Avera pledges $15 million gift

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Staff Reports

The Avera Health Board of Directors approved a $15 million pledge to SDSU on Nov. 14 to support health sciences education and research.

The donation will enable construction of the Avera Health and Science Complex to begin in April. The $48 million complex will house the College of Pharmacy, chemistry and biology departments, laboratories and classrooms. It will be located where Shepherd Hall currently sits.

“All of us at SDSU are thrilled to join forces with a leading and respected health system to advance research and education,” President David Chicoine said. “Our students, future students and people of the region are the real beneficiaries of this historic partnership.”

Avera says the agreement will focus on increasing research in cancer, genomics and developing new medical treatments.

According to SDSU, the gift will propel existing relationships between Avera and pharmacy, nursing, clinical and laboratory science, dietetics, athletic training, sports medicine and health promotions.

The $15 million pledge is the largest single gift ever made to SDSU and will be paid to the school over the course of ten years. A press release from Avera estimates that over 70 percent of SDSU students will use the Complex.

The building is scheduled to be open in spring of 2010.