Community Invited to Grand Opening of new Health Professions Building at WSU
OGDEN, Utah — Weber State University is unveiling a state-of-the-art education space in the new Ezekiel R. Dumke Jr. & Katherine W. Dumke Center for Interprofessional Education in Healthcare. The community is invited to tour the building during a grand opening ceremony, Sept. 4 from 2-5 p.m.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 2:15 p.m., followed by an open house where guests can take self-guided tours. Visitors will find souvenirs in various locations through the building. The afternoon will also include music, hors d’oeuvres and gelato.
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Katherine W. and Ezekiel R. Dumke Jr.
The Dumke Center’s 15,000-square-foot, two-story building provides a space for health professions students to study and learn from peers. By sharing one space, students and professionals of various health fields can work together, share ideas and contribute to better healthcare.
“As the knowledge, advancement and technology in the field of medicine and healthcare expand, the need to share information and expertise increases,” said Yas Simonian, Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions dean. “Faculty and students can collaborate with the community in this new building. We have an area to brainstorm on research, presentations, case studies and patient histories. The Dumke Center gives us additional space to think together.”
Ground breaking was held May 30, 2017 and took just over one year to complete. The first and largest donation for the project came from Ezekiel R. Dumke Jr. and Katherine W. Dumke, for whom the building is named.
The building has four classrooms, 20 offices, two conference rooms, a student collaboration area and study spaces along the hallways. The facility is also open for local healthcare professionals to lecture, host presentations, stage conferences or conduct research.
One striking feature of the building is a wall-length mosaic that resembles a bone-marrow smear seen under a microscope.
“Human marrow produces 500 billion blood cells per day, which is vital for existence,” Simonian said. “In a way, it tells the future of an individual’s health. The mosaic could be a suitable piece for students to view and ponder their future in healthcare.”
Even the outside of the building has healthcare elements. The brick is laid to resemble an EEG reading and other vital signs.
Each element is designed to promote interprofessional education, which focuses on teaching students how to provide team-based, collaborative care for better patient outcomes. Students from all areas of study within the Dumke College of Health Professions will have classes in the building.
“Caring for patients requires a team of highly trained individuals who perform specialized procedures,” Simonian said. “However, when these members of the healthcare team work in partnership, the patient benefits more from their collective knowledge and expertise. Interprofessional education is current, innovative and absolutely the future of healthcare education.”
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Dumke Center Facts and Figures:
Architect/Design: VCBO Architecture
Contractor: Spindler Construction
WSU Project Manager: Bruce Daley
By the Numbers:
15,000 square feet
4 classrooms
19 offices
2 conference rooms
5 picnic tables
1 outdoor patio
1 balcony
2 drinking fountains
3 entrances
10 media monitors
162 classroom chairs
26 stairs
For photos, visit the following links:
Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
Rachel Badali, Office of Marketing & Communications
801-626-7295 • rachelbadali@weber.edu- Contact:
Kristin Wojciechowski, Dumke College of Health Professions development director
801-626-6102 • kwojciechowski@weber.edu