By Dr. J.D. Rottweiler
After writing my column last month about hope, I would be remiss if I didn’t focus this column on gratitude. Specifically, I am grateful to the Legacy Foundation of Southeast Arizona for having faith and confidence in Cochise College. The announcement this week that the foundation will contribute the current hospital facility to the college for the benefit of students speaks volumes about what it is trying to achieve and its confidence in the quality and direction of the institution.
Specifically, the building will be used for healthcare training programs and gives the college the flexibility to expand, a real possibility considering the construction of a new hospital. Future nurses, EMTs, paramedics and others will attend classes and clinical experiences in a facility that is currently located near many healthcare employers.
What’s more, the centralized location makes it accessible to the local business community and individuals who use services like the Cochise College Small Business Development Center, Center for Lifelong Learning, Center for Economic Research, and Cochise College Foundation. A commercial kitchen is a potential perk for the college culinary arts training program.
Last year, the college created a concept for a new 40,000-square-foot health sciences education building. But it’s thrilled at the prospect of occupying an existing healthcare facility that is larger and anticipated to cost less in terms of construction and remodeling. The location further exemplifies that community is Cochise College’s middle name.
This is the second time the Legacy Foundation has made a major investment in local healthcare education through Cochise College. The college, through its foundation, last year received a $500,000 endowment to support nursing scholarships in perpetuity.
From a birds-eye-view, the pieces of a well-rounded regional healthcare system are falling into place, due in no small part to the actions of the Legacy Foundation. Cochise College is honored to be part of it.
J.D. Rottweiler is president of Cochise College. Contact him at jdr@cochise.edu.