The Kresge Foundation dangled a $600,000 carrot this week for the University of Mary to finish its fundraising campaign for the Tharaldson School of Business.

"We need to complete $1.5 million more" of fundraising, said Neal Kalberer, vice president of public affairs. "It's why it is the Kresge Challenge, rather than a match."

Fundraising efforts will start with a telephone campaign that kicks off Monday. People in the Bismarck-Mandan area and the state will be the focus of the campaign. The university has until Aug. 1, 2008, to raise the money in order to receive the Kresge money.

The Kresge Foundation is a national foundation that supports nonprofit organizations through grants. Recipients of challenge grants must raise most of the capital for their project before applying for a grant.

The grant money would help support the $8.9 million campaign for building and equipping the Tharaldson School, as well as provide scholarships.

Construction has begun on the school. Parking lot work around the building is complete in time for school, and construction will shift to the 29,000-square-foot building, Kalberer said.

The building will include faculty offices and "smart classrooms" equipped with digital and networked systems, a conference room and a 183-seat tiered auditorium. There also will be an electronic stock ticker, a digital messaging board, Internet, cable TV and multimedia capabilities. Completion is anticipated by August of 2008.