MSSU breaks ground on Roy Blunt Health and Science Innovation Center

JOPLIN, Mo. (KOAM) - Community members in Joplin were in attendance as the groundbreaking for Missouri Southern State University's newest facility took place.

According to University President Dean Van Galen this new facility will now be the crowning jewel of Missouri Southern.

"The Health Innovation Center will be front and center. It will be on the oval. So as you drive by the campus on Newman Road, this will be the iconic building that you see on the campus. It also houses are welcome center. It also houses meeting space for the community. So it'll be the new front door. A Missouri Southern State University," said Van Galen.

Former Missouri Senator Roy Blunt, the person who the facility is named after, was in attendance at the groundbreaking and was a main focus. Senator Blunt participated with each group in the turning over of dirt that marked the beginning a what will be a two-year construction project that will is said to be finished by the beginning of the 2026 school year.

Senator Blunt said that he was honored to be a part of creating an opportunity for Missouri Southern to take another step towards healthcare advancement.

"If Somebody in your family is sick. Suddenly, the major concern you have in your family is health care. And so it's an important investment for the university to make. I'm glad to be associated with it. I've been on this campus lots of times for the last almost 30 years now. And glad to be," said Senator Blunt.

Southern Nursing Student Heather Autry says that even though she will not be a student when the building is finished she feels as though it's a good step for the university.

"If you really think about it, we are struggling in health care. We need more health care people and having these types of buildings are going to make it to where people want to come here and they want to experience this and they want to learn and become a nurse or a doctor or whatever. And so having these facilities is really important," said Autry.

The Roy Blunt Health and Science Innovation Center will soon commence construction.

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