Rea and Lillian Steele North Campus
The Rea and Lillian Steele North Campus is a 40-acre Valdosta State University campus in Valdosta, Georgia, housing business, aerospace studies, athletic and planned health-sciences facilities.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Rea and Lillian Steele North Campus is a secondary campus of Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia. Located less than a mile north of the university’s main campus, the 40-acre site supports academic, military-training, athletic and recreational functions. It is home to the Harley Langdale Jr. School of Business and Air Force ROTC Detachment 172, and it includes Billy Grant Field, the home venue of Valdosta State’s baseball team, together with softball and other recreational facilities. University bus service links the North Campus with the main campus. The site originated as the home of Emory Junior College, a two-year institution that opened there in 1928. The junior college struggled with enrollment during the Great Depression and closed during the Second World War as students entered military service. It reopened in 1946, when returning veterans supported by the GI Bill produced a temporary rise in enrollment. Attendance later fell again, generally remaining below 70 students, and Emory Junior College closed in 1953. The property was then sold to Valdosta State College, which had become coeducational in 1950. Three surviving Emory Junior College buildings became important parts of the Valdosta State site. Thaxton Hall, originally a men’s dormitory, was remodeled first for nursing and later for College of Business offices. Pound Hall, named for former Valdosta State president Jere M. Pound, previously served education and psychology functions before becoming associated with business administration. Barrow Hall, named for University System of Georgia chancellor David C. Barrow, was converted from a men’s dormitory to house the Division of Aerospace Studies and Air Force ROTC. The campus received its present name after the Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration received a bequest of more than $8 million from the estate of Lillian S. Steele in August 2002. The gift honored her husband, Rea Steele, and established the naming relationship between the North Campus and the business school. Athletics became another major component of the site. Billy Grant Field’s field house opened in spring 1997, followed by an indoor baseball and softball batting and pitching facility. A neighboring softball field opened in fall 1999, and a new softball field house followed in 2007. In 2012, the University System Board of Regents acquired the Ashley Cinema property on the northern side of the campus. The property expanded usable campus space and provided parking while remaining leased to the cinema operator pending future university use. The university also pursued a large health-sciences and business-administration expansion in cooperation with South Georgia Medical Center. The proposed development was intended to place programs such as nursing, communication disorders, social work, sports medicine, athletic training, exercise physiology and business administration near the regional hospital. Planning encountered delays associated with state budget reductions, but the project later received federal, state and institutional support, followed by a public celebration in April 2012 and a formal groundbreaking in October 2012. The North Campus therefore functions not as a conventional consumer brand, but as a named university place and institutional platform supporting teaching, training, athletics and community-oriented development.
History
The North Campus occupies the former site of Emory Junior College, a two-year institution established in 1928 on approximately 40 acres in Valdosta, Georgia. Enrollment was weak during the Great Depression, and the college closed for the duration of the Second World War as the student population was depleted by military service. Emory Junior College reopened in 1946, benefiting from the arrival of veterans using the GI Bill. This increase did not produce a lasting enrollment base: for much of the institution’s remaining existence, attendance averaged fewer than 70 students. Emory Junior College closed in 1953, and the property was sold to Valdosta State College. Valdosta State subsequently adapted the remaining campus buildings for changing academic purposes. Thaxton Hall began as a men’s residence hall, was remodeled for nursing in 1972 and was remodeled again in 1982 for College of Business offices. Pound Hall, named for former Valdosta State president Jere M. Pound, had served education and psychology programs before being remodeled for the School of Business Administration in 1974; it underwent a more extensive renovation in 1992. Barrow Hall, named for David C. Barrow, a chancellor of the University System of Georgia, was converted from a men’s residence hall in 1971 to house the Division of Aerospace Studies and Air Force ROTC. Athletic use expanded during the 1990s and 2000s. Billy Grant Field became the home of the Valdosta State baseball team, and its field house opened in spring 1997. The site also gained an indoor batting and pitching building for baseball and softball. A softball field opened in fall 1999, followed by a new softball field house in 2007. These facilities made the North Campus an important venue for university athletics in addition to its academic role. The campus received its current commemorative name after Lillian S. Steele left a bequest exceeding $8 million to the Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration in August 2002. The gift honored her husband, Rea Steele, and the campus was subsequently identified as the Rea and Lillian Steele North Campus. Valdosta State and South Georgia Medical Center later explored a cooperative health-sciences mission based on the two institutions’ proximity. The proposed Medical Park was intended to support nursing, communication disorders, social work, sports medicine and athletic training, exercise physiology and business administration. Plans described a substantial academic facility with classrooms, auditoriums, laboratories and multipurpose rooms, as well as possible future residence and dining construction. The proposal entered the University System of Georgia capital-project process in 2004, received hospital support in 2008, and gained Board of Regents approval in 2010. State budget reductions delayed the anticipated construction schedule, but federal and state planning and design support followed in 2011. A community celebration took place on April 30, 2012, and a formal groundbreaking occurred on October 4, 2012. Also in 2012, the Board of Regents acquired the Ashley Cinema property north of the college. The university initially used the property’s parking capacity while retaining the option of future campus development. Today, the North Campus is best understood as a university place-name rather than an independent commercial brand. Its functions encompass business education, Air Force ROTC, athletics, recreation, transportation connections and the institutional expansion of health-related education.
