Swoop, the U’s Mascot, rappelled down the side of the new Health Sciences Education Building to cut the red ribbon at the Grand Opening ceremony on Sept. 2.
“This is more than a grand opening,” announced Lorris Betz, senior vice president of Health Sciences, in his opening remarks. “This is a celebration.”
Faculty, students, alumni, U administrators and Utah State Senator John Valentine attended the opening ceremony.
“This school has the ability to do great things. This tool adds to that ability. We need to use this tool to recognize the ability,” Valentine said. “This becomes a flagship to the economic development of this state.”
After two years of construction and demanding the best of everyone involved, medical students have received the very best, Betz said.
“It’s a nicer learning environment, with more classrooms and computers. It’s a nice change,” said Holly Christianson, a fourth-year pharmacy student.
The new state-of-the-art building, located to the east of the College of Nursing, “has had the collaboration not only of doctors and teachers, but of those who sit in the classes-the students,” said University of Utah President Michael Young.
The building’s classes and spaces have been designed to encourage teamwork, said Muhammad Khan, a 2005 graduate of the School of Medicine.
The building is also designed to be environmentally friendly and is the first state-funded building to follow guidelines set by LEED-Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
The building is made from recycled products and conserves energy, Betz said.
The building’s namesakes, Spencer F. and Cleone P. Eccles, attended as guests of honor. They have long ties to the school; they met at the U in the 1950s.
The building was made possible by a major donation from the Eccleses, as well as contributions from faculty, friends and U alumni.
The sky bridge connecting the new building with the Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, named for Eccles’ father, is dedicated to the Eccles children. The bridge symbolically connects three generations of Eccleses, said Spencer F. Eccles.
Spencer Eccles concluded the evening by saying, “Be sure to remember to come back and support in your careers…we dedicate this day to all of you…the best is yet to come.”