CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – The Health Professions Building at Austin Peay State University got a major funding boost this week with the announcement of a $3 million gift from the Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Health Foundation.
The gift will be used to establish the CMC Community Health Foundation Equipment & Building Fund with the APSU Foundation, to support the Health Professions Building and additional equipment needs, according to an APSU news release.
“This financial support will be the foundation for long-lasting effects on the prosperity and health of our community,” said Joey Smith, chair of the CMCCHF and director of the Montgomery County Health Department.
The mission of the CMCCHF, established after the sale of the former Clarksville Memorial Hospital to for-profit operators, is to promote the general health of area residents. Since 2009, the CMCCHF has helped hundreds of nonprofits who give back to the local community. For information on the CMCCHF, visit communityhealthfoundation.org.
“This partnership will be beneficial for both this university and the surrounding community,” APSU Interim President Dannelle Whiteside said. “We are proud to have the faithful support of the CMCCHF and Clarksville Volunteer Health. They are helping us to continue producing graduates who will go on to make a difference in the communities in which they will serve.”
The Health Professions Building is planned at the corner of Eighth and Marion Streets, across Eighth from the Music and Mass Communications Building. It will consolidate the APSU School of Nursing and the departments of allied health sciences, psychological science and counseling, health and human performance and social work into one facility. The building will also provide active-learning classrooms and collaborative learning spaces for student use. It will house clinical spaces, which will be accessible to the community, the release said.
The design phase of the project is expected to begin in fall 2021, with construction starting in 2022. Construction is expected to last about 18 months, and the building is projected to open before the fall 2024 semester.
To support APSU fundraising initiatives, contact the Office of University Advancement at 931-221-7127.