Letourneau University: Fun, Friends, And Future?

LeTourneau University is a private Christian university located in Longview, Texas. The university has a small student body, with an undergraduate enrollment of around 1,300-1,500 students. LeTourneau offers a variety of academic programs, with popular majors including Aeronautics and Aviation Technology, Elementary Education, and Mechanical Engineering. The university is known for its strong aviation and engineering programs, and its hands-on, practical approach to education. While the academics at LeTourneau are challenging, the university provides many resources and support for students. The student life at LeTourneau is also vibrant, with events planned by student organizations and around 50% of students participating in intramural sports. Overall, students report having a fun and positive experience at LeTourneau, with some noting that the university has a welcoming and friendly community.

Student life and social scene

LeTourneau University is a private, Christian university located in Longview, Texas. The university has a small-town, welcoming atmosphere, with a student body of around 1,300-1,500. The campus is known for its safety, cleanliness, and beauty, offering a quiet oasis for walking and historical items to see.

Social Activities and Events

The university offers a vibrant student life, with events every Friday to help students get involved. The YellowJacket Activities Council (YAC) and other student organisations plan around 40 events annually. These include sporting events, such as softball, flag football, and ultimate frisbee, which around 50% of on-campus students participate in.

There is also a thriving arts scene, with dance performances and shows at the Belcher Center, which is located on campus. The venue has hosted musicals, kids' shows, political speakers, and concerts, including a Pink Floyd laser show.

Student Accommodation and Dining

LeTourneau offers various types of student accommodation, including apartments for married and single students, as well as special housing for disabled and international students. However, some students have reported issues with residence life, including problems with mold, card readers breaking, and bats in the halls.

Dining options on campus have received mixed reviews. While some students praise the food at the Corner Cafe and the food court, others have criticised the quality and taste of the food, as well as the dining facilities.

Student Support and Community

The university provides a supportive community for its students, with accessible professors and a Christian atmosphere that encourages spiritual growth. The student-to-faculty ratio is around 13:1 or 15:1, allowing professors to spend time with students one-on-one.

The university also offers resources and broad office hours to help students with their challenging academics, especially in the predominantly STEM-focused courses.

Student Reviews

Reviews from students at LeTourneau University are mostly positive, with many praising the welcoming community, accessible professors, and spiritual focus of the university. The academics are described as challenging but rewarding, with a good return on investment. However, some students have noted issues with the quality of food and residence life, as well as a lack of extracurricular activities and a limited social scene.

Residence and food

LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas, offers a variety of housing options for its students. The university requires all unmarried students under the age of 22 who are not living with their parents or relatives to live in residence halls, on-campus apartments, or apply for a waiver to live off-campus.

On-Campus Housing Options

LeTourneau University offers several on-campus housing options, including residence halls and apartments.

Residence Halls

The residence halls at LeTourneau University provide central air conditioning and heat, with laundry facilities located nearby. The halls feature lounges for studying and socialising, as well as storage rooms with limited space for personal belongings. Most rooms are designed for two students and come furnished with beds, dressers, desks, chairs, bookcases, and closet space.

Apartments

The university operates two types of apartments: "Family and Married Student Housing" and upper-division student housing in the "Village Apartments."

Family and Married Student Housing: These apartments are available for married students and/or students with children. They are unfurnished and offer a kitchen, dining room, living room, two bedrooms, one bathroom, and an attic for storage. The kitchen is equipped with a refrigerator and an oven/range, and network connections are provided. Located in the Village Center, adjacent to the apartments, are laundry facilities, a playground, and a lounge.

Upper-Division Village Apartments: These apartments are designated as transitional living areas for qualified, non-married undergraduate students. They offer a quiet and mature environment with more privileges and freedoms for residents.

Dining Options

LeTourneau University's dining services are managed by Bon Appétit Management Company, which serves thousands of meals each week to students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Bon Appétit cooks meals from scratch and follows environmentally sound sourcing policies, with a focus on local purchasing, sustainable seafood, humanely raised meat and eggs, and farmworkers' rights.

The university offers two primary dining locations: the Corner Café dining hall and the Hive.

Corner Café

The Corner Café operates in an "All You Care to Eat" format, allowing students to choose from various stations, including pizza, healthy choices, casseroles, grill, chef's station, deli, salad bar, and dessert. Students can also pick up a box lunch if they have classes during the designated lunch hour.

