FIRST PERSON with Dr. Wade Rousse, McNeese State University President

It’s a brand new day at McNeese with a new president.

As the 8th president in McNeese State University’s 85-year history, Dr. Wade Rousse takes on the leadership role at a time when the university is emerging from four challenging years following a historic series of natural disasters that devastated the campus. In addition to overseeing the ongoing rebuilding process that is approximately 50 percent complete, he is also faced with addressing declining enrollment and the state’s cumulative disinvestment in higher education.

It may sound like a daunting scenario, but Dr. Rousse is embarking on this new chapter with the characteristic energy, drive and passion for which he has become known. “This is an unprecedented time for transformative change at McNeese,” he says. “The challenges we face are daunting, but they also create incredible opportunities to reshape not only our campus, but also the overall student experience.”

Dr. Rousse’s background makes him uniquely qualified to take the helm at McNeese at this moment in its history. He brings 26 years of combined experience in industry, government, and academia to the president’s office. After three years as a student at McNeese, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in business from Nicholls State University, a master’s in business administration from the University of New Orleans and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He spent the first part of his career in the private sector in the marine transportation industry. He worked his way up from an hourly laborer to becoming a partner at Maritime Logistics, and eventually played a key role in successfully selling the company. After advancing his academic degrees, Dr. Rousse was a member of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and on staff at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago while serving as a visiting lecturer of economics at the University of Illinois – Chicago. He was an associate dean at The W.A. Franke College of Business and the interim director of the Alliance Bank Economic Policy Institute, both at Northern Arizona University (NAU). In 2019, Dr. Rousse returned to McNeese State University where he served as dean of the College of Business, vice president of University Advancement, and then executive vice president, before being named president.

Thrive spoke with Dr. Rousse about stepping into the role of university president.

Where did your story begin and what led to your interest in education?

I grew up in Golden Meadow, a small town in Lafourche Parish. From a very young age, the importance of education was a focus in my life, thanks to my mother. When I say we were poor – we were poor – but we were rich in love and that made all the difference. I remember our conversations over dinner were always about education, from what I had learned that day to what I was going to study in college. Going to college was never a question; it was always part of our plan. I got a partial football scholarship to McNeese and I’ll never forget the day my parents dropped me off on campus. Mom was so emotional and crying. In hindsight, I can imagine how she felt and I’m forever grateful for the sacrifices they made to get me to that day.

Returning to McNeese was full circle for you. How does that feel?

When I think of my undergraduate college years, it’s always McNeese I think of, although some changes in circumstances led to me finishing my degree closer to home at Nicholls. The three years I spent at McNeese provided the foundation for everything that came after in my life. Coach Sonny Jackson was an incredible mentor who made sure I stayed focused on my education and getting a degree. Returning here in 2019 felt like coming home – and it still feels that way. I’m so excited about taking on this new role and being able to give back to the university that gave me my start. My entire journey has been preparing me for this position, and I could not be more excited about what lies ahead.

What are your immediate priority goals for McNeese?

There are many, but here are my top 3:

1) Enrollment. We must stabilize enrollment to stabilize the budget. The primary university objective will be recruitment at all levels: high school graduates, online students, adult learners and more. We must focus on growth strategies that create exceptional McNeese student experiences. This will increase enrollment, retention and community engagement.

2) Retention, which is a shared responsibility of everyone who works here. Improving campus morale through improved communication and shared governance will play a big part in this. We will be very entrepreneurial in our leadership style and creative in structuring the university so there are true metrics for success – like those in other industries. The objectives will be clear and quantifiable, benefiting our entire team.

3) Job placement. I’m a firm believer that the market dictates the value of your product and for us, that’s job placement. We will be laser-focused on tracking and improving this metric.

How will you improve the campus experience for students?

Ask me again in a few months! I’ll be getting some first-hand experience after my wife Angela and I move into a campus dorm in July. I feel strongly that I need to be on campus to fully understand what the student experience is – the good and the bad. Southwest Louisiana is truly a special place, with a warm, welcoming, family-like culture. As the regional university, McNeese’s campus should epitomize that by providing experiences that create the foundation for a successful life. Angela and I are a great team, and we are excited about immersing ourselves more into student life so we can work to improve that experience for our students.

What do you expect McNeese will be like in five years?

McNeese will have a reinvigorated student experience on campus, along with a very engaged community that is drawn toward us and our campus through a variety of cultural, academic and athletic events. We will have a dynamic, market-driven curriculum in place that gives our graduates the skillset to be gainfully employed on day one after graduation, and more importantly, to possess the curiosity to be pioneers in their discipline and continue to learn throughout their career. Job placement rates will have increased to actively support the workforce across Southwest Louisiana. I feel like this economic impact is the true benchmark of our success – a curriculum that is successful in fulfilling existing needs in our region. This will strengthen our economy, our community and our university.