programs in early childhood and elementary education allowed the college to be granted university status under its present name, Grambling State University. From 1977 to 2000, the university grew and prospered. Several new academic programs were incorporated. New facilities were added to the campus, including a business and computer science building, school of nursing, student services building, stadium, stadium support facility, and an intramural sports center. State Representative George B. Holstead of Ruston, whose grandfather had been instrumental in the founding of Louisiana Tech, worked to increase state appropriations for both Louisiana Tech and Grambling State University during his legislative tenure from 1964 to 1980. On December 7, 2010, the Grambling State University Historic District, an area comprising 16 buildings dating from 1939 to 1960, was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2019, Grambling broke ground for building of the first digital library on a HBCU campus and first for a Louisiana collegiate institution. The $16.6 million 50,000 square feet project is slated to be complete in the early 2020s. Presidents Following the first President Charles P. Adams, Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones became the second president and baseball coach from 1936 until his retirement in 1977. Five presidents served from 1977 to 2001: Joseph Benjamin Johnson, Harold W. Lundy, Raymond Hicks, Leonard Haynes III, and Steve A. Favors. Neari Francois Warner was selected as the university's first female president, when she served a three-year interim term. Horace Judson, who became the institution's seventh president in 2004, led the most ambitious 5-year campaign to rebuild the institution's facilities. He retired at the end of October 2009. That year Frank Pogue started as the institution's eighth president. On April 4, 2014, Pogue announced his retirement effective June 30, 2014. Cynthia S. Warrick became Grambling's second female president, serving a one-year interim term starting on July 1, 2014, and ending on July 1, 2015. Willie Larkin served as president from July 1, 2015, to July 1, 2016. The current and tenth president is GSU alumnus Richard J. Gallot, Jr. Academics Grambling State University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees through the following four colleges: College of Art & Sciences College of Business College of Educational and Graduate Studies College of Professional Studies In addition, there is the Earl Lester Cole Honors College available for high-achieving undergraduate students seeking a more unique academic experience. Also an Army ROTC program is available for