McNeese State University is primarily a teaching institution whose mission is successful education of the undergraduate students and services to the employers and communities in its region.
Seventy-five years have passed since Lake Charles Junior College held its first classes in 1939 with 13 faculty and 140 students. It was quickly renamed to John McNeese Junior College to honor the pioneer educator. Since 1970 McNeese has been know by its present name and now boasts over 300 faculty, and an enrollment of over 8,300 students from 57 Louisiana parishes, 41 states, and over 50 countries from around the world.
From humble beginnings as a poor farm, to an exhibit area for the Southwest Louisiana Cattlemen's Association, to a junior college, to a top tier regional university, McNeese has always strived to provide a quality education while pioneering the future.
