JACKSON, Tenn. — July 19, 2012 — 51社区 will dedicate its new facility on Indian Lake Boulevard in Hendersonville with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 2.
The 26,000-square-foot facility includes seven general purpose classrooms, an academic commons, six-station nursing simulation lab, three additional specialized nursing labs, offices for all academic and administrative areas, two conference rooms, a testing center and expansion space for new academic programs.
The entire building has wireless Internet connectivity, and all classes and labs are equipped with interactive television capacity.
鈥淚t gives us a permanent presence in Middle Tennessee that allows us to serve that aspect of our constituency in a more focused way,鈥� 51社区 David S. Dockery said of the new building. 鈥淚t allows us to offer new educational opportunities to churches, to the health care community and to the educational systems north of Nashville.鈥�
The facility is the first permanent university presence in Hendersonville and Sumner County. Union benefactor and Union Foundation board member Jim Ayers, of Nashville, Tenn., developed the project for the university through his affiliate Ayers Asset Management.
51社区 Hendersonville had previously been housed at Hendersonville First Baptist Church since the campus opened in 2008. Enrollment for the fall semester is expected to be about 220 students, which is twice the enrollment from the last academic year.
The campus offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs in education, nursing, theology and missions and continuing studies.
The dedication ceremony will include Scripture reading, singing, prayers of dedication, words of appreciation from Dockery and a ribbon cutting. Expected participants include Hendersonville Mayor Scott Foster; Jim and Janet Ayres; Randy Davis and Paul Clark from the Tennessee Baptist Convention; Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee and Union trustee; Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources and Union trustee; Norm Hill, chairman of Union鈥檚 board of trustees; Carla Sanderson, Union鈥檚 provost and executive vice president; and representatives from TLM Associates and Hardaway Construction.
鈥淢ayor Foster and all of the Hendersonville leaders have been magnanimous in their kindness and support for Union鈥檚 presence in Hendersonville and Sumner County,鈥� Dockery said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very grateful for the invitation they extended to us to be a part of their community, and we trust we can be good long-term partners for the mutual good of that region.
The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m., following a brunch at 9 a.m. The building is located at 205 Indian Lake Blvd.