With the completion of O’Brien Hall earlier this semester, there is a vacancy in the once-David Straz business school. The building is now being converted into a new facility for nursing students.
“I think this new building was needed for a long time coming because of how popular the College of Nursing is and how many students are admitted into the program each year. I know everyone in my class is super excited,” Ellabryn Steinman, a first-year in the College of Nursing, said.
The school consists of 666 undergraduate students and 435 graduate students, as of Fall 2022.
“It will allow not only us to educate 100 more nursing students, … but it will also give them a state-of-the-art education that is going to be second to none,” said President Lovell in his Presidential Address Jan. 25.
Steinman said this is a step in the right direction for the future of the nursing program at Marquette and will allow the College of Nursing to be more broadcasted, instead of being tucked in a corner.
The project is to commence in February 2023 and wrap up in the summer of 2024.
The renovations will now bring nursing students closer to central campus, such as the AMU and Raynor Memorial Libraries, and away from the existing building, Clark Hall, housed on 16th Street.
“I believe the location is pretty convenient for students. It is close to most of the food hot spots like the AMU. So, it’d be kind of nice to grab a meal not too far away, go study, and whatnot,” Grace Ogunlana, a first-year in the College of Nursing, said.
Ogunlana said the closer proximity of the building will allow nursing students to become more involved on campus and work to better prepare them for their future roles as nurses.
“I also think that there will be a lot more space for students to study within the building rather than having to be in their dorm or at the library,” Steinman said.
Though with some positive outcomes of moving the nursing school closer to the central campus, one issue may arise. Particularly the simulation labs which nursing students use on a daily basis to simulate the work they will conduct out in the workforce.
Jill Guttornmson, dean of the College of Nursing and Anne Costello, director of Wheatron Franciscan Healthcare Center for Clinical Simulation said the school will be keeping their simulation equipment and manikins that aren’t build into the current space at Clark Hall. They said as the space expands, the college will be purchasing additional equipment.
These simulation rooms house manikins that have the ability to breathe, talk, maintain a pulse, produce bowel sounds and simulate situations that nursing students may encounter in the workforce. Guttormson and Costello said that some of the more advanced models are able to simulate births.
Guttormson and Costello said that the simulation labs are comprised of many moving parts, such as medical supplies and task trainers.
“I know that we reuse a lot of the things, and the manikins don’t function properly just because they are outdated,” Christina Lappas, a senior in the College of Nursing, said.
Lappas said that many of these pieces of equipment can have a second-hand purpose in the new facility.
Guttornmson and Costello said that they will work with the Marquette facilities team to safely pack and transport the equipment in the new space.
“I think that to help get everything moved over and incorporate the nursing program, we could have a day where the nursing students could help move equipment like the manikins and stuff over to the new building,” Steinman said.
The new building with up-to-date equipment will play a role in working on mastering the curriculum towards their degree. It will consist of spaces that will simulate real-time scenarios in the operating room and research collaboration labs.
Some students within the other schools are also excited about the new renovations.
“I believe it is important to [bring the nursing school closer] and will work to be able to bring the Marquette community together,” Bassel Fouad, a senior in the College of Business Administration, said.
Fouad said that the renovations create equal opportunity on campus and will work to advance nursing students and students within the other schools on campus. He believes that the old business school being converted into the new nursing school is needed and a long-time coming.
For some students like Lappas, who are seniors, it is a bittersweet moment because they are excited about the designs of the new buildings, but it is also hard because they won’t be around to experience it.
There have seen more advancement towards developing nursing students’ experience on campus, mainly through funding, specifically with a donation of $31 million back in February 2021 by an alumn couple, Darren and Terry Jackson, with the purpose to “grow, diversify and innovate” the college.
There also have been donations towards the renovation efforts as well with alum couple Micky and Jennifer Minhas gifting $1 million towards the expansion.
“I feel like this new building will also allow for a more diverse workspace and encourage more nursing students to utilize the space,” Ogunlana said.
This story was written by Uzair Qhavi. He can be reached at [email protected]