- 2012
Ashley Cinema property acquired and health facility groundbreaking held
[1]The Board of Regents acquires the Ashley Cinema property, while Valdosta State holds public events for its planned health-sciences and business facility, including an October groundbreaking.
- 2010
Health-sciences project receives Board of Regents approval
[1]The proposed cooperative Health Sciences and Business Administration facility is approved within the university system, though construction is later delayed.
- 2007
Softball field house opens
[1]A new field house is added to the North Campus softball facilities.
- 2002
Campus receives the Steele name
[1]A bequest exceeding $8 million to the business college honors Rea and Lillian Steele and gives the North Campus its present name.
- 1999
Softball field opens
[1]A softball field opens beside Billy Grant Field in the fall.
- 1997
Billy Grant Field house opens
[1]The baseball complex’s field house opens in spring, strengthening the campus’s athletic role.
- 1982
Thaxton Hall adapted for business offices
[1]A second major remodeling gives Thaxton Hall a College of Business function.
- 1972
Thaxton Hall remodeled for nursing
[1]The former residence hall is adapted for the Nursing Department.
- 1971
Barrow Hall converted for aerospace studies
[1]The former men’s dormitory is remodeled to house the Division of Aerospace Studies and Air Force ROTC.
- 1953
Property transfers to Valdosta State College
[1]Emory Junior College closes and its property is sold to Valdosta State College.
Products and positioning
A named Valdosta State University campus combining business education, aerospace studies, athletics and future-facing health-sciences development in a location adjacent to South Georgia Medical Center.
Academic school
Harley Langdale Jr. School of Business
The business school is one of the North Campus’s principal academic occupants. The campus naming followed Lillian S. Steele’s bequest of more than $8 million to the Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration in 2002, honoring her husband, Rea Steele. Existing campus buildings, including Thaxton Hall and Pound Hall, have supported business offices and business-administration instruction.
Military education
Air Force ROTC Detachment 172
Air Force ROTC Detachment 172 operates from the North Campus through the university’s Division of Aerospace Studies. Barrow Hall, formerly a men’s dormitory, was remodeled in 1971 for aerospace studies and Air Force ROTC functions.
Athletic facility · 1997
Billy Grant Field
Billy Grant Field is the home venue of Valdosta State’s baseball team. Its complex includes a field house opened in spring 1997 and an indoor batting and pitching building serving baseball and softball activities.
Athletic facility · 1999
North Campus softball facilities
The softball area includes a field opened in fall 1999 and a field house added in 2007. Together with the baseball complex and other recreational fields, it makes the North Campus a significant university athletics location.
Academic development project · 2012
Health Sciences and Business Administration facility
The proposed facility was designed to consolidate and expand health-sciences and business programs near South Georgia Medical Center. The planned academic uses included nursing, communication disorders, social work, sports medicine and athletic training, exercise physiology and business administration. The project experienced schedule delays linked to state budget cuts and was publicly marked by a groundbreaking in 2012.
Brand decisions
2012
Acquire the Ashley Cinema propertyM&ABackground
The university sought additional land and usable space on the northern side of the campus.
Action taken
The University System Board of Regents purchased the Ashley Cinema property and initially used more than 270 parking spaces while leasing the facility back to its occupant.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded potential campus space, although no immediate definitive university use was identified in the reference material.
Property purchase price. $2 million (2012)
2010
Advance a cooperative health-sciences and business campusStrategyBackground
Valdosta State University and South Georgia Medical Center pursued a development connecting university health education with the region’s major healthcare facility.
Action taken
The Board of Regents approved the proposed Health Sciences and Business Administration facility, with later planning and design support from federal and state sources.
Aftermath
State budget reductions delayed the anticipated construction timetable, but the project proceeded to public celebration and groundbreaking events in 2012.
2002
Accept and commemorate the Steele bequestOtherBackground
The Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration received a bequest exceeding $8 million from Lillian S. Steele’s estate.
Action taken
The university used the gift to honor Rea Steele and Lillian Steele through the naming of the North Campus.
Aftermath
The site became known as the Rea and Lillian Steele North Campus and continued to support business education among other university functions.
Bequest. More than $8 million (August 2002)
Recent events
- 2012
Ashley Cinema property added to North Campus holdings[1]
Other
The University System Board of Regents purchased the Ashley Cinema property on the north side of the campus. The property increased usable space and supplied student parking while being leased back to the existing occupant.
- 2012
Health Sciences and Business Administration project breaks ground[1]
Product launch · Other
Valdosta State held a community celebration in April and an official groundbreaking in October for a planned facility intended to consolidate and expand health-sciences and business programs.
- 2002
Lillian Steele bequest leads to North Campus naming[1]
Other
A bequest of more than $8 million to the Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration prompted the naming of the Valdosta State University North Campus for Rea and Lillian Steele.
Sources2 sources
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