L’Acadien yearbook earns fifth first-place evaluation in past six years

In January, UL Lafayette’s yearbook, L’Acadien, earned a first-place ranking in an evaluation from Prejean Creative, a nationally recognized branding, advertising and design firm.

The 2025 edition of L’Acadien, which features a stained-glass fleur-de-lis and textured bricks on the cover, was cited for excellence in content presentation, general page design, photography, creativity and publication structure. 

 “This edition of the yearbook was created to represent UL Lafayette’s diversity. We used the campus community as a symbol, a larger mosaic made up of a bunch of smaller pieces that are never identical, as a theme,” said Morgan Parker, editor-in-chief of the 2025 L’Acadien. “We produce the yearbook each year to represent and connect students to events and areas of campus they may have previously been unaware of and to document the year for archival purposes that will last a lifetime. 

“I’m proud to have been a part in creating the illustrations that represent a core part of this book and this University’s own mosaic and ongoing history,” said Caitlyn Comeaux, an illustrator for the yearbook and editor-in-chief of The Vermilion.

L’Acadien previously earned four first-place awards in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024 from the American Scholastic Press Association in New York. The yearbook earned a second-place award from ASPA in 2023. L’Acadien staff was also named the UL Outstanding Student Organization at UL’s Ragin’ Recognition Awards in 2022.

“The University is proud of our professional-level students who yearly publish a keepsake that the UL community will value for generations to come,” said Matthew Tarver director of Student Publications. “We appreciate their diligent and hard work and their ability to permanently record the events that shaped campus life during the academic year.”

Kevin and Lisa Prejean, who direct Prejean Creative, have more than 25 years of advertising and design experience. Having worked in Dallas, Springfield, Mo. and Lafayette, they have managed creative direction for numerous national and international clients.

Edith Garland Dupré started L’Acadien yearbook in 1911, and it is one of the oldest student organizations on campus. L’Acadien and The Vermilion newspaper are part of UL Lafayette’s Office of Student Publications, which employs approximately 35 students from 12 different majors.