O'Reilly family makes naming-level donation to MSU

The O’Reilly family has contributed a naming-level donation to Missouri State University’s health science center under construction at the Springfield campus.

The facility, slated for completion by the start of the fall 2015 semester, will be called the O’Reilly Clinical Health Science Center. The dollar amount was undisclosed for the donation from Charlie and Mary Beth O’Reilly, Larry O’Reilly, David O’Reilly, Rosalie O’Reilly Wooten and the Charles H. (Chub) O’Reilly Trust.

“Missouri State has risen to the point of being just a true bedrock, if you will, of our community. We’re proud to be able to make this contribution,” Charlie O’Reilly said during a Wednesday afternoon news conference.

General contractor DeWitt & Associates Inc. is at work building the $14.1 million, 55,000-square-foot project at the corner of Cherry Street and Holland Avenue.

MSU President Clif Smart said the O’Reilly name on the building is fitting in a city that’s largely associated with it, both for O’Reilly Automotive Inc. and numerous donations across Springfield.

“The O’Reilly family is known for so much more than business success. As a longtime Springfield resident myself, when I think of philanthropy, the O’Reillys is the name that immediately comes to mind,” he said.

Plans for the health science center include a lobby, multidisciplinary health clinic, laboratories, offices, classrooms and group study spaces for the school’s occupational therapy, physician assistant studies, nursing and nurse anesthesia programs. Designed to appeal to College of Health and Human Services students and faculty, the facility also would have mannequin simulation labs for nursing students.[[In-content Ad]]