Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

ASU Board of Trustees Approves $8M Nursing Building

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/27/23

The Arkansas State University System Board of Trustees recently approved the construction of a new nursing building at its Three Rivers campus in Malvern, Ark. The university received $8 million in federal funding for the project through the Fiscal Year 2023 year-end spending package pushed by U.S. Senator John Boozman, according to a university news release.

The new facility will measure between 22,000–25,000 square feet and feature four simulation labs with control rooms, an obstetrics room, a pediatric room, and two adult medical-surgical nursing spaces, the news release reports. It will also feature two 50-student computer labs and a 150-seat auditorium.

“We deeply appreciate Senator Boozman’s efforts to secure funding for ASU Three Rivers’ nursing program and for the construction of a facility to provide academic excellence for healthcare in Arkansas,” said ASU Three Rivers Chancellor Dr. Steve Rook.

The Arkansas State Board of Nursing (ASBN) recommended a larger facility to keep up with student enrollment during a site visit in 2019. The university’s current health science facility measures in at just 11,000 square feet.

“ASU Three Rivers has a longstanding tradition of preparing students to enter the workforce as professionals in the healthcare and health science fields,” said Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Pat Simms. “The College’s Practical Nursing program is one of the College’s oldest programs, producing more graduates than any other since the school’s inception.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Sam Houston State University Completes Athletic Stadium Renovations

    Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, recently announced the reopening of Elliott T. Bowers Stadium after an extensive renovation project, according to a news release. The university partnered with Stantec and DLR Group for the project’s design.

  • Health & Science Building

    Health & Science Building

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The College of Western Idaho's Health & Science Building has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Planning with Clarity: Using AI to Make Better Campus Decisions, Not Just Better Designs

    Higher education leaders are being asked to make increasingly high-stakes decisions about campus facilities amid greater uncertainty than ever before. Social and economic pressures, shifting enrollment, and evolving learning models compete with growing deferred maintenance needs to strain even the most robust infrastructure budgets.

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.