Commencement Speaker

Charles  E.  Richard  is a  Louisiana  native who  earned  his undergraduate degree in creative writing at Georgia State University in 1990, and immediately returned to his home state. By the  time  he earned  his graduate  degree  from  LSU,  he was  an associate  producer  on  a  one-hour  documentary,  An  American Utopia, which  PBS distributed nationally in 1996. In addition to a host of commissioned film projects, he has written, directed and/or produced  more  than  a  dozen  documentaries  through  Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB) centered on Louisiana culture and history.

His 2003 book Louisiana: An Illustrated History, now in its third printing, is a companion to a documentary series he wrote for LPB celebrating Louisiana's bicentennial. Louisiana: A History, based on years of research, received a host of awards including an Emmy, the Alfred I. Dupont Columbia Award, seven Telly Awards, and a New York Film Festival Award; the series is LPB's most prestigious work to date. Professor Richard is quick to acknowledge that the projects he undertakes are collaborative in nature and that filmmaking is an interdisciplinary enterprise he relishes.

In 2005, UL Lafayette recruited Charles Richard to design and implement a film program. Under his leadership, Cinematic Arts students have produced award-winning documentaries  shown  in the U.S. and at the Cannes Film Festival in France. Charles Richard holds the Joseph P. Montiel/Board of Regents Endowed Professorship in English and was the recipient of the 2014
Distinguished Professor Award.

Read his full Commencement address.