SEARCY, Ark. — Harding University officials ceremoniously broke ground on a new $9 million center for health sciences July 2. The center, scheduled for completion by fall 2013, will house the Carr College of Nursing and the department of communication sciences and disorders.

From left to right — Dr. Beckie Weaver, dean of the College of Allied Health; Dr. Dan Tullos, director of communication sciences and disorders; Kelsey Curtis, a speech-language pathology graduate student from Meridian, Idaho; Dr. David Burks, president of Harding University; Dr. Cathleen Shultz, dean of the Carr College of Nursing; Lauren Meeker, a nursing student from Searcy, Ark.; Dr. Cliff Ganus Jr., chancellor.

The $9 million, two-story facility will provide approximately 40,000 square feet of space for administrative and faculty offices, conference rooms, laboratories, examination rooms and classrooms for both programs. The Carr College of Nursing will occupy approximately 30,000 square feet, which includes a 4,650-square-foot clinical practice center that will house the geriatric clinic, well child clinic and wellness screenings.

The department of communication sciences and disorders will fill 10,000 square feet of the new facility. This includes a 3,760-square-foot speech clinic that will feature 11 child and adult therapy rooms, speech and swallow labs. The size of this clinic will allow the department to expand and develop new community outreach activities.

With an enrollment of more than 7,100 students, Harding is the largest private university in Arkansas and attracts more National Merit Scholars than any other private university in the state. Harding also maintains campuses in Australia, Chile, England, France, Greece, Italy and Zambia. For more information visit www.harding.edu.