The funding was announced by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and will come to the university through Senate Bill 450.
The University of Rio Grande is set to receive $7.5 million in capital funding via Senate Bill 450, as announced recently by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. The funding will allow the university to make campus infrastructure improvements, modernize learning environments, and enhance the university’s workforce training efforts.
According to an article on the University of Rio Grande’s website, Ryan Smith, who serves as the President of the University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College, was quoted as saying of the funding, “Our goal is to modernize key facilities to better serve students and employers while directly strengthening the region’s talent pipeline. These investments position Rio to respond to workforce needs across healthcare, agriculture, advanced manufacturing, and skilled trades. Rio would like to give a huge thank you to Governor DeWine and the Ohio General Assembly for their support. The investment will strengthen student recruitment efforts and ensure long-term sustainability of academic programming.”
The funding will help the university accomplish a number of renovation projects and enhancements. Among these are the renovation of the Kidd Math and Science Center, with science laboratories receiving a comprehensive renovation and the addition of spaces to accommodate the potential of adding new programs to the university’s offerings. The school’s agriculture programs will also receive enhancements through the acquisition of industry-standard equipment.
Another area of the school receiving enhancements through the funding is the Davis Career Center, which will expand its capacity for students in workforce training programs. Spaces will be created for mechanical and industrial training, and new programs will enter development.
Finally, the Lyne Center, which houses the sports and exercise studies programs, will get a new roof and a new HVAC system.
These construction efforts will soon get underway and renovations are expected to be completed by Fall 2027.
For more information about the University of Rio Grande, visit the school’s website.