Over the course of its existence, Cora Miller Hall not only acted as a place of learning for future nurses, but it also served as a glue that would tether many who passed through its doors together for generations.
That deep connection was reflected in a special ceremony at the Newman Regional Health Conference Room Friday afternoon, where many graduates and administrators past and present gathered to reflect on the structure’s history. Leading the event was former professor and Nurse Administrator, Chair and Director of the program Linda Adams Wendling, who called the afternoon “extremely important” as whenever something changes, “it is so appropriate to process” that change.
During the gathering, Adams Wendling shared much of the history that led to the construction and operations of Cora Miller before allowing for a time to share memories by those in the audience. Among them was former Secretary at Cora Miller Brenda Wiggins, who shared a personal letter she had sent to Newman CEO Cathy Pimple.
In the letter, she detailed many of her favorite memories before stating that those memories will be what keeps the spirit of Cora Miller alive for generations to come.
As Wiggins and others shared their memories, there was a noticeable familiarity among all in attendance who noted similar experiences to one another despite many having attended the program in different years or decades. Pimple stated this is the beauty of the nursing profession, saying it is a tight-knit and deeply rooted family.
Cora Miller Hall was constructed in the 1970s with funds raised in part through the sale of Lyon County Bonds, a federal housing and urban development allocation and a grant from the Federal Housing Education and Welfare Agency. It would serve as the home for Emporia State University’s nursing program until earlier this year, when those operations moved to the new Emporia State Nursing + Student Wellness Center on the ESU campus.
Cora Miller was demolished earlier this year due to the cost of maintenance and upkeep concerns, in addition to the new center’s construction. In addition to the time of remembrance Friday, the ceremony also included several physical pieces of Cora Miller Hall’s history, including former nursing uniforms, bricks from the structure, photos of graduating classes and more.
Adams Wendling says that, like the memories of past students, these pieces will be helping to preserve the history of Cora Miller, as they will be archived for future generations.
Following activities at Newman’s Conference Center, attendees at Friday’s event were invited to take tours of the new Nursing + Student Wellness Center on the ESU campus.
