The HudsonAlpha Foundation has received a $20,000 gift from Richard and Nancy W. Van Valkenburgh of Van Valkenburgh & Wilkinson Properties, Inc. to support the HudsonAlpha Decade of Discovery campaign. To recognize the Van Valkenburg family’s generous gift, the inspiration lounge in the Educational Outreach suite of the Paul Propst Center will be named in their honor.

“HudsonAlpha’s research efforts and educational outreach have such potential to not only improve health but also to inspire the next generation of scientists,” said Nancy Van Valkenburgh. “Inspiration is such an important component of everything.”

HudsonAlpha’s Educational Outreach team will move their offices and open new lab spaces in the Paul Propst Center at the end of the summer 2018. With the relocation, the Educational Outreach team footprint will double in size, providing the needed capacity to grow HudsonAlpha’s education programming.

HudsonAlpha is committed to fostering genomics literacy in the life sciences. The Educational Outreach team also is creating a workforce for life science companies of the future. The education programs train future scientists through hands-on classroom modules, digital learning, and in-depth school and summer camp experiences for educators and students. The Van Valkenburg family’s gift will directly support these efforts.

“This space is a special place to the education team,” said Neil Lamb, PhD, vice president for Educational Outreach. “The inspiration lounge is a place to help students, teachers and even our staff find their inspiration. Thank you to the Van Valkenburgh family for their generosity to inspire others.”

“There is so much that can be achieved when people work together,” said Van Valkenburgh. “It is exciting to be part of something that can benefit not only our community, but all of mankind.”

The HudsonAlpha Foundation’s campaign, Decade of Discovery: Building for the Future, allows community members to financially support the work of the Institute with naming opportunities across the campus. For more information, contact the HudsonAlpha Foundation at foundation@hudsonalpha.org or visit www.hudsonalpha.org/naming-opportunities.