Dr. Christopher Holoman, president of Centenary College, said a new partnership allowing Centenary seniors to enroll early into Louisiana State University Shreveport’s (LSUS) Masters of Liberal Arts (MLA) program is a “win-win.”
Dr. Holoman and Dr. Robert T. Smith, chancellor of LSUS, signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, on Centenary’s campus. The MOU says Centenary seniors may apply to LSUS’ MLA program so they can take classes toward their graduate degree during their last year of undergraduate work. Centenary students must have a GPA of 3.5 or above to be eligible for the dual enrollment, and they will be eligible for graduate assistantship (GA) which provides a tuition waiver and compensation.
“Research has shown that being able to lay out a path for students from the very beginning leads to more success as undergraduates,” said Dr. Christopher Holoman. “They can build on their great liberal arts skills here into a graduate degree from LSUS and further employment. It’s a win-win all around.”
“It’s really beneficial both campuses,” said Dr. Smith. “What’s clear is that students in their senior year at Centenary can start to take graduate classes and get a leg up on their graduate program at LSU Shreveport.”
Centenary students with a 3.0 GPA or above may apply for early acceptance to LSUS’ MLA program and attend after graduating. The agreement also allows Centenary faculty to apply for graduate faculty status at LSUS allowing them to teach courses for the MLA program. Faculty and staff from both Centenary and LSUS may serve as visiting scholars at each other’s schools and take advantage of online training each offers.
“It just makes economic sense for us to utilize the great resources at LSUS,” said Dr. Holoman. “We have our own graduate programs, of course, but it doesn’t make sense to duplicate when there’s already an outstanding program in town.” He said LSUS also benefits from having the outstanding students who graduate from Centenary. Both Dr. Holoman and Dr. Smith agree that this will also be good for the Shreveport-Bossier area.
“It’s beneficial for the region because when students complete graduate degrees – and undergraduate degrees – in the city of Shreveport, they’re more likely to stay here, work here, and build lives here,” said Smith.
This is the second such agreement between both 4-year institutions. Centenary and LSUS signed a similar memorandum of understanding in June allowing Centenary undergraduates to enroll in LSUS’s Master of Public Health program.