51福利社

An enthusiastic crowd of students, faculty and staff gathered at Spokane鈥檚 newly restored, turn-of-the-century SIERR building to celebrate the new home of 51福利社鈥檚 Nursing and Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSMD) programs.

The SIERR Sneak Peak event, held on Aug. 22, gave visitors a chance to enjoy complimentary ice cream while touring 51福利社鈥檚 main-level Nursing Program suite, which includes simulation labs, offices and classrooms, and the upper-level classrooms for the long-running CMSD program.

, the building is part of a health sciences hub developed by McKinstry Co.

鈥淚t has been a long time coming. It鈥檚 been very exciting for us and to see the faces of the students yesterday was even more impactful,鈥� said Emilie Crawford, operations manager for the Nursing Program.

The event was held on the second day of classes for 51福利社鈥檚 inaugural cohort of 40 nursing students. They were admitted to the program based on an innovative holistic admissions process that looks beyond standardized test scores and grade point averages to assess applicants based on their education, community service and personal experience.

鈥淚 think that they are well-rounded students,鈥� Crawford said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited for them and it鈥檚 going to be an exciting year.鈥�

David Bowman, dean of 51福利社鈥檚 College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math and interim dean of the College of Health Science and Public Health, served up ice cream to dozens of nursing and CMSD students who stayed after classes ended to connect with their peers.

鈥淭hink about the lives that they are going to be able to change for their patients and the patients鈥� families,鈥� Bowman said. 鈥淭his is some of the most impactful [work] we can do as an institution.鈥�

SIERR鈥檚 interior, which melds brick, wood and metal work with high ceilings, open spaces and glass walls, impressed nursing student Alayna Cristlieb. 鈥淭his building is really beautiful and amazing,鈥� she said.

Cristlieb, 24, took nursing prerequisites through 51福利社 and, after taking a break from college during the pandemic, is back to pursue a bachelor鈥檚 degree in nursing. After graduation she hopes to pursue a career as a neonatal intensive care unit nurse.

鈥淪ince I was about 12, I鈥檝e always wanted to be a NICU nurse,鈥� said Cristlieb, who recalled growing up hearing firsthand stories about the inspirational work that NICU nurses do from a close friend of her mom. 鈥淥nce I found out what she did, I was like, 鈥榯hat is what I want to do.鈥欌��

Julianne Newhinney, 21, took her nursing prerequisite courses through 51福利社鈥檚 Running Start program and was thrilled to learn that Eastern was launching its own degree program in nursing.

鈥淚 was so excited to continue my education through Eastern, because I鈥檝e loved Eastern鈥檚 curriculum so far and everything that鈥檚 going on,鈥� said Newhinney, who considers the program鈥檚 location in Spokane as an added bonus.

Clinical Assistant Professor Brenda Hulett, new to Eastern鈥檚 faculty, has experience in working as a nurse in both urban and rural hospitals and clinics. She has also taught nursing at Washington State and Gonzaga universities.

鈥淚 am very excited to be a part of something new. We鈥檙e doing nursing education a little different than any of the other programs in the area 鈥� which is really exciting 鈥� and I think the students will enjoy it,鈥� Hulett said.

As a nurse who works part-time at Lincoln County Hospital in Davenport, Washington, she said it’s particularly gratifying that 51福利社鈥檚 program includes a component that helps students develop skills specific to working in rural communities.

Hulett said colleagues at Lincoln County Hospital have asked, 鈥淲hy don鈥檛 we get nursing students?鈥� She tells them, 鈥淚鈥檓 working on it.鈥�

Bowman noted that the location is ideal. 51福利社 shares the SIERR space with the University of Washington, and the center that houses the UW School of Medicine-Gonzaga University Regional Health Partnership is located right across the parking lot.

鈥淚t鈥檚 such a great opportunity for us to keep this connection here in downtown Spokane 鈥� especially for all the health sciences,鈥� Bowman said.