MSU Athletics

Midwestern State University thrived during Dr. Louis J. Rodriguez's 19-year tenure as the school's President from Jan. 1, 1981 until his retirement at the close of the 1999-00 scholastic year.

Dr. Rodriguez served as President of the Association of Texas Colleges and Universities (ATCU) and on the Board of Directors of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). He represented AASCU and the United States in an international conference held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Dr. Rodriguez published 50 articles in the fields of economics and education. He co-authored two books - The Economics of Education and Midwestern State University in Photographs. Dr. Rodriguez has also edited and co-edited two other volumes - Dynamics of Growth: An Economic Profile of Texas and The Texas Economy: 21st Century Challenges.

A native of New Jersey, Rodriguez began his career as an educator at Nicholls State (La.) University as a professor of economics. He obtained a bachelor's degree in economics and history from Rutgers Unviersity-Newark. His master's degree in international trade and the Ph.D. in economics and finance were earned from Louisiana State University.

Dr. Rodriguez was named an Alcee Fortier Distinguished Professor of Economics at Nicholls State. Additionally, he was the recipient of a postdoctorial Ford Foundation grant at the University of Texas, was a Case Western Reserve University Economics-In-Action Fellow and a U.S. Department of State Fulbright Fellow to Uruguay.

In 1988, Rodriguez was named one of the distinguished alumni at Rutgers University-Newark. He was selected in 1991 as one of the three most supportive presidents nationwide by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE).

Dr. Rodriguez remained active in the Wichita Falls community during his presidency. He served as Chairman of the Wichita Falls Board of Commerce and Industry, President of the Rotary Clubof Wichita Falls and President of the local United Way. In 1986, he was selected as "Wichitan of the Year" by the Wichita Falls City Magazine. The Sales and Marketing Executives selected him as Wichita Falls "Salesman of the Year" in 1987. A member of the Board of Trustees of the Priddy Foundation and the MSU Charitable Trust, Rodriguez has also served on the Board of Trustees of several other Wichita Falls organizations.

An avid supporter of MSU Athletics, Rodriguez presided over the re-instatement of football as well as the addition of volleyball and women's soccer as varsity sports as Midwestern made the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II.