Groundbreaking for the Health and Sciences Center

Northwest University personnel, contractors, and other friends gathered for a short groundbreaking ceremony for the Health and Sciences Center at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, June 21. After introducing representatives from Lorig, Mithun, and Sellen, Dr. Don Argue, President of Northwest University, interviewed Dr. Carl Christensen, Dean of the Buntain School of Nursing, and Christina Vossler, RN, Class of 2005. Following prayer, President Argue and other personnel donned construction hats and broke the ground.

"Within days, we should begin to see heavy equipment invade the Northwest University campus to begin construction of this new facility," stated Dan Neary, Executive Vice President.

This 45,000 square foot, two-story academic building, located near the center of campus, will be home to the Mark and Huldah Buntain School of Nursing, as well as all University science programs.

"Our Board of Directors authorized construction last month, fundraising continues, construction financing is secured, and permits are pending," President Argue noted. "Surveyors have already marked the building’s footprint, and the general contractor’s team is laying out the building on the site. These are exciting days!"

"The construction work will start slowly, with relocation of underground utilities and the assembly of a construction site," reported Dan Neary. "We anticipate significant earthmoving around the second week of July. That’s when it will really feel like things are underway."

Dr. Carl Christensen, Dean of the School of Nursing, describes their need for more space. Dr. Don Argue, President of Northwest University, looks on.

The Need for Nurses

Six years ago, building on our growing academic program, plans rapidly came together that would birth another dream at Northwest. Highly qualified
personnel, quality academic programs, students with a unique burden, inspired leadership, and the generosity of key donors all came together to bring about Northwest’s Mark and Huldah Buntain School of Nursing.

Students were enrolled and educated in our program that prepared them for the profession of nursing as well as the calling of nursing. In addition to thorough study of the theories and techniques to meet the demands of nursing, students were discipled by nurses who were driven by compassion.

Our nurses are already meeting human need through skilled hands of compassion in a variety of contexts around the world. In many ways,
these nurses are becoming available at just the right time. It is not at all
uncommon for news reports to highlight the desperate need for nurses in our communities and around the world. Today, in just Washington state alone, there are 1,800 nurses needed to fill existing hospital vacancies. Government agencies predict that there will be a shortage of registered nurses in Washington that will exceed 25,000 by 2020.

The Mark and Huldah Buntain School of Nursing is a reality. Today, more than 160 students are pursuing a life of service through nursing at Northwest
University. Last year, there were over two applicants for every available slot for full admission to the program (junior year).

The growing School of Nursing has been located in two different temporary quarters. It is served by the University’s science programs, which function in labs that were originally built 40 years ago. Our nursing students have exhausted every available space; we are already at capacity.

In order to sustain this vital program, and to enable continued growth, we must build the Health and Sciences Center. The School of Nursing needs
dedicated space for nursing skills labs, classrooms, and faculty offices. The University’s Science Department needs updated chemistry, biology,
environmental sciences, and physics labs to serve the School of Nursing as well as the University’s entire academic program. The Health and Sciences
Center will also provide opportunities for other growing programs and new programs that could include academic majors like pre-med.

Architectural rendering of the Health and Sciences Center.

The Health and Sciences Center

The Health and Sciences Center is underway! This two-story, 45,000 square-foot project is designed to enable the continued growth of
the Mark and Huldah Buntain School of Nursing at Northwest University.

The second floor will serve as the primary home for the Mark and Huldah Buntain School of Nursing. The plan provides ample office space for full-time and adjunct faculty members as well as space dedicated to collaboration and conferences. Classroom and lab space has been designed for the specific needs of nursing education. Large classrooms are planned to
accommodate combined cohorts, and smaller classrooms and work areas are provided for specialized sessions and group work. The nursing skills lab will provide replicas of real-world nursing situations like hospital rooms and exam rooms ideally suited for learning and practicing nursing skills. The
computer lab will be used for further study, projects, and simulations.

The first floor is at grade-level at both entrances and provides a grand two-story entry from the plaza. The grand entry is flanked by a desperately needed lecture hall that will accommodate 120 students. It will also be well suited for conferences which the University may host. Office and administrative space is provided for science faculty, and academic and lab space is designed to serve chemistry, physics, biology, geology and ecology. The ecology space will include a door to the outside for access to a greenhouse and outdoor experiments.

The Health & Sciences Center will be located between the Hurst Library (far left) and the Ness Academic Center.

For more information on how you can be a part of this project, please contact Jeff Lockhart, Director, Capital Campaign, at -- or 425.889.5206.