Louisiana State University is designated a Carnegie Research I University and one of a handful of distinguished universities in the US designated as a Land-Grant, Sea-Grant, and Space-Grant university. The LSU campus, located in the southern part of Baton Rouge, is bordered on the west by the Mississippi River. Baton Rouge is the capital city of Louisiana and has a population of 500,000. Our subtropical climate makes outdoor activities popular year round and the city has thriving cultural activities including a symphony, ballet and theatre. Our proximity to the city of New Orleans and Acadiana parish provide easy access to annual events such as Mardi Gras, Jazzfest, the Festival Internationale de la Louisianne and dozens of other regional festivals. There's always something interesting and enjoyable going on in this part of Louisiana.