Southwestern Adventist University celebrated the grand opening of the Larry R. Moore Nursing and Administration Building on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2018. The ceremony took place on the front steps of the new building, located at 114 West Hillcrest Street in Keene, Texas. Southwestern’s nursing students, alumni, friends, Board of Trustees and administration were in attendance, along with Texas State Representative DeWayne Burns and Keene City Mayor James Chapline. The community was invited, with more than 500 visitors in attendance for the event.

The $16 million-dollar building is officially debt free, with 100 percent of the funds raised through gifts. “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.”

State Rep. DeWayne Burns said bricks and mortar don’t change the lives of people. “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. James Chapline, mayor of Keene, said he’s proud of all advances in Keene, but this building is truly a “game changer” as it moves the university to a new level of excellence and achievement.

For more information about the Larry R. Moore Nursing and Administration Building and how you can support Southwestern Adventist University, visit swau.edu/give.