BILLINGS – MSU-Billings celebrated the future and the soon-to-be-built Yellowstone Science and Allied Health Building.
Many in the community enjoyed the ceremonial groundbreaking for the $17.1 million dollar project Wednesday evening on the MSUB campus.
The project includes a new 31,000-square-foot building and the renovation of the old building, constructed in 1947.
The community raised $5 million, the Montana Legislature appropriated $10 million and the regents approved $2.1 million.
“It will make a difference in individual students,” said Billings Mayor Bill Cole. “Real people in real time and real lives, for the rest of their life and generations after that.”
“It’s great for the city of Billings,” said MSUB Chancellor Dan Edelman. “Great for the state of Montana and great for our students.”
“This is about people,” said Waded Cruzado, Montana State University president. “And that is the message and that is the lesson that this campus in over 90 years has understood very, very well.”
“This day represents the grit, the tenacity, the passion and commitment of this community,” said Clayton Christian, commissioner of higher education.
“This community has high expectations for where this university will be headed,” said Steve Arveschoug, Big Sky Economic Development executive director.
“For MSU Billngs, this is a great day because it ends one chapter and begins a new,” said Bill Kennedy, MSUB Foundation president & CEO.
More than 500 in the community donated to the campaign, according to Kennedy.
He said the project will go out to bid by the beginning of next year and construction will take up to a year and a half.
Reporting by David Jay for MTN News
