The Mount Mercy University Center is seen on Friday, Sept. 30, 2011. (David Scrivner/The Gazette)

Mount Mercy University on Friday announced the largest single gift in its 85-year history, $2.1 million from Dyan and John Smith on behalf of CRST for a new graduate center.

The CRST Graduate Center will be created at the former U.S. Army Reserve Center, 1599 Wenig Rd. NE, with the CRST gift and a grant through the U.S. Department of Education. Mount Mercy took possession of the facility on Oct. 25.

Dyan Smith said she and her husband believe that further education and training are one of the most important ingredients necessary for the future of our community.

“We choose to support the graduate programs at Mount Mercy University to further not only the individuals, but the community as a whole,” Smith said.

The renovated 34,494 square foot building will include a 3,324 square foot auditorium that will seat up to 200 people, a marriage and family therapy clinic, computer lab, coffee shop, lobby, common area and faculty conference room.

The Mount Mercy University CRST Graduate Center will house 14 classrooms, 17 faculty offices, 10 therapy rooms and two observation rooms.

Efforts to acquire the second campus span a period of several years of work by many Mount Mercy employees and community partners. The former government property, with more than six acres of land, previously served as an army and naval reserve training center and was vacated when the Cedar Rapids Armed Forces Reserve Center at 1500 Wright Brothers Blvd. SW opened last fall.

Mount Mercy currently offers four degrees at the graduate level, which include master of arts in education, master of business administration, master of arts in marriage and family therapy and master of science in nursing. Mount Mercy’s graduate programs have a combined enrollment of nearly 300 students and 20 employees.