The ETSU Physical Therapy department celebrated the renovation of their building on the VA campus with a ribbon cutting ceremony followed by an open house of the new facility.
Taking place on Wednesday, Nov. 14, students, faculty and staff gathered to watch as the commemorative ribbon was cut in the department’s newly renovated space.
Dr. Patricia King, chair of the Department of Physical Therapy, welcomed everyone by expressing her pride and gratitude for everything that has made the renovation possible.
“It’s my pleasure and privilege to stand here today representing our faculty, staff, students and all this renovation means to us today and to the future of our program,” King said.
She explains that this renovation is important too because of how it is an embodiment of what her department stands for.
“What this ceremony means is making it official and marking the place and time where we are moving into our third decade as a physical therapy program and really moving into looking like what we actually do here,” King said. “We strive to do quality work and be on the cutting edge, and we now have the facilities that match the efforts of the people in our department.”
The space that is now occupied by the physical therapy faculty, staff and students in the department once housed veterans of the U.S. Civil War and the Spanish American War.
“This space has been the home of ETSU Physical Therapy for the last 20 plus years,” King said. “We’re here to celebrate today and officially open this space for its second renovation since the ETSU physical therapy program was started in the 1990’s.”
King is hopeful that with these renovations will come a process of excelling and growing the physical therapy program.
“It is my humble hope that all we do within this space is strive to move our healing profession of physical therapy forward,” King said.
Dr. Don Samples, dean of the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Services, believes that the new space will offer numerous opportunities for the program and the people involved in it.
“This newly renovated space continues to advance the program’s reputation by offering a program of study in state of the art classrooms, laboratories, student study areas and small group study rooms that enhance the interaction with our faculty,” Samples said. “This new facility will greatly assist the faculty and graduating professionals that excel in their profession.”
University President Brian Noland expressed his gratitude for all who made the new chapter in the department’s journey possible.
“On behalf of our faculty, staff and board of trustees, I want to thank you for your vision in making today possible,” Noland said.
