PROVIDENCE COLLEGE BREAKS GROUND FOR STATE-OF-THE-ART BEN MONDOR CENTER FOR NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCES
(Providence, R.I., September 30, 2023) – Providence College (PC) today formally broke ground for the Ben Mondor Center for Nursing and Health Sciences, a state-of-the-art facility that will house the College’s new School of Nursing and Health Sciences.
PC established the new school in 2022. In September of last year, the College received approval from the RI Board of Nursing and Nurse Registration to offer a bachelor’s degree program in Nursing. The College has also added two other majors to the school, a new bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences, and PC’s existing Health Policy and Management major. In addition, the College enrolled its first students in the new school – 59 Nursing majors and 53 Health Sciences majors – who began taking classes on August 28th.
“Programs like nursing and health sciences, which focus on the care of others, respect for the dignity of every person, and the importance of service to God and neighbor, align strongly with the Catholic and Dominican mission of PC,” said Providence College President Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P. ’78. “This new school, which I announced at my inauguration in 2021, is an important element in the vibrant future of Providence College. I am personally thrilled to see the opening of the school and the enrollment of its first students. Today, we take one step further with the formal groundbreaking for this impressive facility. I am grateful to Madeleine Mondor and to all the donors who are helping to make this building a reality,” Fr. Sicard said.
“Today marks the beginning of a transformative journey in nursing and health sciences education at Providence College,” said Dr. Kyle McInnis, Sc.D., FACSM, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. “With this, we are not only constructing a premiere physical structure but also laying the foundation for future generations of compassionate healers, educators, researchers, and health professionals in the Catholic-Dominican tradition. This moment ignites our excitement for a more innovative, healthier tomorrow, where knowledge and care unite to shape a better world,” Dr. McInnis said.
“As an advisory board member and someone who has spent her career delivering exceptional healthcare to our community to make sure those who need us receive the highest standard of care available, it is my distinct honor to attend and speak at the Providence College groundbreaking for the Ben Mondor Center for Nursing and health Sciences,” said Shannon Sullivan, President and COO of Women & Infants Hospital. “This facility will be instrumental in teaching nurses who will be caring for us and for future generations to come. Also, as a Providence College graduate, I am well aware of the impact this school will have on the character and values of its student body. I could not be prouder of my alma mater for the work it is doing to improve the quality of care in our state,” Sullivan said.
Bernard “Ben” Georges Mondor ’04Hon., was a philanthropist and community leader best known for transforming the Pawtucket Red Sox into one of the most successful franchises in professional baseball. His widow, Madeleine, a loyal supporter of Providence College, donated $10 million to help fund the Center in Ben’s memory. When completed in early 2025, the Ben Mondor Center for Nursing and Health Sciences will be the academic hub for the school, and one of the largest buildings on the PC campus. It will house state-of-the-art teaching and learning environments for clinical nursing simulation, anatomy and physiology labs, a student resource center, faculty innovation labs, a chapel, and countless other spaces to support engaged learning inside and outside of the classroom.
PC has hired SLAM, the same architectural firm that designed the College’s award-winning Science Complex and Ruane Center for the Humanities, to develop the 125,000 sq. ft. building.
Learning labs located in the College’s Feinstein Academic Center will serve as the interim academic hub for the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. In addition to state-of-the-art labs, the newly redesigned area in the Center will feature tutoring and study spaces, faculty offices, and additional resources to support student success inside and outside of the classroom.
Participants in the groundbreaking ceremony included PC President Rev. Kenneth Sicard O.P., Executive Vice President Ann Manchester-Molak, School of Nursing and Health Sciences Dean Kyle McInnis, Women & Infants Hospital President and COO Shannon Sullivan, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, and members of the Providence College Board of Trustees. Dr. Sean Reid, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, emceed the event.
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