The money will be used to renovate Hodson Science & Technology Center.
Frederick, Md (KM) Hood College in Frederick is receiving at $2.3 million grant from the Hodson Trust. The funds will be used to construct a 32,000 square foot addiction to the Hodson Science and Technology Center.
Dr. Andrea Chapdelaine, President of Hood Colleges, says the additional space will accommodate the new Biomedical Research and Training Center, and the current STEM programs (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). She says Hood has built a relationship with the scientists at Fort Detrick, some of whom teach classes at Hood.
President Chapdelaine says science has been an important part of Hood’s curriculum for many years. “Some of our alums going back to the early 20’s and 30’s were science majors, not very common for women for on those days; went on to have great successful careers,”: she says. Hood was an all woman’s college for many years.
She says all students at Hood College must take some science courses, even if they’re not pursuing careers in science.
Hood College and three other colleges in Maryland–Washington and St. John’s Colleges, and Johns Hopkins University–have had strong relationships with the Hodson Trust. Dr. Chapdelaine says the Hodson Trust has awarded scholarships for students attending these schools if they meet each of the colleges’ qualifications for admission. . “We, along with those other institutions, have had a number of what we call Hodson Scholars. So these are students who came to us through that program, and have benefited from a Hood education,” she says.
Dr. Chapdelaine says the project’s estimated costs have changed, but right now, they range from $26-million to $29-million. “We plan to do this project in phases because we need to keep the science building open for our students,” she says. “Our hope is that we’ll be breaking ground next fall on the new addition.”
President Chapdelaine says Hood has received some state funding form the project and has completed a successful fundraising campaign.
The Hodson Science and Technology Center was originally constructed in 1957, and with additional renovations projects completed in 2000 and 2014.
By Kevin McManus