John Brown University officials announced Thursday a $6 million lead gift for a 20,000 square-foot nursing facility planned to open in fall 2016.
The university in Siloam Springs received approval from the State Board of Nursing last month to move forward with a pre-nursing program that could open in fall 2014. Further approval will be needed before the college can open a planned nursing program by 2015.
The $6 million gift comes from an anonymous donor, a news release states.
The university projects the nursing building will cost $6 million to construct, the release states. Another $4 million is needed to endow operations and maintain facilities.
John Brown University President Chip Pollard said the Christian university is blessed by the gift.
“It is just wonderful news,” Pollard said. “There is a critical need for BSN (bachelor of science in nursing) trained nurses in Northwest Arkansas, and we want to be able to meet that need.”
Pollard said architectural planning for the facility will start in 2014. He said construction will begin in 2015.
“It will have high-fidelity simulation labs that will allow students to work with highend mannequins,” Pollardsaid. The mannequins will look real and be able to simulate medical emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes.
“This is the kind of thing that Christian higher education should be about: educating students to serve others,” Pollard said.
Higher-learning organizations must complete a threestep process before opening nursing programs in the state. The university received approval for the first step, last month.
The first step allows the university to advertise and recruit pre-nursing students. The second step gives the college authority to enroll students in a bachelor-level nursing program. The third approval comes before the graduation of the first class of nursing students.
The nursing program will enroll 48 freshmen for the pre-nursing program each year, Ed Ericson, university vice president for academic affairs, previously said. He said the program would have 24 spots for the bachelor program at the junior level.
April Moreton, university director of development, said the $6 million gift is one of the largest the university has ever received.
The university has used gifts to help construct numerous buildings in recent years, including a banquet hall and residence-hall apartments, along with the renovation of a dorm facility.
Moreton said that in 2011, the university received $3.5 million in donations; in 2012, the university received $15.8 million; and in 2013, it received $6.6 million.
“JBU is incredibly blessed to have the alumni and parents who give to the university every year,” Moreton said. “It is phenomenal to see those people give back to the university. They believe in the mission and the students.”
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 7 on 10/04/2013