Bennett Hall: A thing of beauty

From the outside, Bennett Hall continues to stand tall.

From the inside, the third oldest building on campus defies its 1900 beginnings.

The Bennett Hall ribbon-cutting celebrates the first home for the School of Allied Health Professions.

The recently renovated building — the first home for the UNMC School of Allied Health Professions — wowed visitors during its debut last week.

Approximately 140 attended Thursday’s grand opening and dedication ceremony, while many others from the campus community toured the facility during Friday’s open house.

“What was done here was sort of a miracle,” UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., told the crowd gathered for Thursday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. “As I walked through the hallways I felt the strength of the school.”

UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., left, talks about the important role played by allied health professionals.

College of Medicine Dean John Gollan, M.D., Ph.D., agreed. “Bennett has morphed into a thing of beauty,” he said, as he recalled his early days at UNMC when he occupied a ground floor research lab in the building. “Professionals in allied health are essential to providing the best in medical care.It’s a memorable day and truly a milestone.”

For the first time in its 36-year history, the entire SAHP is under one roof. Faculty from the school’s 11 educational programs, as well as its distance education department, say the move will bolster communication, collaboration and efficiencies.

“There’s no question that having the entire school in one building makes my job much easier with the ability to mentor and collaborate,” said Patricia Leuschen, Ph.D., assistant dean for research development in SAHP.

Former associate deans of the SAHP — Reba Benschoter and Mary Haven — attend the dedication ceremony.

“The move brings allied health together as a family,” said Connie Mitchell, director of the radiography education program.

“The move to Bennett Hall will be a huge leap forward in terms of administrative efficiency,” said Greg Karst, Ph.D., assistant dean for academic affairs in the SAHP. “Moving into the associate dean’s suite already has made a difference in terms of ease of communication among the administrators and staff. Having the entire school together in the same building will make it more feasible to implement some of our new initiatives, such as consolidating our recruitment and admissions efforts across all 11 programs.”

Bennett Hall auditorium before and after the renovation.

The new home also provides an identity for the school, said Kyle Meyer, Ph.D., associate dean of the SAHP. “The importance of a physical identity cannot be overlooked,” he said. “When you consider that the term ‘allied health’ comprises more than 200 health professions you can begin to understand why it is difficult to say exactly ‘who we are.’ ”

Allied health professionals, however, work with colleagues in medicine, nursing, pharmacy and public health to provide critical diagnostic, intervention or technology support services and “the state of Nebraska needs allied health professionals in every area,” Dr. Maurer said.

Students will find a growing demand for allied health professionals, Dr. Meyer said. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that between 2006 and 2016, increased demand for physician assistants, physical therapists, radiation therapists, clinical laboratory scientists, radiographers, sonographers and nuclear medicine technologists — all of which UNMC educates — will range from 15 percent to 27 percent.

“Educational space for students in virtually all of our programs has been integrated throughout the building,” Dr. Meyer said.

Educational space includes:

• A tiered amphitheater that accommodates up to 40 students with technology for distance education;
  
• A 2,000-plus square foot classroom and laboratory for physical therapy and physical assistant students on Level 4;
  
• The Karen Allen Linder Microscopy Suite for cytotechnology students on Level 6;
  
• A multi-purpose microscopy and learning resource room for clinical laboratory science students;
  
• Classroom and resource room equipped for distance education for clinical perfusion students; and
  
• A reading room designed to create a comfortable space for faculty and faculty-student interaction.

The proximity of the restored building on the northwest corner of 42nd and Emile streets – directly west of the new Michael F. Sorrell Center for Health Science Education – also greatly benefits the school’s 350 students, 53 faculty and 16 staff members.

During the ceremony, UNMC leaders thanked state leaders for the $8.9 million received through LB605, the 2006 legislative bill that provided state funds to upgrade buildings on all four campuses of the University of Nebraska system.

They also noted the architectural and construction teams of Alley Poyner Macchietto and Boyd Jones, as well as the UNMC Facilities Management and Planning department, most notably construction project manager, Nick Knopik.

“This building, like so many on the campus, will be part of Dr. Maurer’s legacy of providing the highest quality environments for faculty, staff and students to work and learn,” Dr. Meyer said.