Friday afternoon, the University of Findlay announced a substantial gift from a notable alumnus.

University representatives revealed a $1 million check provided by Billy and Brenda Watterson.

Billy graduated from UF in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Safety and Occupational Health Management and currently serves on the university's board of trustees. In 2013 he established a scholarship fund for EHSS students, later he also created a fund for students studying abroad, and received the University's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2014.

The gift will update and expand spaces for the Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability program by renovating 2,880 square feet and adding roughly 5,600 square feet to the Brewer Science Hall.

"Coming in here with nothing, I feel like it's just an incredible opportunity to steward the resources that we've been blessed with to allow these kids to have access to tools, to knowledge, to infrastructure to really help them do more than what they can do now," Watterson said.

Students in the EHSS program get hands-on experience with the All Hazards Training Center and have demonstrated a 100% job placement rate.