Contact: Sammy McDavid
STARKVILLE, Miss.--A recent gift from an Amory couple is creating a lasting honor for their Monroe County family member at one of Mississippi State's most prominent buildings.
The donation by Patsy Fowlkes Brandon and her husband Steve will result in the renaming for her father, Bill Fowlkes, of what has been known generically as the small auditorium of the university's student union.
Their gift also memorializes Fowlkes' late brothers Tom and Hal, who were 1935 and 1938 graduates, respectively, of the 127-year-old land-grant institution.
A 1941 Mississippi State graduate, Bill Fowlkes operated several businesses in the Amory and Tupelo areas during his professional career. In addition, he served as Monroe County's Juvenile Court referee for more than three decades. He is a World War II veteran, having entered service upon graduation from then Mississippi State College.
The Fowlkes Auditorium will be among major interior spaces of a soon-to-be-expanded 100,000-square-foot building constructed in 1962 at a cost of $1.8 million. Situated on the site of legendary Old Main dormitory, The Union--it original name--was the state's first modern student center.
The Brandons also are MSU alumni and Steve Brandon is a former student director of the union. Their gift will be used to enhance the renovated auditorium and MSU student life.
In 1985, the building was redesignated as the Dean W. Colvard Union to carry the name of MSU's 12th president, under whose leadership it was conceived.
Often referred to as "the living room of campus," the three-story landmark at the intersection of Stephen D. Lee Boulevard and George Perry Street is about to undergo a $15 million improvement. In addition to significantly reorganizing and refurbishing the interior accommodations, the project will include replacement of the distinctive 1960s exterior with a look more in keeping with other campus buildings.