Ohio has entered its last week of nonconference play. We’ve learned about the Polio vaccine, the Civil War and notable alumni from the Bobcats opponents so far, and now we’re left with one more school before the Mid-American Conference schedule begins.
Without further ado, here are five fun facts about the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
True to its roots
Located in Lafayette, Louisiana, the university does its part to honor the native Cajun population – one of the highest in the country.
The Louisiana Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism is home to the world’s largest collection of Cajun and Creole cultural pieces. It is also home to a large collection of microfilm about French and Spanish colonial information.
Groundbreakers and trendsetters
When the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional for American schools and universities to segregate student populations in the historic Brown v. Board of Education ruling, Louisiana was the first all-white university to admit nonwhite students into the school. Over 50 African-American students were admitted after the court’s ruling.
Sneaux Day
The last time it snowed in Lafayette was on Dec. 19, 2008, and because of that, Louisiana has a longstanding tradition where it throws its own “sneaux day.” Snow machines are brought to the campus during December, and there are plenty of other traditional winter activities for students and the community to partake in – including ice skating.
Tons of crawfish – literally
The university puts on its annual Lagniappe Week each spring — a week that honors the cultural traditions of the Cajun population. One of the most popular festivities that week is the crawfish boil, where 10,000 pounds of crawfish are served to students, staff and faculty for free.
Frank Ocean and others
Much like every university, there are always a few alumni that hold some significance within society. Although he did not graduate, famous R&B singer Frank Ocean was a student at Louisiana.
Other alumni include two-time WNBA Champion Kim Perrot, poet Burton Raffel – who’s famous for translating “Don Quixote” – and former NFL quarterback Jake Delhomme.
