Allen College Expansion Receives $1 Million Naming Gift from Van G. Miller Foundation

September 24, 2025

WATERLOO – Allen College is receiving a generous $1 million naming gift from the Van G. Miller Family Charitable Foundation for use with its simulation lab expansion inside McElroy Hall.

The gift is the largest to date toward the project, and carries naming rights for the entire simulation center, which will be called the “Van G. Miller Family Charitable Foundation Simulation Center for Clinical Excellence”.

“We’re passionate about the areas of health care and education, and this gift allows us to help the Cedar Valley in both capacities,” said a representative of the Van G. Miller Family Charitable Foundation. “Raising up the next generation of caregivers is in everyone’s best interest, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to lend our support.”

With the addition of the large gift, Allen Foundation has reached sufficient funding to allow the project to move forward architecturally and mechanically with design and construction. The project is expected to break ground yet this fall and could be completed as soon as next year.

“Allen College is overwhelmed by the generosity of the foundation through this gift,” says Dr. Jared Seliger, President of Allen College. “We needed this level of support to complete this vital project, and they were so gracious to grant it. A significant gift like this will make an impact in the Cedar Valley for years to come.”

The 8,000-square-foot expansion to the south side of McElroy Hall will build a state-of-the-art learning experience for the college’s nursing students, while renovating an existing space for relocated skills lab.

The goal is to fully fund this expansion through private donations. To learn more about this impactful project, or make a gift, contact Allen Foundation at (319) 235-3960 or visit give.unitypoint.org/simlab