NEW ORLEANS – LSU Interim President Matt Lee delivered a “State of the University” address on Sept. 17 that spotlighted record enrollment, major research milestones, and ambitious plans for the future.
“We’re not letting up on the gas pedal. LSU is thriving and we plan to keep growing,” Lee said.
Record Enrollment and Growth
LSU’s momentum is visible across the system. After touring every campus this summer, Lee pointed to expanding programs, record graduation numbers, and strong national rankings.
“We saw innovation in action from nursing labs to cybersecurity classrooms, from biomedical research to agricultural outreach,” he said. “This fall, LSU’s flagship campus welcomed the largest incoming class in our history.”
That class includes nearly 8,200 first-time freshmen, more than 5,000 of them Louisiana residents. The group posted an average high school GPA of 3.85 and includes over 450 valedictorians, a 23 percent increase from last year.
“By recruiting and educating more students than ever before, we are directly injecting high-caliber talent into the local and state economies that drive Louisiana’s future,” Lee said.
LSU is also growing programs in construction management and healthcare education, securing a $25 million federal contract to develop artificial intelligence tools for nuclear threat defense, and partnering with Idaho National Lab to advance cybersecurity. These initiatives, Lee said, are designed to match the state’s workforce needs.
He stressed that LSU cannot do it alone, calling for industry partners to expand internships, co-ops, clinical placements, and career pathways.
Strategic Priorities and Research Initiatives
Lee outlined five strategic areas guiding LSU’s future: agriculture, biomedicine & health, coastal resilience, defense & cybersecurity, and energy.
“These are the areas where our strengths align with Louisiana’s most urgent needs and the nation’s most pressing challenges,” he said. “They represent the greatest opportunities for Louisiana to lead.”
“For the first time in history, LSU’s research enterprise has crossed the $500 million mark,” Lee said. “We are working to grow that portfolio to $800–900 million and nearly double our doctoral student population so that LSU remains a hub for advanced scholarship and talent development.”
Health Research
Health research is central to that push. “That’s why LSU is committed to advancing therapies and solutions for cancer, obesity, diabetes and food insecurity,” he said.
“LSU is working to secure Louisiana’s first National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated cancer center, a transformative initiative led by LSU Health New Orleans and LCMC Health,” Lee added. “Last month we welcomed the National Cancer Institute Director to meet with LSU leadership, legislators and stakeholders to advance this effort.”
He called NCI designation a “game-changer” that would bring clinical trials, attract world-class medical talent, and unlock new research funding.
“Most importantly, it will bring world-class cancer care home so Louisiana families no longer have to leave the state to receive the treatment that they deserve,” he said.
Energy Research
The LSU Energy Institute is a new interdisciplinary hub designed to strengthen the university’s leadership in energy research, natural resource management, and innovation. It will bring together and expand several longstanding programs, including the Center for Energy Studies, the Louisiana Geological Survey, and a range of externally funded initiatives. The institute will also build on work launched by the LSU Institute for Energy Innovation, supported by a $25 million investment from Shell.
Agriculture, Coast Resilience, and Defense
Lee also pointed to breakthroughs in agriculture through a partnership with the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation on innovations in rice production, the Louisiana Sea Grant Program on coastal resilience, and a major National Science Foundation award supporting national defense and cybersecurity.
Infrastructure Across the LSU System
Lee also detailed a wave of capital projects across various LSU campuses.
Baton Rouge
At LSU’s flagship campus, several major projects are underway:
- The Our Lady of the Lake Health Interdisciplinary Science Building, nearly 200,000 square feet of research and collaboration space, is scheduled to open in 2026.
- Also in 2026, LSU will break ground on a new 193,000-square-foot Main Library.
- To meet housing demand, the university plans to add 1,200 new student beds by 2027.
- In addition, LSU is committing more than $100 million to the construction of a new Construction and Advanced Manufacturing Building.
Alexandria
At LSU Alexandria, the Martin Family Student Success Center is nearing completion. The facility is designed to provide academic support and resources to help students succeed both in the classroom and in their careers.
Health Shreveport
In Shreveport, LSU Health is transforming a former Sears site into a medical research hub. The redevelopment is intended to expand the university’s capacity for biomedical research and strengthen its role in the region’s healthcare economy.
Eunice
LSU Eunice is investing in both academics and athletics. The campus is building a new Bengal Stadium to enhance the student experience and community engagement, while also developing a Steam Innovation Center to advance science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics education.
Health Sciences New Orleans
- At LSU Health Sciences New Orleans, $50 million is being invested to renovate the School of Dentistry.
- An additional $100 million is earmarked to upgrade laboratory space for scientific research, which will expand opportunities for faculty and students to contribute to cutting-edge medical discoveries.
Lee’s state of the university address framed LSU not only as an institution on the rise, but as a central driver of Louisiana’s future workforce, research, and innovation.
