re-election bid....
and Elvin Santos have gone on to be national politicians.
- Kelly AsburyKelly AsburyKelly Adam Asbury is an American director, writer, voice actor, author and illustrator.He attended Lamar University for two years before, in 1980, transferring to California Institute of the Arts, where he studied animation and filmmaking...
- Film Director, Screenwriter, Voice Actor, Children's Book Author/Illustrator, Non-Fiction Author - Bruce AvenBruce AvenDavid Bruce Aven is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Aven attended and played baseball for the Lamar University Cardinals....
- Retired Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - David J. Beck - Founding Partner, Beck, Redden & Sechrest, LLP
- Brian BirdwellBrian BirdwellBrian D. Birdwell is a Republican from Granbury, Texas, who represents District 22 in the Texas Senate. A retired lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, Birdwell is a decorated survivor of the terrorist attack on the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, on September 11, 2001.-Election to Texas...
(B.S., criminal justice, 1984), member of the Texas State Senate and survivor of the PentagonThe PentagonThe Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
attack of September 11, 2001 - Ronnie BlackRonnie BlackRonald Jay Black is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour and Champions Tour.Black was born in Lovington, New Mexico. He attended Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where he was a member of the golf team. He turned pro in 1981.Black won two events on the...
- PGA Tour professional golfer - Jack BrooksJack Brooks (politician)Jack Bascom Brooks is a retired Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Texas, who served for more than 40 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was defeated for reelection in the 1994 election...
- Politician, served more than 40 years in the U.S. House of Representatives - Keith Carter - Photographer
- William C. Childs - Founder of Precision Tune
- C.W. Conn - Founder of Conn'sConn'sConn's Inc. is an electronics and appliance store chain headquartered in Beaumont, Texas, United States. The chain has stores in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma...
- Charles Cutler - Inventor of Model-based Multi-variable Process Control
- Trevor DoddsTrevor DoddsTrevor George Dodds is a Namibian professional golfer.Dodds was born in Windhoek, Namibia. He turned pro in 1985. He won the Canadian Tour Order of Merit in 1995 and 1996...
- Namibian professional golfer - Joe Domino - President of EntergyEntergyEntergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. It is headquartered in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana.-History:...
Texas - Phillip Drayer - DEO Kalydus Equity Research Partners, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist
- Paul Fregia - President/CEO and Founder of Grandma Mauds, founding Executive Director, Tiger Woods Foundation
- Jim GilliganJim GilliganJim Gilligan is the head baseball coach of the Lamar Cardinals college baseball program.In his 30 seasons as head coach, Gilligan has guided Lamar University's baseball team to 11 conference championships, 11 NCAA regional appearances, and four conference titles...
- One of the NCAA's most winning baseball coaches. - Johnny FullerJohnny FullerJohn Charles Fuller is a former professional American football player. He played eight seasons as a safety in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears....
- Former defensive back, San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... - Charles Garrett - Inventor of metal detectors for security purposes as well as treasure hunters
- Stephen Grace - President of H. S. Grace and Co., Inc.
- Tom Giannopoulos - President and CEO MICROS
- Clay HensleyClay HensleyClayton Allen Hensley is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Miami Marlins.-Early life:Hensley attended Lamar University in Beaumont, where he set a single season record with 127 strikeouts in 100 innings....
- Pitcher, Houston AstrosHouston AstrosThe Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field... - Nick LampsonNick LampsonNicholas Valentino 'Nick' Lampson is an American politician from the state of Texas and was a Congressman representing the 22nd Congressional District of Texas. He was defeated by Pete Olson on November 4, 2008 in his re-election bid....
- Politician, served in the U.S. House of Representatives from two Texas districts - Wayne Moore -- Retired NFL player
- Bill MacateeBill MacateeBill Macatee is an American sports broadcaster.-Early life and career:Macatee was born in Rome, New York, and grew up in El Paso, Texas. In 1978, he earned a bachelor of science degree in speech from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas...
- TV Sports Announcer - Kevin MillarKevin MillarKevin Charles Millar is an American former professional baseball first baseman and current analyst for MLB Network and New England Sports Network. Millar played college baseball at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where he continues to reside in the off-season. Millar is the nephew of former...
- MLB World Champion, Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... - Colin RidgewayColin RidgewayColin Edwin Ridgway was an American football punter distinguished as being the first Australian to play in the National Football League.-Track and Field:...
- Former NFL player, first Australian to play in the NFL - Brian SanchesBrian SanchesBrian Sanches is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Florida Marlins.In 1996, Sanches graduated Nederland High School in Texas where he played baseball, basketball, football, and ran track. Sanches attended Lamar University in Texas where he played for the Lamar Cardinals Baseball team...
- Pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies - Elvin Santos - Former Vice President of Honduras
- Eugene SealeEugene SealeEugene Seale, Jr. is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League. He played six seasons for the Houston Oilers ....
- Former NFL player - Dan SmithDan SmithDan Smith may refer to:* Dan Smith , retired American Army colonel and author* Dan Smith , illustrator and graphic artist* Dan Smith , Canadian ice hockey player...
(BS Chemical Engineering) - Former President & CEO Lyondell Chemical Company - Chris StroudChris StroudChris Stroud is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.Stroud was born in Nederland, Texas. He played collegiately at Lamar University and was a two-time All-American. As an amateur, he won the 2003 North and South Amateur and played on the 2004 Palmer Cup...
- PGA Tour professional golfer - Joe Tortorice - Founder, Jason's Deli and President of Deli Management, Inc.
- Billy TubbsBilly TubbsBilly Tubbs is a former men's college basketball coach. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native has been the head coach of his alma mater Lamar University , the University of Oklahoma and Texas Christian University .Tubbs was known for his high scoring offense and full-court press defense.Tubbs achieved many...
- College Basketball Coach - Jen WyattJennifer WyattJennifer Noel Wyatt is a Canadian professional golfer who formerly toured on the LPGA Tour.Wyatt was born in Vancouver, British Columbia and starting playing golf at an early age in Richmond, British Columbia out of the Quichena Golf & Country Club...
- Canadian LPGA golfer - Clarence KeaClarence KeaClarence Leroy Kea is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a 6'6" 218 lb small forward and played collegiately at Lamar University....
- NBA player - Charles HolcombCharles HolcombJudge Charles Holcomb, born 1933, attended Lee College in Baytown and Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas for his undergraduate education. He served in the Air Force Reserves 1951-1953, and was graduated from South Texas College of Law in 1958....
- Texas Appeals Court Judge - Midde Hamrin - Olympian marathon runner
- Marvin HayesMarvin HayesMarvin Hayes is an American painter and illustrator, working primarily in egg tempera and copperplate etchings.-Early life and education:Marvin Everett Hayes was born on September 30, 1939 in Canton, Mississippi. Before he was 2, his family moved to Orange, Texas, where his father, Aubrey, was...
- Artist - Jerry WilkersonJerry WilkersonJerry Oliver Wilkerson was a St. Louis, Missouri artist known for his contemporary pointillistic style of painting, and as a supporter of local business and talent. After completing his BS at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, in 1966, Wilkerson obtained his MFA from Washington University in...
- Artist - Robert NicholsRobert Nichols (Texas politician)Robert Nichols is the Republican senator for the 3rd District in the Texas Senate.-Early years:Robert Nichols graduated from Lamar University with a degree in Industrial Engineering in 1968...
- Texas Politician - H. Palmer HallH. Palmer HallH. Palmer Hall is a poet, fiction writer, essayist, editor and librarian who lives in San Antonio, Texas. A Vietnam veteran who grew up near the Big Thicket in southeast Texas, Hall's writing often examines themes of war and its impact on the veterans who fight them. His work also examines the...
- Writer - Claude H. Nash - CEO of Bloodstone Ventures, Researcher
- Bob McDillBob McDillRobert Lee "Bob" McDill is an American country music songwriter. Active from the 1960s until 2000, he has written several songs for country music artists, including more than thirty Number One hits...
- Singer Song Writer - Bum PhillipsBum PhillipsOail Andrew "Bum" Phillips is a retired American football coach and the father of Wade Phillips, the Defensive Coordinator for the Houston Texans...
- Head coach and general manager of the Houston Oilers - Bonner Denton - Analytical Chemist, record holder World's Fastest Sports car
People Associated with Lamar
- Al VincentAl VincentAlbert Linder Vincent was a manager and coach in Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball. He was also a coach at Lamar University...
- Major League baseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
coach - Ray WoodardRay WoodardRay Woodard is a former American football defensive tackle and current head coach at Lamar University. He was hired on May 19, 2008 to resurrect the Lamar Cardinals football program that was discontinued in 1989. Woodard played college football at Kilgore College and Texas, was selected 199th...
- Head Football Coach, NFL Player - Gerald Duff, PhD - Novelist, PoetPoetA poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, and Professor of English - Pat KnightPat KnightPatrick "Pat" Knight is an American college basketball coach for Lamar University. He became the coach of the Lamar Cardinals basketball team on April 5, 2011. He was previously the head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball team until March 7, 2011...
- Head basketball coach