Minnesota West expands

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LUVERNE — Students at Minnesota West Community and Technical College’s Luverne Center will soon enjoy a larger facility once a remodeling project is complete.

The Luverne Educational Center for Health Careers opened in 2007 at the former Luverne Community Hospital, offering programs like radiologic technology, surgical technology, medical assistant and medical laboratory technician.

“All the construction we‘re doing is to update the building,” said Minnesota West President Richard Shrubb, adding the clinic adjacent to the old hospital is the area of expansion.

Barb Berghorst, financial director for the city of Luverne, explained only half of the clinic is currently being remodeled while the remaining portion of it will be retained for future expansion.

Once completed in April 2012, the clinic will accommodate a large classroom, office space, medical assistant lab space and a student services area.

“The clinic has been empty for a long time, so it also needs some cleaning and carpeting,” Shrubb added. “Mostly, we want a real hospital feel to the clinic, so when students come in they feel like they’re working in a clinic.”

Minnesota West Coordinator of Communications, Marketing and Advertising Amber Luinenburg said student enrollment numbers at the Luverne Center have steadily increased since 2007.

“We’re at capacity for some of the programs,” she added.

Earlier in December, the Higher Learning Commission granted an approval as a confirmation for the center to be extended into a campus location.

A campus location is not synonymous with a campus, Shrubb cautioned.

“The Higher Learning Commission has to approve any location where people can earn half of a degree,” Shrubb explained. “Since people can earn more than half of a degree at Luverne, it’s technically a campus location. People on the street use the term campus for a place where instruction is given, but it isn’t. Luverne is a location.”

For the center to achieve campus status, it would need to have an expanded student life and facilities, among other things, he added.

Minnesota West is currently leasing the property from the city. Estimated cost for the expansion project is $212,865 — an amount that will be repaid by the college through the lease agreement.

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