FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Two grants were recently awarded by Fort Wayne foundations for the University of Saint Francis as they continue the renovations of the Achatz Hall of Science and Research Center.
The English-Bonter-Mitchell Foundation awarded USF $500,000 and the Edward M. Wilson Foundation granted $150,000 toward the construction costs of this project. Both local foundations are longtime supporters of the university. With these grants, the Achatz project is more than halfway to its fundraising goal.
“These generous grants are a wonderful example of the Fort Wayne community’s support of our students,” said USF President Sister Elise Kriss. “We are very grateful to these foundations for their commitment to enhancing our students’ education experience, especially in the sciences.”
The renovated Achatz Hall will be a modern science laboratory center offering specialized and redesigned science laboratories, dedicated research space, and preparation and storage areas—all designed to meet the university’s rapidly expanding needs in both lab and health sciences. With upgraded and expanded resources, more USF students will have the opportunity to conduct innovative research projects on university grounds. This expansion and renovation will also allow the university to partner with local companies in shared research projects. The project is scheduled for completion by year-end 2019.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 70 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the School of Health Sciences, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Keith Busse School of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership and School of Creative Arts. In addition to its traditional programs, USF designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point and online. In 2016, the University of Saint Francis expanded its presence to downtown Fort Wayne. USF Downtown houses the university’s business and music technology programs while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis campus experience includes 16 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships, and is recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution. Approximately 2,300 students from a broad geographic region attend USF.