Add as a preferred source on Google

UCA Hosts Grand Opening of Integrated Health Sciences Building

  • By Matt Jones
  • 08/18/21

The University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Ark., celebrated the grand opening of its new Integrated Health Sciences Building last week. The 80,000-square-foot facility will house multiple organizations in the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, including the School of Nursing, the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, a newly expanded Nabholz Center for Healthcare Simulation, and an Interprofessional Teaching Center.

“The need for our Integrated Health Sciences Building has probably never been greater,” said UCA President Dr. Houston Davis. “Pre-pandemic, it really was about the educational and the economic development needs of that building. It was really about responding to healthcare shortages, especially those of us producing more nurses, admitting more students into our nursing program and graduating more, but also everything that’s touched by our College of Health and Behavioral Sciences. During the pandemic, I think it’s even more important that we make certain that we’re thinking about the health needs of the state of Arkansas.”

According to a news release, the new facility allows the university to expand its healthcare programs—including capacity for 50 additional nursing students—as well as extend its reach and impact on state healthcare.

The project was funded primarily through a $37.7-million bond appropriation by the UCA Board of Trustees. The university partnered with Taggart Architects for planning and architecture services and with Nabholz Construction for general contracting. Groundbreaking for the four-story facility took place in October 2019.

The grand opening ceremony was part of the university’s $100-million fundraising campaign, UCA Now: Impact Arkansas and Beyond. According to a news release, a $5-million fundraising campaign for the IHSB facility and equipment support is currently ongoing. It has raised $4.8 million so far, including a $1-million donation from the Sunderland Foundation.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Los Angeles City College Breaks Ground on New Administration, Workforce Building

    Los Angeles City College (LACC) in Los Angeles, Calif., recently broke ground on a new $72-million administrative facility, according to a news release. The Cesar Chavez Administration and Workforce Building will stand four stories, cover 67,230 square feet, and play home to a wide variety of the school’s educational and administrative services.

  • Texas K–12 District to Build New Elementary, High Schools

    The High Island Independent School District on the Bolivar Peninsula in Southeast Texas recently announced that construction on a new elementary school and a new high school will begin in January 2026, according to local news. Funding will come from a $27.9-million bond passed in May 2025.

  • Pudu Robotics Launches AI-Powered, Large-Scale Floor Sweeper

    Pudu Robotics recently launched the newest member of its MT1 series of robotic floor sweepers, the PUDU MT1 Max, according to a news release. The AI-powered, 3D perception robotic sweeper was designed for use in large, complex cleaning environments both indoors and semi-outdoors, like parking garages and semi-open building atriums.

  • University of West Florida Opens New Laboratory Facility

    The University of West Florida recently announced that renovation work is complete on a new lab building for its campus in Pensacola, Fla., according to university news. Building 80 will serve as the home to the university’s civil engineering program and the Tyler Chase Norwood Construction Management Program.

Digital Edition