English-Bonter-Mitchell Foundation gives $1 million to Trine’s Fort Wayne project

FORT WAYNE — Trine University has received a $1 million gift from the English-Bonter-Mitchell Foundation toward its Trine University Fort Wayne project.

The approximately 110,000-square-foot academic and training facility, announced in June, will house programs in Trine’s College of Health Professions.

“We are proud to support Trine University’s new Fort Wayne facility, where students will learn the skills necessary to meet the healthcare needs in the city that Dr. Calvin English called home,” said Corinna Ladd, chair of the English Bonter Mitchell Foundation and the Northern Indiana Regional President for PNC Bank, NA. “Supporting this project is an appropriate way to honor the legacy of Dr. Calvin English. Trine University’s new Fort Wayne facility will equip students for successful careers, boost the regional economy and improve the quality of life in this region.”

Including a recently announced Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) grant as well as multimillion-dollar pledges from the Surack Family Foundation, the Steel Dynamics Inc. Foundation, the James Foundation and Trine University alumnus and trustee Larry Reiners and his wife Judy, Trine has raised more than $20 million this year toward the cost of the project.

“We are overwhelmed by the excitement expressed for Trine University’s Fort Wayne campus, and grateful for all who have pledged their support,” said Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D., Trine University president. “There are still many opportunities to be involved in this effort, and we encourage everyone to consider being part of shaping the future of healthcare in northeast Indiana.”

Trine University Fort Wayne

Opening in fall 2024, the approximately $40 million Trine University Fort Wayne campus, developed in close partnership with Parkview Health, will employ 100 faculty and staff and serve nearly 700 students in Trine’s College of Health Professions (CHP), which currently includes its physical therapy, physician assistant, speech-language pathology, nursing and surgical technology programs. Located near Parkview Regional Medical Center, the new space will allow CHP to add new programs including occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, medical science and emergency medical sciences.

In addition to state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories, the new facility will feature, in partnership with the Parkview Mirro Center, an innovative Simulated Patient Care Center (SimCenter) including mock surgery and Emergency Room suites and exam and patient rooms. The building also will contain ample resources for student support, including a library, bookstore, gathering area, academic support and counseling services.