UL Lafayette鈥檚 Alumni Association鈥檚 annual Spring Gala will hold special meaning this year. Not only will this event serve as a fundraiser for the Alumni Association, it will also be the community鈥檚 opportunity to formally acknowledge retiring President Ray Authement and his wife Barbara.
Both will serve as honorees for the 12th annual gala on March 15 at the Cajundome Convention Center at 6:30 p.m.
鈥 Dr. and Mrs. Authement have dedicated their lives to our university and the betterment of our community. As his retirement draws near, selecting this special couple as our Spring Gala honorees was most appropriate this year and we are proud to host this opportunity for the community to enjoy this celebration with them,鈥 said Dan Hare, executive director of Louisiana鈥檚 Alumni Association.
Authement 鈥 the nation鈥檚 longest serving president of a public university 鈥 announced his retirement April 27. The couple have been married for 56 years and have two daughters. Most recently, the association honored Authement with its Outstanding Alumni Award and surprised Barbara with the Honorary Alumni Award - an award rarely given.
Under Authement鈥檚 guidance, UL Lafayette has become a major economic force in Acadiana. The university earned a national reputation in the fields of computer science, environmental and biological research and Francophone studies.
During his administration, the university became a selective admissions institution sand designated as a 鈥渞esearch university with high research activity鈥 by the Carnegie Foundation. He was a major force in successfully changing the name of the university from the University of Southwestern Louisiana to the 青青草视频. And since becoming UL Lafayette鈥檚 fifth president, Louisiana鈥檚 Ragin鈥 Cajuns have competed in NCAA Division I, the highest level of collegiate athletic competition.
He is also responsible for the development of University Research Park, which houses numerous national research centers, the LITE facility and a hotel.
Authement earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in physics from UL Lafayette in 1950. He later earned a master鈥檚 degree and Ph.D. from LSU in mathematics. He began teaching at UL Lafayette in 1962. He was named president in 1974.
The Spring Gala offers fine food, entertainment and both silent and live auctions, including original artwork, travel packages and Ragin鈥 Cajun merchandise. Mary Galyean, president-elect of the UL Lafayette Alumni Association, serves as chair of the Spring Gala and Melanie Martin, Alumni Council member, serves as auction chair.
Tickets are $200 per couple or $100 per individual. Corporate sponsor tables may be purchased for $5,000 or patron sponsor tables are available for $2,000. Cox Communications will be the Gala鈥檚 first presenting sponsor. Proceeds from the Gala are used for Alumni Center improvements.
To donate auction items or for more information, call 337-482-0900 or visit .