Professor Wayne Kelly and senior business management and finance major Nick Algero talk after class in Scianna Hall’s Stock Exchange on the first day of class, Aug. 19.
As students arrived back to campus this semester, many felt excited to see Scianna Hall, the latest addition of the College of Business.
According to the majority of reactions around campus, Scianna Hall lived up to its expectations.
From Joseph Greene Hall to Scianna Hall, The University of Southern Mississippi’s College of Business on the Hattiesburg campus underwent a transformation that extended from expansion to renovation.
The 93,000-square-foot facility is located next to the Trent Lott Center. The name honors Charles “Chuck” Scianna, the Southern Miss alumnus who donated $6 million to the project.
The building has more than 11,000 square feet of study space for students, who are taking advantage of its amenities.
Scianna Hall will become a large part of every USM business student’s daily schedule, from using a sleek “study treadmill” to making way to managerial statistics class.
“I really enjoy the comfortability of the classrooms, and the modern technology that makes it easier for the students and teachers. For instance, the TVs are on the walls and facing the instructors, so they don’t have to turn their backs to students while going over the material projected on the screens. I also like the health initiative through the addition of the treadmills that also serve as study areas.” – junior entrepreneurship major Shawn Hollywood
Sophomore business finance major Jordan Malley was seen studying on the first floor of Scianna Hall, in the hub of study space where new chairs, tables and couches are distributed.
“When I heard about a new business building being built, I initially envisioned nicer walls and lighting, but nothing like this,” Malley said. “I didn’t expect all the technology that’s in here.”
The state-of-the-art business building features beautiful terrazzo floors, spacious modern architecture and a replica of the “Lofty Return” sculpture. Malley’s favorite aspect of the new building is its calm atmosphere where he can study without interruptions.
“It’s not only nice and new, but there aren’t too many people around,” Malley said. “Joseph Greene had a lot of traffic in and around it, but Scianna Hall is a lot quieter, making it easy to do homework at any time.”
So far, most can agree that Scianna Hall has exceeded previous expectations and has transformed the College of Business at Southern Miss.
The new building features a 50-percent increase in square footage from Joseph Greene Hall, houses the Center for Healthcare Marketing and the Center for Financial
Services, study and gathering spaces, including the new student leadership suite and group and individual study rooms, distance learning lecture hall and tiered case- oriented classrooms equipped with digital displays and comprehensive multimedia stations.
But that might not be all for Scianna Hall. Rumored is the potential for a restaurant—possibly a Dunkin Donuts or Panda Express.
“There were a lot of rumors floating around about the building, especially over the summer,” Hollywood said. “The main rumor that is circulating right now is one about a restaurant or cafeteria of some kind being installed in the building. This may be true, but everyone I’ve heard from about it is not real sure of how factual it is.”
Thomas Organ is a management trainee for Cintas Corporation, which contributed to the building of Scianna Hall. Organ was fortunate enough to see Scianna Hall at the bare-bone stage.
“The way Chuck Scianna talked about the technology sounded like it was going to be incredible and centralize business,” Organ said. “When we first started talking about the building, it was going to change the game at the College of Business at (Southern Miss).”
The College of Business has held the reputation as being one of the best business colleges in the country. With a new facility, the status of the college is only becoming more prominent, setting its students apart from otherdepartments.
“This is incredible. A lot of university programs don’t prepare students for what it’s like outside of the education system, but this will give our students more of a realistic view once they move on to their careers.” – Organ said
“When I mention that I’m a product of the College of Business at (Southern Miss), this is what will represent me,” Organ said. “I feel as if my degree has more worth and weight. This project is phenomenal.”
With current and future projects by Southern Miss, like the upcoming nursing facility Asbury Hall, a slow transformation of campus is expected.
The Scianna Hall project is expected to lead USM into bigger things: similarly advanced buildings, prestige for the campus and the city of Hattiesburg, intended to induce a rise in the caliber of the students and an uplifting in the name of the College of Business.
“Once the new nursing building is open, Scianna Hall and the nursing building will be two huge steps forward for USM,” Hollywood said. “Great programs deserve great buildings. USM is recognizing that, and the students (present and future) are seeing that. This results in better moral, as well as the potential for a larger student body.”
A ribbon cutting ceremony for the facility will be in September.
