Davenport University's largest gift ever funds new academic building
By Elizabeth Slowik

The independent M.E. Davenport Foundation is providing $2.5 million for a new building on Davenport University's W.A. Lettinga Campus in Caledonia Township, the largest gift in the university's history.

The gift is for the $8.5 million Robert W. Sneden Center, a 41,000-square-foot  academic building currently under construction west of the Richard M. DeVos and Jay Van Andel Academic Center at 6191 Kraft Ave. SE.

 "We are honored by the generosity of the Davenport and Sneden families and share their pride that this is the largest gift in Davenport's history," Davenport President Richard Pappas said.

The Sneden Center, expected to be completed in the fall, will feature seven high-tech classrooms, a 220-seat auditorium, a board room, meeting rooms, offices and student services.

Davenport, with 12,000 students enrolled in health care, technology and business programs statewide and online, has 3,528 students at the Lettinga Campus and 400 students live in two residence halls there.

The private foundation also contributed $1 million to the Margaret D. Sneden Library and Information Commons on the Lettinga Campus. Also at Davenport, the foundation has supported the Wyndalda Teaching and Learning Institute and the Mable Engle School of Nursing.

The foundation was established in 1986 as an endowment for then-Davenport College. Since then, it has become independent and supports nonprofit community activities in education, economies and the environment.

As of September 2008, the foundation had $16.8 million in assets, according to its filing with the Internal Revenue Service.