EIU Media Relations

Open the Doors and Say "Wow!"

That's what many are expected to do when they visit Eastern Illinois University's newly opened Human Services Building for the first time Friday. The public is invited to join faculty, staff and students for the official 4 p.m. dedication, and to tour the facility during an afternoon open house, scheduled to take place from 1 to 4 p.m.

The new building is located on Seventh Street, between Klehm and Thomas halls.

Visitors will have the opportunity to tour the two-story building which, with nearly 34,000 feet of space, houses three student support services and one academic department. The EIU Counseling Center, Career Services and Health Service are located on the first floor, while the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences occupies the second level.

The additional space, as well as upgrades, will allow all four units to better serve their clientele.

Dr. David Onestak, director of Eastern's Counseling Center, acknowledged that the additional space for his department means expanded opportunities for staff and students alike. The center, staffed by psychologists, counselors and graduate students, provides free and confidential services to more than 600 undergraduate and graduate students annually.

Career Services, located just next door, offers assistance to both students and EIU alumni in areas of career assessment, networking, social skill enhancement and more. One-on-one counseling sessions are supplemented by workshops, class presentations, job fairs and campus interviews.

Approximately 35,000 medical visits a year keep the staff at Eastern's Health Service busy, and they, too, are appreciative of their new and expanded space. According to Lynette Drake, director, the new building has allowed their department to more than double its medical space from its former location.

Additional examination rooms, along with a procedure room, observation room, expanded laboratory, pharmacy and x-ray service areas, allow for more efficient service, she said.

On the building's second floor, the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences operates chiefly as an academic department for the training of students for the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology. However, the department also is a resource for community members requiring assistance in these areas