Construction underway for new SU amphitheater and outdoor classroom

Southern University has begun construction on a new amphitheater and outdoor classroom, marked by a groundbreaking ceremony on campus.

The $1.7 million project, funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), will provide a safe, open-air gathering space near the Mississippi River. The facility, built in partnership with the Luster Group, was conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way for students and faculty to continue learning in an outdoor setting.

The unique design of the amphitheater and classroom reflects the shape of the historic campus bell housed inside the John B. Cade Library.

“Its significance is that it represents the shape of the bell that our enslaved ancestors rang every morning to start the day,” Chancellor John Pierre said. “Now this is a place and a beacon of hope.”

Southern University students enrolled in the new construction management program will assist with the project. The amphitheater will hold up to 1,500 people, with construction expected to be completed within the next year.