Today faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community members all gathered together at the construction site of the Larry R. Moore Nursing and Administration Building to sign the beam for the Topping Out Ceremony. Hundreds of signatures can still be seen on the beam from where it was placed on the building. Board of Trustee Chairman Larry Moore, Keene Mayor James Chapline, University President Dr. Ken Shaw, Nursing Department Chair Dr. Kerrie Kimbrow, and Nursing Student Association President Kyleigh Duke all participated in the program before Vice President for Spiritual Life Russ Laughlin gave a dedicatory prayer. 

“Throughout my experience in Southwestern's nursing program, I have seen Christ in all of my professors,” Duke said. “Our professors are very devoted to their job and do everything possible to make sure that we learn and become professional nurses." The new building means larger classrooms and more technology for the nursing students. 

The new building is slated to be finished before the 2018 fall semester. It will include state-of-the-art simulation labs and hospital rooms, classrooms, medical surgery labs, and more. Alumni, faculty, staff, and friends have continued to give to the project, which cost $16 million.

“Being a mathematician, we are 98.4 percent of the way done,” Dr. Shaw, said. “We still have a quarter of a million dollars left to raise to complete our project. Thank you very much to those that have made this possible.”

Donors, who come in all shapes and sizes, include Isaiah. Pictured in between his siblings (bottom left), Isaiah has been to every event for the new building since breaking open his piggy bank and donating $24 to the building last fall. His actions started a chain-reaction of giving. Contractors Steele and Freeman were on hand to do the honors of hoisting the beam into place. Hot cider and cookies shaped like the building were provided for all the guests. 

You can view more photos of the Topping Out fun here. You can also watch live footage of the building construction progress on the homepage. 

To learn more about how you can support the building, visit swau.edu/give or contact Kisha Norris at 817.202.6233 or knorris@swau.edu.