U.S. Rep. Sean Casten and Elmhurst University celebrated an award of $950,000 in federal funding for the purchase and installation of instructional, simulation and research equipment to enhance student learning and support faculty research activities in the Health Sciences Building.
“I’m proud to have worked with Elmhurst University to secure this Community Project Funding, which will give students the tools and opportunities they need to learn, grow and prepare for careers serving our community,” Casten said during a visit to campus on September 10. He and Elmhurst University leaders participated in a check presentation to recognize the federal funding coming to the University. “This federal funding for Elmhurst University is an investment in the students and families of the 6th Congressional District, and I’m proud to have helped deliver it.”
“We are thrilled to receive this funding, and deeply appreciate Congressman Casten’s efforts in securing it for Elmhurst University and our students,” said President Troy D. VanAken. “I’m very proud that our new Health Sciences Building, and the new opportunities this funding creates, will give our future healthcare professionals the kinds of invaluable educational experiences that will lead to better patient care and a healthier world.”
Casten selected the project as one of his Community Project Funding sites for Fiscal Year 2026. He advocated for the funding in Congress, and it was officially appropriated in the FY 2026 government funding package. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) administers the funds. Learn more here.
Elmhurst University’s Health Sciences Research Equipment Project helps enhance teaching, learning and research opportunities for faculty and students in the Health Sciences Building, which opened this past fall. The facility serves as a central hub for the University’s nursing, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and public health programs, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and creating new opportunities for students, faculty and the broader community.
As part of this initiative, Elmhurst University plans to install advanced technologies to support teaching and research activities, including a 3D Anatomage Table digital anatomy system, two new simulation patients and other faculty-identified instructional and research equipment essential to the curriculum. These technologies will provide students with hands-on learning experiences that strengthen clinical knowledge, critical thinking and collaborative problem-solving skills.