Ogletree House Campaign Passes Midpoint

June 16, 2006

Major Contributors to the Campaign

Alumni and friends of The University of Southern Mississippi gathered Thursday evening at the Hattiesburg Country Club for an update on the campaign for the restoration and expansion of the Ogletree House, the home of the Southern Miss Alumni Association on the Hattiesburg campus.

Campaign co-chairs Aubrey Lucas and Lou Ann Poynter thanked contributors and announced that commitments and contributions have exceeded $1.5 million, more than half the $3 million goal.

The campaign is expected to conclude at year’s end, with work on the facility to begin in 2007. The Albert and Associates Architects’ design would greatly expand the size of the 94-year-old existing structure, which is one of the campus’ five original buildings, from 6,500 square feet to approximately 12,000.

"We are delighted to report this important milestone in the campaign and are pleased to recognize many of our contributors this evening,” said Poynter, who in addition to serving as the campaign’s co-chair has, along with husband Louis, made the campaign’s lead commitment of $500,000.

"The response by alumni and friends of the University has been overwhelming and we fully anticipate reaching our $3 million goal by the year’s end. By participating in the campaign to restore and expand this beautiful campus landmark, our supporters are not only honoring the legacy of our dear friend Powell Ogletree, but they are also investing in the future of the University and the Alumni Association. In my opinion, that's quite a return on their money,” said Poynter.

The Ogletree House is named for Powell Ogletree, who in three decades of service to the Alumni Association built it into one of the top alumni associations in the country. During his tenure of leadership, the Alumni Association grew from 150 dues-paying alumni members to more than 17,500 active members. Additionally, Ogletree had a hand in many of the defining events in Southern Miss history, among them the institution’s transition to university status, the mascot name change to Golden Eagles and the establishment of the USM Foundation and the Alumni Hall of Fame. Upon his retirement in 1987, the University named the Ogletree House in his honor.

The campaign event came just more than one year after his death on June 11, 2005. He is survived by his wife, Frances, and three children.

"Obviously, we would not be here tonight if it had not been for Powell’s faithful and dedicated service to the University and to this Alumni Association,” said Lucas, who is also president emeritus of the University. “This is going to be a magnificent facility that is truly worthy of Powell’s name, and we appreciate everything alumni and friends are doing to make our dream a reality.”

The campaign update included the announcement of several significant pledges to the campaign, including nine commitments at the Sponsor Gift category ($25,000) and above.

The commitments, each made since homecoming last October, allow for naming opportunities at the proposed facility.

Highlighting recent commitments are two at the Special Gift level. As a result, the executive director’s suite at the proposed house will be named in honor of Jimmy and Jo Waites of Laurel, while the library will be named the Bonnie Purvis Warren Library in recognition of the gift from Lawrence and Bonnie Warren of Hattiesburg.

The Waites are both Southern Miss alumni and have been dedicated to the University for decades. They are Life Members of the Alumni Association, members of the Eagle Club, and the USM Foundation’s Honor Club. Jimmy Waites has served as president of both the Alumni Association and the USM Foundation and is a charter member of the Alumni Hall of Fame.

"Powell and Frances have meant so much to us, even from our early days of moving to Laurel,” Jimmy Waites said. “It is an honor to participate in this worthwhile effort to restore the building that bears Powell’s name.”

The announcement of the library’s name came as a surprise to Bonnie Warren and provided one of the evening’s many highlights.

As a student, Bonnie Warren was a homecoming queen and Dixie Darling captain. As an alumna, she has been honored with the Alumni Association’s Outstanding and Continuous Service awards and was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame in 1994. She has served on the Association’s board of directors, and she and Lawrence are members of the Eagle Club’s Circle of Champions and have served on the USM Foundation’s board of directors. She currently is Kappa Delta sorority’s national president and has served as chairman of the Institutions of Higher Learning’s Inter-Alumni Council.

"I don’t know anyone who is more committed to USM than Bonnie, and in my opinion, she deserves a place of honor on campus,” Lawrence Warren said. “She loves the University and now her name will be associated with it forever.”

The Bonnie Purvis Warren Library will include bound copies of the Alumni Association’s publications and books authored by Southern Miss alumni, among other pieces of Southern Miss history.

The Warrens and Waites, however, were just two of the families honored for their commitments to the campaign. Additional new contributors at the Sponsor Gift Level include Mike Chancellor, owner of Chancellor Motor Group, of Laurel; Ed and Lynda Langton of Hattiesburg; Morgan and Angela McCarty of Hattiesburg; Lewis and Margie Myrick of Hattiesburg; Liz and Larry Payne of Hattiesburg; William “Son” Rhodes of Vancleave; and Robin Robinson of Laurel.

Join the Campaign    •    Campaign Home    •    Leave Your Legacy