BYU’s College of Nursing hosted a wall-breaking ceremony for the nursing learning center expansion and reconstruction project in the Spencer W. Kimball Tower on April 25.
The construction will begin Monday, April 25 and is scheduled to finish on July 31 to allow staff to prepare for the fall semester.
Patricia Ravert, dean of the college of nursing, introduced the event and recognized guests from various organizations participating in the remodel.
The facility will expand from 6,000 square feet to 10,000 square feet and increase the number of high-fidelity simulators from one to six. Many of the expanded features will improve students’ treatment skill level, confidence, crisis management skills and many more attributes because of the new space.
“It has made so that we can really serve the students much better,” Ravert said.
The previous dean of the College of Nursing, Beth Cole, was in attendance along with the architects, workers from Big D Construction, students, staff and donors from the Fritz B. Burns Foundation.
The new center will be named after a great-aunt of Rex J. Rawlinson and Cheryl R. Robinson, current trustees of the Fritz B. Burns Foundation. The Mary Jane Rawlinson Geertsen Nursing Learning Center will honor a great woman who served people with all her heart.
Carol Kounanis, assistant director of major gifts with LDS Philanthropy, gave a brief biography of Geertsen, her accomplishments and her love of serving others. Kounanis said Geertsen felt she needed to do something to help in WWI, and girls always think of nursing in wartime.
“Jane had a generous heart and a gentle heart and she was directly responsible for many of her nieces and nephews being able to finish their education,” Kounanis said. “It is fitting that the nursing learning center be named in honor of such a remarkable and accomplished role model to all nursing students.”
The wall breaking began with Rex Rawlinson and Maureen Rawlinson and ended with Cheryl Robinson and Dean Patricia Ravert. Each took turns hefting the gold-headed hammer into the wall.
Jeff Peery, public relations supervisor for the College of Nursing, said tours will be given during the week of homecoming in October 2014 for anyone interested in viewing the newly expanded facility.
The College of Nursing thanked the Burns Foundation for their donations that make the expansion of the learning center possible.
