Governor Quinn Announces $3.6 Million to Improve Laboratories at Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy®

AURORA – Governor Pat Quinn today announced a $3.6 million investment from his Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program to upgrade laboratories at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (IMSA) in Aurora. Today’s announcement is part of Governor Quinn’s commitment to improving Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in Illinois to keep the state’s students competitive in the global marketplace.

“We have a responsibility to ensure Illinois students compete and succeed on the world stage,” Governor Quinn said. “This improved laboratory will allow students to learn firsthand how the world around them functions, providing them with opportunities to explore and discover that will help them in college, career and beyond.”

The $3.6 million will allow IMSA to reconfigure eight laboratories in the "A" wing of the Math and Science Academy building. The work will include replacing casework, countertops, cabinets, and fume hoods; upgrading the plumbing, electrical, data/telecommunication and climate control systems; and modifying gas, water, and waste piping. The Illinois Capital Development Board, which will manage the construction project, will award a contract for the work following a competitive bid process.

“The State’s investment, coupled with private sector support for advanced scientific equipment and educational programs, will enable IMSA to strengthen our curriculum and pioneer new methods of teaching and learning for the future,” IMSA President Catherine C. Veal said.

The internationally recognized Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® develops creative, ethical leaders in STEM. As a teaching and learning laboratory created by the State of Illinois, IMSA enrolls academically talented Illinois students (grades 10-12) in its advanced, residential college preparatory program, and it serves thousands of educators and students in Illinois and beyond through innovative instructional programs that foster imagination and inquiry. IMSA also advances education through research, groundbreaking ventures and strategic partnerships. Visit http://imsa.edu/ for more information.

The IMSA project is part of Governor Quinn’s $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! program, which will support more than 439,000 jobs over six years. Illinois Jobs Now! is the largest capital construction program in Illinois history, and is one of the largest capital construction programs in the nation.