LSU 1001 and LSU Tour Book Reflect LSU Traditions
In
a 2003 Prospective Student Recruitment Study, those polled said their biggest
concerns about attending a college or university were making good grades,
paying for college, and being responsible for themselves.
However, freshmen at LSU have little to worry about when it comes to those things. As part of getting acclimated to LSU, the university offers a freshman course that helps with the transition from high school to university life. But LSU 1001 is more than a course. It is a part of the LSU tradition.
LSU 1001: Mastering the Tradition of LSU
“The
course covers many topics that entering freshmen need as an orientation
to LSU and to college life in general,” explained Cathleen Williams,
an associate professor in the Department of Dairy Science and an LSU 1001
instructor. “We meet one hour per week, and each week we focus on
a different topic.”
LSU 1001 covers topics from “How to Use the LSU Library” to a tour of the LSU Dairy Science Creamery, which includes a free ice cream taste-testing session for the students. The course also covers time-management skills, note-taking and test-taking skills, learning to read a degree audit, preparing for course scheduling, and includes guest speakers from the Center for Academic Success, the LSU Wellness Center, and the Office of Student Aid and Scholarships.
Caroline Pesses, a business marketing sophomore, took the course during the fall semester of her freshman year. LSU 1001 gave her a chance to meet friends and advisors who have shaped her college experience.
“My instructor was so nice, and she still sends e-mails to our class. It’s nice to know that your instructors and professors care,” explained Pesses.
“LSU 1001 helped to give me, a girl from out of state who knew no one, a chance to get close to a few people,” explained Lindsey Wellendorf, a biological sciences freshman from Louisville, KY. “It helped me become adjusted to college life. Plus, you can ask your LSU 1001 instructor anything about the University.”
LSU 1001 not only allows freshmen to become acquainted with the LSU faculty, staff, and other students, it also gives them a chance to learn the tradition behind the scenic LSU campus.
Touring the Tradition of LSU
Williams’ LSU 1001 class tours the LSU campus, starting at their classroom in Coates Hall and walking through the Quad. A student peer leader, normally an LSU Ambassador, conducts the tours and informs LSU 1001 students about the historical significance of the Quad. It was originally designed by Theodore C. Link to be two intersecting quadrangles that formed the shape of a crucifix. However, the construction of Middleton Library in the 1950s disrupted the flow of Link’s original design, producing today’s design.
“The student peer leader points out buildings in the Quad that LSU 1001 students will probably have class in during their academic careers at LSU,” explained Williams.
 Allen Hall murals |
One building in the Quad that every LSU student is sure to have a class in is Oscar K. Allen Hall, named for the former Louisiana governor. Allen Hall houses most LSU English classes and the University Center for Freshman Year. The hall also houses some of the campus’ most cherished artwork.
According to the LSU Tour Book, “In the 1930s, LSU art history professor Conrad Albrizio asked five of his best students to paint frescoes depicting Louisiana life. The works were to be the students’ visual commentaries on the world around them ... The results are the murals of Allen Hall.”
Years after the students painted the murals, the artwork was painted over and remained hidden until 2001, when LSU alumna Cheryl Elise Grenier restored them.
 LSU alumna Cheryl Elise Grenier (left) |
Another hall of interest on the tour of the Quad is James W. Nicholson Hall, named for the University’s first dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. Nicholson also served as a mathematics professor and a University superintendent.
As published in the Tour Book, “Inside the hall is a mural of the solar system, but because Pluto had only recently been discovered when the mural was commissioned, it was not depicted in the art. Nicholson Hall’s rooftop observatory includes a telescope 11.5 inches in diameter with a magnification power of 460 and a four-inch telescope for planetary and lunar observation.”
Beyond the Quad
 FACES Lab |
Each section of the LSU 1001 class takes different routes on their tours through campus. Some sections of the class visit the Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex, named for Boyd Professors Henry V. Howe and Richard J. Russell. The nationally known Forensic Anthropology Computer Enhancement Service, or FACES, Laboratory is found within the complex.
Researchers in the FACES Lab create age progressions and mold facial reconstructions from clay. Their efforts aid law enforcement agencies in the investigations of missing and/or unidentified persons.
Another must-see on the LSU 1001 tours is the LSU Union. There, students and faculty/staff can grab a bite to eat at the Tiger Lair food court or at the cafes, restaurants, and other food vendors. The Union also includes a barbershop, travel agency, bank and ATM machines, a post office, and the LSU Bookstore.
In front of the Union is Free Speech Alley, an open forum for debate and promotion. In the 1960s and 1970s, Free Speech Alley was filled with war demonstrations and passionate speeches. Today, students and campus organizations continue to use the alley to promote events, raise money, survey students, and speak their minds.
While the tours and campus locations may vary, LSU 1001 serves as a constant reminder of the traditions and singular qualities of the University.
Contact Erin Fink | LSU
University Relations
Highlights Team
Summer 2005
| ABOUT THE AUTHOR | |
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Name: Erin Hometown: DeRidder, Louisiana Major: Mass Communication Classification: Graduated May 2005 Student Organizations: PRSSA, BCM Favorite Book: To Kill a Mockingbird Favorite Movie:Dead Poets’ Society Favorite Web site: cnn.com |
| Erin is a student writer in the LSU office of University Relations where she is given the opportunity to write press releases and feature stories as well as work on the LSU Web Highlights. “I am a mass communication major with minors in political science and history which makes LSU the perfect place for me. I work with professionals in my field, live five minutes away from the state capitol and attend football games in a stadium built by Huey P. Long. How many university students across the country can say that?” | |
