Skip to main content
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

  • T&T Construction Management Group Completes Pasco High School Expansion

    Pasco High School in Dade City, Fla., recently announced that it has completed an expansion project in partnership with T&T Construction Management Group, Inc., Harvard Jolly Architecture, and Williams Company.

  • South Texas K–12 District Debuts Region’s First Electric Bus Fleet

    The Valley View Independent School District in Pharr, Texas, recently announced a partnership with Highland Electric Fleets to launch the district’s—and the region’s—first fleet of all-electric school buses, according to a news release.

  • Benson Polytechnic High School in Portland, OR

    Preserving Legacy, Designing for the Future

    As historic academic buildings age, institutions face a difficult decision: preserve and adapt or demolish and rebuild. How do we honor the legacy of these spaces while adapting them to meet the needs of modern learners?

  • Rhode Island Boarding School Completes Student Dorm Renovations

    St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I., recently announced the completion of a $26-million renovation project on Arden-Diman-Eccles Dormitory, according to a news release. The school partnered with Voith & Mactavish Architects (VMA) on the new space, which places a new focus on collaborative community spaces open to both boarding students and day students.

Digital Edition