University of Louisiana at Lafayette The University of Louisiana at Lafayette , or UL Lafayette , is a coeducational , public , research university located in Lafayette , in the U . S . state of Louisiana . It has the largest enrollment within the nine - campus University of Louisiana System and has the second largest enrollment in Louisiana . Founded in 1898 as an industrial school , the institution developed into a four - year university during the twentieth century and became known by its present name in 1999 . Concurrently the university evolved into a national research and doctoral university as noted by its Carnegie categorization as a RU / H : research university ( high research activity ) . It offers Louisiana ' s only Ph . D . in francophone studies and Louisiana ' s only industrial design degree . The university has achieved several milestones in computer science , engineering and architecture . It is also home to a distinct College of the Arts . UL Lafayette ' s campus consists of 137 acre s ( 554 , 000 m² ) lined by live oak trees planted in 1900 . Its quadrangle is encircled by a " Walk of Honor " path which contains more than 80 , 000 bricks bearing the names of every graduate , beginning with the first graduating class of 1903 . Campus and other facilities . Also centered in the main campus is Cypress Lake , a swamp - like microcosm of the nearby Atchafalaya Basin , home to alligators , turtles , birds and fish . Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum The Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum permanent collection consists of more than 1 , 500 works of art , including paintings , prints , drawings , sculptures and photographs . This collection represents 18th , 19th and 20th century Louisiana , as well as the United States , Europe and Japan . Traveling shows featuring work from national and internationally known artists such as Mark Rothko , James McNeil Whistler , Andrew Wyeth , Christopher Rauschenberg , Robert Rauschenberg , Deborah Butterfield and Pablo Picasso have been featured regularly . The museum also holds " end - of - the - semester " art shows featuring thesis work of graduating students of College of the Arts . KRVS radio station KRVS 88 . 7FM is a listener - supported public radio station facility currently licensed to UL Lafayette . KRVS operates on campus , located in Burke - Hawthorne Hall and plays Louisiana roots music such as Cajun , Zydeco , Swamp Rock , Swamp Pop , Blues , Jazz , and a variety of other programs . KRVS currently broadcasts to 651 , 000 residents in the Acadiana area of Louisiana . KRVS also broadcasts live from Festival International every April in support of local art and music . Research . The university is a member of the Southeastern Universities Research Association and is categorized as a Carnegie RU / H : Research University ( high research activity ) . UL Lafayette reported $ 51 million in external research funding from state , federal , private and self - generated funds for 2008 . The university was rated one of the top 100 public research universities in the nation according to a 2010 report by The Nelson A . Rockefeller Institute of Government . In 2012 , it became the first Louisiana university designated as an NSF Industry / University Cooperative Research Center . Wetlands research . The biology department has several distinguished professors who are contributing significantly to research on restoration of Louisiana ' s coastal wetlands . Several research projects are in partnership with the National Wetlands Research Center housed in the university ' s research park . LITE . In 2006 the university inaugurated the $ 29M technology initiative LITE Center , which offers the largest known three - dimensional - immersive auditorium for visualization of fully interactive 3D model s and data sets for seismic analysis , computer - aided modeling , product stress test analysis and a host of other applications that require visualization of large data sets for scientists . The center collaborates with students in the architecture , engineering , computer science fields as well as others , allowing use of its facilities to increase local business and furthering of the technological economy in Lafayette . Some of the UL Lafayette research projects using or supported by LITE include : Academic profile . UL Lafayette is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools . All undergraduate programs at UL Lafayette that are eligible for accreditation by professional agencies are accredited . The UL Lafayette Honors Program is an active member of the Louisiana , Southern Regional , and National Honors Councils . The university graduates about 1 , 100 students each fall and spring . The university offers 78 undergraduate degree programs , 27 master ' s degree programs , and 8 Doctor of Philosophy programs , which include applied language and speech sciences , biology , computer engineering , computer science , educational leadership , English , francophone studies and mathematics . UL Lafayette has 10 colleges and schools : Colleges and departments . College of the Arts < br > The only Louisiana university with a separate College of the Art s , it combines architecture , the visual arts and the performing arts . The college offers the only industrial design degree in Louisiana . B . I . Moody III College of Business Administration < br > Originally named the College of Commerce , it was established in 1952 and renamed the College of Business Administration in 1980 . In 2003 it was renamed the B . I . Moody III College of Business Administration after a donor to the college ' s endowment . College of Education College of Engineering General Studies Graduate School < br > The school offers the only doctoral program in francophone studies in Louisiana . The school ' s doctoral program in cognitive science is in the process of being phased out . College of Liberal Arts < br > The college offers Louisiana ' s only minor in LGBT studies . College of Nursing & Allied Health Professions Ray P . Authement College of Sciences University College Academic achievements . University press UL Press is the largest academic publisher of Louisiana - related works and the second - largest academic publisher overall in the state . The press has been publishing since 1973 and previously imprinted under the Center for Louisiana Studies prior to 2009 . The press is the only press for the UL system and publishes works beyond the nine - campuses . Louisiana History The journal " Louisiana History " is published quarterly through UL Lafayette by the Louisiana Historical Association . LHA was founded in New Orleans in 1889 . Louisiana Center for Cultural & Eco - Tourism The center ' s research division houses the world ' s largest collection of Cajun and Creole folklore , oral history , and folklife materials and some of the nation ' s largest microfilm collections of French and Spanish colonial records . CajunBot In 2004 , UL Lafayette students and faculty produced CajunBot , one of 25 autonomous vehicles that competed in the U . S . Department of Defense 2004 & 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge s as well as the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge . CajunBot , which was featured on CNN and on the Discovery Channel science series Robocars , used artificial intelligence and GPS positioning to navigate a designated route while detecting and avoiding obstacles . CAPE A group of UL Lafayette engineering students participating in the Cajun Advanced Picosatellite Experiment ( CAPE ) built a small artificial satellite , known as a CubeSat , that was launched into orbit from the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2007 . BeauSoleil In January 2008 , The UL Lafayette School of Architecture Design was selected to participate in the 2009 Solar Decathlon . The entry of the Louisiana Solar Home named BeauSoleil took first place in market viability and was awarded the " People ' s Choice " . Student life . UL Lafayette students represent fifty - three states and possessions . More than seven hundred come from outside the United States . Organizations . Student Organizations : Young Professional Organization Chapters : UL Lafayette offers a variety of young professional organizations associated with fields of study that routinely perform public services and interact with as well as promote local economic and environmental growth , public service projects or awareness . Academic National Organizations " Vermilion " Newspaper UL Lafayette publishes a weekly newspaper , established in 1904 , named the " Vermilion " Newspaper . The newspaper is run by a student staff with faculty oversight and features local stories on music , art , business and campus events . The newspaper also works closely with the local newspaper The " Lafayette Daily Advertiser " concerning printing of the publication . The newspaper has a running tradition of publishing an " April Fool ' s " edition in which humorous and satirical stories are printed . The " Vermilion " has earned many SPJ journalist awards for published work since its inception . The " Vermilion " has changed formats many times in its inception , ranging from a magazine cover and layout , to a traditional newspaper format . It has also run various in - house projects chronicling the night life and cultural events in Lafayette in an attempt to connect students with the local culture . " L ' Acadien " Yearbook Instituted in the first years of the University , " L ' Acadien " yearbook is an annual publication chronicling the events and student life on campus . The Yearbook is staffed by students with a faculty oversight . The staff then holds a " Yearbook Day " in the Student Union passing out free yearbooks as soon as they are published . The staff holds positions that include graphic designers and journalists , among others . Greek life UL Lafayette has several social , Greek - letter fraternities and sororities that date back to 1920 . Athletics . UL Lafayette ' s sports teams participate in NCAA Division I ( I FBS for football ) in the Sun Belt Conference . The Ragin ' Cajuns compete in 16 NCAA sports teams ( 8 men ' s , 8 women ' s teams ) , including baseball , basketball ( men ' s and women ' s ) , cross country ( men ' s and women ' s ) , football , softball , women ' s soccer , women ' s volleyball , men ' s golf , tennis ( men ' s and women ' s ) , and track and field ( men ' s and women ' s , indoor and outdoor ) . The athletic program formally began in 1904 with a track and field program . In recent years , the softball team has been among the most successful of all Ragin ' Cajun teams , having won nine regular season championships , nine conference tournament championships , and earning five appearances in the Women ' s College World Series . The baseball , men ' s tennis , men ' s basketball , and football teams have won conference championships . In 2011 , the football team won the New Orleans Bowl championship . In 2012 , The Ragin ' Cajuns played again for the second consecutive year in the R + L Carrier ' s New Orleans Bowl , and won against East Carolina University with a score of 43 - 34 . Notable people . UL Lafayette is home to many alumni who have held posts as business bellwethers , government and military leaders , Olympic and professional athletes , artists and entertainers . For example , from literature : James Lee Burke , Pulitzer nominee , best known for his " Dave Robicheaux " series ; from entertainment Marc Breaux , choreographer of movies such as " Mary Poppins " , " The Sound of Music " , " Chitty Chitty Bang Bang " , and Richard Simmons , TV fitness personality ; from government : Kathleen Blanco , former Louisiana governor ( 2004 – 2008 ) , John Breaux , former US senator ( 1987 – 2005 ) , and Paul Hardy , former Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana . Two military alumni Charles B . DeBellevue and Jefferson J . DeBlanc were recognized as flying ace s ; DeBlanc also was awarded the Medal of Honor . Captain Steven L . Bennett was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 1974 . Ace Charles B . DeBellevue and Medal of Honor recipient Steven L . Bennett were members of the ROTC program and both entered active duty with the Air Force after graduating in 1968 . Several distinguished faculty members have taught at the university , such as John Kennedy Toole , Pulitzer Prize - winning author of " A Confederacy of Dunces " , and Ernest J . Gaines , nominated for a Nobel Prize in Literature and a Pulitzer Prize for fiction , Paul Prudhomme , American celebrity chef , Elemore Morgan , Jr . , internationally known landscape painter , and Burton Raffel , poet noted for his translation of Cervantes ' s " Don Quixote " . Several football alumni have played in the National Football League , including Jake Delhomme ( retired ) , Brian Mitchell ( retired ) , Brandon Stokley ( Denver Broncos ) , Ike Taylor ( Pittsburgh Steelers ) , Charles Tillman ( Chicago Bears ) and Richie Cunningham ( retired ) . Several baseball alumni have played in the Major Leagues , including Ron Guidry , retired ( New York Yankees ) , who won the Cy Young Award . Kim Perrot played for the Houston Comets , helping them to win two WBNA championships . Other alumni include Olympic track and field medalist Hollis Conway and world - title trampolinist Leigh Hennessy , who holds the record for winning the most US national championships for women . Two alumni were inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame : Chris Cagle and Weldon Humble .