RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – More than $500,000 is going to Shaw University to rehabilitate one of the school’s historic buildings.

Friday, Congresswoman Deborah Ross, along with Shaw University President Paulette Dillard, presented a check to the school from the National Park Service African American Grant.

Dillard said the money will not only help them preserve Leonard Hall, but they also hope to use it to update and modernize the building for students.

“The building since 1883 has had some work done on it but we need to be able to modernize the building, upfit it so that we can put more technology in the building to support programs,” said Dillard.

She told CBS 17 this building has a lot of history.

Dillard said it was built in 1881 and was the first in the nation to have a four-year curriculum as a medical school.

The building currently houses three schools which include the School of Divinity, the Center for Racial and Social Injustice and the Black Church Leadership Academy.