Cox College completes multimillion-dollar fundraising campaign

Cox College finalized a multimillion-dollar fundraising campaign ahead of its goal.

The college announced this morning it raised more than $6.8 million for facility improvements, according to a news release. Officials previously were targeting a $6.6 million goal, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.

“We are thrilled that so many people and organizations see the worth and priority of this project,” said Lisa Alexander, the CoxHealth Foundation president who led the fundraising campaign for the college, in the release. “It tells a lot about the generosity of people in this area, the importance they put on quality education for nursing and health professionals, and the desire to see our community’s health be a priority.”

Fundraising included a $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce and a $1 million matching grant from the J. E. and L. E. Mabee Foundation Inc.

Cox College officials plan to start renovation work in October and complete it in 12 to 18 months, according to the release.

Launched in mid-2017, Cox College’s fundraiser sought money to renovate all four floors of its campus at 1423 N. Jefferson Ave., attached to CoxHealth’s north-side hospital. The addition of new learning rooms and expansion of classrooms is expected to grow the college’s student cap to 275 from 250 with a future goal of 300.