JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Bolles School has achieved a milestone in the development of the Center for Innovation, as it announced the matching gifts of $5 million each from Dr. Dana Fender and his wife, Hope, and Frank Sanchez.
These contributions will contribute to the construction of the state-of-the-art Center for Innovation on the Bolles Upper School San Jose Campus.
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The Center for Innovation is a 47,000-square-foot, three-story building set to be a hub for academic excellence and innovation.
This construction project marks the most extensive development undertaken on the San Jose Campus property since the building now known as Bolles Hall, originally the San Jose Hotel, was constructed in 1925.
The groundbreaking for this $26 million project commenced in June 2022, and it is expected to reach completion by spring 2024.
The donations from the Fender family and Frank Sanchez represent the largest single gifts in the history of The Bolles School. As a token of their generosity, the state-of-the-art structure will be named the “Frank R. Sanchez & Hope and Dana E. Fender Center for Innovation.”
“The Center for Innovation is an exciting work of both art and engineering, but like all campus structures, it exists to support the learning that happens within its footprint,” stated Tyler Hodges, Bolles President and Head of School. “In this case, this means collaborative hands-on learning, academic exploration with inspirational faculty, and the ability for students to experiment and gain practical experience as they work toward their highest potential to serve our community and the world.”
Situated on the last prime development site on the San Jose Campus, the Center for Innovation will provide space for Bolles’ science, math, and technology programs. It will also house expansive areas for advanced courses in robotics, computer programming, information technology, engineering, and design.
The facility’s designs are geared toward accommodating new educational offerings and facilitating collaboration and dialogue across various disciplines. This expansion of academic areas is intended to deepen Bolles’ curriculum and nurture the next generation of innovators.
“The new facility will bring renewed student engagement, innovation, and ultimately, achievement, in all areas of science – exposing our students to an entirely new and exciting level of academics,” stated Nancy Hazzard, Bolles Science Department Chair. “Although the Center for Innovation will be a hallmark building like all campus structures, it will be an intellectual incubator for countless young minds who will serve and change our community as entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, explorers, and creative leaders.”
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The Center for Innovation will feature numerous classrooms and 12 specialty labs, including spaces for anatomy, biology, and chemistry lab instruction. Notably, the building will house Bolles’ Anatomage table, the world’s first and only virtual dissection table used by medical schools and universities globally.
The design of the building is envisioned as a “living building,” with several windows and glass walls throughout. The structure can reportedly adapt to various teaching methods, with walls that can move to create open spaces or connect classrooms to the outdoors. The building emphasizes the campus’ natural asset, the St. Johns River, providing every floor with its terrace and gathering place to encourage discussion, collaboration, and creativity.
In addition to the academic development, the construction of the Center for Innovation allows for expansion in other areas, including the Llura “Lulie” Liggett Gund ‘58 Residence Hall for Girls on the second floor of Bolles Hall. This expansion will provide space for an additional 60 students, increasing its capacity from 28 students.
While the donations from the Fender family and Frank Sanchez have set the Center for Innovation on a path to success, the Bolles School continues to seek support for the ongoing development of the facility. An additional $8 million in philanthropic gifts is needed to meet the $26 million cost of the building.
“We are grateful for the Fenders and Frank Sanchez’s historic gifts to the Institution. Their commitment exhibits extraordinary support to our students and faculty in their pursuit of always raising the bar of academic excellence, which is truly humbling,” said Carol Nimitz, Bolles Chief Advancement Officer. “Dr. Dana Fender and Mr. Frank Sanchez are industry leaders and innovators within the areas of medical science and technology. We are proud to have these two wonderful families associated with this landmark facility.”
The Frank R. Sanchez & Hope and Dana E. Fender Center for Innovation is expected to be completed this spring, with students commencing classes upon their return from spring break this school year.
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