Pittman Hall – formerly Ridge North – was officially dedicated to Crymes and Scarlotte Pittman on Friday. The Pittman family most recently donated $1 million to the university, bringing their overall total donations to their alma mater to $6.6 million.
The dedication ceremony was held in the Ridge courtyard, surrounded by Minor Hall, Burns Hall and the newly named Pittman Hall. The ceremony began with a word of welcome from university attorney and Chancellor’s Chief-Of-Staff Lee Tyner, who extended an invitation to a reception and tour of Pittman Hall after the event.
Tyner was followed by Brandi Hephner-Labanc, vice-chancellor of Student Affairs.
“This building represents a home away from home,” Labanc said. “Without the support of families like the Pittmans, this university would not be able to support students like we do.”
Dean of the Ole Miss Law School Richard Gershon gave kind words to Crymes Pittman, an alumnus of the program. According to Gershon, Room 2086 in the Robert C. Khayat Law Center was made possible due to the Pittmans’ generosity. A large sum of the donations from the Pittman family was donated directly to the law school at Ole Miss in the form of endowments that were co-created by Crymes Pittman and his fellow lawyers in the firm he founded, Pittman, Germany, Roberts & Welsh, L.L.P. Pittman also served as the law school chairman for a few years as well.
“Crymes is an example of what a lawyer should be,” Gershon said.
Ole Miss Athletic Director Ross Bjork also made an appearance at the ceremony.
Along with welcoming Pittman to the ceremony and thanking him for his continued service to the university, Bjork said, “The Pittmans embody everything that is great about Ole Miss. A one of a kind name for a one of a kind man.”
The ceremony ended with Crymes Pittman himself thanking everyone for the recognition.
Of the university and its student, Pittman said, “I love this school, and I love education. The future of mankind depends on our ability to educate. We learn every day of our lives. If a church is not building, it’s not growing. And that’s true for a university as well.”
The renaming and dedication of Ridge North to Pittman Hall marks the end of the Ridges. Ridge West was renamed Minor Hall in 2013, and Ridge South was renamed Burns Hall earlier in 2014.
