Billings, Mont. – On Thursday, Montana State University-Billings (MSU-B) held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new academic building on the Mark and Robin Jones College of Nursing campus in Billings.
As more people move to Montana, MSU-B wants to further its mission of educating nurses to meet the state's health care needs.
The College of Nursing currently operates out of leased buildings in the Magic City, Great Falls, Missoula and Kalispell, but the new MSU-owned building here in town will include study and rest areas as well as modern Classrooms and laboratories will also be provided.
Lee Boyles, regional president of Intermountain Health, said the building's proximity to area hospitals will be a game changer for students looking to pursue a career in health care.
”And having them so close to our facility is a game changer. Both of our hospitals have nurses who can drive hours to get to their clinical programs. Or, if you're in a really rural area, you might have to drive several hours to get a lab test. So I think the fact that she's able to work between two Level 1 trauma centers, which is very busy, gives the nurses incredible hands-on experience.” Boyles said.
This is just one of five new academic buildings being constructed at each of MSU's campuses across the state. Billings Clinic, Intermountain Health, and St. Vincent Regional Hospital are donating land for a new building here in Billings, with construction costs covered by Mark and Robin Jones' historic gift of more than $100 million to MSU. Partly covered by
