NEWS

Two celebratory ceremonies today marked the beginning of the building phase of Louisiana Tech University’s two newest facilities: the Origin Bank Center for Student-Athlete Success in Joe Aillet Stadium and the Forest Products Innovation Center on South Campus.

“The two remarkable additions to our physical environment we celebrated today are tangible advances of our work in transformational learning and research,” said Louisiana Tech President Jim Henderson. “The industry partners, policymakers, and supporters who made these projects possible got a first-hand view of the promise of their efforts, a promise that will be fulfilled by dedicated Tech faculty and staff, a promise that will be manifested in generations of Tech graduates to come.”

The morning ceremony, held near the north end zone in Joe Aillet Stadium, was an official groundbreaking for the Origin Bank Center for Student-Athlete Success. Made possible through both state funding and private donations, the facility will serve as a significant educational space that will provide world-class academic, wellness, and leadership resources for all LA Tech student-athletes. Origin Bank, the official bank of Louisiana Tech Athletics, is the naming partner for the state-of-the-art facility after making the largest corporate gift ever to the University.

“Today’s groundbreaking marks more than the start of a new facility — it represents a longstanding partnership committed to the growth, well-being, and long-term success of student-athletes,” said Drake Mills, chairman, president, and CEO of Origin Bancorp, Inc. “We believe in connecting people to their dreams, and the Origin Bank Center for Student-Athlete Success will provide a space to develop individuals to grow into all they can be.”

The Success Center is the latest installment in a multiphase enhancement of Joe Aillet Stadium that has already seen the additions of the Sarah and A.L. Williams Champions Plaza as well as the LED ribbon board and video board, which will stand over the facility once construction is complete.

“Our student-athletes tirelessly train to advance their skills for competition,” said LA Tech Athletics Director Ryan Ivey. “The Origin Bank Center for Student-Athlete Success will provide a vital space for them to train and advance their knowledge for the classroom. We appreciate our generous donors and the State of Louisiana for making an investment that will enhance Tech’s ability to prepare students for life and career success.”

In the afternoon, University personnel, state officials, and private partners gathered again on Tech’s South Campus for a special celebration and toast in honor of the Forest Products Innovation Center. The FPIC will provide space for a transdisciplinary approach to solving the challenges associated with the timber industry, a sector that employs more than 37,000 Louisianans. The new building will provide space for research collaborations, not only within the forestry industry, but also with other state and national industry partners. Academic programs in forestry, agriculture, biology, engineering, science, and other disciplines will all contribute to the learning, research, and service created by the FPIC.

“The Forest Products Innovation Center will serve as a resource for forestry education, research, and discovery in support of a multibillion-dollar Louisiana industry,” said Gary Kennedy, dean of the College of Applied and Natural Sciences. “The center will include chemistry and analytical labs, an engineered wood products lab, and a wood products testing lab, all aimed at advancing the innovative application of wood-related products and enhancing the educational experience of students within our forestry program.”

The creation of the FPIC is made possible with help from the likes of RoyOMartin, Hunt Forest Products, Bakelite Synthetics, Arclin, Weyerhaeuser, and the Pipes Foundation. Once it’s operational, its work will also be supported with help from grants via organizations like the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“The center will play a key role in driving research and identifying sustainable solutions for wood products,” said Roy Martin III, chairman and CEO of RoyOMartin. “I look forward to collaborating and working together in the new state-of-the-art center, where transformational discoveries will become innovative solutions, successfully increasing forest productivity in the region. The recent closure of the Campti IP papermill heightens the urgency of this project as the demand for kraft paper continues to decline. To support the forest products industry’s current levels of employment, we must find viable new products to make with our vast timber resource, Louisiana’s number one crop.”

Both projects have an expected completion date of Fall 2026.