Lenoir-Rhyne University to hold groundbreaking ceremony for OT Building on Columbia campus
October 26, 2016
Lenoir-Rhyne University has scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Occupational Therapy Building on its Columbia campus in South Carolina. The ceremony is scheduled for Friday, November 4 at 11 a.m. at the site of the new construction – 4206 North Main Street – across the street from the LRU Center for Graduate Studies of Columbia and Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary.
“The expansion of the Occupational Therapy program to LRU’s Columbia campus allows us to continue to prepare highly skilled and caring occupational therapists, ready to serve diverse populations in a variety of settings,” said Dr. Toni Oakes, Program Director of Occupational Therapy. “We are proud to be empowering more professionals to serve in this growing and rewarding profession.”
Dr. Michael McGee, Dean of the College of Health Science at LRU added, “The addition of the program is an important milestone for the Center for Graduate Studies of Columbia, and we hope the community will join us at the ceremony to share in this exciting accomplishment.”
The new 24,000 square foot building will include a state-of-the-art laboratory, classrooms and student work space, as well as faculty and administrative offices. The OT program in Columbia is an expansion of the program offered in Hickory which combines comprehensive classroom instruction with extensive laboratory experience. Through the 27-month program, students receive invaluable hands-on clinical practice, including two 12-week, full-time fieldwork experiences.
According to Dr. McGee, LR’s current OT program in Hickory was reaccredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) in 2012 for a period of seven years. The program in Columbia is currently under candidacy review, and must achieve accreditation in order to qualify its graduates to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination. This process is expected to be completed prior to graduation of the first cohort, and will ensure that the program is consistent with the highest professional standards.
Dr. McGee and Dr. Oakes will be joined at the groundbreaking ceremony by Dr. Wayne Powell, University President; Dr. Larry Hall, University Provost; Dr. Amy Wood, Assistant Provost and Dean of Graduate and Adult Programs; and The Reverend Jennifer Casey, Director of Enrollment Management for the Columbia campus.
“We are especially excited to initiate our Occupational Therapy program on our Columbia campus,” said Larry Hall, LR’s Provost. “This expansion fulfills two of our most important strategic goals simultaneously: it continues our ongoing efforts to expand LR’s footprint for furnishing high quality programs in the health sciences, and it allows us to grow and diversify our programming on our Columbia campus.”
Construction of the project begins immediately and will take approximately eight months to complete. The project is being completed by Sherer & Associates, LLC under the direction of lead architect Dan Sherer. Sherer is an award winning architect with over 28 years of experience on new and renovation projects.
Students interested in the OT program must complete the application process by the January 31st deadline to be considered for the first cohort. Students are encouraged to begin the application process promptly and designate the Columbia site on the application. To apply, go to www.lr.edu/admission/graduate/apply.
Community members are encouraged to attend the groundbreaking ceremony; reservations for the event are not required. To learn more about LR’s Master of Science in OT and other graduate programs, visit lr.edu.
PHOTO: Rendering of the new OT building, LRU Columbia campus.
About Lenoir-Rhyne University:
Lenoir-Rhyne University was founded in 1891 and is a private, coeducational university with its primary campus in Hickory. Academic programs include more than 50 undergraduate majors and 24 graduate programs, the Center for Graduate Studies of Asheville, NC, the Center for Graduate Studies of Columbia, SC, and the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary also in Columbia. Today, more than 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled across all campuses. Lenoir-Rhyne is affiliated with the NC Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and welcomes students from all religious backgrounds. The website is www.lr.edu.
