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For decades, Mount Marty College in Yankton, South Dakota has been known for its nursing program. As Mount Marty looked to its future, it also wanted to honor its past. HenkinSchultz was enlisted to help with a display that does just that.
Mount Marty’s Nursing History
Mount Marty’s history began back in the early 1900’s at Sacred Heart Hospital where a nursing program was established by the Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery. The program was truly considered a “pioneer” program in South Dakota.
Mount Marty wanted to ensure that current students understood the rich history of the program. “The goal was to design a space where our nursing alumni, from both the Sacred Heart School of Nursing and Mount Marty College, could visit and reminisce about their days “on the hill,” says Shannon Viereck, Director of Annual Giving & Advancement Officer.
“Our goal is that every alumnus that visits the display will able to find themselves and celebrate their place in our story.”
How the Project Began
In order to make the project a reality, Mount Marty set out to raise the required funds. With fantastic participation from alumni volunteers, they were able to raise a significant amount to pay for the project and provide additional support for the nursing program.
Throughout the planning process, Mount Marty worked with an alumni committee to develop the visual timeline information, conduct research and dig through boxes and albums to find images. They discussed many different design ideas during nine months of planning with the HS team.
“Jason and Eric were great to work with from the beginning of the project through completion,” adds Viereck. “We never imagined how well it would come together.”
The Nuts and Bolts of the Design
HS wrapped the interior of four custom-made display cases. The vinyl wrapping featured the bulk of the design including:
- photographs
- additional design elements
- and the historic timeline itself
Every display installation features unique challenges. For the detailed information throughout each era on the timeline, HS printed directly onto clear acrylic panels and mounted them with aluminum stand-off hardware. There were 50 total acrylic panels featured in all.
To display artifacts used throughout decade after decade of the nursing program, HS provided glass shelves with slim, aluminum brackets. The combination paired perfectly with the acrylic panels and aluminum stand-offs.
HS also wrapped an adjacent wall with a collage of historic photos. The wall also features a large digital screen display.
Response to the Display and Future Work
In October, Mount Marty hosted an open house for the new Avera Nursing Center, where the display is housed. The college continues to receive compliments from alumni, faculty and community members in attendance. The Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery worked tirelessly more than 100 years ago to start a nursing education program in Yankton, and are proud to showcase their efforts and the foundation they created.
HS is now working on five new display cases on the second floor of the Mount Marty’s nursing center. They will be stand-alone displays, each with its own theme. One will focus on the long-standing relationship between the Mount Marty nursing program and the US Military. Another on the nursing programs uniforms and how they’ve changed through the years.
“Thank you, HenkinSchultz, for helping us celebrate our program and all the individuals that have made it what it is today.”
To learn more about how you can celebrate your history or space, contact HS Sign Shop.
