Courtesy of Adrien Laurent

Students from all backgrounds and from all over the world are able to come together at the university. One student, Adrien Laurent, came here to study sports management in order to add credits toward finishing his business degree in France. 

Though Laurent may seem like a normal exchange student in Hammond, in France, he is a reality T.V. star.

“I’m here because I have an exchange period for four months to validate some credits in France,” said Laurent. “I decided to come here because it was the cheapest university. I am in business school in France, third year.”

Laurent is interested in sports management in business, working out and picking up modeling and television on the side, but he did not start out with that intent. 

“I was a basketball player first, ever since I was five years,” said Laurent. “I went to the U.S. in 2012 to try to get a scholarship to go to college and lead the U.S. life, but it was difficult for me. I decided to go back to France. Then I started to go to gym every day and I started to like it so bad. I was done with basketball and I was doing lifting a lot.”

Laurent’s passion for lifting and working out paid off as a casting company on Facebook noticed him and asked if he would consider being on a T.V. show.

“I was contacted by Facebook casting,” said Laurent. “The first T.V. show was a military show where you have 20 young people. You have to put them in military life, and they have to survive.”

The people on the show are chosen from all different classes and races and range from 18 to 25 years old. Once on the show, the guys commit to living in a military style game for a few weeks doing whatever their trainers want them to. 

“After the first one, I was the one with the most personality,” said Laurent. “I was looking good and everything. So, they came for me again and I asked if I would do another one.”

The next T.V. show Laurent accepted is very famous and through it he gained recognition and followers every day on social media. 

“The other one is too famous, like it is the famous T.V. show in France,” said Laurent.

“They started to contact me for another one, a more romantic one. It’s called ‘The Princes of Love’ if you do the translation in English.”

“Les Princes De L’amour” in France is a reality show like “The Bachelor” in America.

Six guys are chosen to be on the show and two girls are chosen at a time to be paired with each boy. Every two days, the guys need to let one of the girls go to get another one in hopes of finding love. 

“Every two days you have to say to a girl, ‘You need to go. You’re not my type,’” said Laurent. “Then another one comes to you. You have to find a love for two months.”

Though the show was filmed before he came to the university this semester, it is airing currently in France. 

“I was just done with that and my T.V. show is on right now on T.V. So, I’m getting a lot of followers every day,” said Laurent. “That’s cool for me.”

Laurent views his work in television and modeling as a stepping stone into what he really wants to do, rather than his main focus. 

“My goal is not to be a T.V. show man,” said Laurent. “I just go to have visibility to do what I want to do. To go into the fitness industry.”

Specifically, Laurent wants to be working in the business side of fitness after he graduates and moves to America. 

“My goal is to get a diploma and then move to America doing what I love, so run a company around fitness and not only be the guy who lifts and goes to the gym,” said Laurent. “Having a company around it, my own brand. I want to inspire people, become an icon of a French fitness model.”

Hammond is significant for Laurent as well because he has fallen in love with the university and people here.

“I love the campus life here,” said Laurent. “People are really friendly here. People here say, ‘Adrien, you look good. Keep going. You’re a nice person.’ They keep you doing great work.”