����Vlog officials cut a ceremonial ribbon to open the affectionately known as “The Hill,” in a celebration on Dec. 4. At 95,000 square feet, it is the largest event venue space between Savannah and Macon and serves as the signature building on the University’s south campus, fronting Veterans Memorial Parkway (US 301 Bypass).

“It’s more than a building; it’s a place of opportunity,” said Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero. “Inside ‘The Hill,’ our students will learn, our athletes will compete and our community will come together. From classrooms to research labs, from strength and conditioning spaces to media rooms, every inch of this facility is designed with our future in mind.”

The exterior of the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center, which evokes the image of a soaring eagle’s wings, illustrates the University’s commitment to supporting students as they soar beyond.

Inside the center, there is approximately 8,000 square feet of new space for a Waters College of Health Professions sports psychology lab, a satellite research lab, faculty offices, a conference room and classrooms. The community will be afforded space for community activities and access to a new strength and conditioning area for research and other programs.

The arena, which will serve as the new home court for Georgia Southern Eagles NCAA basketball games, provides more than 5,500 in seating capacity, a 50% increase over Hanner Fieldhouse. The arena has chairback seats along both sidelines and behind one baseline, and allows future opportunities to add additional programming to the building, such as more premium seating, suites and club areas.

“It is an honor to officially welcome all of Eagle Nation to the gorgeous Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center with today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony,” Georgia Southern Director of Athletics Chris Davis told the crowd. “We look forward to christening the facility with women’s and men’s basketball games on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. I especially want to thank Gov. Kemp, the Georgia General Assembly, Dr. Kyle Marrero, the University leadership and our generous donors for this unprecedented opportunity to elevate the stature of our basketball programs with this outstanding facility that will provide an exciting venue to watch the Eagles soar on the court. Hail Southern!”

The center also houses the men’s and women’s basketball program and includes spaces for coaches’ offices, locker rooms, laundry/training room, equipment room, strength and conditioning space, fueling station, media room, visiting team locker room and a media green room.

Senior Grace Drawdy, who is a multimedia journalism major, member of the swimming and diving team and president of the Georgia Southern Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, is grateful for this contribution.

“If I could describe my time here at Georgia Southern, both individually and as a student-athlete, the one word I would use is transformational,” said Drawdy. “Through the opportunities and resources provided to me by Georgia Southern, I have transformed from a young girl who was unsure of her future to a confident woman who is poised for success wherever she may go. I’ve also had the pleasure of watching the University transform while I’ve been here. And what I’m most excited for is the transformation of our athletic training and physical therapy programs.

“This space will enhance athletic training and sports psychology for students within the major, but also the student-athletes who access these services every single day. I’m so thankful to be a part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony today, but I’m even more thankful to be a part of a University that continually helps me grow and be successful as a student, as an athlete, and most importantly, as a person.”

The new is located in the building’s concourse. 

The seating capacity for the events space is more than 5,900 (including nearly 970 seats on the floor). Event-level space also includes a ticketing office, security command center, a Coca-Cola micro market featuring checkout-free technology, and four dividable classrooms that can convert into additional flexible spaces.

Marrero thanked the partners who helped to make this impressive $64.4 million two-story complex a reality. 

“We express our deepest gratitude to Gov. Brian Kemp, the Georgia General Assembly, with the best legislative delegation in the state of Georgia, led by the Speaker of the House Jon Burns, the Board of Regents, and University System of Georgia leadership under Chancellor Sonny Perdue. Your vision and willingness made this project a reality.”

He also thanked the University Foundation Board, the Athletic Foundation Board and donors for their generous gifts and unwavering support of such a meaningful addition to the institution.

The building is named for Jack Hill (‘66), who was the longest-serving Georgia senator when he died in April 2020. He was a senator for 30 years, serving as chairman of several crucial committees, including Appropriations, which has broad jurisdiction over legislation involving budgeting and spending state and federal funds. With Hill’s support, Georgia Southern reached new heights as an institution serving the southeast region and the state of Georgia. Hill was instrumental in helping the University expand its programs and build several new state-of-the-art facilities, including the Engineering and Research Building, which opened for classes in January 2021.

