AN ESTIMATED 200 community members, faculty, staff and students attended a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house Tuesday, April 19, for Looney Hall on the Missouri State University-West Plains campus. The building, originally constructed in 1915 as West Plains Central High School, underwent extensive renovations last fall to convert the former one-stop student services center into an allied health classroom and laboratory building to house the campus’ nursing and respiratory care programs. The building also houses a new, state-of-the-art allied health simulation laboratory made possible with a $250,000 federal grant assisted by 8th District Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson (R-Cape Girardeau), as well as the Mindy Lahey Hughston Room, which is being made possible with a gift from Physical Therapy Specialists Clinic (PTSC). The Hughston Room will contain specialized video technology that will allow students to watch fellow students react to the medical conditions being enacted in the simulation room. With the ribbon above are, from left, West Plains Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Judy Ingalsbe, Missouri State University System President Dr. James E. Cofer, PTSC owner and Missouri State University Board of Governors member Mary Sheid, Emerson, Missouri State-West Plains Chancellor Drew Bennett, former Missouri State-West Plains Chancellor Dr. Marvin Looney, Hughston’s mother Brenda Miller, and Chamber Executive Director Joanne Wix. (Missouri State-West Plains Photo)
8TH DISTRICT CONGRESSWOMAN Jo Ann Emerson (R-Cape Girardeau), left, learns from nursing instructor Libby Gall how the equipment for the new allied health simulation laboratory at Missouri State University-West Plains will help students in the nursing and respiratory care programs prepare for real life medical situations. The simulator was made possible with a $250,000 federal grant assisted by Emerson. The demonstration was part of the university’s April 19 ribbon cutting ceremony and open house celebration for the newly renovated Looney Hall, which was converted from a one-stop student services center to classroom and laboratory space for the campus’ allied health programs. (Missouri State-West Plains Photo)
OFFICIALS AT MISSOURI State University-West Plains officially dedicated one of the rooms of the newly renovated Looney Hall in honor of Mindy Lahey Hughston, a former nursing student and graduate of the university who passed away in 2010 following a long-term battle with cancer, during a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house celebration for the facility April 19. The room, which is being made possible with a gift from Phyiscal Therapy Specialists Clinics (PTSC), will be outfitted with specialized video technology that will allow nursing and respiratory therapy students to monitor their fellow students’ reactions to a variety of medical situations enacted in the facility’s new allied health simulation laboratory, made possible with a $250,000 federal grant assisted by 8th District Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson (R-Cape Girardeau). On hand for the dedication were, from left, Emerson; Hughston’s husband, Derek, holding their daughter, Madison; Hughston’s mother, Brenda Miller; Mary Sheid, owner of PTSC and a member of the Missouri State University Board of Governors; former Missouri State-West Plains Chancellor Dr. Marvin Looney, for whom the building is named; Missouri State University System President Dr. James E. Cofer; and current Missouri State-West Plains Chancellor Drew Bennett. (Missouri State-West Plains Photo)