Matt Grice (left), Mississippi Power vice president, treasurer and CFO, joins LaToya Flint (center), assistant professor of accountancy in the Patterson School of Accountancy, as a guest speaker for one of her classes. Photo by Amy Howell/University Development
Building fund gift names lecture hall in planned facility
By Jonathan Scott
As Mississippi Power commemorates its 100th year of providing energy to communities across the state, the company’s Mississippi Power Foundation is investing in the state’s future.
As part of this effort, the foundation has given $400,000 to the University of Mississippi for the Patterson School of Accountancy Building Fund.
“For 100 years, we have powered progress across our state while brightening and strengthening our communities,” said Matt Grice, Mississippi Power vice president, treasurer, and CFO. “We remain focused on continuing to drive growth throughout Mississippi by enhancing our state’s workforce and providing innovative technology to help educate our future leaders, which includes developing accounting students across the state.”
The gift will be recognized by naming a 60-person lecture hall in the new facility.
“We greatly appreciate the generosity of the members of the Mississippi Power Foundation for their sponsorship of a first-floor classroom in our new Patterson School building,” said Mark Wilder, the school’s dean. “We believe this new facility will be the finest stand-alone accountancy building in the nation, and we are proud to have the Mississippi Power Foundation name on this new lecture hall.
“We are also grateful for the time that the Mississippi Power team has invested on our campus – helping our students learn more about their company and the many different career opportunities they provide.”
The $125 million structure is planned for the corner of University Avenue and Grove Loop. Its 110,000 square feet will house classrooms, study spaces, administrative and faculty offices, auditoriums and outdoor spaces.
When completed, the new building will enable the program to teach all its accountancy students under one roof once again. This will also free up space in Conner Hall for the School of Business Administration to expand and better serve its 5,900 students.
“Our new building will provide a strong sense of community for all our accountancy students, faculty, staff, and alumni,” Wilder said. “We are grateful for the belief that the Mississippi Power Foundation has in the education we are providing to our students, and we are confident our new building will enable our program to reach even greater levels of excellence.”
The Patterson School of Accountancy has been recognized as one of the nation’s top 10 accountancy programs for many years, said Kaitlin Childress, the school’s associate director of development.
“We so appreciate the Mississippi Power Foundation for its inspirational dedication and commitment to the University of Mississippi, future accountants and the accounting profession,” she said.
To make a gift to the Patterson School of Accountancy Building Fund, contact Kaitlin Childress, associate director of development, at kaitlin@olemiss.edu or 662-915-3166, or give online here.
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