Owens Community College opens newly remodeled Healthcare Education Center
The building’s expansion and remodel cost approximately $31.3 million and includes new labs, classrooms, and technology. A grand opening was held on Monday, March 17.
Owens Community College has officially opened an expanded and remodeled Healthcare Education Center, with a grand opening ceremony having been held on Monday, March 17. The project cost upward of $31 million, and has resulted in expanded classrooms and laboratory spaces with updated technology, providing students in nursing and healthcare programs with new opportunities for skill acquisition and other learning that will set them on the right path for success.
According to an article on Owens Community College’s website, Owens Community College’s president Dr. Dione D. Somerville spoke at the grand opening event. She is quoted as saying, “Owens Community College plays a critical role in preparing the region’s next generation of healthcare professionals. It’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly. The Healthcare Education Center represents a vision for what healthcare education will be as we continue to educate professionals who care for our families, our neighbors and our communities. This newly renovated and expanded facility enhances our position as a leader in healthcare education.”
The first phase of the building was completed and opened for students at the beginning of the Fall 2024 semester in August, and the second part of the building was opened in January 2025. The building is 86,500 square feet and houses the Dental Hygiene, Exercise Science, Sonography, Health Information Technology, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Medical Assisting, Nursing, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiologic Technology and Surgical Technology programs.
The building houses spaces where students provide community members with free services like ultrasounds and dental exams as a means of gaining real-world experience under instructor supervision, as well as an Interprofessional Education and Simulation Center that brings together students and faculty from across the healthcare programs to work together as a team, much like different health disciplines cooperate in real life.
Professor of Nursing Julie Lohse said of the Interprofessional Education and Simulation Center, “Working together as a healthcare team is essential to provide safe and efficient medical care. Our students will work together in both the lab and didactic areas in the new Healthcare Education Center to expand on teamwork and communication skills. The various Healthcare Education Center skills labs and Human Patient Simulator labs will allow students to use a team-based approach to problem solve patient care while also valuing diversity and cultural differences in both the team members and the patient population.”
Occupational Therapy Assistant student Kaine Lightner attended the grand opening event and commented on the benefits they and other healthcare students like them will gain from the new facility. Lightner said, “The Healthcare Education Center is more than just a new facility, it’s a place where my classmates and I are building the foundation for our careers in healthcare. This center provides us with access to advanced labs, spacious working environments and collaborative learning spaces, all of which allow us to develop the critical thinking, hands on skills and the interdisciplinary teamwork necessary to become competent healthcare professionals. Working alongside future nurses, physical therapists, exercise science students and other healthcare professionals has given me invaluable insight into the teamwork required in real clinical settings.”
Funding for the project came from various sources, including state and local funds, private donations, and bonds.
For more information about Owens Community College, visit the school’s website.