Contact: Leah Barbour
Photo by: Russ Houston
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi Baptist Convention Board members, alongside Mississippi State University officials, broke ground Tuesday [Oct. 7] for what will become the largest Baptist Student Union in the Southern Baptist Convention.
The site is located close to the BSU at 282 E. Lee Blvd. and will be a few feet south at the former location of Hamlin Hall, a former residence hall torn down in 2004.
The current building was erected in 1961 when MSU had only 5,575 enrollees, said BSU Director Michael Ball. New updated facilities are needed because the number of BSU students has increased as the university population has grown to more than 20,000.
"Today is not just a historic day, but it's a happy day as we celebrate the vision and sacrifice of many people," Ball said. "We recognize the hand of God in this event, and we desire for this building to be set apart and to be used for His purposes."
Several Mississippi Baptist Convention Board representatives attended the groundbreaking ceremony, including Executive Director Jim Futral and Associate Executive Director Barri Shirley.
Futral said the new building is the shared vision of many who have benefited from the BSU ministry over the decades.
"All across our state there are people who can't be here today, but who are participating through their gifts," Futral said. "They care about what God is doing on this campus and what He's doing at the BSU."
MSU President Mark E. Keenum and Vice President for Campus Services Amy Tuck emphasized the expansion of the BSU will serve to expand the connections among the students participating.
"This is a great day as we celebrate a new beautiful building to serve the needs of the campus community, but more importantly to serve the spiritual needs of the students," Keenum said.
He noted the many other ministries and student organizations represented on campus.
"I personally respect all religious faiths and traditions, and that makes me no less committed to my own faith," said Keenum, a member of First Baptist Church in Starkville.
For more information about the BSU at MSU, visit www.msubsu.com.
MSU is online at www.msstate.edu, facebook.com/msstate, instagram.com/msstate and twitter.com/msstate.