Martindale Hall reopening commemorates new opportunities for students interested in healthcare, wellness careers

Martindale Hall reopening commemorates new opportunities for students interested in healthcare, wellness careers

After more than two years of construction, Northwest Missouri State University reopened the doors of Martindale Hall to its community on Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house that showcased the opportunities available to students in the building's new laboratories and classrooms.

"This project is more than just bricks, classrooms and equipment," Northwest President Dr. Lance Tatum told the crowd gathered on a new plaza at the building's Fourth Street entrance. "It's about the people who will study and work inside this building. It's about our students learning in spaces designed for the work they seek to perform. It's about faculty having tools to teach, innovate and collaborate. And it is about strengthening the partnership that connects Northwest to hospitals, clinics, schools, communities throughout Missouri and beyond."

Martindale Hall, which serves as the home of Northwest's School of Health Science and Wellness, reopened to students and faculty for the start of the University's fall semester in August, concluding a two-year renovation and expansion project that dramatically changed the building. The latter phase began after a renovation of the building's third floor during the 2022-23 academic year.

The original structure opened in 1926 and served as the University's primary gymnasium for decades until the opening of Lamkin Activity Center in 1959. The building was subsequently renovated and repurposed for academic programs between 1973 and 1975.

The reimagined Martindale Hall now features a well-being lab and a sports science lab as well as classrooms, collaboration spaces and lounge areas. It includes a new foods and nutrition lab, replacing the foods and nutrition lab formerly housed in the Administration Building. A room in the lower level of Martindale Hall that once housed a pool now serves as a dance studio and meeting room.

Tatum noted Friday's celebration as an important occasion, not only to celebrate the building's makeover but to honor Northwest's investment in health science and wellness during the last century.

"What began in 1926 as the University's gymnasium has been transformed, not simply by improving a building, but by investing in a broader capacity to educate the next generation of healthcare professionals - a space that will build a pipeline connecting education to the workforce," Tatum said.

The extensive remodel also aligns with the University's efforts to strengthen partnerships and programs emanating beyond the School of Health Science and Wellness. In recent months, Northwest has announced its intention to establish a Center for Rural Health, and it is launching a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in the fall of 2027.

Dr. Rose Marie Ward, Northwest's provost and vice president of academic affairs, announced Friday that the University will soon launch a search for an executive director for the Center for Rural Health.

"Northwest truly stands on the precipice of making significant contributions to improving rural healthcare in northwest Missouri," Tatum said. "But our vision can only become reality when people and organizations share their time, their resources and their energy. We are grateful to everyone who helped bring this day to fruition."

During her remarks, Dr. Rhonda Beemer, the chair of Northwest's School of Health Science and Wellness, recounted the building's history and the legacy of its namesake, Nell Martindale, who was instrumental in developing the women's physical education program at Northwest and served as chair of physical education for women from 1928 to 1935. The building was named in her honor in 1961.

"When architects design a building, they know everything starts from a very strong foundation," Beemer said. "This renovation project began with a critical foundational improvement to ensure Martindale Hall remains strong and functional for years to come. The same could be said for the School of Health Science and Wellness."

Beemer thanked leaders who have guided Northwest's health science and wellness programs through a transformational period that began in 2015 with the founding of the School of Health Science and Wellness - under the leadership of Dr. Joyce Piveral as the dean of the former College of Education and Human Services, to Dr. Matt Symonds as the founding director of the School of Health Science and Wellness and his successor Dr. Terry Long, to Dr. Tim Wall, the current dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Services.

Additionally, Beemer thanked WB Architects and Herner Construction for their commitment and work on the project.

"Just as architects rely on a strong foundation to support a building, we rely on a vision, dedication and hard work for those leaders who came before us," Beemer said. "Their efforts created the structure upon which we continue to build today. That foundation has brought us to this moment."

Ward noted 86 donors provided financial support for the project, with leading support provided by Mosaic Life Care, the Schreiber Charitable Trust, the Goppert Foundation, Dr. Anita Aldrich and the Sunderland Foundation. Their gifts not only assisted with the construction project but also with furnishing its laboratories. Additionally, the Missouri General Assembly provided $8.5 million for the $17.5 million project.

Through its programming in the School of Health Science and Wellness, as well as partnerships with healthcare organizations, Beemer noted, Northwest is preparing the next generation of physical educators, public health workers, recreational specialists, behavioral health professionals, dietitians, nurses, and other health care providers to enhance the health and well-being of our community.

Sam Leaver, a Northwest student pursuing a master's degree in applied health sports science, said the remodeled spaces inside Martindale Hall, such as the sports science lab, provide students with stimulating hands-on experience.

"It gives students a place to take something they learned in class and actually apply it," Leaver said. "You learn how to work with data, you learn how to communicate your ideas and you learn how to collaborate with other people. You learn how to look at a problem and say, 'We don't know the answer yet, so let's figure it out.' That mindset is something students can take with them far beyond Northwest."

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, attendees were invited inside the building to tour the remodeled classrooms and lab facilities while viewing presentations and demonstrations of new equipment.

Below is a partial list highlighting new classrooms and lab spaces inside the remodeled Martindale Hall.

Well-being Lab

The lab supports health and wellness education through hands-on learning. It features equipment such as a DEXA bone density scanner, InBody body composition analyzer and clinical simulation mannequins. The lab houses the Tunnel Family Nursing Suite and serves a variety of health and wellness programs, including the new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, launching in fall 2027.

The Goppert Foundation Sports Science Lab

This biomechanics hub is dedicated to human movement and performance, equipped with DARI Motion Capture, force plates, Dynavision and advanced strength training equipment.

Mosaic Life Corridor

The east entrance corridor houses classrooms with anatomical models and an Anatomage 3D digital cadaver system.

Dr. Anita Aldrich Recreation and Abilities Laboratory

The flexible multi-use space serves as a traditional classroom, yoga and wellness studio, as well as a practice venue for the Bearcat Steppers dance team.

Martindale Gym

The original gym remains intact and restored as a space for hands-on learning in physical education and recreation, while continuing to serve as a training and practice facility for Bearcat athletics teams.

Foods and Nutrition Lab

The lab features individual cooking stations with camera integration for live demos, a sensory station for analyzing food quality, flavor and product development.

Dr. Pat & Teri Harr School Counseling Lab

Dedicated to simulated counseling sessions and practical research, the lab prepares students to support learners through academic, social and emotional growth.

Angelo & Paula Savaiano Psychology Lab

The hands-on research facility provides a space where students use brain-wave recording equipment to collect neural data and explore the connections between cognition, behavior and physiology.