St. John’s University officially opened its new St. Vincent Health Sciences Center on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone for the institution’s health sciences programs. The facility will be central to the university’s training of future healthcare professionals.
The building, which began construction in early 2022, spans 70,000 square feet and features a range of amenities designed to support current and future health sciences programs. This includes active learning classrooms, laboratories, simulation facilities, collaborative areas and outdoor study areas.
The Department of Campus Facilities and Services designed the building around a common “living room” area deliberately to encourage student and faculty interactions. Learning spaces can be reconfigured to accommodate different teaching approaches, and any space in the building can be adapted for different uses. The department has also undertaken efforts to reduce carbon emissions by constructing the facility with a strong emphasis on energy efficiency, advancing the university’s overall carbon reduction goals.
Maya Abdelhalim, a second-year biochemistry student, shared her excitement about the new facility, pointing out its unfinished state last semester.
“I think it is a great addition to the campus,” Abdelhalim said. “[The building] being done makes it feel more like a campus and less like a weird construction site.”
Third-year biology student Sofia Maldonado shared similar sentiments about the new addition.
“It is pretty much what I expected it to be,” Maldonado said. “The University made it seem like it was going to be something so extravagant and it definitely looks like it.”
The facility was estimated to cost $78 million, but by the end of construction amassed a worth of about $106 million. The University received a $5 million New York State Higher Education Capital Matching Grant (HECap) to support the construction.
“I’m glad the tuition money and donations are going to something actually worth it,” Maldonado added.
The Department of Campus Facilities and Services’ goal to make the facility a hub for “existing and forthcoming health sciences programs” aims to provide an up-to-date educational environment. Mutahira Bhatti, a sophomore pre-physician assistant student, highlights the improvements in the learning experience from last semester to this one.
“In this new building, we have a lot more laboratories and resources that allow us to do more hands-on things,” said Bhatti. “There are more demonstrations as well.”
These laboratories are equipped with high-tech equipment, with one laboratory in particular being a major contribution to those in the Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences degree program. It includes the latest digital radiography systems that match those of leading New York area medical centers and hospitals.
The addition of advanced resources and interactive spaces is intended to enhance the university’s educational offerings and provide a more practical learning environment. Its location, situated between residential and academic buildings makes the space easily accessible to all students.
“I think it will serve as a great study space that is close to the dorms,” said Abdelhalim. “It is really convenient for the students who don’t want to go halfway across campus to focus on their studies.”
The building is now open to all students for academic use and is expected to provide resources and spaces for study and collaboration.
