In about 50 million ways.

Yesterday, the Roanoke Times reported that a local family (and their charitable trust) made a huge donation, $50 million, to the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute in Roanoke. 

Carilion is our local health care network. About ten years ago, they teamed up with Virginia Tech to start up a medical school in Roanoke: the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. It’s been a big success.

Now, these new funds are earmarked to lure more scientists — faculty and students — to our little city. According to the Times, the university is planning to move some of its programs from Blacksburg to Roanoke, and there is talk of a “technology corridor” running through the town.

You get the feeling that something big is about to happen, and we feel lucky to be here to see it.