JVIC to be named after Congressman Blunt

U.S. Rep. Blunt, 7th District, has been responsible for securing millions of dollars in federal funding for the center, which houses MSU’s Center for Applied Science and Engineering and Center for Biological and Life Sciences, as well as a number of corporate research partners.

In fiscal years 2005 and 2006, MSU received more than $12 million from the Department of Defense for the first phase of JVIC’s renovation, and the fiscal 2007 Department of Defense budget includes $2.6 million for its second phase. Also in 2005 and 2006, Blunt helped earmark more than $14 million for defense-related research at CASE and helped allocate another $8 million in funding for those projects in fiscal 2007.

Phase I of construction has been the transformation of the former milling facility at 524 N. Boonville Ave. into JVIC’s main 12-story building. Phase II calls for the redevelopment of an adjoining three-story structure.

“The fact is that the JVIC facility would not have been possible without the substantial support of the federal government, led by Congressman Blunt,” MSU President Michael Nietzel said in a news release today. “He shared the vision and has been steadfast in his support to make the vision a reality.”