University of Southern Mississippi

The University of Southern Mississippi is a large university located in Hattiesburg.

History
On March 30, 1910, the Mississippi State Legislature passed House Bill 204, authorizing the creation of a new normal college in Mississippi to train teachers. Several cities began competing to be the site of the new college. Later that year, on September 16, the Normal School Committee in Jackson announced that Hattiesburg's offer of $260,000 in cash, 840 acres of land and $50,000 in private donations had beaten the two competing offers from Jackson and Laurel, and the new Mississippi Normal College would be built in Hattiesburg. The new college held its first classes on September 20, 1912 with 230 students and 18 faculty. On March 7, 1924, it became State Teachers College, and in 1940 it became Mississippi Southern College. In 1962 it became the University of Southern Mississippi.

On April 1, 2013, Dr. Rodney D. Bennett became the 10th president of USM, and the first African-American president.

List of Original Buildings

 * College Hall -- Academic Building
 * Forrest County Hall -- Men's Dorm
 * Hattiesburg Hall -- Women's Dorm
 * President's Home -- Now the Alumni House or Ogletree House
 * Industrial Cottage -- Now the Honor House

Older But Not Original Buildings

 * Southern Hall (originally known as Science Hall)
 * Mississippi Hall - Built in 1914
 * Bennett Auditorium - Built in 1928

Other Buildings

 * USM Administration Building
 * Commons
 * Roberts Schoolhouse
 * McLemore Hall
 * Walker Science
 * USM Library
 * Science Tower
 * Power House
 * Asbury Hall
 * Payne Center

Dorms

 * Bond Hall
 * Century Park
 * Elam Arms
 * Hattiesburg Hall
 * Hickman Hall
 * Hillcrest Hall
 * Jones Hall
 * McCarty Hall
 * Mississippi Hall
 * Pine Haven
 * Pulley Hall
 * Roberts Hall
 * Scott Hall
 * Vann Hall
 * Wilber Hall

Other

 * Sunken Garden
 * Lake Byron