Douglas A. Kristensen Rural Health Education Complex to Celebrate Grand Opening in Kearney

WHAT: The University of Nebraska Medical Center and University of Nebraska at Kearney will celebrate the opening of the Douglas A. Kristensen Rural Health Education Complex in Kearney, the largest rural healthcare teaching facility in the country. The $115 million complex expands UNMC’s academic footprint in Kearney and includes the new three-story, 110,000-square-foot Health Science Education Center II, which opened in January, along with the original Health Science Education Center I that opened in 2015.

Designed to strengthen Nebraska’s healthcare workforce, the complex enables UNMC to bring medicine, pharmacy and public health programs to Kearney for the first time, while expanding programs in allied health and nursing. At the request of the lead donor, the William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation, the complex was named in honor of UNK Chancellor Emeritus Doug Kristensen.

 WHEN: Thursday, May 14 | 1:30 p.m.

 WHERE: Douglas A. Kristensen Rural Health Science Education Complex on the University of Nebraska at Kearney campus in Kearney, Nebraska

• Parking will be available in Lot 22 east of the new building, Lot 20 northeast of event location and at the nearby Regional Engagement Center parking lot south of Hwy. 30. Overflow parking also is available in Lot 27 east of the UNK West Center.

 INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:

• NU President Jeffrey P. Gold, MD

• UNMC Interim Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD

• UNK Chancellor Neal Schnoor, PhD

• Brian Hastings, president and CEO of the University of Nebraska Foundation

• Kyle Meyer, PhD, Armstrong Family Distinguished Chair of Rural Healthcare Workforce Strategy

• Ellie Miller, PhD, assistant professor, UNMC College of Allied Health Professions

• Allie Daro, UNMC Student Regent

VISUAL OPPORTUNITIES: Grand opening ceremony followed by self-guided tours of the Health Science Education Center I and Health Science Education Center II.