ASHLAND, OH--(Marketwire - February 7, 2011) - The Ashland University Board of Trustees has approved construction plans for the new Dwight Schar College of Nursing facility in Mansfield.
Groundbreaking will take place in July of 2011 and the University hopes to hold nursing degree classes in the new facility for fall of 2012.
Dr. Frederick Finks, president of Ashland University, credited trustees for advancing the project.
"They accepted the challenge to step out in acquiring the MedCentral College of Nursing and now they have embraced the vision for seeing the new academic facility become a reality by the fall of 2012," he said. "We have lots of work to do in the next six months, but with the confidence of our board firmly behind us, we stand ready for this challenge."
After acquiring MedCentral Health System's College of Nursing in August, the University began planning the construction of the new 46,000-square-foot building on the University's Balgreen Campus located in Mansfield.
The University then launched a $15.5 million fundraising campaign for the new college. "The campaign has received a $5 million lead gift from Ashland University alumnus and longtime supporter Dwight Schar, and we are near the halfway mark of this fundraising campaign," Finks said.
The campaign is being led by Margaret Pomfret, executive director of development and university campaigns. "Nursing is a critically important profession, and this new nursing facility will dramatically expand the opportunities for health care development and growth in our region," Pomfret said.
Gayle Gorman Freeman, a 1977 graduate of Ashland University and president of Manairco Inc. in Mansfield, and Dr. Michael L. Amalfitano, president of Mid-Ohio Heart Clinic Inc., have been selected as co-chairs for the campaign.
The new building, which will replace the old MedCentral facility in Mansfield, will include a variety of clinical practice labs, including the Center for Simulations, Health Foundations Practice Lab, Family Health Practice Lab, Adult Health Practice Lab, Complex Care Practice Lab, ICU/CCU/NICU Patient Room and Advanced Care Lab. Other spaces will include traditional classrooms, faculty/staff offices, student study and lounge areas, and student support spaces.
This fall, 64 freshman students were welcomed to Ashland University's nursing program. Nursing students complete their first two years of the program on the Ashland University campus and then move to the Mansfield campus for the last two years of education and clinical studies.
A private institution, Ashland University is located near Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio.
Contact Information:
Contact:
Steve Hannan
shannan@ashland.edu
