Ranked “Most Beautiful Campus” by several national publications, including USA Today, the University of Mississippi is brimming with “sweet spots” that cater to student interests and foster love for the school’s culture. From specific monuments to common campus staples, these landmarks are beloved by students.
The Lloyd Bell Tower, standing 60 feet tall, anchors the north end zone plaza of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Senior music education major Coda Ethridge recalls his first impression of the tower as a former member of the Pride of the South.
“We would march past it to go into the stadium, and I saw people lined up,” Ethridge said. “I’m like, ‘Why are you lined up for a bell?’ I didn’t know you could ring as many times as you want. The hype videos of the football team always shows them ringing it at the start of the game, so seeing the bell tower (now) feels like it stands for competitiveness — that SEC feel, you know — ain’t nothing like it.”
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, with a 64,038 seating capacity, is iconic on campus and loved by Ole Miss fans nationwide. For freshman journalism major Nyla Lemons, the stadium became a standout when she participated in the “Build the M” event, where freshmen form the university’s M logo on the football field.
“This is cliché, but I love the football stadium because I’m a journalism major wanting to go into sports,” Lemons said. “(I’d) never been to a college football game before, so when we did Build the M, I was in shock and just looking around, I said, ‘Okay, this is home.’”
The Turner Center is a 155,000-square-foot facility providing recreational activities such as pickleball, weightlifting and lifeguard lessons to both students and faculty. Senior exercise science major Amarian Phillips expressed his personal preference for the basketball courts.
“All of my classes are in Turner Center, and I love playing basketball. So that’s where I spend all my time,” Phillips said. “My friends Keith Taylor, Tyler Dancy and Kobe Jones — we all play club basketball together. We go to have fun, but we also compete and try to push each other.”
Nutt Auditorium seats 395 people and is nestled inside the music building on University Avenue. The small space was praised by junior music performance major Lucy Elfert, who equates compact space with intimacy.
“It makes me feel really happy as a performer to see people showing up and most of all paying attention,” Elfert said. “I’ve performed at Gertrude Ford Center, The Pavilion, I’ve sung the National Anthem at the baseball field a couple of times — it’s so big I can’t see anyone. … Nutt Auditorium makes you feel more connected with the audience, and having a supportive, focused audience really makes us feel better.”
