Elmhurst College has received $1.5 million in state grants that will be used to help finance the renovation and expansion of the Arthur J. Schaible Science Center.

The grant money is part of $90 million set aside this fiscal year in the Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program to address the critical needs of the state’s private colleges and universities. The statewide grants are part of Governor Pat Quinn’s agenda to improve higher education in Illinois while creating thousands of construction jobs for the state’s workers.

“On behalf of Elmhurst College, I want to thank Governor Quinn for making this grant money available,” said Elmhurst President S. Alan Ray. “This much-needed funding will go toward ensuring a premier educational environment for the growing number of Elmhurst students who are majoring in science- and health-related fields.”

The $1,496,071 grant is part of a multi-year project to expand and enhance the Schaible Science Center. The work to be done during Phase I will address the science center’s most important and pressing academic needs, and will include new or renovated labs and classrooms.

Elmhurst College was one of several private colleges and universities in DuPage and Will counties that received a total of $6.7 million in Illinois Jobs Now! grants, which can be used for campus construction, improvements and upgrades.

“Private colleges and universities provide a valuable service to Illinois, and these grants will help them address critical needs and stay competitive,” Governor Quinn said.

“Every year thousands of students from around the nation begin their careers in higher education right here at our exceptional Chicago-area colleges and universities,” he said. “These critical investments will pay dividends in jobs and our economy. Investing in higher education is one of the best strategies we have to generate creativity at our universities and colleges, prepare our students for good jobs, and allow Illinois to lead the way in new ideas and more economic growth.”