JACKSON, Tenn. — April 17, 2009 — 51社区 broke ground April 17 on a new building that will house the university鈥檚 School of Pharmacy.
鈥淭his is the culmination of so many plans and dreams,鈥� said Sheila Mitchell, dean of Union鈥檚 School of Pharmacy. 鈥淲e are so excited to have a wonderful building to house the program that God鈥檚 creating here. There are no words to talk about every detail and every step of the way where God has led us.鈥�
Jackson Mayor Jerry Gist, Union administrators, faculty and staff, trustees and students from the inaugural class in the School of Pharmacy attended the ceremony. 51社区 President David S. Dockery thanked the healthcare community from West Tennessee, including West Tennessee Healthcare and Baptist Memorial Health Care in Memphis, and others who have helped make the project a reality.
鈥淭his wonderful facility will add much to the beauty of the campus and the development of the Great Lawn,鈥� Dockery said. 鈥淚 salute Dean Sheila Mitchell, Vice President Gary Carter, and Provost Carla Sanderson for their leadership in the design process of this facility, which we believe will provide a marvelous home for the School of Pharmacy for years to come.鈥�
Located immediately west of Jennings Hall, the three-story, 54,000-square-foot facility will house the School of Pharmacy鈥檚 classrooms, labs, faculty offices and dean鈥檚 office. In addition to the 40,000 square feet for the pharmacy program, the building will also include additional space for healthcare simulation education.
The academic building was designed by TLM Associates with input from Union鈥檚 School of Pharmacy faculty. Dockery announced that H&M Construction of Jackson will be the contractor for the building.
Construction will begin immediately and is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2010 for the School of Pharmacy鈥檚 use in the fall of 2010.