The first class of students to enroll at NCSSM-Morganton will be arriving on campus in three short years, and plans for their new home are taking shape thanks to increased construction funding from the NC General Assembly and a private fundraising campaign.
During the recent legislative short session, the state appropriated an additional $15 million to the construction of the Morganton campus in response to a request from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) for critical funding to augment initial project funding provided by the 2016 Connect NC bond. Following site selection in the summer of 2017, intensive planning during the remainder of that year and into 2018 yielded a campus master plan that identified the need for additional funding to construct a campus within the specific topography of the site comparable to NCSSM’s Durham campus and other top-quality schools. In addition to the state’s funding commitment, NCSSM is planning to raise $10 million from private sources for the project.
“We are incredibly grateful to the leadership and membership of the NC General Assembly for their strong support,” stated Chancellor Todd Roberts. “And we are also appreciative of the initial interest we’ve received from the philanthropic community.”
Preparations to meet the fundraising target have stimulated significant activity in the NCSSM-Morganton planning office. Kevin Baxter, director of western campus planning for NCSSM, announced the establishment of two temporary positions that will provide critical short-term leadership and support to generating investment in the construction of the new campus.
Originally posted August 8, 2018.