Breaking New Ground

This three-year $11 million dollar campaign enhances the educational experience and champions student success through supporting the Royal Fund, student scholarships, and the construction of a two-story, 20,605 square foot state-of-the-art science building.

The current science lab supports the life sciences, sport and fitness leadership, and pre-nursing programs. The limitations of one lab caused the University to limit enrollment in the life sciences major. The new two-story science building will contain two biology labs, one chemistry lab, one physics lab, four large classrooms, support rooms and offices for a total of 23,682 square feet of educational space, responding to the growing need for healing professionals.

The new science building will be the second-ever science-focused building on campus, the first being the Taber Chemical Laboratory which was built in 1924 and has since been demolished. The construction of this building continues Johnson’s commitment to provide the best facilities possible for our students.

The science building will be located to the west of the Phillips-Welshimer Building and will complete an educational quad surrounding the pond. It will provide four labs that accommodate 24 students each: Two labs will be equipped for biology, one for chemistry, and one for physics, which will enable the University to expand its science instruction for all students and to add new programs such as biology, biochemistry, and environmental science. The building will also include beautiful common gathering and study space for all students, office space for faculty and staff, and additional classrooms.

The Royal Fund is a means of keeping students’ charges low by covering a portion of Johnson’s annual operating expense. What students pay in tuition, fees, and room and board does not meet the actual cost of their education. The “GAP” between what they pay and what it costs is currently estimated at about $7,600 per student per year. Contributions to The Royal Fund bridge that GAP between what they are charged and the total cost, thus enabling us to keep tuition costs as low as possible. While giving to pay utilities, maintenance, salaries, and other basic operating expenses is not especially glamorous, giving to cover these expenses is critically important to help Johnson students.

Providing scholarships is a critically important way you can assist Johnson students. These scholarships are divided into two groups:

• Contributions for current student scholarships are used immediately.
• Contributions that are given to permanent funds provide perpetual support. Principal amounts contributed are invested and a percentage of the fund balance is used each year to provide scholarships.