Louisiana's oldest chartered liberal arts college west of the Mississippi, founded 1825.
Centenary offers 25 undergraduate arts and sciences programs and 2 graduate programs, including a newly relaunched Master of Educational Leadership (M.Ed.) hybrid program. The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and its music program holds accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music. All tenure-track faculty hold the highest degree in their fields, with an average class size of 9 students. The college reports a 94% medical school acceptance rate for graduates.
The 117-acre urban campus in Shreveport features the Dr. Ed Leuck Academic Arboretum with over 300 plant species, the Meadows Museum of Art (established 1975), Magale Library, and the Gold Dome athletic facility (capacity 3,000). Major buildings include Brown Memorial Chapel, Anderson Choral Building, and Mickle Hall for natural and physical sciences. Three-quarters of students participate in international educational experiences, including the signature Centenary in Paris program available to all first-year students.
Centenary welcomes individual campus visits, preview days, group tours, and virtual visits. Eligible students who complete an official campus visit may qualify for a renewable $1,000 campus visit scholarship. The college offers merit aid to 100% of first-year students; during 2021–2022, Centenary students received over $12.9 million in total financial aid.
Founded in 1825 as the College of Louisiana in Jackson, the institution merged with Centenary College in 1846 and relocated to Shreveport in 1908. The college received SACS accreditation in 1925. Notable alumni include Hall of Fame basketball player Robert Parish, golfer Hal Sutton, and numerous state and federal officials. The college revived its football program in 2024 after a 77-year hiatus.