Whereas, on February 18, 1825, the College of Louisiana was established by the State legislature in Jackson, Louisiana, where, in the young State, it quickly established itself as one of the leading colleges in the United States;

Whereas, in January 1826, the college opened its doors to its first class of students;

Whereas, in 1839, Centenary College was founded in Brandon Springs, Mississippi, under the auspices of the Mississippi Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, honoring the centennial of the ministry of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism;

Whereas, in 1845, the College of Louisiana and Centenary College merged to create Centenary College of Louisiana, which is today the oldest institution of higher learning in Louisiana, and the oldest chartered liberal arts college west of the Mississippi River;

Whereas Centenary College of Louisiana was debilitated by the loss of property and life during the Civil War and struggled to regain its prominence;

Whereas, in the early 20th century, a group of forward-thinking church, civil, and philanthropic leaders proposed relocating Centenary College of Louisiana to Shreveport, a move that was completed in 1908;

Whereas, in 1970, construction of the Gold Dome was completed and has since played host to countless athletic events, as well as to a President of the United States and an individual who would later become President;

Whereas, throughout its history in Northwest Louisiana, Centenary College of Louisiana has been a leading educator in its region, truly establishing itself as Shreveport-Bossier’s college, and has been consistently recognized as a nationally ranked liberal arts institution;

Whereas Centenary College of Louisiana generates significant economic benefit for the Northwest Louisiana region and enriches the local population with its cultural, intellectual, and athletic activities available to the public; and

Whereas Centenary College of Louisiana has grown markedly in its enrollment, academic programming, and extracurricular offerings in its last decade, reflective of its prominence as a comprehensive liberal arts institution: Now, therefore, be it