One hundred nine years of academic excellence is currently being celebrated.Tuesday’s convocation, held in the Assembly Center, celebrated GSU’s longevity.
GSU is “a prestigious institution with national status,” said Clifton Lemelle, GSU’s National Alumni Association President.
He continued to speak on the positive impact that Grambling Tigers have on the community.
Ending with, “Grambling today, Grambling tomorrow and Grambling forever,” Lemelle showed how proud he is to be a Gramblinite.
Miss Grambling State University, Solange Sayers provided a brief history on the university.
November 1, 1901, Grambling State University opened as the Colored Industrial and Agricultural School. Founded by the North Louisiana Colored Agricultural Relief Association, a group of African-American farmers organized in 1896.
The university choir and Grambling Laboratory High School provided various musical selections.
Two Grambling Middle School students presented their poem, “A New Beginning.”
University President Dr. Frank Pogue encouraged the high school and middle school students to attend GSU. Also, he urged current GSU students to graduate.
After serving seven months as interim, Dr. Frank G. Pogue was appointed as Grambling’s eighth president in June 2010.
During his more than 47-year career in higher education, Dr. Pogue has made a major impact.
He became the first African American to serve as a president of a historically white university in Pennsylvania in 1996. “Passing Through” was Dr. Pogue’s theme.
“I am only passing through but then again, so are you,” he said.
The university has seen seven presidents before him and more will him.
Dr. Pogue said it is not about how long you are here; it is about the impact you leave.
Dr. Pogue said he was proud to say that GSU has many successful graduates and is confident that many more will be produced.
“Grambling was founded to provide a quality education for the descendants of slaves,” he said.
He continued to say that the community must stick together.
“Grambling State University is not broken . Stop believing everything you read in the paper.”
For a second, Dr. Pogue brought the audience back in history. He spoke on segregation and the impact it has had on the present day.
“Grambling State University has changed and will continue to change.”
The Grambling of today is not what it always was. The campus did not always have 444 acres of land.
The university grew from 105 students to the current 4,490.
The highest enrollment was over 7,000 in 1993. GSU has awarded 40,000 degrees.