L'Ordre des Palmes Académiques, originally created in 1808 by Napoléon Bonaparte to honor eminent members of the University of Paris was re-established on October 4, 1955 by French President René Coty, and is one of the world's oldest civil awards. It comprises three ascending ranks: Chevalier, Officier, and Commandeur. Egéa-Kuehne was awarded the rank of Chevalier in 1997, and the rank of Officier in 2004.

The award ceremony also recognized Professor Sylvie Dubois (chair, LSU Department of French Studies) who received the award of Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques, and Professors Alexandre Leupin (LSU Department of French Studies) and Barry Jean Ancelet (ULL Modern Languages Department) were both awarded the title of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres. The ceremony took place before an overflow audience in the Grand Salon of the Maison Française on the LSU campus. It was presided over by French Ambassador to the United States Jean-David Levitte, accompanied by the General Consul of France in New Orleans, Pierre Lebovics. Bernard Cerquiglini, Director of the Center for French and Francophone Studies, delivered the introductions in the presence of the Dean of the College of Education Jayne M. Fleener, the Chair of the Department of Educational Theory, Policy and Practice, Earl F. Cheek, Jr. and other personalities from LSU and outside LSU.

The ceremony was conducted in French. Before the ceremony, Ambassador Levitte spoke in English about French foreign policy in the Middle East to a group of about 100 students and professors.