By Tucker Paquette
@tpaquette17
Chances are, students walking around campus have noticed a big building across the street from Locklin Hall that has been undergoing construction for a while now. That building is Springfield College’s new Health Sciences Center, and the work being done on the overhauled building will benefit people across campus.
According to Springfield College Director of Facilities Management Kevin Roy, the college worked with an architect to choose a design for the new Health Sciences Center about two years ago, then picked a contractor after settling on a plan for the building.
Fast forward to today, and while the work still needs to be completed, significant progress on this massive project has been made.
“We’re in the stretch of doing all of the landscaping, [as well as setting up] the furniture inside for the classrooms and getting the teaching lecterns operational,” Roy said.
There aren’t exact dates yet for when students can begin using the building. However, according to Springfield College Dean of the School of Health Sciences Brooke Hallowell, multiple health sciences departments are moving into the revamped building the week of Sept. 25. Another section of eventual building occupants will be moving in there in October.
Roy said there is more left to do before students can utilize the building.
“There’s still a lot of work happening in the building, as far as these little things such as trash cans, desks and furniture,” Roy said. “We have to get that stuff situated, then test everything to make sure it functions as it was designed.”
Once work on the inside of the building is complete, students and faculty will have access to new resources, and the learning experience will be enhanced because of this.
In the old Health Sciences Center, it wasn’t easy to collaborate and interact with other people from different departments. That will change once students begin occupying the redesigned space.
“One of the big priorities was interprofessional education,” Hallowell said.
Interprofessional (or interdisciplinary) education is when students from one area of study get involved with another field. Hallowell believes that interdisciplinary learning, and merging everyone in the Health Sciences department into one shared space, is essential for fostering the best possible academic environment.
“Our students don’t necessarily know each other across the different health areas unless they’re in the same building,” Hallowell added. “It will be a welcomd change to have spontaneous meetings, as well as planned meetings where we have a lot more opportunity for collaboration.”
Even though students and professors will have to wait for the doors to open to immerse themselves in the new and improved educational atmosphere, the recently updated non-academic components of the exterior of the building can offer a more instant form of gratification.
There is a large green in front of the new Health Sciences Center, complete with a garden, as well as repaired sidewalks around the building. These details align with one of Roy’s objectives for the project.
“We want the building to fit within the campus architecture, to look like it’s been there forever,” Roy said.
On Wednesday, Oct. 18, from 3-5 p.m. there will be an open house for the new Health Sciences Center as members of the campus community will be able to get their first look.
Photo by Tucker Paquette/TheSudent