A large, three-story red brick academic building with columns and tall windows, set behind a curved sidewalk and landscaped lawn on a sunny day.

In November, Mississippi State and its College of Education celebrated the dedication of the Jim and Thomas Duff Center. One of MSU’s largest academic buildings, it is now home to the Department of Kinesiology, as well as key programs of the university’s Mississippi Institute on Disabilities, including the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic and ACCESS Program and Specialized College Services.

As a hub for assisting those with disabilities—with state-of-the-art laboratories, treatment rooms and offices—the Duff Center is enhancing Mississippi State’s ability to serve families in need. In his remarks during the ribbon cutting, MSU President Mark E. Keenum explained how this investment in essential services will grow the university’s reach from three to four times its original capacity.

“Previously, our autism and developmental disabilities programs were scattered around campus,” Keenum said. “We were meeting critical needs, serving about 100 clients a week at the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic, but the facilities were far from adequate. We knew we could do much more.

Five men in suits, one standing and speaking at a podium labeled "Mississippi State," with a university seal in the background and an audience in the foreground.
Tommy (left) and Jim Duff of Columbia give remarks during Mississippi State’s dedication of the Jim and Thomas Duff Center. Their cornerstone gift helped create the new home for the Department of Kinesiology and programs within the Mississippi Institute on Disabilities.

“Today, with our new treatment room space, we will be able to serve 300 to 400 clients a week, and that includes some who will need more intensive treatment,” he continued. “That just goes to show you how essential this new building is.”

The center is named for the Duff Brothers of Columbia, whose $15 million cornerstone gift, along with support from the Mississippi Legislature, made the center, which now sets the bar for disability support in the South, a reality.

“Mississippi State is really doing good things for the state, and we want to be a part of that,” said Jim Duff. “It’s important to us to give back because it makes a difference for a lot of people.”

Six people in formal attire stand in front of a brick building, holding a ribbon at a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
L-R: MSU President Mark E. Keenum, Lynn and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, Jim and Tommy Duff, and MSU Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw

As someone who experiences dyslexia, Jim Duff said he understands first-hand the difficulties of a learning disability and the brothers hope this new center will be an essential source of support for students in need of assistance.

“Education should bring out the best in everyone,” said Tommy Duff. “We hope this gift will enable a center where students can grow their skills and self-confidence. There are a lot of bright kids in our state and at MSU, and we want them to have the ability to realize their potential to compete and succeed regardless of their means.”

Photos by Grace Cockrell