By William H. Kelly III
(JACKSON, Miss.) — Jackson State University (JSU) celebrated the next era of development at the institution with its 2026 Dining Hall Groundbreaking Ceremony on Tuesday, May 26. The ceremony introduced community leaders and stakeholders to the Tiger Dining Hall, a new state-of-the-art dining facility slated for completion in the summer of 2027.
“Our dining hall project represents more than just construction, it is about improving the everyday experience of our students, faculty and staff,” said JSU President Denise Jones Gregory, Ph.D.
“Dining is a part of student life. When students have a comfortable place to eat, it enhances their day-to-day experiences. This project supports student engagement and campus culture by expanding the spaces where students will naturally connect. Our dining facility will reflect the excellence of Jackson State University, functional today and built for the future. Today’s groundbreaking is a milestone and is one more step forward in building a stronger Jackson State.”
The Tiger Dining Hall will transform areas such as JSU’s former Department of Public Safety building and surrounding parking lots into a beautiful 26,000 square foot facility that connects to the JSU Student Center, increasing occupancy, ADA accessibility, and the overall user experience for students, faculty, staff, and guests. It will feature a modern state-of-the-art kitchen, areas for live food demonstrations, and community spaces to accommodate up to 550 guests with a variety of fresh and flexible food options that cater to various dietary needs.
“Every day on this campus, minds are fed with new information, new concepts and theories, and new ideas that will help our students to succeed in all their future endeavors,” said Dr. Steven Cunningham, president of the Board of Trustees of Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning.
“So I’m proud today, and my pride is based not only in my status as a graduate of this great university or as the president of the board of trustees of the IHL, but as a Mississippian. I’m proud of this investment in this university, and I’m grateful to the Mississippi Legislature for their commitment to Jackson State.”
Several IHL Board trustees and members of the state legislature joined Cunningham as special guests for the groundbreaking. Other partners were also acknowledged, including SodexoMagic, Durrell Design Group, PLLC., Codaray Construction, LLC., the Mississippi State Legislature, and the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning.
The completion of the Tiger Dining Hall is supported by legislative and auxiliary funds and will cost approximately $21.7 million dollars. The innovative design of the new Tiger Dining Hall will offer enhanced aesthetics and acoustics mirroring trendy restaurants with an abundance of natural lighting through large windows, digital promotional signs, and moveable walls, working seamlessly with the existing JSU Student Center to ensure a comfortable, customizable environment for students to study, socialize, and dine.
Gregory was named JSU’s 14th president by the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) in April 2026 and officially took office on May 1, 2026. Under her leadership, the university has started three major infrastructure projects to enhance the student experience. They include the new dining hall, along with the renovation of two student housing sites, McAllister-Whiteside Residential Complex and University Pointe Apartment Complex.
Scheduled for completion in Fall 2027, the newly renovated McAllister-Whiteside complex will serve as a premier residential facility for female students, offering suite-styled rooms, with a total capacity of 335 beds. Demolition of the building’s exterior is currently underway.
University Pointe will provide a significant boost to campus capacity when the necessary remediation and repairs are made. The multi-student housing complex will include Buildings 100, 200, and 300 (36 beds each) and Buildings 400 through 1000 (48 beds each), adding a total of 444 beds to the university’s housing portfolio. The university is in the final stages of finalizing a contractor for the renovation of the first two buildings.
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Media Contact: William H. Kelly III, william.h.kelly@jsums.edu