The University of Texas Permian Basin recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the school's new D. Kirk Edwards Family Human Performance Center.
The facility is going under the moniker “The Kirk” and will be used for future healthcare professionals, social workers, community health leaders, scientists and thought-leaders, along with being home to student-athletes who represent 16 different sports,
UT Permian Basin President Dr. Sandra Woodley said the school is committed to developing area healthcare professionals.
“The university is committed to serving this region which includes two important initiatives: improving healthcare outcomes and enhancing quality of life. Our goal is to educate and train the leaders of tomorrow in the areas of nursing, athletic training, kinesiology, social work, community health and more to come,” she said in a press release. “Falcon athletics gives students an opportunity to fund their education while also providing entertainment, spirited competition, and a whole lot of fun for communities across the Basin.”
The new building is being hailed as an upgrade to the campus' athletic resources and an improvement for the kinesiology program, according to NewsWest9. It features several labs including: athletic training education, exercise physiology, biomechanics, clinical skills, rehab, body composition and bone densitometry, along with faculty offices and the Jimmie B. Todd Academic Wing.
The ceremony happened prior to UTPB's homecoming festivities, and The Kirk cost $37 million to build and covers 63,717 square feet.
According to the Odessa American, the school waited over a year to celebrate the opening.
The building is named after local resident Kirk Edwards, a long-time university donor and supporter. Edwards helped spearhead the creation of the Falcon football program, according to the press release.
The project team consisted of Dallas-based architects SmithGroup of Dallas and Vandergriff Group Architects of Midland, the construction administrator. Lott Brothers, out of Austin, was the construction manager.