The Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) will celebrate its 42nd Commencement Ceremony on May 16, 2026, at 2 p.m. in Prather Coliseum at Northwestern State University.
This year’s graduation features two distinguished members of one of the school’s earliest classes as keynote speakers: Boeing executive and retired Major General Lenny Richoux (’85) and international energy entrepreneur George H. Knost III (’85).
Lenny Richoux returns to Natchitoches following a storied 32-year career in the U.S. Air Force, where he served as a Major General and command pilot with over 3,200 flight hours. Currently the Vice President of Business Development & Strategy for Mobility, Surveillance & Bombers at Boeing Defense, Space & Security, Richoux credits LSMSA with providing the foundational skills for high-stakes, complex decision-making.
“LSMSA taught me leadership and decision-making, necessary for any successful career and life itself,” Richoux said. A member of the school’s first graduating class and a current trustee of the LSMSA Foundation, Richoux emphasizes the importance of giving back. “Remember that LSMSA was there for you and helped to elevate you… When you get to that level in life, come back to Natchitoches and give back to your alma mater.”
This year’s graduation features two distinguished members of one of the school’s earliest classes as keynote speakers: Boeing executive and retired Major General Lenny Richoux (’85) and international energy entrepreneur George H. Knost III (’85).
Lenny Richoux returns to Natchitoches following a storied 32-year career in the U.S. Air Force, where he served as a Major General and command pilot with over 3,200 flight hours. Currently the Vice President of Business Development & Strategy for Mobility, Surveillance & Bombers at Boeing Defense, Space & Security, Richoux credits LSMSA with providing the foundational skills for high-stakes, complex decision-making.
“LSMSA taught me leadership and decision-making, necessary for any successful career and life itself,” Richoux said. A member of the school’s first graduating class and a current trustee of the LSMSA Foundation, Richoux emphasizes the importance of giving back. “Remember that LSMSA was there for you and helped to elevate you… When you get to that level in life, come back to Natchitoches and give back to your alma mater.”
Joining Richoux is George H. Knost III, the President and Owner of Arkel International. Over his 30-year career, Knost has expanded Arkel into a global powerhouse, managing projects valued at over $500 million across 61 countries, including complex operations in the Middle East and Africa. An innovator holding a patent for advanced energy storage, Knost views his return to LSMSA as a symbol of “hope.”
“Returning for commencement feels like coming full circle,” Knost remarked. “My journey has taken me from Mogadishu to Paris, from the Nile to the Mississippi. LSMSA expanded my understanding of what was possible… curiosity can take you into fields you never expected.”
Knost’s message to the Class of 2026 centers on the necessity of passion: “If you can visualize and define your own idea of success, and if you have the passion to pursue it fully, you greatly increase your chances of achieving lifelong satisfaction.”
By uniting foundational leaders and first-generation alumni with the latest cohort of high-achieving Louisiana students, the ceremony highlights the enduring legacy and real-world impact of the LSMSA experience, Knost said.
The professional success and continued involvement of these alumni highlight the lasting impact of the school’s mission on its graduates.
LSMSA Executive Director Dr. Steve Horton said, “Lenny and George returning to the nest here at the Louisiana School serves as a powerful reminder that the curiosity and discipline sparked among our students stays with them for a lifetime, no matter where in the world their journeys lead.”
ABOUT LSMSA
The Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts is a tuition-free, public residential high school for high-achieving sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Now in its 42nd year, LSMSA provides a college-level living and learning environment for students from across Louisiana. For more information, visit www.LSMSA.edu.
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