U. of St. Joseph trustee donates $3 million gift

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A trustee of the University of St. Joseph has donated $3 million that will help expand a laboratory school for children with intellectual and other disabilities.

The Hartford Courant reports that the gift from trustee E. Clayton "Skip" Gengras Jr. is the largest ever received by the West Hartford school. It has launched a $10 million fundraising campaign to build an addition to The Gengras Center.

The center will open in 2014 with a gym, music and art rooms, a vocational center and classrooms designed for children with autism and behavioral problems.

The university has added Connecticut's only masters of science degree in autism and applied behavioral analysis program. The university had expected 15 to 20 students, but with the growing need for professionals with expertise in autism, the program has drawn 33.

___

Information from: The Hartford Courant