Expansion of Illinois State University’s Mennonite Lab Building will provide much-needed space and allow the Mennonite College of Nursing (MCN) to enroll more students at a time when demand for nurses is high.
Appears InThe $18 million construction project, approved by the Board of Trustees in 2021, is expected to be fully operational by June 2024.
“It’s exciting,” said Dr. Judy Neubrander, MCN dean. “This building will reflect what Mennonite College of Nursing is really about: excellence.”
The new space will be built around the existing Mennonite Lab Building, which was lifted and pivoted 90 degrees this past summer to prepare for new construction. Located just north of the Bone Student Center parking lot, the expanded Mennonite Lab Building will offer additional simulation and health assessment spaces. An emphasis on technology and innovation has been present throughout its planning.
“All the new, exciting things that are happening in health care—we want to be a part of all of it,” Neubrander said.
MCN will continue to occupy Edwards Hall, which houses faculty, advising, research, and student support offices. The revamped Mennonite Lab Building will include more faculty offices, health and wellness spaces, a student lounge, study areas, and outdoor gathering spaces. The lab will be renamed at a later date to reflect the upgrades to the facility.
The highly selective college will be able to enroll approximately 400 more students—an additional 100 students each year for the next four years—when the facility opens. The additional capacity comes at a time when nurses are in high demand; the American Nurses Association declared the nationwide nurse staffing shortage a national crisis last year.
With more students enrolled, Neubrander said MCN’s hallmarks of individualized education and authentic experiences will not only remain—they’ll be enhanced.
“Students will be able to make mistakes in real-world clinical experiences in a safe environment,” she said. “Our students come back and tell us that the scenarios we put them through prepared them, and that will continue.”
