Local VFW Post Presents Check toward New USM Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families Building
Mon, 10/14/2019 - 04:41pm | By: Van Arnold
Representatives from VFW Lacy Kelly Post #3036 in Hattiesburg presented the University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families a check for $2,000 to be used toward the new student veterans center fund-raising initiative.
“We are extremely pleased to be able to make this donation and we hope to do more in the future,” said Post #3036 Commander Gary Iverson during the check presentation on Monday, Oct. 12. “This new veterans center will be a crown jewel, not only on USM’s campus, but for the whole state of Mississippi. There are few universities in the country that provide the kind of care and commitment to student-veterans that you find here at USM.”
On Sept. 27, the USM Foundation announced a $2.4 million fundraising initiative to construct a new facility for military students on the Hattiesburg campus. School officials hope to break ground on The Quinlan-Hammond Hall of Honor next spring, with a tentative completion date of fall 2021.
Currently housed in a 1,600 square-foot refurbished dwelling on the west side of the Hattiesburg campus, the Center has quickly outgrown its current space. The Quinlan-Hammond Hall of Honor will be a 5,200 square-foot facility with a conference room, study space for small groups or individual work, a library with adjoining lounge and study, as well as other meeting areas and staff office space.
“This truly touches my heart. We sincerely appreciate this gesture on behalf of Post 3036,” said Center Director Jeff Hammond (Maj. Gen. U.S. Army, ret.). “At USM we are dedicated to serving our student-veterans in every way possible. This new facility will take that service to the highest level.”
The building project will be 100 percent privately-funded. To date, approximately $1.9 million has been pledged toward the project. Any funds raised over the construction and furnishing costs will be used to create an endowment to provide support for the Center.
To support this building initiative, visit usmfoundation.com/Veterans.
