By: Ball State Marketing and Communications—
Muncie, IN—Ball State University formally unveiled the future of health care October 18 when the campus community came together for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Health Professions Building.
Ball State President Geoffrey S. Mearns thanked the Indiana General Assembly for its support of the University’s plan to expand health education to meet the anticipated demand for such professionals in the coming years.
“Today is an exciting day as we celebrate the completion of this state of-the-art building — a building that is now the home of our College of Health,” President Mearns said. “This is a milestone moment for our University, especially for our faculty, staff, and students who are benefiting from the new classrooms, labs, and clinical spaces.
“Today’s ribbon-cutting signifies the successful completion of the first phase of our University’s comprehensive plan to expand and renovate our STEM and health professions facilities. This plan will ensure the quality of our academic programs in these fields for decades to come.”
The 165,000-square-foot Health Professions Building supports interprofessional education and practice, an innovative learning experience in which Ball State’s College of Health faculty and students collaborate across academic disciplines to improve patient care.
Labs are equipped with technology and equipment to assess and treat real-life situations with patients or simulation manikins. Students also work in health clinics, which are open to campus and the public.
Mitch Whaley, College of Health dean, said Ball State is more about educating students. It is about serving neighbors near and far.
“Our College launched in July 2016, and represents the future of education, practice, and research in health care,” he said. “It took several years of dedicated planning by many faculty and staff to create the new College. In the same spirit, we come here today to dedicate this new building that will allow students and faculty the opportunity to engage in learning, practice, and research in an inter-professional environment. It will also provide the platform for us to collaborate with our external partners in continuing education opportunities for the healthcare workforce of the future.”
The $62.5 million new steel, brick, limestone and glass structure encompasses about 165,000 square feet and has classrooms, laboratories, offices, a resource hub, simulation labs/suites, and clinical spaces.
Adjacent to the Health Professions Building the University is constructing the new Foundational Sciences Building, which is the second phase of the University’s comprehensive plan for the new East Quad. When the Foundational Science Building is completed in 2021, Ball State will then move forward with the final phase of the plan, renovating Cooper Science Complex.
“Together, these three projects represent a $210 million investment in our University,” President Mearns said. “We owe a debt of gratitude to the members of the General Assembly and to Governor Holcomb, who provided us with the financial resources to make these facilities possible.”
Rick Hall, chair of Ball State’s Board of Trustees, called the new building an incredible reminder of the importance of health and life sciences to Indiana and to the nation — and the importance of STEM education to students and their future careers.
“As a board, we are tasked with envisioning what Ball State needs today, but we are also entrusted with directing this University’s bright future,” Chair Hall said. “And we know that the future of healthcare is what this new building is all about.
“As Ball State enters its second century, I am optimistic that our Health Professions Building will reinforce our University’s leadership in this vital field, while setting our students apart for decades to come.”
Named spaces in the new building and donors recognized during the ceremony include:
- CPSY Conference Room, honoring Kelly Hartman, ’89 MA ’91, president and chief executive officer of Insights Consulting and co-founder of Outside the Box.
- Children’s Playroom, honoring College of Health Dean Mitchell Whaley, MA ’82, and Cathy Whaley, ’91 MS ’00.
- Health of Health Conference Room, honoring Kevin, ’82, and Jackie Rowles, ’82. He is president of Storage Solutions, and she is an anesthetist with Meridian Health Group.
- Speech Language Therapy Room, honoring Patrick, ’84 MA ’01, and Carlye McLaughlin, ’86 MA ’87,; along with Claire McLaughlin Baker. Patrick is an executive with CampusWorks Inc., and Carlye is a speech language pathologist at the Parkview Hospital. Claire is their daughter.
For more information about the College of Health, go to bsu.edu/academics/collegesanddepartments/health.
About Ball State
Founded in 1918 and located in Muncie, Ball State University is one of Indiana’s premier universities and an economic driver for the state. Ball State’s 22,500 students come from all over Indiana, the nation, and the world. The 790-acre campus is large enough to accommodate first-rate facilities and 19 NCAA Division I sports, but our welcoming and inclusive campus is small enough to ensure the friendliness, personal attention, and access that are the hallmarks of the University. Destination 2040: Our Flight Path establishes Ball State’s ambitious goals for our second century. We Fly!
