Lemoore College's new Visual Arts & Applied Sciences Building creates opportunity to expand

LEMOORE, Calif. (KFSN) -- Katelyn McCord is in her final semester at Lemoore College, preparing to enter the workforce as a nurse.

"I chose nursing because I love taking care of the entirety of a patient, not just their physical being, and my mom's a nurse, so she was a big inspiration for me," McCord said.

She's been working toward this moment for four years and this final semester is special.

That's because she and her classmates are wrapping up their time in the brand new Visual Arts and Applied Sciences Building.

"We were in a really small classroom. We were kind of isolated from campus and so moving to this building has been, honestly, a great opportunity," McCord said.

A ribbon-cutting for the new space happened in December.

It's now home to all health careers, information technology and the arts.

College President James Preston says this project has been in the works since before the pandemic.

"Forty-two thousand square feet and really, as we designed it, a focus on innovation, creativity and preparing our students for the workforce," Preston said.

Administrators are still unpacking, but the new facilities feature a practice lab modeled after a hospital.

There are beds, mannequins that imitate patients, and an automated medication dispensing system used in the real world.

Director of Health Careers and Director of Nursing, Kathryn Defede, says there's also a simulation lab and an observation room so instructors can test students and provide feedback.

"So what this has really provided us is an ability to provide very high quality now simulation opportunities for students, expanding our programs and enrollment as we can with the state and approvals and all those things that are necessary," Defede said.

Currently, the college accepts 50 nursing students a year.

The goal is to double that number and, with the new building, Defede says it could become a reality.

"Space is not an issue. The classroom is not an issue. It's now just about going through the steps to get the additional faculty approved, and the additional spaces through the Board of Nursing so we can have some expansion," Defede said.

McCord says seeing the space they now have and knowing the program can expand has made the wait for the building worth it.

"Kind of like our nursing journey, you know, we started out in the beginning, it's harder, and now we get to finish in a pretty place, so it's all so cohesive at the end," McCord said.

The college is currently working on a National Nursing Accreditation.

Once they achieve that, they'll work to expand enrollment and build a partnership with Fresno State.

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