Renovations to turn Vardaman Hall into a Student Engagement Center are expected to begin in spring 2026, according to Jacob Batte, director of news and media relations at the University of Mississippi.
Vardaman Hall, across from Rebel Market on Dormitory Row W, was constructed in 1929 to serve as a male-only dormitory but was renovated in 1988 to become an administration building. The nearly 100-year-old building was last renovated in 2011.
The Student Engagement Center will provide a space for hosting programs and events, according to Batte.
Changes will include a complete renovation of both the exterior and interior of the building, according to the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning. The renovations will also include additions to provide accessibility to all floors.
“Proposed features include student spaces such as lounges and study rooms, staff offices and an outdoor plaza,” Batte said. “The university will work with current building occupants to identify temporary space while the renovations are underway.”
Batte said that plans for the facility were crafted by students and staff.
“The university has worked with an advisory committee of students and staff on plans to renovate Vardaman Hall to become a Student Engagement Center,” Batte said. “The focus of the center is on cultivating success, strengthening a sense of community and promoting opportunities for all students.”
Housed inside Vardaman Hall is the university’s designated prayer room. Earlier this year, the Muslim Student Association petitioned the university requesting a new prayer space with more room and improved facilities for ablutions.
“I was informed last semester that once the renovations officially begin, the university will ensure that we are provided with another space on campus until the changes are completed,” Adam Soltani, president of the Muslim Student Association, said. “In the meantime, we have been given a space in the union for our weekly Friday prayers in addition to our current usage of Vardaman Hall for our daily prayers.”
