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City of Kearney Commits $5 million to New Rural Health Education Building at UNK
by LoperPride
e city of Kearney is committing $5 million to a University of Nebraska project that will enhance health care education and training in the state.
City Council members voted unanimously in November to support construction of the new Rural Health Education Building on the UNK campus. A partnership between UNK and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the roughly 100,000-square-foot facility will address critical health care workforce shortages in the state by expanding opportunities for students to study, train and eventually practice in central and western Nebraska.
When fully operational, the Rural Health Education Building and existing Health Sciences Education Complex will support about 240 local jobs and have an annual economic impact estimated at $34.5 million.
Construction of the $85 million facility is expected to begin in September, with a projected completion date of July 2025. anks to approval from the state Legislature, the project received $50 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding for capital construction, plus $10 million for iEXCEL technology startup costs. e Legislature also committed the necessary sustainable operational funds to support faculty and sta . e University of Nebraska will raise the remaining $35 million needed to cover construction costs, with the city’s $5 million contribution counting toward this total. e new facility will grow this talent pipeline by expanding the existing UNMC programs o ered in Kearney. It will also bring new programs to the UNK campus, including medicine, medical nutrition, genetic counseling and respiratory care — all high-need areas in rural Nebraska. A Master of Health Administration program will be added to complement UNK’s undergraduate program, and discussion is underway for the UNMC College of Pharmacy to o er a joint degree program with UNK.
A Journey Of A Thousand Miles Begins With One Step
N alumni en and ad utar re ogni e t at loyalty was t e rst step on t eir philanthropic journey. Their loyalty and passion for UNK have inspired them to establish and make a planned gift of retirement assets to the Bleeding Blue Heart Scholarship. e s olars ip fund will bene t students in t e N ollege of usiness and e nology could
UNK alumni Jen and Chad Rutar serve as members of the UNK campaign committee and have established a planned gift to support UNK students.
Making a planned gift is a simple way to show your loyalty and leave a lasting legacy at UNK. Scan the QR code below to download your free estate planning kit today.
