Southern Miss Alumni Association Announces Centennial Gift

Fri, 01/17/2020 - 06:54am | By: Nicole Ruhnke

The Southern Miss Alumni Association is proud to announce the construction of Southern Station, a multi-use facility in Spirit Park on the Hattiesburg campus of The University of Southern Mississippi. Southern Station is the final commemoration of the Association’s centennial celebrations. (Click here to facility renderings.)

“The Association celebrated 100 years of service to Southern Miss in 2017,” said Jerry DeFatta, executive director of the Southern Miss Alumni Association. “As part of the celebration, the Association made a significant investment in scholarships for children of Southern Miss alumni through the awarding of 100 Pierce Legacy Scholarships.

“At the outset of internal discussion, our staff and board of directors wanted to provide the institution with a gift in appreciation for its support of our efforts over the past century,” added DeFatta. “As we began discussing this opportunity, we identified the need for an outdoor stage, as well as a gathering space for outdoor events that could be utilized by the University for a wide variety of events.”

After nearly two years of planning, construction has officially begun on the facility. Southern Station will feature a 34x24 stage on its western edge with more than 1,250 square feet of event space behind the stage facing M.M. Roberts Stadium. The facility will be complete with climate-controlled restrooms and a 275-square foot space that can be used for storage or event preparation.

“We are excited about the opportunity to provide the University with such a dynamic gift,” said DeFatta. “I am grateful for the determination and support of our volunteer leadership in making Southern Station a reality.”

Designed by Albert & Robinson Architects, PLLC, Southern Station will be built by B.W. Sullivan Building Contractor Incorporated of Hattiesburg. The firm, under the leadership of Scott Humphrey, also renovated the Ogletree House following the 2013 tornado. Construction on the facility began in mid-December and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2020.

“We are thrilled about the Southern Station project and what it is going to mean for our campus and especially our football game day environment,” said Jeremy McClain, director of athletics. “Spirit Park is evolving into the ‘place to be’ on Saturdays in the fall, and this project will greatly enhance that experience. This is a fantastic investment from the Alumni Association and a great example of working to be the best we can be at Southern Miss.”

For more information on Southern Station, visit SouthernMissAlumni.com/SouthernStation.