Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for April 21, 2007 SCC EXPANSION

From the WSIL TV Channel 3 website...

Shawnee Community College Breaks Ground for New Buildings

By: Emily Eddington

PULASKI CO.-- Officials at Shawnee Community College broke ground today on an $6 million expansion project. It will not only enhance the education of students, but also bring healthcare to the residents of Pulaski County.

The project includes three new buildings-- a career technology center, student housing, and a 22,000 square foot medical arts and sciences building. Officials say the medical building will also serve as the first medical clinic in Pulaski County.

"Right now if we have someone with an injury that needs medical care, it's a good 20 to 30 minutes to get an ambulance here and then another 20 to 30 minutes to get to a hospital," says Shawnee Community College President, Larry Choate.

Ronald Duncan, Associate Vice President of Economic and Institutional Development says it was a logical idea to respond to the area's needs. "It just seemed to be a very good, common-sense idea to try to put the resources in the hands of the community, that the college could support through its training efforts. In other words, learn a job, create a job, provide a service."

President Choate says the new medical center would serve as a telemedicine facility, allowing access to doctors across the nation. The clinic will operate with the help of Rural Health in Anna.

"By having a medical clinic and medical services on site, we'll probably have healthier students, healthier staff, and a healthier community overall," says Duncan.

The facility will also be home to a student activities center, along with the college's first-ever on-campus housing. Student's can also enjoy a career technology center focused on building trades and introductory courses.

Choate says these developments are fitting in to the school's initial plans. "These projects pretty much culminate the completion of the campus as it was designed 40 years ago."

At today's groundbreaking, USDA rural development presented the college with a $56,800 check to be put toward the project. College leaders say construction on the Medical Arts and Sciences building will be completed by Spring 2009.