By LaTunya Evans, Communications Specialist
On Tuesday, October 4, 2022, Mississippi Valley State University celebrated the completion of the new outdoors basketball pavilion with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.
MVSU faculty, staff, and students were in attendance to view the unveiling of the new basketball court, another one of of the school's available options for everyone on and off campus to become physically active.
Dr. Jerryl Briggs, the President of Mississippi Valley State University, shared his thoughts on how much of a great addition he believes the outdoor basketball pavilion is to the campus.
"This is just another great opportunity; our students have been asking for this for a while. To finally see this happen, it is another tremendous step forward for the university to have another option for recreation," said Dr. Briggs. Engagement is significant for our students and the rest of the campus community," he added.
According to AmericasHealthRankings.org, Mississippi is ranked number one as the most obese and unhealthiest state in the United States of America.
Developing severe health conditions such as hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea, breathing problems, some cancers, and many others are linked to obesity in adults, according to AmericasHealthRankings.org.
MVSU is dedicated to keeping our students and employees healthy physically and mentally; therefore, creating recreational spaces on campus for the community to utilize and enjoy is significant for the university.
The students of MVSU are also excited about the outdoor basketball pavilion.
Keyjuan Meeks, the SGA President for MVSU, said, "I feel like it is a good addition to the campus because it gives students the chance to walk outside to play ball. Normally, we would use the old gym to play, but now we can come right outside. This may open the door for more students to get out of their dorm, come outside and get involved with student activities," added Meeks.