University of La Verne Secures $8.5M in State Funding for Construction

The University of La Verne in La Verne, Calif., will receive $8.5 million in state funding to go toward the construction of a new facility for the College of Health and Community Well-Being in Ontario, Calif., according to a news release. The funds were part of Senator Susan Rubio’s 2023–24 budget for District 22 and were approved last week by California Governor Gavin Newsom. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2024.

“I am thrilled to be able to bring resources to help students reach their academic and professional goals,” said Rubio. “Not only will it generate good-paying jobs to construct the new college, it will also train the next generation of healthcare workers our community desperately needs.”

The facility will measure in at 60,000 square feet and stand two stories, according to the news release. Design features and amenities will include a daylit atrium, skills and simulation labs built to resemble real hospitals, technology upgrades in classrooms, research space, and collaboration areas. The College of Health and Community Well-Being is the university’s fifth academic college and opened on July 1, 2022. According to the university website, the college’s founding serves as a major facet of the university’s 2025 Strategic Vision.

“College programs serve as a catalyst to retain local talent, as well as expand healthcare and workforce opportunities in the region,” said University President Devorah Lieberman. “We are deeply appreciative of Senator Rubio’s support and advocacy for the university, especially as we create a space that will transform a historically underserved and under-resourced region within the district and beyond.”

According to the press release, the college was founded to help meet the growing need for healthcare professionals in the Inland Southern California region. The new facility will stand alongside the university’s College of Law and Public Service and the Randall Lewis Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Social Impact to complete its “education and innovation corridor” within the region.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.

  • Philadelphia Middle School Facility Earns LEED Gold Certification

    The Alternative Middle Years (AMY) at James Martin Middle School in Philadelphia, Penn., recently received a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The School District of Pennsylvania partnered with KSS Architects on the project.

  • Wenger Names New Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts, Controls

    Wenger Corporation, which provides products and solutions for music and theater education, performing arts and athletic storage, recently announced the hiring of a new Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts and Controls.

  • Virginia Tech Tops Out New College of Engineering Building

    Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of Mitchell Hall, which will soon stand as the largest College of Engineering building on campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with Skanska on the 285,500-square-foot facility, which has an expected completion date of winter 2028.