Southern University at Shreveport (SUSLA) is a

junior college A junior college (sometimes referred to colloquially as a juco, JuCo or JC) is a post-secondary educational institution offering vocational training designed to prepare students for either skilled trades and technical occupations and workers in ...

Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the third most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, respectively. The Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area, with a population of 393,406 in 2020, is ...

. It is part of the

historically black Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. Mo ...

Southern University System The Southern University System is a system of public historically black universities in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its headquarters are at the Joseph Samuel Clark Administration Building on the Southern University campus in Baton Rouge. The Sou ...

. SUSLA, pushed to fruition by the administration of

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

John J. McKeithen John Julian McKeithen (May 28, 1918 – June 4, 1999) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 49th governor of Louisiana from 1964 to 1972. Early life McKeithen was born in Grayson, Louisiana on May 28, 1918. His father was a ...

, opened for instruction on September 19, 1967. At the same time a second junior college,

Louisiana State University at Shreveport Louisiana State University Shreveport (LSU Shreveport or LSUS) is a public university in Shreveport, Louisiana. It is part of the Louisiana State University System. Initially, a two-year college, LSUS has expanded into a university with 2 ...

, also opened. LSUS later became began offering

bachelor's degrees A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

but SUSLA remains a junior college. The university is a member-school of Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The primary emphasis of SUSLA was to serve the Shreveport-Bossier City metro area. SUSLA is accredited by the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...

to award

associate degree An associate degree is an undergraduate degree awarded after a course of post-secondary study lasting two to three years. It is a level of qualification above a high school diploma, GED, or matriculation, and below a bachelor's degree. Th ...

s in various fields of study. On October 28, 1974, the

Louisiana Board of Regents The Louisiana Board of Regents is a government agency in the U.S. state of Louisiana that is responsible for coordination of all public higher education in the state. The Board was created under the terms of the 1974 Louisiana Constitution, and bega ...

, then called the Coordinating Council for Higher Education, granted to the institution approval for six associate degree programs in business, humanities, medical office assistant, natural sciences, office administration, and social sciences. In 1978, it added an associate degree in medical laboratory technology. Among the buildings at SUSLA is Stone Hall, named for the late Southern University System president Jesse N. Stone, Jr. Inside Stone Hall is the J. Bennett Johnston, Jr. Video Conferencing Center, named for the former

U.S. senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and power ...

from Shreveport.

Athletics

The Port City Jaguars and Lady Jaguars are composed of 2 athletic teams representing Southern University at Shreveport in intercollegiate athletics, including men's and women's basketball. The

Jaguar The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the th ...

s and Lady Jaguars compete in

National Junior College Athletic Association The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), founded in 1938, is the governing association of community college, state college and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently the NJCAA holds 24 separate regions ...

Division I, Region 23. The SUSLA sports teams are members of the

MISS-LOU Junior College Conference The Louisiana Community Colleges Athletic Conference (LCCAC) is a member conference of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). It, along with the MACJC, are members of Region XXIII (or Region 23). The conference was once know ...

. The Jaguars and Lady Jaguars basketball teams play at the Health and Physical Education Complex.

Notable alumni

*Ollie Tyler,

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

of Shreveport; did graduate study at the Southern Shreveport campus

References

External links

Official website

Official athletics website
Historically black universities and colleges in the United States Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Buildings and structures in Shreveport, Louisiana Southern University NJCAA athletics Educational institutions established in 1967 Historically black universities and colleges in Louisiana {{Louisiana-university-stub