South Georgia State College (SGSC) will once again have the means to renovate and update one of its original buildings. When Governor Nathan Deal signed the state budget for 2019, the appropriation of $3.1 million in state funds was included to renovate Powell Hall.
Powell Hall is one of three legacy buildings on the Douglas Campus and built in 1906 at the founding of South Georgia College. As the third of the college’s original campus buildings, Powell Hall was initially constructed to house the men’s dormitory. Over the years, the use of the 11,624 square feet changed to hold classrooms and office space.
The building has undergone multiple renovations, most recently in 1978. It currently houses the Academic Success Center, along with offices for student life, counseling and disability services. Through this state funding, Powell Hall will be enhanced to create a state-of-the-art, flexible classroom, faculty offices and improved academic support spaces. Because of its significance to the campus, plans will be put in place to preserve and optimize its historical integrity while providing better energy efficiency and up-to-date technology. The project will use the space to create facilities that focus on the success of our students and provide them with the support services they need at SGSC.
Dr. Ingrid Thompson-Sellers, SGSC president, is excited about what this means for our students. “As with any other improvement project on campus, this may cause some short-term discomfort and inconvenience as we relocate services during the renovation, but it will be well worth it in the end when our students enjoy the benefits,” says Dr. Thompson-Sellers. She points out it was a team effort in securing the funds. “Dr. Greg Tanner and Ms. Barbara Obrentz were instrumental in working with our state officials to keep them abreast of the important work at SGSC. We are thankful for the support of Senator Tyler Harper, Representative Dominic LaRiccia and Representative Clay Pirkle who championed our project through the House of Representatives and the Senate.”
Initial planning meetings have begun and a date for groundbreaking will be announced soon. Powell Hall will be closed during renovations and all offices and services will be temporarily relocated with full academic success, counseling and disability services still being offered.