On May 15, 2026, Louisiana State University in Shreveport broke a record. The spring graduation class of 1,845 students was the largest in the history of the university. The occasion marked the sixth consecutive graduation featuring at least 1,500 students and put LSUS second only to LSU in Baton Rouge in number of graduates.
“It is really exciting,” said Dr. Robert Smith, the Chancellor of LSUS. “We are graduating so many students we are literally running out of room in the arena.”
Part of that success comes from the equally record-breaking enrollment numbers that the university has seen. In the fall of 2025, enrollment at LSUS crossed the 11,000-student mark for the first time in the history of the college. When asked about the reason for the school’s pathway from enrollment to graduation, Smith gave full credit to the faculty.
“The congratulations belong to all the faculty and staff on campus who recruit students and support them along the way to get them through to graduation.”
Of those who achieved that graduation in the spring, 1,550 of them were awarded master’s degrees. Almost 300 attained undergraduate degrees, another area where the school has seen a drastic increase in the last several years. Among those graduates, many were non-traditional and first-generation students, another statistic that Dr. Smith said the college was purposefully encouraging.
“We’ve been focused on first-generation students. That’s an identifiable, high percentage of our undergraduates and our graduate students,” said Smith. He noted that, without a tradition in their families of college graduation, first-generation students face unique challenges, which he said LSUS makes an effort to support them through.
The care and attention that the school provides has led to significant success for students after graduation. According to a career services report released by the school, the 2024-25 graduating class saw 86% of its students meaningfully employed, enrolled in a graduate program, or serving in the military after leaving school. That number puts LSUS firmly in line with and slightly above the national average for postgraduate success.
The university, however, is not resting on its laurels. The administration continues to evaluate its programs and facilities, searching for any areas that they can improve. They hope to grow their record-breaking enrollment and graduation numbers even higher.
“We’re always looking at opportunities where there are needs that are not being met,” said Dr. Smith. “We’re looking in every direction where we can improve the physical campus, the opportunities on campus, the whole college experience.”
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