Hardee named Undergraduate Student Leader of the Year at LSU

Kaplan High School graduate Colt Hardee received LSU’s Undergraduate Student Leader of the Year award at the annual Love Purple Live Gold Awards Banquet this month.
Hardee, 20, is an LSU sophomore who is majoring in Agribusiness. He is also president of The Agribusiness Club. The Club was also named LSU’s Student Organization of the Year.
“I am very thankful and humbled to receive this recognition,” said Hardee. “I told my folks not to come to the banquet because I thought my chances of winning were very slim and they would probably end up wasting gas to see me lose. However, sure enough, the Cajun from Kaplan ended up winning.”
Hardee, who has a 4.0 grade point average at LSU, said he owedeverything to God, his family, teachers, high school coaches, and the
Kaplan community for instilling life lessons and raising him into the leader he is today.
The undergraduate student leader award is presented to a sophomore or junior who has made a significant contribution to the quality of life at LSU. The student selected for this award will have demonstrated his or her commitment to LSU by making a significant improvement in one or more areas of campus life such as academics, athletics, Greek Life, student governance, student involvement, wellness, service or recreational sports.
Hardee’s love for Cajun Culture led him to create a Cajun Club. He has also made a positive influence on LSU by bringing Cajun music to campus through his accordion playing and singing.
He said he started the Cajun Club because of the lack of Cajun Culture and good Cajun food and music at LSU.
“I wanted this organization to serve as a way to teach people the traditions, lifestlyles and history of the Cajun Culture.”
When he graduates in two years, he will return to LSU to get his master’s degree and then has plans to work in the agriculture business.
Winning the Undergraduate Student Leader award is also a plus to put on his resumé.
“This is a tremendous honor, and it is only the beginning of a glorified life that God has planned for me,” he added. “It will show employers that I am capable of being a leader in their company and it
will hopefully give me a competitive edge.”