News Releases
Owens Ushers in New Era With Opening of Healthcare Education Center 
Posted on March 18th, 2025
More than 200 individuals gathered Monday to celebrate the grand opening of the Owens Community College Healthcare Education Center, a $31.3 million renovation and expansion that will impact the region for years to come.
Students benefit from updated lab and study spaces as well as state-of-the-art equipment that will prepare them for the futures in the healthcare industry. The new building will allow for an enrollment increase of more than 120 students in the School of Nursing and Health Professions programs.
“Owens Community College plays a critical role in preparing the region’s next generation of healthcare professionals. It’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly,” Owens president Dr. Dione D. Somerville said. “The Healthcare Education Center represents a vision for what healthcare education will be as we continue to educate professionals who care for our families, our neighbors and our communities. This newly renovated and expanded facility enhances our position as a leader in healthcare education.”
Guests were seated and standing in the main rotunda of the building as they listened to speakers, including Dr. Somerville, School of Nursing and Health Professions dean Cathy Ford, Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) chancellor Mike Duffey, Owens professor of Nursing Julie Lohse, Damien Henri of Bostwick Design Partnership, Kent Buehrer of the Buehrer Group, and Occupational Therapy Assistant student Kaine Lightner.
Also in attendance were members of the Owens Board of Trustees and the Owens Foundation Board of Directors as well as Ohio Association of Community Colleges president and CEO Avi Zaffini. David Zavac, from the Office of United States Rep. Marcy Kaptur, and Tim Schneider, from U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno’s office, were in attendance, as were Toledo City Councilman George Sarantou and Perrysburg Municipal Court Judge Aram Matthew Ohanian.
Kelle Pack, Owens vice president for Institutional Advancement and executive director of the Owens Foundation, served as the event’s emcee.
The 86,500-square foot building houses the School of Nursing and Health Profession’s 11 departments, which offer 22 degrees and certificates in: Dental Hygiene, Exercise Science, Sonography, Health Information Technology, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Medical Assisting, Nursing, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiologic Technology and Surgical Technology.
The first part of the building opened in August 2024 for classes while the rest of the building began hosting classes and labs in January 2025.
Of the top 15 employers in the region who hire Owens graduates, one-third are in the healthcare industry, with a majority of graduates finding employment prior to graduating with ProMedica, Mercy Health, Blanchard Valley Health, Wood County Hospital or independent healthcare providers.
“The Healthcare Education Center is more than just a new facility, it’s a place where my classmates and I are building the foundation for our careers in healthcare,” Lightner said. “This center provides us with access to advanced labs, spacious working environments and collaborative learning spaces, all of which allow us to develop the critical thinking, hands on skills and the interdisciplinary teamwork necessary to become competent healthcare professionals.
“Working alongside future nurses, physical therapists, exercise science students and other healthcare professionals has given me invaluable insight into the teamwork required in real clinical settings.”
The project was funded by state and local funds, corporate and private donors, and the college’s first bond. More than $350,000 came from the ODHE for equipment, and $1.3 million in state capital covered architect and engineering expenses.
One point mentioned by Henri and Buehrer, the architects, was how the Healthcare Education Center repurposed and reimagined existing building space and revitalizing it, working with multiple teams to bring the project to life.
After the speeches and ribbon cutting, guests were invited to tour the facility, including spaces where Owens offers free community dental clinics and pregnancy ultrasounds, providing students an opportunity to work with real patients under faculty supervision.
“Our mission is to be the conduit to changing lives in northwest Ohio, and we’re fortunate to witness it fulfilled every day,” Ford said. “This new Healthcare Education Center is a testament to the exceptional dedication Owens has to its students and community. It is the ideal academic setting to enable our faculty and staff as they teach, guide, mentor and support students through their educational journey that changes their lives for the better.”
One of the key features of the Healthcare Education Center is the Interprofessional Education and Simulation Center. It’s a space where multiple healthcare disciplines work to become a highly-effective team that collaborates to improve patient health outcomes.
According to Lohse, studies have shown that interprofessional collaboration leads to improved patient outcomes, increased satisfaction, decreased errors and reduced costs.
“Working together as a healthcare team is essential to provide safe and efficient medical care,” Lohse said. “Our students will work together in both the lab and didactic areas in the new Healthcare Education Center to expand on teamwork and communication skills. The various Healthcare Education Center skills labs and Human Patient Simulator labs will allow students to use a team-based approach to problem solve patient care while also valuing diversity and cultural differences in both the team members and the patient population.”
For more information on the School of Nursing and Health Professions, please visit owens.edu/snhp.