Louisiana State University (LSU) is launching a new honors degree program designed to address the state’s persistent “brain drain” – the emigration of highly educated young people to other states for opportunities. The initiative, spearheaded by the Ogden Honors College, aims to retain top talent within Louisiana by offering a curriculum focused on leadership development and interdisciplinary thinking.
The new program, a Bachelor of Arts degree called Honors TRACTS (Traditions in Critical Thought and Scholarship), is intended to complement any major at LSU. Core courses will emphasize historical, political and cultural ideas, alongside the development of leadership skills. According to LSU officials, the program is designed to attract high-achieving students not only from within Louisiana but also from across the nation.
The issue of brain drain has long plagued Louisiana, with its most promising students often seeking educational and employment prospects elsewhere. This outflow of talent poses a significant threat to the state’s future workforce and economic competitiveness. The Ogden Honors College’s new curriculum represents a direct response to this challenge, seeking to create a compelling reason for students to remain in Louisiana after graduation.
“This new degree program puts us in the vanguard of the nation’s honors colleges by making us a degree-granting institution,” said Dean Jonathan Earle of the Ogden Honors College. The shift to offering a full degree, rather than simply an honors designation alongside another major, signals a significant investment in attracting and retaining top students.
Associate Dean Drew Lamonica Arms, a Rhodes Scholar who played a key role in designing the Honors TRACTS curriculum, highlighted the program’s emphasis on interdisciplinary learning, critical thinking, and effective communication. She explained that the curriculum is specifically designed to benefit students in highly technical fields like Biological Sciences and Business, providing them with a broader intellectual foundation to complement their specialized training.
“The advantages of such a degree to, say, a Biological Sciences or Business major—majors that are highly technical—are tremendous,” Lamonica Arms stated. This suggests the program isn’t intended to steer students *away* from STEM or business fields, but rather to enhance their capabilities within those disciplines.
The program’s focus on leadership development is also noteworthy. Louisiana, like many states, faces ongoing challenges in cultivating a strong pipeline of future leaders. By explicitly incorporating leadership training into the curriculum, LSU aims to equip its graduates with the skills and perspectives needed to address complex issues and drive positive change.
The launch of the Honors TRACTS program comes as LSU also celebrates successes in attracting external recognition for its students. Five Ogden Honors students and recent graduates have been awarded Fulbright Scholarships for the 2025-2026 academic year, allowing them to pursue research, study, and teaching opportunities abroad. 74 LSU students, including those from the Ogden Honors College, were selected for the highly competitive Astronaut Scholarship, recognizing their excellence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
These achievements underscore the existing strength of LSU’s academic programs and the potential of its students. The Honors TRACTS program is intended to build on this foundation, creating a more robust ecosystem for attracting and retaining talent within the state. The program’s success will likely be measured not only by the number of students it attracts but also by the long-term impact its graduates have on Louisiana’s economy, and society.
The initiative represents a broader trend among universities to proactively address regional economic challenges. Universities are increasingly viewed as key drivers of economic development, and initiatives like the Honors TRACTS program demonstrate a commitment to aligning academic programs with the needs of the state. Whether this new curriculum will be enough to reverse the long-standing trend of brain drain remains to be seen, but it represents a significant step in that direction.
The new degree program is particularly relevant given the competitive landscape for attracting and retaining skilled workers. States across the country are vying for talent, and Louisiana faces an uphill battle against states with more robust economies and perceived greater opportunities. LSU’s investment in the Honors TRACTS program signals a recognition of this challenge and a determination to position Louisiana as a more attractive destination for ambitious students.
The program’s emphasis on interdisciplinary thinking and ethical reasoning is also likely to appeal to a generation of students who are increasingly focused on purpose-driven careers. Many students are seeking educational experiences that not only prepare them for specific jobs but also equip them with the skills and values needed to make a positive impact on the world. The Honors TRACTS program appears to be designed with this mindset in mind.
