Taylor Auditorium renovation set for summer ‘26

All learning begins with identifying the facts and subjects meant to be learned. Discovering subjects a student did not know existed requires exploration. For many Mississippi State University students, the place of that exploration’s beginning is Taylor Auditorium in McCool Hall. An upcoming update and renovation to the facility will help keep it so, thanks to a gift from The Taylor Group.

Taylor Auditorum is Mississippi State’s key facility for hosting high-profile lectures, for introducing the university to prospective students and their parents, and much more. It was built in 2008 as part of a major update to McCool Hall itself, and it continues to see regular and effective use. It is named in honor of W.A. Taylor, Jr., of Taylor Machine Works, in Louisville, Miss.

“The original motif had the auditorium named in honor of my father,” said Lex Taylor, chairman and CEO of The Taylor Group. “He was a long-time chairman and a real driver in our company, which was started by my grandfather.

“Taylor Auditorium was due to be updated and we definitely wanted to be involved.”

Taylor said the opportunity to create an experiential learning display in the auditorium’s lobby is a significant part of the appeal. In the planned new lobby of Taylor Auditorium, a series of touch-screen panels will invite viewers to discover for themselves some of what may be found through a university experience.

Taylor Machine Works and The Taylor Group are extensively involved with the MSU College of Business. They have worked very closely with the dean and faculty for many years. Beginning with the spring semester of 2024, the company helped create a course built around studying and solving a real-world business problem.

Students in the Taylor-centric class traveled to Louisville to study the industry’s operations in person. They worked together to analyze and examine what they found. They created real solutions to be implemented, and they presented their findings in person to the company’s senior staff.

“One of the most gratifying parts of the first year of the course was, Taylor actually implemented the solutions the students came up with,” said Dr. Scott Grawe, dean of the college of business.

The course is still offered today, and it is encouraging the creation of many similar courses, both in the college of business and beyond.

 “The reputations of the university and the college of business grow as a result of these partnerships,” Grawe said. “The confidence these students have after having worked in this course is irreplaceable. They’ve worked in a real hands-on business environment, they’ve developed solutions, and they’ve honed executive presentation skills in delivering them. They know they can think on their feet because they have now done it. They go out into the workforce with a level of confidence they would not otherwise have.

“What’s more, these partnerships build the Mississippi State University brand. Parents sending students to school are encouraged, knowing we have relationships with companies like Taylor. That tells parents we’re preparing their kids to tackle problems in a way that will have them ready to put their knowledge to work immediately upon graduation.”

In the outer lobby of the newly-renovated auditorium, interactive displays will share this story. Inside the auditorium, updated seating, lighting and meeting presentation technology will make sure guests know their college experience is on track.

“We want guests in the auditorium to know they’re coming to a place that has very significant partnerships with companies who want to help our students succeed,” Grawe said.