Saint Margaret Hall was blessed and dedicated on Oct. 20 at a gathering of community members and University leaders, faculty, staff and students.
The building – named after St. Margaret of Cortona – will serve as home to the University’s Occupational Therapy and Physician Assistant Science programs.
St. Margaret of Cortona was a 13th century Third Order Franciscan penitent who established a hospital to care for the sick, homeless and poor.
“The name of our new building serves as a testament to the values of service, compassion and excellence that are at the core of our School of Health Sciences and Education (SHSE),” said Father Malachi, President of SFU, in a press release.
The building will open in January of 2024. The $9.2 million project was paid for through donations and state and federal funding.
The chair of the Occupational Therapy Department, Lorie Rowles, is excited for the students and faculty to experience the new facility.
“The faculty – along with Dr. Don Walkovich (Special Assistant to the Vice President of Academic Affairs) and Dr. Kerri Golden (Interim Dean of the SHSE) – worked closely with Dave Williams (Physical Plant Director), his team and the architects to ensure that the new building was designed with the specific needs of our students in mind,” said Rowles.
Some of the features of the new building include: (1) an Innovative Research Lab, with a driving simulator and laptop stations with data analytics software; (2) a physical OT Lab; (3) classroom and conference room space.
Rowles noted that the building will include a 3-D printer, a wireless hand rehabilitation system and an integrated therapy system in addition to the driving simulator.
The 3-D printer will include adaptive devices that will allow people of all needs to utilize it. The driving simulator simulates the experience of driving while facing various road conditions and weather events such as wind, rain, snow, sleet, etc.
The hand rehabilitation machines will be helpful to those with disabilities or those who have suffered nerve damage.
“Every week, the faculty notice something new about the building,” said Rowles.
Saint Margaret Hall includes 15,356 square feet of space and is connected to the school’s main health sciences facilities via an enclosed skywalk. Construction involved renovating the University’s former Boiler House and Fine Arts Garage.
“This space is a testament to our commitment to educate and empower students to use their hands as instruments of healing and rehabilitation, extending care to the sick, supporting the poor, and uplifting the underserved,” said Golden in a press release.
Rowles said the new facility will provide more opportunities for students studying in the Health Sciences to collaborate with one another.
“Having a new building provides opportunities to foster teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration among students, which is important in healthcare fields like Occupational Therapy,” Rowles said.
“We are so excited to be moving into this beautiful space.”
