On Tuesday, October 4, PNWU hosted a small ceremony commemorating the placement of the Student Learning Collaborative’s (SLC’s) final beam. The milestone marks the impending fruition of the interprofessional-enabling health sciences space.
“This is such a great time to be at PNWU,” exclaimed Dr. Peggy Trueblood, founding director of PNWU’s School of Physical Therapy. “We have seen lots of drawings over the past year, but now it is finally starting to feel real. This seemed to make it real.”
PNWU leaders and program founders – who will soon utilize the collaborative dynamics of SLC – alongside PNWU founders Lloyd Butler and Karen Hyatt, were on hand to watch the final beam lifted into place, having signed their names across its steel face shortly before ascension.
Included in that group was PNWU Chief Financial Officer Ann Hittle.
A pivotal figure in the success and growth of PNWU, Hittle plans to retire at the end of 2022, closing the chapter on more than fifteen years of invaluable service. Watching the steelworkers lift the massive beam bearing her signature into place, she found herself awed by the scope of the 80K-square-foot construction project, and the immense bravery and coordination required to pull it off.
“For me, that signature was a capper to a 15-year career here at PNWU,” Hittle explained. “It was a powerful moment for me personally. How many people get to be part of building a building that will serve the Yakima community – and beyond – for decades to come? And even more powerful, we were lucky enough to have the help of some of our founders volunteering their time and expertise and were able to come together as a team.”