Kris Engelstad McGarry announces first major gift for the project in support of training more nurses, EMTs and other healthcare professionals.
LAS VEGAS, Feb. 9, 2018 – The Engelstad Family Foundation announced the first major gift of $3 million for the proposed CSN & Nevada State Health & Science Building. The gift is a match intended to help the colleges raise another $3 million from the community before the start of the next legislative session.
“There is a huge need for quality and caring healthcare professionals and we must have the infrastructure necessary to train Southern Nevadans for these critical positions,” said Kris Engelstad McGarry, trustee of the Engelstad Family Foundation. “We will all benefit from the additional nurses, EMTs and other medical professionals who will be trained in this building and so I urge our community to stand with us to support this project.”
CSN and Nevada State proposed the facility in 2017 to the Nevada Legislature to expand training for nurses, EMTs and other healthcare professionals needed to alleviate a critical healthcare workforce shortage. The Legislature responded by allocating planning funds for the 70,000-square-foot facility to be located at the CSN Henderson Campus, just a few miles down the road from Nevada State. The two institutions will go to the Nevada Legislature to ask for the remaining construction funds in 2019.
“Nevada State College is one of the fastest growing colleges in the nation and our BSN in Nursing is the largest program in Nevada. We are proud to partner with CSN on this project that is critical to expanding our allied health programs,” said Bart Patterson, president of Nevada State College. “We want to recognize the Engelstad Family Foundation for their meaningful contribution to grow our capacity in the health care profession.”
“We must show lawmakers in 2019 that we have community support for this building and the Engelstad Family Foundation’s generous gift is the catalyst we need to rally Southern Nevadans to this cause,” said CSN Acting President Margo Martin. “We are honored and grateful to the Engelstads for embracing this project and for their visionary leadership in the field of healthcare.”
The Engelstad’s gift announcement kicked off the CSN and Nevada State foundations’ joint capital campaign to raise private dollars in support of the building. A lack of existing lab space at both colleges has hindered their ability to expand health science programs in response to the growing number of job openings in the field and the new building is critical to increasing the number of students they can train.
About the CSN Foundation:
The mission of the CSN Foundation is to support the strategic initiatives for the College of Southern Nevada by raising funds for facilities and capital improvements, scholarships, educational programs and faculty requirements.
About the Nevada State Foundation:
The Nevada State College Foundation was established in 2001 to encourage and promote the growth and improvement of Nevada State College, and to receive and administer private gifts provided to the College.