Great Falls, Mont.-based Benefis Health System and Montana State University broke ground on the first of five nurse teaching buildings being constructed thanks to a $101 million donation, the Great Falls Tribune reported Nov. 29.
The donation was given in 2021 by philanthropists Mark and Robyn Jones and is the largest gift given to a nursing college in the nation, according to the report. MSU's college of nursing was named after the Joneses in honor of the gift.
The donation will be used to construct five nurse teaching facilities at MSU campuses in Great Falls, Billings, Kalispell, Bozeman and Missoula, as well as create five endowed professorships, a scholarship fund and a new nurse practitioner midwifery program. The new buildings will allow the nursing program to double its number of graduates. Benefis will provide curriculum input and hands-on training through the partnership.