The grand opening of the UW’s new Health Sciences Education Building (HSEB) took place yesterday with legislators and community supporters in attendance. The HSEB serves the University’s six health science schools (Dentistry, Nursing, Medicine, Pharmacy, Public Health, and Social Work), which are ranked among the top in the nation and are widely recognized as leaders in professional education, research innovation, and public service.
Local communities across Washington state desperately need qualified healthcare professionals and the HSEB will improve pathways to healthcare degrees and jobs for local students, as well as support continuing education for current providers. The 4-story building fosters multidisciplinary learning with its innovative learning environments and state-of-the-art equipment. It also better supports the University’s important research mission, which will ultimately lead to discoveries that will benefit the state and world.
The HSEB would not have come to fruition without generous support from the state. In attendance at the grand opening were Senators David Frockt, Mark Mullet, and Jamie Pedersen and Representatives My-Linh Thai and Gerry Pollet. Sens. Frockt and Mullet, Senate capital budget leads and legislative champions of the HSEB, spoke about the important public service missions of the UW’s six health science schools and highlighted the critical role they have played throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They also emphasized how the building will support local communities with qualified healthcare professionals and through advances in research and technology.
As an alumna of the UW School of Pharmacy, Rep. Thai also spoke–fondly reflecting on her time as a student at the UW and highlighting how the HSEB will better prepare today’s students for the healthcare jobs of the future through its cutting-edge technology and focus on interdisciplinary learning. She also underscored the essential role of UW’s health science educators in producing qualified, successful healthcare workers.
Thank you to the legislators who attended the celebration and for your support of the UW!