Gianforte Family Foundation donates $50 million for new computer sciences building

MSU has received a gift of $50 million from the Gianforte Family Foundation to fund the construction of a new building for the Gianforte School of Computing. The building will house the Gianforte School of Computing and other computing-related fields including cybersecurity, optics and photonics, electrical and computer engineering and creative industries. This gift is tied for the second largest gift the university has received, placing it among the top donations in the history of the state of Montana.

John Paxton, director of the Gianforte School of Computing, has worked with the Gianforte Family Foundation for the past 15 years advancing the number of opportunities available for computing students at MSU. “In today’s world, the potential to use computers to improve people’s lives and the future of the planet is boundless,” Paxton said. “From providing better and more affordable personalized healthcare to reducing urban traffic congestion, computers can play a central role.”

The construction of the new building will provide MSU students and high school students access to dual enrollment classes and computing technologies in a central location. “When students and faculty with interests in areas such as music technology, augmented reality and/or cybersecurity all occupy the same facility, exciting computing synergies should emerge,” Paxton said. Other fields that the building will house include: film production, digital photography, animation and computer engineering. “The building will allow students to experience the incredible diversity of computing careers that exist by bringing together many different fields under one roof,” Paxton said.

The field of computing technology is in high demand, as it is relevant to many fields of study. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer and information research scientist employment rates are expected to rise 22% from the year 2020 to 2030.

“Tentatively, the doors could be open by the summer of 2026 and possibly even earlier,” Paxton said. University projects typically undergo a year of planning and design along with two years of construction, according to Paxton. The Montana Board of Regents will meet on Thursday, March 10, and Friday, March 11, to begin the naming proposal process for the building. “Moving ahead, I look forward to working with interdisciplinary computing colleagues throughout campus during the programming and design process of the building,” Paxton said. “During the programming and design phase, we will all come together to imagine how the building can create excitement, cross-pollination and new opportunities for students.”

The Gianforte Family Foundation has worked with MSU to advance computing technologies for over 20 years, including supporting student scholarships and faculty start-up packages to further computer sciences on campus. “I am deeply grateful to the Gianforte Family Foundation for providing this generous gift,” Paxton said. “The building will benefit students, the university and the state of Montana for decades to come.”