UCA hosts grand opening

The University of Central Arkansas recently hosted a grand opening for the Nabholz Center for Healthcare Simulation and unveiled a donor wall in the Doyne Health Sciences Building.

The donor wall on the first floor of the Doyne Health Sciences Building features the names of individuals and organizations that have contributed to the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences with endowed gifts and scholarship support. The Nabholz Center for Healthcare Simulation is on the second floor of the same building.

“Our hope is that this new center will expand the educational opportunities for our students and better prepare them for the future,” said Charles Nabholz, chairman emeritus of Nabholz Corporation.

“Today marks a significant step toward our goal of providing the latest technology and equipment for our health care faculty and students. Because of the generous gift from the Nabholz companies and foundation, we have opened and equipped the Nabholz Center for Healthcare Simulation,” said UCA President Tom Courtway. “This Center provides our students and faculty with the most up-to-date simulation equipment and learning environment so that UCA may continue to be the state’s leader in the number of health care graduates.”

Nabholz was the first to illuminate the 12-foot by 5-foot donor wall, which prominently features the Nabholz Charitable Foundation for its $500,000 gift in support of the simulation center, as well as the names of Elizabeth Blankenship, Ashley Blankenship and Gretchen Humpreys for their family donation of $215,500 announced in December 2015, Arkansas Sen. Jason Rapert, Conway Regional Medical Center and many others.

“In addition to the generous gift from Nabholz, we also express our thanks and appreciation to Elizabeth Blankenship, a UCA alumna, and her family for their gift to equip a laboratory in the center, to state Sen. Jason Rapert who allocated part of his General Improvement Funds for technology in the center, and for the continuing support of Conway Regional Medical Center for its continuous and faithful support of our nursing and health care professions at UCA.”