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Date 6-15-06
Contact Jim Coll 601.266.5722
WITH PHOTOS
HATTIESBURG—Alumni
and friends of the University of Southern Mississippi gathered this
evening at the Hattiesburg Country Club for an update on the campaign
for the restoration and expansion on the Ogletree House, the home
of the Southern Miss Alumni Association on the Hattiesburg campus.
Campaign co-chairs Aubrey Lucas and Lou Ann Poynter thanked contributors
and announced that commitments and contributions have exceeded $1.5
million, more than half the $3 million goal.
The campaign is expected to conclude at year’s end, with work on
the facility to begin in 2007. The Albert and Associates Architects’
design would greatly expand the size of the 94-year-old existing
structure, which is one of the campus’ five original buildings,
from 6,500 square feet to approximately 12,000.
“We are delighted to report this important milestone in the campaign
and are pleased to recognize many of our contributors this evening,”
said Poynter, who in addition to serving as the campaign’s co-chair
has, along with husband Louis, made the campaign’s lead commitment
of $500,000.
“The response by alumni and friends of the university has been
overwhelming and we fully anticipate reaching our $3 million goal
by the year’s end. By participating in the campaign to restore and
expand this beautiful campus landmark, our supporters are not only
honoring the legacy of our dear friend Powell Ogletree, but they
are also investing in the future of the university and the Alumni
Association. In my opinion, that's quite a return on their money,”
said Poynter.
The Ogletree House is named for Powell Ogletree, who in three decades
of service to the Alumni Association built it into one of the top
alumni associations in the country. During his tenure of leadership,
the Alumni Association grew from 150 dues-paying alumni members
to more than 17,500 active members. Additionally, Ogletree had a
hand in many of the defining events in Southern Miss history, among
them the institution’s transition to university status, the mascot
name change to Golden Eagles and the establishment of the USM Foundation
and the Alumni Hall of Fame. Upon his retirement in 1987, the university
named the Ogletree House in his honor.
The campaign event came just more than one year after his death
on June 11, 2005. He is survived by his wife, Frances, and three
children.
“Obviously, we would not be here tonight if it had not been for
Powell’s faithful and dedicated service to the university and to
this Alumni Association,” said Lucas, who is also president emeritus
of the university. “This is going to be a magnificent facility that
is truly worthy of Powell’s name, and we appreciate everything alumni
and friends are doing to make our dream a reality.”
The campaign update included the announcement of several significant
pledges to the campaign, including nine commitments at the Sponsor
Gift category ($25,000) and above. The commitments, each made since
homecoming last October, allow for naming opportunities at the proposed
facility.
Highlighting recent commitments are two at the Special Gift level.
As a result, the executive director’s suite at the proposed house
will be named in honor of Jimmy and Jo Waites of Laurel, while the
library will be named the Bonnie Purvis Warren Library in recognition
of the gift from Lawrence and Bonnie Warren of Hattiesburg.
The Waites are both Southern Miss alumni and have been dedicated
to the university for decades. They are Life Members of the Alumni
Association, members of the Eagle Club, and the USM Foundation’s
Honor Club. Jimmy Waites has served as president of both the Alumni
Association and the USM Foundation and is a charter member of the
Alumni Hall of Fame.
“Powell and Frances have meant so much to us, even from our early
days of moving to Laurel,” Jimmy Waites said. “It is an honor to
participate in this worthwhile effort to restore the building that
bears Powell’s name.”
The announcement of the library’s name came as a surprise to Bonnie
Warren and provided one of the evening’s many highlights.
As a student, Bonnie Warren was a homecoming queen and Dixie Darling
captain. As an alumna, she has been honored with the Alumni Association’s
Outstanding and Continuous Service awards and was inducted into
the Alumni Hall of Fame in 1994. She has served on the Association’s
board of directors, and she and Lawrence are members of the Eagle
Club’s Circle of Champions and have served on the USM Foundation’s
board of directors. She currently is Kappa Delta sorority’s national
president and has served as chairman of the Institutions of Higher
Learning’s Inter-Alumni Council.
“I don’t know anyone who is more committed to USM than Bonnie,
and in my opinion, she deserves a place of honor on campus,” Lawrence
Warren said. “She loves the university and now her name will be
associated with it forever.”
The Bonnie Purvis Warren Library will include bound copies of the
Alumni Association’s publications and books authored by Southern
Miss alumni, among other pieces of Southern Miss history.
The Warrens and Waites, however, were just two of the families
honored for their commitments to the campaign. Additional new contributors
at the Sponsor Gift Level include Mike Chancellor, owner of Chancellor
Motor Group, of Laurel; Ed and Lynda Langton of Hattiesburg; Morgan
and Angela McCarty of Hattiesburg; Lewis and Margie Myrick of Hattiesburg;
Liz and Larry Payne of Hattiesburg; William “Son” Rhodes of Vancleave;
and Robin Robinson of Laurel.
Additional information about the campaign can be found online at
SouthernMissAlumni.com.
Click to enlarge
Aubrey Lucas
Click to enlarge
Lou Ann Poynter
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