The Hive

Located in the Allen Family Student Center, the Hive offers an à la carte dining format, where students can select what and how much they want to eat. Options include Grab-n-Go salads and sandwiches, a full-service taqueria, brick-oven pizza, a grill, and hard-scooped ice cream. A variety of coffee, tea, pastries, and bottled drinks are also available.

LeTourneau University offers four primary meal plan options to accommodate students' needs, with "Meals" and "Flex Money" that can be used at both the Corner Café and the Hive.

Sports and athletics

LeTourneau University is a private, Christian university located in Longview, Texas. It has a small student body, with an undergraduate enrollment of around 1,300 to 3,200 students. The university is primarily known for its strong academics and aviation and engineering programs, but it also offers a variety of athletic and recreational opportunities for its students.

The university's sports teams compete in the NCAA Division III, and it is part of the American Southwest Conference. While varsity sporting events are not a huge part of campus life, according to some student reviews, the university still offers a range of athletic and recreational activities for its students to participate in and enjoy.

One of the notable sports at LeTourneau University is basketball, with the university offering both men's and women's teams. The university also has a softball team, which one former student enjoyed playing for during their time at the university. Additionally, LeTourneau University offers track and field, with a dedicated website page for men's track and field.

The university's athletic and recreational facilities are highly rated by students, with 61% of students giving them a high rating in one review. This suggests that the university provides good infrastructure and resources for its students to stay active and participate in sports.

While the focus of the university may be more on academics and its renowned aviation and engineering programs, LeTourneau University still offers a range of athletic opportunities for its students to stay active and engage in competitive sports. The availability of multiple sports teams and the positive rating of the university's athletic facilities indicate that sports and athletics play an important role in the student experience at LeTourneau University.

Campus facilities

LeTourneau University is a private, Christian university located in Longview, Texas. The campus offers a variety of facilities for its students.

Housing

The university provides on-campus housing in 10 distinct living areas, including halls such as Davis Hall, South Hall, Thomas Hall, and Tyler Hall. These residence halls are designed to offer a comfortable living, sleeping, and studying environment.

Dining

LeTourneau University provides dining options for its students at the Corner Cafe. The university has received positive reviews for its dining services, with improvements noted from previous years.

Fitness

The Solheim Center offers a wide range of exercise spaces and equipment, including strength training machines, an aerobics and martial arts room, and an indoor running track. It serves as the hub for the university's athletic teams and intramural sports.

Athletics

LeTourneau University is a member of the American Southwest Conference, NCAA Division III. It offers a variety of men's and women's sports, including baseball, basketball, golf, cross-country, tennis, soccer, and track and field.

Student Organizations

There are approximately 50 recognised student organisations and clubs on campus, including the Rugby Club, Robotics Club, and Habitat for Humanity. Around 50% of traditional students participate in one or more intramural sports.

Events

The Yellow Jacket Council (YAC) coordinates events on campus, typically on weekends. Some of the events include Donut Thursday, Movie Night, Spirit Week, and Lake Day.

Other Campus Facilities

The university also provides special housing for disabled and international students. Additionally, LeTourneau University offers a virtual campus tour experience, allowing prospective students to explore campus facilities, residence halls, and engineering and aviation labs virtually.

Student support

LeTourneau University is a private, Christian university located in Longview, Texas. The university has a student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1, with 86 full-time faculty members, 80% of whom hold a doctorate or other terminal degree. This ratio ensures that professors can dedicate ample time to supporting their students' academic and personal growth.

The university's small class sizes, with an average of 16.2 students per class, foster a sense of community and allow for more personalised attention from instructors. This supportive environment extends beyond the classroom, with various resources available to promote student success. For instance, professors maintain broad office hours and are known for their willingness to help students individually.

Additionally, LeTourneau University offers a range of student support services, including special housing for disabled and international students. The university also provides a vibrant campus life with around 50 recognised student organisations. Approximately 50% of on-campus students participate in intramural sports such as softball, flag football, ultimate frisbee, and dodgeball.

The YellowJacket Activities Council (YAC) and other student organisations plan around 40 events annually, ensuring a lively social scene and opportunities for students to get involved. LeTourneau University's commitment to student support is evident in its high freshmen retention rate of 77%, indicating that most first-year students feel satisfied with their experience and choose to continue their studies at the university.

Frequently asked questions