LAKE CHARLES - SOWELA Technical Community College students can now attend all McNeese Athletics sporting events for free with a student ID as part of an initiative between the academic institutions to enhance student engagement. SOWELA students will not need a ticket to attend events but must show their SOWELA student ID upon entry to access the athletic competitions.
 
"We are excited to partner with McNeese to offer our students the opportunity to attend collegiate athletic events," said Executive Director of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Allison Dering. "With so many completing a transferable degree at SOWELA and continuing their studies at McNeese, this is a great way for our students to acclimate to college life at a larger campus."
 
In addition, McNeese Athletics donated 200 tickets for each home football game to SOWELA faculty and staff. On Saturday, October 15, SOWELA will host a student tailgate spot located in The Grove along Common Street. Students and alumni can watch SOWELA social media pages for more details. 
 
"I'm excited to give SOWELA students, faculty and staff the opportunity to be a part of our campus community and game day experience—it's a win, win for everyone," said McNeese Director of Athletics Heath Schroyer. "Sports is a great way to bring our two academic communities together."
 
SOWELA has four transfer agreements with McNeese State University giving SOWELA graduates the opportunity to continue their education at a four-year university as a junior. During the 2021-2022 academic year, half of SOWELA graduates transferring to a four-year university transferred to McNeese.
 
For more information, contact SOWELA's One Stop Enrollment Office at onestop@sowela.edu or call (337) 421-6550.