On Thursday Bushnell University announced they received an $800-thousand grant from the M.J. Murdoc Charitable Trust. The grant will go towards the construction of the Goodrich Hall Tower.
The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust is a philanthropic organization supporting community-focused organizations in the Pacific Northwest and beyond for over 45 years. The Trust has been a long-time supporter of Bushnell University, with a growing number of grants awarded in recent years.
The university says the tower will be a four-story building and will provide improvements to Goodrich Hall that will better serve the growing student population.
According to the university's news release, a generous alumni donor family matched the grant, bringing the total up to $1.6-million. With this addition, the university's 'Venture Forward' campaign has now surpassed $16-million.
The 'Venture Forward Campaign', is an effort that started back in in the Fall of 2021, according to the university's website, its goal is to raise $18-million in funds to help effort by Bushnell University to help expand their campus.
The construction of the Goodrich Hall Tower is a great example of capacity-building projects the Trust loves to support,” says Dana Miller, senior program director for grants, Murdock Trust. “By creating an accessible and updated facility, students, faculty, and administration will be able to move more safely into Bushnell University’s future as it grows its student body. The Trust is honored to support institutions like Bushnell that create an inclusive learning environment so all students have an opportunity to flourish and thrive.
New construction on Goodrich Hall Tower will provide elevator and bathroom access on each level, and will provide other modern improvements for the historical building.
Bushnell President Dr. Joseph D. Womack says, “Bushnell University is grateful for the Murdock Trust's pivotal partnership. We look forward to the construction of the Goodrich Hall Tower in 2023. The Tower will transform the space where Bushnell students have studied for over 117 years to make it usable and accessible for generations to come.”