Colby College Receives Record $150M Gift for Science Complex

Colby College in Maine has received a historic $150 million anonymous donation, the largest in the school's history and one of the most significant gifts ever to a liberal arts college, to fund a new $300 million science complex and expand its science and engineering programs. The approximately 200,000-square-foot facility, expected to open in 2030, will include modern teaching and research laboratories, faculty offices, classrooms, and collaborative spaces equipped with specialized technology to foster interdisciplinary research. This investment will enable the college to introduce new majors in biomedical, environmental, and materials engineering, along with public health, data science, computational biology, and marine science, aiming to prepare students to lead in emerging scientific fields. Colby plans to deepen its collaborations with scientific organizations across Maine, support K-12 STEM education, and contribute to the state's science and technology economy, particularly benefiting rural areas and generating 21st-century jobs. College President David A. Greene emphasized that the initiative will position Colby at the forefront of science education by blending liberal arts traditions with cutting-edge scientific training and addressing pressing health and environmental challenges. The project embodies a forward-looking approach to science, integrating AI, computation, and applied research to solve complex societal issues and prepare the next generation of science and technology leaders.