Candace BarnetteMontana State University (MSU) has secured the necessary funding for a $46 million facility for Gallatin College MSU.
A $4.8 million donation from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation helped the university reach its private fundraising goal of $22.5 million. The recent donation will supplement funds already allocated for the project by the state.
The 2023 Montana Legislature, with the support of Gov. Greg Gianforte, approved House Bill 5, providing $23.5 million in state funding for the project. The legislation stipulated that MSU raise the remaining funds through private contributions.
Major donations include $11.25 million from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, $4.8 million from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, $4 million from Lone Mountain Land Company and $1 million from an anonymous local industry partner.
MSU President Waded Cruzado expressed gratitude for the gift.
“Gallatin College MSU has been helping students find successful careers and helping the industries of southwest Montana find qualified, highly educated employees for years,” Cruzado said. “I’m thrilled that it’s finally time for Gallatin College MSU to have the home it deserves to continue to grow and help even more students.”
Gallatin College MSU has experienced rapid growth, with enrollment reaching a record 1,101 students last fall. Despite this, the college has relied on leased spaces and remains the only two-year college in Montana without its own dedicated facility.
The new building will be located in MSU’s South Campus District, providing a centralized location for students and faculty.
With the completion of the fundraising goal, MSU plans to proceed with the design and construction phases, aiming to open the new facility to students in the coming years.
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Tim Evanson via Wikimedia Commons
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