St. Catherine University's Henrietta Schmoll School of Health received an $18 million gift Thursday from the GHR Foundation, which was started in 1965 by Opus founders Gerry and Henrietta Rauenhorst.

Henrietta Rauenhorst was an alumna of St. Kate's and the School of Health's namesake. The foundation is dedicated to transforming health, education and global development via entrepreneurship and Catholic values.

The money will be used to fund the development of new programs, technology and additional faculty.

"This gift will help us bridge the gap between theory and practice in some of the most rapidly changing areas of health care," Penelope Moyers, dean of the school, said in a news release. "The GHR gift will help us develop culturally sensitive practitioners who will both improve the quality of patient care and lower overall health care costs."

Zoe Peterson is a University of Minnesota student on assignment for the Star Tribune.