Canisius Receives Challenge Grant From M&T Bank
$500,000 to be used toward the creation of an interdisciplinary science center at the college
Buffalo, NY – Canisius College President Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J., announced today that M&T Bank has awarded Canisius College a $500,000 challenge grant to be used toward the creation of an interdisciplinary science center at the college.
“We are delighted to receive this generous award from M&T Bank,” said Father Cooke. “Grants from this highly respected institution are very competitive. By selecting the college for this award, M&T has recognized Canisius as a leader in the Buffalo community.”
“M&T and Canisius have shared a relationship in this community since 1924,” said Shelley C. Drake, president of The M&T Charitable Foundation. “We have grown together, and together, we have helped the community to grow. We believe this project will advance Canisius’ already outstanding undergraduate science program, as well as help Western New York’s life-sciences economy to develop.”
Payable over five years, the foundation will match, dollar-for-dollar, qualifying cash and pledges received by the college from the Western New York private sector, including alumni, friends, and Western New York foundations and corporations.
Funds will support the purchase, renovation and development of technology-enhanced classrooms and laboratories, including five Interdisciplinary Research Training Groups (IRTGs) in the areas of bioinformatics, cellular/molecular biology, analytical chemistry, neuroscience and quantitative science that will be housed in the college’s interdisciplinary science center.
The interdisciplinary science center at Canisius College will be developed in what is presently the HealthNow building and parking pavilion at 1901 Main Street in the heart of the campus. The building is best known as the site of the former Sears Roebuck store, which operated there from 1920 – 1980. It consists of a four-story building with 237,000 total square feet (170,000 net usable square feet) set on three and a half acres. It includes a three-level parking ramp with a total of 1,350 spaces. The center will bring together in one location the college’s biology, chemistry, biochemistry, bioinformatics, environmental science, physics, psychology, computer science and mathematics programs. In addition to classrooms, laboratories, office and other support space to accommodate faculty research programs, the building will also have five interdisciplinary research training groups in bioinformatics, quantitative sciences, cellular molecular biology, analytical chemistry and neuroscience.
The anticipated cost of the project is $47 million. In addition to gifts from alumni and friends of the college, Canisius is also seeking support from federal and state sources, and national and regional foundations and corporations. The college is scheduled to acquire the building in late 2007 and plans to begin construction of the science center as soon as possible after acquisition of the site.
Canisius has been ranked by several national foundations as one of the top colleges and universities in the nation for undergraduate science because of our outstanding results with our undergraduate science programs. Canisius students go on to the best graduate programs and the college has an impressive record of faculty-student research and publication.
With the development of the interdisciplinary science center, Canisius can play a key role in the emerging life sciences economy developing at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. The college is a place where the talent necessary to drive this new economy will be developed.
M&T Bank believes its responsibility as a corporate citizen is to add value to the communities in which it operates, and through its philanthropic arm, The M&T Charitable Foundation, contributes to non-profit organizations that focus on improving the quality of life for its customers, its employees and its community.
For more information, contact the Office of Public Relations at (716) 888-2790.
Canisius College is one of 28 Jesuit colleges in the nation and the premier private college in Western New York. Canisius prepares leaders - intelligent, caring, faithful individuals able to pursue and promote excellence in their professions, their communities and their service to humanity.
“We are delighted to receive this generous award from M&T Bank,” said Father Cooke. “Grants from this highly respected institution are very competitive. By selecting the college for this award, M&T has recognized Canisius as a leader in the Buffalo community.”
“M&T and Canisius have shared a relationship in this community since 1924,” said Shelley C. Drake, president of The M&T Charitable Foundation. “We have grown together, and together, we have helped the community to grow. We believe this project will advance Canisius’ already outstanding undergraduate science program, as well as help Western New York’s life-sciences economy to develop.”
Payable over five years, the foundation will match, dollar-for-dollar, qualifying cash and pledges received by the college from the Western New York private sector, including alumni, friends, and Western New York foundations and corporations.
Funds will support the purchase, renovation and development of technology-enhanced classrooms and laboratories, including five Interdisciplinary Research Training Groups (IRTGs) in the areas of bioinformatics, cellular/molecular biology, analytical chemistry, neuroscience and quantitative science that will be housed in the college’s interdisciplinary science center.
The interdisciplinary science center at Canisius College will be developed in what is presently the HealthNow building and parking pavilion at 1901 Main Street in the heart of the campus. The building is best known as the site of the former Sears Roebuck store, which operated there from 1920 – 1980. It consists of a four-story building with 237,000 total square feet (170,000 net usable square feet) set on three and a half acres. It includes a three-level parking ramp with a total of 1,350 spaces. The center will bring together in one location the college’s biology, chemistry, biochemistry, bioinformatics, environmental science, physics, psychology, computer science and mathematics programs. In addition to classrooms, laboratories, office and other support space to accommodate faculty research programs, the building will also have five interdisciplinary research training groups in bioinformatics, quantitative sciences, cellular molecular biology, analytical chemistry and neuroscience.
The anticipated cost of the project is $47 million. In addition to gifts from alumni and friends of the college, Canisius is also seeking support from federal and state sources, and national and regional foundations and corporations. The college is scheduled to acquire the building in late 2007 and plans to begin construction of the science center as soon as possible after acquisition of the site.
Canisius has been ranked by several national foundations as one of the top colleges and universities in the nation for undergraduate science because of our outstanding results with our undergraduate science programs. Canisius students go on to the best graduate programs and the college has an impressive record of faculty-student research and publication.
With the development of the interdisciplinary science center, Canisius can play a key role in the emerging life sciences economy developing at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. The college is a place where the talent necessary to drive this new economy will be developed.
M&T Bank believes its responsibility as a corporate citizen is to add value to the communities in which it operates, and through its philanthropic arm, The M&T Charitable Foundation, contributes to non-profit organizations that focus on improving the quality of life for its customers, its employees and its community.
For more information, contact the Office of Public Relations at (716) 888-2790.
Canisius College is one of 28 Jesuit colleges in the nation and the premier private college in Western New York. Canisius prepares leaders - intelligent, caring, faithful individuals able to pursue and promote excellence in their professions, their communities and their service to humanity.
Date released: 5/1/2007
