The Joe Frank Sanderson Center at Mississippi State University is a place where athletes of all types flock to work out, train, or to just have fun. There are many things to do there, from basketball to swimming, to ping pong and even rock climbing. 
The Sanderson Center’s vision is, “That through participation in our recreation programs and services, the university community will understand and appreciate the lifelong benefits of an active, healthy lifestyle.”
The Sanderson Center was named an “Outstanding Recreation Facility” by the National Intramural/Recreational Sports Association in 2000. It was also named the Best Fitness Center in Mississippi in the July/August 2007 edition of Mississippi Magazine. 
Construction for the Sanderson began in July of 1996 and it was opened on June 1, 1998.
Walling, who served as the director of recreational sports from 1993 to 2016, said MSU’s former President Dr. Donald Zacharias lead the effort in the early 1990s to seek a donor and secure the funding for a comprehensive student recreation center. She said Mr. Joe Frank Sanderson gave the university a gift that would be the basis for the building in 1993.
Walling said the building is named after Mr. Sanderson because of the funding he gave to the university. 
Walling said the need for the Sanderson was very apparent.
 “The answer to that is simple, all the university had for student recreation prior to the Sanderson construction was two basketball courts in McCarthy Gym and the ‘tin gym.,” Walling said.
Walling said it was called the ‘tin gym’ because it was made of tin. It was shaped like an airplane hanger and was situated next to McCarthy. It was built in 1929 to serve as an arena for the varsity basketball team. The tin gym had two basketball courts, one badminton court, 10 pin weight machines, and six pieces of cardiovascular exercise equipment (two stationary bikes, two treadmills and two stair steppers). The ‘tin gym’ was all the university had for the 18,000 students at that time.
 
According to Walling, the only known person left on campus who was there during the early days of the Sanderson Center is Phillip Collins, who was the construction supervisor when the Sanderson was being built. 
Gwyen Sutphin, a freshman computer engineering major, said she loves the Sanderson. 
“I’d have to say that my favorite thing to do is play basketball and I’m out there once or twice a week,” Sutphin said.
While at the Sanderson, Sutphin said she plays on a co-ed intramural basketball team. 
Sutphin said she loves how the Sanderson provides her with an opportunity to play a sport she loved playing while she was in grade school.
Walling said students who go to the Sanderson regularly have higher GPAs than those who do not.
 “A four-year study of the impact of the Sanderson Center on the GPA and retention of freshmen found that those who use the Sanderson Center periodically (one to five times a week) have significantly higher GPA’s (2.84) than non-users (2.61) and are 15 percent more likely to persist to graduation,” Walling said.
The Sanderson Center is open seven days a week. Full-time students pay for membership through tuition.