LSU Marks Successful 2024-25 Academic Year of Momentum and Milestones
June 04, 2025
The 2024–2025 academic year was a season of forward motion at LSU, defined by groundbreaking research, expanded academic offerings, student success, and national recognition.
Across every corner of campus, LSU faculty, staff, and students advanced the university’s mission in bold and measurable ways. From record-setting research investment to major awards and recognition to the launch of new degree programs, the year was full of defining moments. Month by month, LSU proved what it means to be a flagship university on the rise.
August
Summer Commencement
LSU kicked off the academic year with the celebration of its summer graduates, recognizing the hard work and determination of students who completed their degrees. The ceremony marked not only individual milestones but also a collective return to campus energy and momentum for what would become a historic year of achievement.
LSU also welcomed the Class of 2028 with growing excitement for the university’s future. A candid Q&A with newly admitted students revealed big dreams, bold plans, and the growing appeal of LSU as a destination for top talent from across Louisiana and beyond.
October
LSU Laurels for Excellence event
October was a banner month for academic recognition. Presidential Laurels for Excellence were awarded to standout faculty members, spotlighting their transformative teaching, research, and service. LSU also celebrated five faculty members who earned prestigious NSF CAREER Awards, one of the nation’s top honors for early-career scientists and engineers.
Calcea Johnson, an LSU environmental engineering sophomore, achieved a milestone few undergraduates reach: publication in The American Mathematical Monthly, featuring a new way to prove Pythagorean’s Theorem that Johnson and a high school classmate discovered.
Meanwhile, LSU was selected to join the FirstGen Forward Network in recognition of its commitment to first-generation college students. Students who are the first in their families to attend college shared their experience and the support they received at LSU.
November
LSU reaffirmed its commitment to service members and military-connected students by earning a top ranking from the Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States. The university continues to serve as a national model for academic support, opportunity, and belonging for veterans and active-duty personnel.
December
The calendar year ended on a high note. LSU joined the AI Innovation Consortium, signaling its deepening investment in artificial intelligence research and collaboration. Four LSU faculty members were named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, one of the most distinguished honors in academia.
American Association for the Advancement of Science honorees
These achievements were capped by a record-breaking Fall Commencement, where an all-time-high 2,154 graduates walked the stage ready to lead in their fields and communities.
February
A major investment in faculty success launched with the announcement of the Provost’s Fund for Innovation in Research and Creativity, driving solutions in science, technology, and the arts. LSU was also named one of the best colleges in Louisiana by Niche, reflecting strong performance in academics, value, and student experience.
March
The spotlight turned to faculty achievements as LSU honored its 2025 Rainmakers, researchers and scholars making extraordinary contributions to their fields.
Geaux Big Baton Rouge participants
Students showed their commitment to service through LSU’s Geaux Big Baton Rouge, expanded this year to a full week of opportunities that matched up Tigers with local nonprofits and community projects.
APRIL
LSU presenters at National Conference on Undergraduate Research
April brought national attention to LSU undergraduate research as the university marked its largest contingent ever selected to present at the prestigious National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Also, honors student Gerard Lorio received a Goldwater Scholarship, one of the country’s premier STEM awards.
LSU, which in April was reaffirmed in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as a top-tier research university, also announced that its research campuses achieved a record-breaking $543 million in combined research activity for the previous academic year.
In academic expansion, LSU launched an on-campus nursing program to meet critical workforce needs and introduced a new Master of Public Health degree to prepare students for leadership in health and policy.
May
Spring Commencement
LSU closed the academic year by celebrating students whose excellence and service defined the spirit of the university. The Tiger Twelve Class of 2025 represents the very best in leadership, academics, and community impact.
Spring Commencement
At Spring Commencement, thousands of graduates officially joined the LSU alumni family, ready to shape Louisiana and the world. And graduates who are choosing to stay and make an impact in Louisiana shared heartfelt reflections on their time at LSU and their hopes for a bright future “Rooted in the Boot.”
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