SHU Expands Center for Healthcare Education

New labs, classrooms and student spaces support growing demand in nursing and health professions

Key Highlights

• Sacred Heart University celebrated a major expansion of its Center for Healthcare Education, reinforcing its leadership in nursing and health professions training
• The expansion adds approximately 60,000 square feet of new academic, clinical, and student-centered space
• New facilities include simulation labs, bedside skills labs, classrooms, faculty offices and collaborative student spaces designed to mirror real-world health care environments

Sacred Heart University celebrated the expansion of its Center for Healthcare Education (CHE), solidifying its position as one of the nation’s leading hubs for innovative, high-impact training in nursing and the health professions.

Faculty, staff, students and community members gathered at the CHE to see the transformative expansion, which represents the University’s next major step in growing its nationally recognized health programs.

SHU President John J. Petillo emphasized the University’s strategic vision for shaping the future health care workforce: “This expansion reflects our unwavering commitment to preparing the next generation of health care professionals. By investing in innovative learning environments and expanding access to high-quality programs, we are strengthening both our institution and the communities we serve.”

Originally constructed in 2017, the state-of-the-art CHE facility was designed to provide innovative, hands-on learning experiences for students in SHU’s College of Health Professions (CHP) and Dr. Susan L. Davis, RN, & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing (DHCON). Since then, SHU has emerged as a preferred destination for students pursuing careers in nursing and the health professions, with significant program growth driving demand for expanded space and resources.

The newly completed expansion adds approximately 60,000 square feet of advanced academic and student-centered space, enhancing SHU’s capacity to train highly skilled clinicians and support interdisciplinary collaboration. The expansion includes a range of modern learning environments designed to reflect real-world health care settings and support student success including:

• Multiple multi-purpose classrooms ranging in capacity from 30 to 90 students
• 24 new faculty and staff offices
• Two additional bedside skills labs
• Three simulation labs with control rooms for immersive clinical training
• Flexible student spaces, including breakout rooms, soft seating lounges and study areas

Students entering the new addition or annex will be welcomed by a large lobby and a Center for Student Success. This centralized hub ensures students receive coordinated support from their first semester through their clinical experiences.

“This expansion represents a major milestone for our programs,” said Karen Daley, DHCON dean.

The enhanced facility also features expanded simulation capabilities, 10 new classrooms and significantly increased study space for students. Additional infrastructure improvements include a new parking garage.

“The expansion of the Center for Healthcare Education reflects our commitment to meeting the growing demand for highly skilled health care professionals,” said Karl Minges, dean of the CHP. “These new spaces allow us to expand our programs, foster collaboration across disciplines, and provide students with the immersive, high-quality training they need to succeed. This is not just a building expansion; it’s an investment in the future of health care.”

In May, the associate degree in nursing program will transition into the new annex, followed by the radiography and health science programs. The University is also actively developing several new academic programs to meet evolving workforce needs in health care.

“We now have several exciting new programs in development, with proposals moving through the approval process,” Daley said. “This expansion positions us to continue growing in ways that directly respond to the needs of our community and the health care workforce.”

Minges added, “At a time when other higher education institutions are contracting, SHU is investing in targeted growth.”

Senior nursing student Cameron Ottaviani shared his excitement over the CHE expansion. “This building reinforces every bit of pride that I have to go through this wonderful program and to be a Sacred Heart Pioneer,” he said. “Additions like this are the reason why SHU is such a marvelous school, and there is absolutely nowhere else in this world that I would have rather gone for a college degree.”

Ottaviani said while the expansion is bittersweet, he’s graduating in May and won’t be able to take advantage of it, he said, “I am beyond delighted to know that those who come after us will be able to witness the blessings that will come through this beautiful building.”

Daley and Minges also expressed appreciation for the many contributors who made the project possible.

“We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Board of Trustees, Dr. Petillo and our capital projects team, led by Marc Izzo and Carmelo Cicero-Santalena, who worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life,” Daley said. “We look forward to leveraging this expanded home to educate the next generation of health care professionals and serve our community for years to come.”