Redesigns and renovations in progress at the University of Southern Indianaโs Health Professions Center will make a โbold statement,โ Interim President Steve Bridges says.
Big changes are coming to the building near USIโs front entrance. Upon completion, those steering off Lloyd Expressway into campus will notice bright red hues, a departure from the darker tones of an academic facility that dates to 1993.
The new-look exterior reflects โour vision for the future of transforming the lives of our students through innovative learning, exceptional learning, and intentional innovation,โ Bridges says.
The inside is being transformed, as well. USI officials say students in the Kinney College of Nursing and Health Professions will train in a refreshed, modern environment.
Additions include a 250-seat auditorium on the first floor, plus seven nursing skills labs, two labs for respiratory therapy students, and two labs for those in USIโs occupational therapy assistant program.
Construction tentatively is scheduled to finish in late summer or early fall 2026. At $49 million, itโs the fourth and final stage of a multi-phase project in the Health Professions Center that began with a third-floor renovation in 2018.
Such updates are needed as USI fuels a growing demand for nurses and other health professionals in the Evansville region and the state, says Julie McCullough, dean of the Kinney College of Nursing and Health Professions.
โThe state-of-the-art facilities will simulate a hospital setting, ensuring that students gain practical experience in a controlled and supportive environment,โ McCullough says. โThe new labs will offer adequate space to accommodate the increasing nursing student enrollment, allowing for more hands-on practice to gain confidence and confidence and skills before entering direct clinical care.โ
Sean Weir, chair of USIโs Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, says the state-of-the-art labs will expose students to real-world simulations. In addition to clinical settings, Weir says the additions include an apartment space to give students a feel for working with a patient as they transition to home life.
โBy integrating the latest technologies and diverse therapeutic tools, we are creating a learning environment that will help them thrive in any healthcare settings they practice,โ Weir says.
Some students already are benefitting from earlier phases of the Health Professions Center upgrades. Within the last year, USI unveiled its new dental hygiene clinic, with 18 expanded dental operatories. USI officials say itโs the first simulation lab for dental assistant training in the state.
Bridges says the Health Professions Center work represents โan exciting moment for all of us, and I look forward to seeing how this expansion transforms our campus and shapes the future of healthcare at the University of Southern Indiana.โ
