BJAC Announces Ribbon Cutting At ECU School Of Dental Medicine Ahoskie Service Learning Clinic

RALEIGH, NC, July 07, 2012 (Press-News.org) Dan Fields, AIA and principal at BJAC, pa, an architectural firm offering professional architectural and design services to healthcare, education, municipal and research clients, has announced that the East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine Community Service Learning Center in Ahoskie, N.C., celebrated its opening with a ribbon cutting and open house on June 28. North Carolina ranks 47th in the nation for dental care, and this service learning clinic is designed to help prepare more dentists for North Carolina while also increasing access to dental care in the state's rural communities. The educational program combines distance learning technology and community partnerships for the completion of students' 4th year, while improving the communities they serve. Jennifer Amster, AIA, LEED BD+C and Principal, has led the ECU School of Dental Medicine projects for BJAC.

The project's unique vision involves redistributing the investment and building structure that would traditionally be a facility floor on campus and distributing it to 10 locations across the state, so students can learn in real world conditions while also benefiting underserved communities. The project expands ECU's innovative vision and involves specialized, advanced technology and a rethink for how academic facilities are designed, constructed and maintained.

In 2007, BJAC was selected by ECU for the design of a new dental school, a 112,500-square-foot facility that has included the development of service learning centers, including the one in Ahoskie. BJAC was responsible for the design process, and also provided assistance in site selection.

QUOTES:
"BJAC is honored to work with ECU on this School of Dental Medicine project to provide new clinics and dental services across the state," said Amster. "These clinics will provide care to areas where, historically, dental services were limited. At BJAC, we strive to bring new, meaningful design models for education and health care that will have a positive, lasting effect on the North Carolina community."

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DETAILS:
- The Ahoskie clinic is one of 10 service learning centers that will be built in underserved communities across the state.

- In 2004, BJAC designed a $14 million renovation of the Flanagan Building on the ECU campus.

ABOUT BJAC:
Architectural firm BJAC, pa, offers professional services for specialized, complex institutional projects. The firm provides design expertise to healthcare, K-20 education, research, museum and municipal clients, along with a broad range of in-depth services, including architectural design, pre-design, programming, design, master planning, interior design, construction management, contract administration and design build. Established in 1994 by CEO and Managing Principal Lou Jurkowski, FAIA, BJAC is one of the largest woman-owned architectural design firms in the Southeast, with offices in Raleigh and Charlotte. In 2010, BJAC was awarded Firm of the Year by the North Carolina Chapter of The American Institute of Architects (AIANC). Most recently, the firm was awarded the 2011 Pinnacle Steady Growth and Profitability Master Award by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce. For more information, please call BJAC at (919) 833-8818 or visit http://www.bjac.com.

Jennifer Fair
MMI Public Relations
(919) 233-6600
jennifer@mmipublicrelations.com
http://www.twitter.com/MMIPR
http://www.mmipublicrelations.com/
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