Photo by George Lauby Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy in front of the new center.

Photo by George Lauby Students Nicole Houston and Shannon Liewer in the nursing lab and classroom.

Photo by  Chemistry Instructor Dr. Aaron McLean. The hoods gently vaccuum fumes that rise from lab work.

A new classroom building at North Platte Community College was envisioned nearly 20 years ago, and officials officially cut the ribbon Wednesday on its new $9.2 million health and science center.

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Classes begin Monday.

Labs and classrooms will accommodate students taking two-year studies in nursing, medical laboratory technician, dental assisting, emergency medical services, science and math.

And there is space for new and expanded programs in the bioscience, technology, bionuclear chemistry, rorensic science, homeland security, allied health and other courses, media spokeswoman Denise Sullivan said.

The building also has offices for faculty and staff and small areas for students to study. It is located on the south college campus off State Farm Road on the south side of North Platte.

“The W.W. Wood building on the north campus and the McDonald-Belton building (south campus) have served our students’ needs, but in today’s rapidly changing medical and technological environments, it was time that we, too, changed,” Mid-Plains Community College President Ryan Purdy said.

Mid-Plains Community College primarily serves an 18-county area of west central Nebraska.

“Mid-Plains Community College is to be commended for meeting not only the current needs of its students, but also the students of the future,” said Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy told the crowd before the ribbon was cut.

Pat Wood, a member of the board of governors, agreed with Sheehy.

"Students that will graduate will insure that our region of the state will continue to be supplied with nurses, technicians, and trained emergency personnel of the highest quality,” Wood said, adding, “Our healthcare industry will not be the only community to benefit from the teaching and learning found inside.”

Purdy said the added space opens up opportunities for the college, such as more courses in the "Center for Enterprise," which offers non-credit, work related courses.