Construction of the Borra Center for Health Sciences is nearly complete and Rhodes State College's Dean of Health Sciences and Public Service, Angela Heaton, told us that the grand opening is scheduled for August. Angela told us the building utilizes the latest technology for education and collaboration. including a room with interactive video walls, an anatomage table on which students can virtually dissect a cadaver, physical and occupational therapy programs, a 3-D printer for creating prosthetics, a medical/surgical suite, emergency department/ICU simulation suite, obstetrical suite, nursing lab, respiratory lab and an ambulance simulator.
Rhodes State College President Dr. Cynthia Spiers told us that Rhodes is excited to open this campus in downtown Lima. "Together we are innovative dreamers and actionable believers and Rhodes State is very proud and humbled to be a part of this community and to make the revitalization of downtown be part of our dream."
Rhodes is also offering an Ag Tech program to help farmers learn how to utilize technology such as drones, robots and computers on their farms to increase yield. Dr. Jim Uphaus told us that the program will be training tomorrow’s technology savvy farmer, developing agriculture technicians to analyze data from precision equipment technology and teaching technicians to repair high-tech farm equipment. Programs offered will be an Associate Degree in Agriculture Technology and certificates in Agriculture Business, Agronomy, Prescription Mapping, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. The James J. Countryman building on the Rhodes campus will be redesigned to accommodate the new Ag Tech program.