Although more than 150 nursing students were nearby, it was a cut that didn’t require medical attention.

About 500 people including elected officials, alumni, community member and nursing students were on hand Sept. 25 as the ribbon was cut to open the Larry R. Moore Nursing and Administration Building on the campus of Southwestern Adventist University.

The ceremony took place on the front steps of the new building, located at 114 West Hillcrest Street in Keene.  Members of the University’s board of trustees and administration were in also attendance, along with Texas State Rep. DeWayne Burns, R-Cleburne, and Keene Mayor James Chapline.

The $16 million-dollar building is officially debt free, with 100 percent of the funds raised through gifts, according to SWAU President Dr. Ken Shaw.  

“In 1893, Keene as we know it did not exist,” said Tami Condon, vice president for advancement. “The first recorded fundraised building cost $2,500. Today, we’re building a state-of-the-art nursing building and our nursing program is ranked well above the national average.”

Bricks and mortar don’t change the lives of people, Burns said.

“People change the lives of people, and our God changes the lives of people,” Burns said. “What happens in the brick and mortar behind us today, hopefully, will change lives for the better. And I believe that it will, not only in this community but around Texas, around the United States and around the world.”

With new medical manikins and simulation labs, the new building will support the growth of the nursing department, which already comprises a quarter of the University’s enrollment. Keene Mayor James

“While I am proud of all advances in Keene, this building is truly a game changer as it moves the University to a new level of excellence and achievement,” Chapline said.

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