BEND, OR -- OSU Cascades is hundreds of thousands of dollars closer to its fundraising goal, for construction of a new academic building at the Bend campus. The university received a $500,000 gift from The Bend Foundation, this week, and another $75,000 from the Brooks Resources Corporation.

The contributions bring the total raised for the campus capital expansion to $6.9 million. The Oregon State Legislature requires a $10 million match for the $69.5 million requested of the state.

Campus officials say the future academic building will include classrooms and labs, and will focus on "STEAM" subjects: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math.