The Ashland University Board of Trustees last week approved construction plans for the new Dwight Schar College of Nursing facility in Mansfield and set the new building’s groundbreaking for July of 2011.

“The Board of Trustees fully supports the mission of the Dwight Schar College of Nursing and recognizes that this new facility represents an important step in our strategic plan,” said Dr. Frederick Finks, president of Ashland University.

After acquiring MedCentral Health System’s College of Nursing in August, the University began planning the construction of the new 46,000-square-foot academic and nursing building on the University’s Balgreen Campus, located at the corner of Marion Avenue and Trimble Road in Mansfield.

The University then launched a $15.5 million fundraising campaign – “Compassion. Community. Commitment. Building a Healthy Tomorrow” – for the new Dwight Schar College of Nursing.

“The campaign has received a $5 million lead gift from Ashland University alumnus and longtime supporter Dwight Schar and we are near the halfway mark of this fundraising campaign,” Finks said.

The campaign is being led by Margaret Pomfret, executive director of development and university campaigns.

“We are very excited about the board’s approval of these plans, which are in response to the shortage of qualified health care professionals in this area,” Pomfret said. “Nursing is a critically important profession, and this new nursing facility will dramatically expand the opportunities for health care development and growth in our region.”

Gayle Gorman Freeman, a 1977 graduate of Ashland University and president of Manairco Inc. in Mansfield, and Dr. Michael L. Amalfitano, president of Mid-Ohio Heart Clinic Inc., have been selected as co-chairs for the campaign.

“This timely project proactively addresses this nursing shortage so that our communities are ensured quality healthcare for our loved ones now and in the future,” Freeman said.

Amalfitano agreed, noting that “A well-trained, compassionate, and caring nurse is an invaluable component to any patient’s care, enhancing both their experience and outcome. Nurses truly are the heartbeat of healthcare,” he said.

Finks said the board’s approval paves the way for the University to begin construction of the new College of Nursing in July of 2011.

“We would like to begin construction early enough in the summer so we can have classes at the new facility in the fall of 2012,” Finks said.

The new building will replace the old MedCentral facility on Glessner Avenue, which is being leased by the University as part of the agreement with MedCentral.

“Currently, students are taking classes in the old MedCentral facility and this building was constructed in 1923,” Finks said. “The nursing faculty, staff and students have seriously outgrown the original structure and need new space specifically designed to accommodate the latest technological advances in nursing education.”

The new facility will include a variety of clinical practice labs, including the Center for Simulations, Health Foundations Practice Lab, Family Health Practice Lab, Adult Health Practice Lab, Complex Care Practice Lab, ICU/CCU/NICU Patient Room and Advanced Care Lab.

Other spaces in the College will include traditional classrooms, faculty/staff offices, student study and lounge areas, and student support spaces.