CEI uses grant for new technology, renovations

Students at the College of Eastern Idaho are getting to learn from new, state-of-the-art technology, thanks to a $1.7 million grant.

Part of the grant created a new nursing simulation laboratory. It has four hospital rooms and mannequins that have lifelike symptoms for students to practice on. There is also a new surgical mannequin and a virtual cadaver. The virtual cadaver allows students to use technology to see any kind of operation on the body.

“For instance, they could look at the respiratory system or at the skeleton, anything at all,” said Ann Marie Peters, director of strategic partnerships at CEI. “And we’re really proud of this too because it’s an opportunity for us to bring K-12 students in to see some neat technology.”

All of this new technology was made possible by a $1.7 million grant from the William J. and Shirley A. Maeck Family Foundation. The grant also made it possible to renovate four science labs and turn a yoga room into a 42-seat testing center that will eliminate the need for people to go to Salt Lake City or Pocatello.

“We’re going to be able to serve a lot of students,” said CEI President Rick Aman. “So, as a community college, we really aim at those students who may not be going on to a university but quite frankly, especially in these health professions and science now, they’re gonna be in facilities that would be every bit as good as a hospital or a university.”

The new technology and renovations show that, in its second year, the community college is ready to compete with bigger schools.

“This fantastic gift from the Maeck Foundation is putting a new face on the College of Eastern Idaho,” Peters said. “It’s letting people know that we have state-of-the-art facilities, we are a serious institution and we are ready to teach all of the students in Eastern Idaho.”

The Robotti family donated $200,000 for a birth suite for the nursing simulation lab.