Gift will boost UNR medical programs
RENO -- A $10 million gift to the University of Nevada, Reno will allow construction of a new health sciences building and expansion of nursing and medical programs, university officials said Friday.
The commitment from the William N. Pennington Foundation to the UNR Foundation brings the private investment total to $15 million. That includes $2.5 million from the Nell J. Redfield Foundation and $1 million from the Thelma B. and Thomas P. Hart Foundation.
The money will be used to build a new teaching facility, which will allow the university's medical programs to expand.
"This gift will have an important, lasting impact for our state," UNR President Milton Glick said. "Nevada continues to face a shortage of doctors and nurses. The expansion of these teaching programs will go a long way toward addressing the shortage."
Construction is expected to begin next year and should be completed by fall 2011.
The 59,000-square-foot William N. Pennington Health Sciences Building will be adjacent to the existing Pennington Medical Education Building.
Funding of $3 million for planning was allocated by the 2007 Legislature and $31 million in construction bonding was approved this year.
UNR officials said it will allow the Nevada School of Medicine to expand its class size from 62 to 100 students, for an eventual, total enrollment of 400 medical students.
The number of Orvis School of Nursing students will double for an eventual, total enrollment of 300 students.
John McDonald, vice president of the university's Division of Health Science, said medical and nursing students will train together.
"Optimal health care is achieved when medical and health care professionals come together as an interdisciplinary team," he said.
William "Bill" Pennington and his partner acquired Circus Circus and expanded to Reno four years later.
The partners took the company public in 1983, and it was involved in the development of several major Strip properties, including the Excalibur and Luxor.
Pennington retired in 1988.
