LAKELAND, Fla. (Feb. 18, 2008) — Florida Southern College will hold groundbreaking ceremonies for the Joe K. and Alberta Blanton Nursing Building at 12 p.m. on Feb. 22 at the corner of Johnson Avenue and East Park Street.

Mrs. Alberta Blanton, long-time Lakeland resident and philanthropist, donated $2.5 million to fund the building, which is being designed by Mike Murphey of Wallis, Murphey, Boyington Architects of Lakeland, Fla. The facility will house wireless classrooms, a technologically advanced nursing skills lab, a treatment simulation laboratory, a student lounge, and faculty offices.

“The entire campus community is deeply grateful for Mrs. Blanton’s generosity to make this exceptional facility a reality,” said Dr. Anne B. Kerr, FSC president. “The Joe K. and Alberta Blanton Building gives Florida Southern College the opportunity to provide a state-of-the-art nursing facility for our talented students and will ensure that our nursing students are prepared to offer excellent healthcare to Polk County residents.”

Florida Southern’s nursing program has recently expanded with the addition of a four-year bachelor of science degree, the first baccalaureate nursing program offered in Polk County. Approved by the Florida Board of Nursing in 2006, the program began accepting students for enrollment in Fall 2007. The College also began a master of science degree program in 2004, enhancing its established RN-to-BSN degree program. The new nursing building will provide the technologically advanced facilities needed to meet the classroom and clinical teaching requirements of the expanded curriculum.