Fun Fact Friday with Special Collections – Edwin L. Stephens Papers

Stephens Hall was constructed in 1940 dedicated as the Stephens Memorial Library and was named after Dr. Edwin Lewis Stephens, UL Lafayette’s first president. The building was solely dedicated to functioning as a library, before the building of the Edith Garland Dupré Library in 1960, where today it is now one of the University’s computing centers.

Dr. Edwin L. Stephens was only 27 years old when he was named president of the Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute. SLI was created by the Louisiana Legislature in 1898 with no campus, no faculty, and no students. It was all up to Dr. Stephens to build the University from the ground up. He was known by his colleagues as an inspiring leader who encouraged faculty and students. During his administration he established the alumni association and started the construction of the DeClouet, Foster, and O.K. Allen halls, and what was known as the Main Building.

Special Collections contains the Edwin L. Stephens Papers which consists of a large collection of correspondence and other miscellaneous materials while he was president. The University Archives also contains pictures of Stephens Hall during its time as the library of the University.