Mississippi State University’s College of Business and Industry received an anonymous $10 million donation in June.
The donation will prove useful for the renovation of McCool Hall, located between the Colvard Union and Swalm Engineering Building. Also, it will serve to build an additional 45,000 square-foot building connecting to McCool Hall.
The donor made his or her contribution through the MSU Foundation. While MSU does receive many generous contributions throughout the year, this donation is of unusual magnitude.
“This is the largest outright gift we’ve ever received,” Sara Freedman, dean of the College of Business and Industry, said.
Vice president for External Affairs Dennis Prescott explained that this contribution is not only large for one specific college, but also for MSU.
“It’s different from other gifts because it is larger than most gifts we receive. In fact, this got to be one of the top five gifts the university has ever received,” Prescott said.
Most renovations done to university campuses are paid for by the state Legislature. However, the addition and renovation of McCool is different. One donor will pay for the entire project on an as-need basis for the university, according to Prescott.
“Every bit of this expansion and renovation is being done with a private gift,” he said. “This person has set up a trust that will pay the university as funds are needed.”
Tentative plans for the project include the construction of a new building and renovation of areas within McCool Hall. Renovations for McCool may include new paint, carpeting and other various touch-ups, said Freedman.
The new building will replace the parking lot which now serves McCool Hall and Perry Cafeteria.
“The tentative plan is to go to the parking lot behind us and build a three-story building connected to McCool Hall with an enclosed atrium,” Freedman said. “The atrium will provide a mechanism that will prevent faculty and classes from being disrupted during building. It will serve as a buffer during construction.”
The new building will provide additional classrooms and student space on the first two floors and office space for graduate students and professors on the third level, said Freedman.
Because this project will eliminate student and faculty parking, discussion of additional parking is under way. Freedman explained that the current plan may involve expanded the parking lot of McArthur Gymnasium.
The project is still under planning. Tentatively, the plans for the new building will be determined within a year. Construction for the building should last no more than a year-and-one-half, said Freedman.
The improvements to McCool will also make it blend in more to central campus.
“It will complement the additions that have been made with the renovations to McCain Hall and the Swalm Building. It will really enhance the university’s central campus,” Hollingsworth said.
The College of Business and Industry serves approximately 2,500 students. Freedman expressed a need for the college to expand to accommodate more students..
“We don’t have enough room in McCool currently and with this gift we will be able to add space,” Freedman said
Danny Hollingsworth, professor and director for the School of Accountancy, also explained the college’s need for the expansion of McCool.
“It will provide much needed space for classrooms, student work areas, computer labs and student study areas. It will provide more space for faculty meetings and social events, like receptions,” Hollingsworth said. “The new building will enable us to incorporate new technology throughout the building and enable all the classrooms and work areas to be computerized. I think that will be a benefit to both faculty and students.”
“We are most excited because the donor was supportive of what we are doing and willing to make such a contribution,” Freedman said. “This is coming from one of our alumni, someone who values what we’re doing at the college and is willing to make a major gift to help us continue to develop.”
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