ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti wˈʌn, sˈʌnɪɚ ɡɹˈædjuːˌeɪɾᵻd ɪn kəmˈɜːʃəl ˈɑːɹt fɹʌmðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv luːˌiːzɪˈænə æt lˌæfeɪˈɛt ðˈɛn kˈɔːld ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv saʊθwˈɛstɚn luːˌiːzɪˈænə.
In 1961, Sonnier graduated in commercial art from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (then called the University of Southwestern Louisiana).