Butler County Community College took the next step in the renovation of their main campus with a groundbreaking of their new nursing facility yesterday.
A number of community members gathered to celebrate the new Victor K. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health building. The $9 million project received substantial private donations, including $1 million from Janice Phillips Larrick, whose family received praise from BC3 President Dr. Nick Neupauer.
“They bought in, I’m telling you that family bought in,” Neupauer said about the Phillips family. “They are tremendous supporters [of the college] and more importantly to me, tremendous friends,” Neupauer said.
Nursing instructor Jessica Lasanich spoke at the ceremony yesterday and we grinning from ear-to-ear while talking about the new facility. She spoke highly of the collaborative process that instructors had with architects. She also said the new facility couldn’t come at a better time.
“This whole time period of the pandemic has taught us, if nothing but, that there is a shortage of healthcare workers in all disciplines,” Lasanich said. “We’re not only here to advertise BC3, but what we can bring to the Butler County community.”
Students in the nursing program also had a chance to speak during the ceremony. That included Saxonburg native and current student Veda Reiser who said the new facility speaks to BC3’s commitment to students.
“One of the things that sets BC3 aside from other nursing schools is their never-ending pursuit of meeting the needs of their students to provide the best learning environment possible,” Reiser said. “And the construction of this building is no exception to that.”
Construction on the Victor K. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health building will be constructed on the southern portion of campus, which is undergoing a major renovation project. It will be located on the site of the former maintenance building that was taken down earlier this year. The entire south campus project is coming at an estimated cost of $18 million, although Neupauer noted that the college’s foundation secured nearly $5.4 million in private donations for the project.
Construction on the Phillips Nursing building is expected to begin early next year, and could be completed in 2023.
Artist rendering of new BC3 southern campus renovation project.
