Wallace Foundation Supports Future of Science Education at Newman University

In August 2015, the Dwane and Velma Wallace Foundation awarded Newman University a grant that will continue to benefit Newman, its students and the entire community for many years to come.

Through its excellence in science, pre-med and health sciences education, Newman graduates have helped to fulfill the growing local demand for physicians, nurses and health care professionals. However, while the Newman programs have excelled and students have achieved, Newman’s primary science education facility, the Heimerman Science Center that was built in 1966, is antiquated and not suited for remodeling or expansion.

The Wallace Foundation grant has not only helped in the construction of the new 53,000 sq. ft. Bishop Gerber Science Center and in the renovation of health sciences instructional facilities in the existing Eck Hall, but it also helped to secure additional funding from other organizations. The combined costs for these projects totals more than $24 million.

“The substantial gift from the Wallace Foundation was especially consequential in that, combined with gifts from other donors, it enabled Newman to meet our overall campaign goal by the deadline of January 12, 2017,” said Newman’s director of grants, Bill Meitl. “As a consequence, Newman qualified for and received an additional $1 million challenge grant.”

According to Newman’s senior development officer, David Alexander, the new facility will be completed in the fall of 2017 and will enable Newman to attract and retain high-level faculty and staff, as well as meet new accreditation standards in nursing and allied health education. To find out more about Newman and its programs, visit www.NewmanU.edu.

Founded by Dwane and Velma Wallace in 1989, the Wallace Foundation’s mission is to support a wide variety of tax-exempt, charitable organizations primarily in the Wichita, Kansas area, and secondarily in the state of Kansas, in the categories of: arts and culture, education, community development and enhancement, social services and needs, and quality of life.

“This remarkable gift represents how deeply the Wallace Foundation is committed to a shared vision of excellence for Newman University,” said Meitl. “It also inspires all of us to realize how substantial the Wallace Foundation’s commitment is to improving the quality of life in our community.”

To find out more about the Wallace Foundation’s grant approval process, visit the Our Approval Process page.

– Newman University