Holmes Community College broke ground Thursday on a new facility for health programs being taught at its Ridgeland campus.
According to Holmes officials, the new facility will be called the Health Science Building and serve as home to the campus’ associate degree nursing, practical nursing, occupational therapy assistant, and surgical technology programs.
“The Health Science Building will allow the Health Science programs on the Ridgeland campus to continue to grow as well as expand our Health Science offerings,” Director of Health Sciences Allison DeWeese said. “The building has been a vision for several years. I am excited to see the vision become a reality.”
Plans include classrooms and offices for each of the health science programs and a large multipurpose space that will be used as a shared resource. With banquet seating for 350 and lecture-style seating for 530, the space aims at accommodating more group events for the local community.
Dr. Bronwyn Martin, vice president of the Ridgeland campus, said the Health Science Building is not only a win for students but it’s a win for further exposure in one of the fastest-growing counties in the state. The new facility will be visible from Interstate 55.
“Madison County has grown 14.6 percent in the past 10 years. Therefore, the addition of this new space has poised Holmes for future growth in our allied health programs,” she said. “The facility’s location alongside I-55 will increase our visibility, emphasizing our footprint in Madison County.
“Watching projects of this magnitude come to fruition fills me with pride for Holmes and excitement for our future students and constituents.”
Thrash Commercial Contractors, JH&H Architects Planners Interiors, Benchmark Engineering & Surveying, LLC, and Smithers Engineers + Consultants make up the team designing and constructing the new facility.
Holmes Community College was established in 1911 and has main campuses in Goodman, Grenada, and Ridgeland and satellite campuses in Kosciusko and Yazoo City.