Hill’s wife of 48 years, Ruth Ann, focused her life on public education and retired as principal of Reidsville Elementary School. She was a Triple Eagle, earning degrees from Georgia Southern in 1973, 1990 and 1991.

“We’re here to celebrate the great legacy of two individuals who made a difference,” Ga. Rep. Jon Burns enthusiastically shared with the audience. “They were both faithful public servants, because they cared more about their neighbors than they did about themselves. That was very clear. This University and this state could not be what it will be and what it is without the contributions and the foresight of people like Jack Hill. What he endowed this University with was an opportunity for a better life, for a better education for all Georgians and all people who wanted to attend this University. His fingerprints are all over this place. We all know that with the buildings, with the opportunities for these students, for these young people, they’re boundless. Because of the foresight and the work of Jack and Ruth in this place, we are privileged to sit here. Today was a dream of Senator Hill.”

Marrero also reflected on the outstanding legacy of Jack and Ruth Ann Hill.

“As Senator Hill once said, ‘The power of education is the ability to produce knowledge, character and skill in a way that is beneficial to society,’” Marrero shared.” His legacy embodies that ideal. Today is a celebration of what we’ve achieved together, but it’s also a look to the future. “The Hill” stands as a symbol of our University’s growth and commitment to providing exceptional opportunities for our students and community.

“So, today, let us cut this ribbon and open the doors to a new era at Georgia Southern,” he concluded. “Together, we will continue to honor the legacy of Jack and Ruth Ann Hill while building a brighter future for Eagle Nation.”

Construction for the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center began in early 2023 and finished late 2024. The program manager for the project is BDR Partners; the architect/engineer is LS3P-AECOM; the site/civil engineer is Hussey, Gay, Bell; the mechanical engineer is Dulohery Weeks; the general contractor is Whiting-Turner. Additional partners are GSFIC and Board of Regents USG.

With final budget approval from the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents, ����Vlog has completed planning and is moving forward with development of the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center.

The 95,000-square-foot center is named in honor of the late Senator Jack Hill and his wife of 46 years, Ruth Ann Hill. Both are Georgia Southern graduates.

The Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center will be the largest event venue space between Savannah and Macon. Serving as the signature building on Georgia Southern’s south campus, it will be located on University-owned land on the southwest side of the intersection of Lanier Drive and Veterans Memorial Parkway (US 301 bypass).

Total construction cost is estimated at just more than $50 million, while the total project budget is set at $64.46 million. Funding for the project comes from a combination of state and privately raised funds. Some site work has already begun but construction will not begin in earnest until this fall with a construction completion target of late 2024. A groundbreaking ceremony is set for May 26.

“We are excited to finally be planning for the construction phase of this project,” said Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero. “This center will have a tremendous impact on Statesboro, this region and our students. I am grateful to the Governor and the Legislature for supporting this project.”

With an estimated total cost of approximately $64.4 million, the center will be a multi-story complex that fills two vital University needs: 

1) Approximately 7,000 square feet of additional instructional space for the Waters College of Health Professions, specifically for the sports and exercise psychology and sports management programs. 

2) A multipurpose arena that can be utilized for large-scale events such as commencement ceremonies, speakers, concerts, job fairs and other University and community assemblies. The arena will be the new home court for Georgia Southern Eagles NCAA basketball games.

The academic space expansion is needed to keep up with enrollment in the Waters College of Health Professions, which has gone from 5,085 in 2018 to 5656 in 2021, and to support Georgia Southern’s commitment to expand its nursing cohort by 30% over the next five years.

“We need the additional space to house growing programs within the college that will complement the Health Professions Academic Building on the Armstrong Campus in Savannah,” Marrero said. “This center will be busy almost every day of the year. The collaboration across several internal and external constituent groups through the design and planning process has resulted in a state-of-the-art facility that further positions ����Vlog as a leader in higher education.”

