Tiger Fans,
July 1st marks the beginning of a new fiscal year for our state and for LSU. Just a few days ago, it looked as if that day would have seen devastating cuts to higher education across Louisiana. But today we look forward to July 1st because of the efforts of our leaders and public servants who found difficult solutions to significant challenges.
On behalf of the hundreds of student-athletes who call LSU home, and the hundreds more who will arrive on our campus for years to come, I want to say thank you to those leaders who worked so diligently to protect higher education in Louisiana. Most especially, I want to thank Governor John Bel Edwards for his leadership on this all-important issue. He, and so many others, made clear their commitment to the future of this great state by their words and actions.
The effort to grow and protect higher education and our future in Louisiana is a reminder to me of who we are at LSU Athletics. We strive to win at the highest levels, compete for championships, build the very best in facilities and ensure the LSU brand is held high as one of the top institutions in college athletics. And we do all of those things. But at our core we provide access to higher education to hundreds of student-athletes every year. And then we offer those student-athletes a level of academic support and opportunity that is unmatched in our conference.
Academic achievement is a department-wide commitment because we know that education will have a generational impact in the lives of our student-athletes and on the future of our entire state. When our student-athletes graduate – and they are doing so at a record-high rate at LSU – they have achieved something that holds an almost incalculable value personally and professionally. Providing access to that education and supporting our student-athletes every step of the way is an extraordinary privilege for all of us at LSU Athletics.
There is no doubt, LSU’s student-athletes are a source of pride for me and for all of us in Louisiana. They represent the very best of who we are and deserve all the support and admiration we can give them. As we move into the fall and begin our new sports seasons, I cannot wait to join again with the greatest fans in American to cheer on our student-athletes as they represent the purple and gold on and off the field with excellence and pride.
Geaux Tigers!
Joe