CWU Opens State-of-the-Art Health Sciences Facility, Caps $300 million ‘Science Neighborhood’ 

Central Washington University celebrated a milestone today with the official unveiling of its Health Sciences Building, the sixth and final component of the "Science Neighborhood."

President Jim Wohlpart, third from left, cuts the ribbon of the new Health Sciences Building on Friday morning.

State and local dignitaries assembled on Central's campus for the grand opening event for the state-of-the-art Health Sciences facility. The $60 million structure serves six degree programs: Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedicine, Public Health, Biomechanics, Clinical Physiology, Exercise Science, and Food Sciences/Nutrition.

CWU President Jim Wohlpart said the Health Sciences Building was the final addition needed to complete the $300 million Science Neighborhood of facilities: Science I, Dean Hall, Hogue Technology, Discovery Hall, and Samuelson Hall.

"CWU provides an unparalleled educational experience in science, technology, engineering, and math," Wohlpart said. "The completion of this project provides state-of-the-art facilities that are as remarkable as our teaching and research."

The Health Sciences Building provides a quantity food lab, a spacious teaching kitchen, and sensory evaluation tasting booths for students in the Food Science and Nutrition programs. Students studying Clinical Physiology and Exercise Science will conduct research using an environmental chamber that controls oxygen levels, temperature, altitude, and humidity. CWU's high-demand EMT/Paramedicine program, the only program of its kind on the West Coast, will prepare professionals for real-world situations using lab spaces that simulate a kitchen, bathroom, living room, and an ambulance.

Friday's ribbon-cutting ceremony for Health Sciences was followed by guided tours of the facility and a separate groundbreaking event for the Health Education Project. The $60.5 million investment expands and upgrades health education facilities in Nicholson Pavilion, largely untouched since it was constructed in 1959. New facilities also will support athletic and recreational activities for thousands of students. Funded by the Washington Legislature and private donors, the project will, for the first time in CWU history, provide a space large enough to host commencement and other large academic events.

"We are confident these facility upgrades will help CWU meet the growing demand for health and physical education teachers, sport management professionals, and exercise scientists across our region," Wohlpart said of the project, which is scheduled for completion by the fall of 2023. "Everything we are doing now will make a difference in the future of Central and the many public and private industries we serve by training first-rate professionals."

Learn more about both the Health Sciences Building and the Health Education Project on CWU's website.

• Additional photos are available on CWU's Flickr page.