For convocations, graduation ceremonies and other events that use the floor, the center occupancy tops out at almost 5,900. For athletic events and basketball games, the center will seat approximately 5,500 spectators. 

The center also will include full office suites and locker rooms for Georgia Southern’s men’s and women’s basketball teams.

“The Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center is a true game-changer for ����Vlog, the Statesboro community and Southeast Georgia,” said Director of Athletics Jared Benko. “Our men’s and women’s basketball teams will transition to the facility full-time upon its opening. With new locker rooms, team spaces, training rooms, a strength and conditioning area and fueling stations coming on board, it will create a best-in-class student-athlete experience. We are also excited to partner with the faculty and staff in the Waters College of Health Professionals on new projects and initiatives.”

Locating academic spaces under the same roof as the multi-purpose event venue allows for great synergy across disciplines, offering the University’s students hands-on learning opportunities while supporting student-athletes as well as members of the community through the institution’s own health and rehabilitation programs.

The building is named for Jack Hill (‘66), who was the longest-serving Georgia senator when he died in April 2020. He was a senator for 30 years, serving as chairman of several crucial committees, including Appropriations, which has broad jurisdiction over legislation involving budgeting and spending state and federal funds. With Hill’s support, Georgia Southern reached new heights as an institution serving the southeast region and the state of Georgia. Hill was instrumental in helping the University expand its programs and build several new state-of-the-art facilities, including the Engineering and Research Building, which opened for classes in January 2021.

His wife of 48 years, Ruth Ann, focused her life on public education and retired as principal of Reidsville Elementary School. She was a triple Eagle, earning degrees from Georgia Southern in 1973, 1990 and 1991.

With University System of Georgia approval Tuesday, ����Vlog’s planned convocation center in Statesboro will be named in honor of the late Senator Jack Hill and his wife of 46 years, Ruth Ann Hill. Both are Georgia Southern graduates.

The Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center will be the signature building on Georgia Southern’s south campus. It will be located on university-owned land on the southwest side of the intersection of Lanier Drive and Veterans Memorial Parkway (US 301 bypass).

“This will be a tremendous addition to our Statesboro campus, for our local community, and for our students,” said Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero. “We are grateful to the Governor and the Legislature for supporting this project, which will be a permanent reminder of the generational impact made by Jack and Ruth Ann Hill.”

A prominent resident of Reidsville, Jack Hill (‘66) was the longest serving Georgia senator when he died in April 2020. He was a senator for 30 years, serving as chairman of several crucial committees, including Appropriations, which has broad jurisdiction over legislation involving budgeting and spending state and federal funds. With Hill’s support, Georgia Southern reached new heights as an institution serving the southeast region and the state of Georgia. Hill was instrumental in helping the University expand its programs and build several new state-of-the-art facilities, including the Engineering and Research Building, which opened for classes in January 2021.

His wife of 48 years, Ruth Ann, focused her life on public education and retired as principal of Reidsville Elementary School. She was a triple Eagle, earning degrees from Georgia Southern in 1973, 1990 and 1991.
“Together, Ruth Ann and Senator Hill left an indelible mark on this institution, southeast Georgia and the state,” Marrero said. “I am very proud to be part of the effort to recognize and honor these special alumni and public servants.”

Funding for the project will come from a combination of state and privately raised funds. Gov. Brian Kemp’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget recommendations to the General Assembly include more than $12 million for construction.

Final designs and a groundbreaking schedule will be completed once funding has been secured.

����Vlog, a public Carnegie Doctoral/R2 institution founded in 1906, offers approximately 140 different degree programs serving almost 27,000 students through 10 colleges on three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and online instruction. A leader in higher education in southeast Georgia, the University provides a diverse student population with expert faculty, world-class scholarship and hands-on learning opportunities. Georgia Southern creates lifelong learners who serve as responsible scholars, leaders and stewards in their communities. Visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu.