Academics
Southern University and A&M College (also known as SUBR) is a public land-grant college in Louisiana’s state capital of Baton Rouge—the largest HBCU in the state— and is the flagship institution of the Southern University System. The university is designated as an R2 research institution (one of only 10 HBCUs to do so), and students can take part through the numerous centers and institutes found throughout all of the departments, including the Louisiana Center for Prevention Resources and the Center for Economic and Entrepreneurial Development. The school’s breadth of offerings is as impressive as its research, with 34 undergraduate programs including unique degrees such as Interdisciplinary Studies, and over 96 percent of all academic programs are nationally accredited by specialty area organizations. The massive campus (more than 500 acres) is made even larger by an additional 372-acre site nearby, which contains an agricultural experimental station and has played host to livestock and poultry shows for 79 years running. The University Writing and Communication Center assists students in improving and refining their communication across all traditional and modern platforms, ranging from professional writing, to oral presentations, to using visual media to convey information.
Career
The sprawling campus is located in an area included as a historic destination of the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail, and the Student Union acts as the “living room” of the campus, providing meeting spaces, programming, and a place to relax. The Jaguars are an NCAA Division I school with a strong football tradition, and the school’s world-renowned marching band the Human Jukebox has performed at Super Bowls, presidential inaugurations, and Rose Bowl parades. The Cooperative Extension Program is the outreach arm of Southern University Ag Center, and it provides expertise and educational programs to farms and families in 34 parishes throughout the state. Fine arts are on display throughout the year via student clubs and organizations and the student-run newspaper The Southern Digest, and the Southern University Museum of Art also offers regular programming.
Culture
Given the university’s strong agricultural program, many students go on to careers in food, natural resources, and agricultural sciences. The College of Engineering is among the top 10 producers of African American undergraduates receiving degrees in engineering. Southern University is among four HBCUs to partner with tech giant CDW to create the new CDW Legacy Excellence Program, which provides the school with infrastructure investments, scholarships, fellowships, and a direct pipeline for students looking to work at the company. Notable alumni include jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis, Morgan Watson (one of the first African American engineers at NASA), and Mike Foster (former governor of Louisiana).
Save School
