Howard Community College will construct a $49 million health sciences building to train paramedics, nurses, radiology technicians, dental hygienists, and physical therapists to address a critical workforce shortage.
Construction will begin next spring and end in December 2012. Students will begin taking classes in the 63,000-square foot facility in spring 2013.
Located on the Columbia school's main campus at 10901 Little Patuxent Pkwy., the building includes 28 labs, group study rooms, three conference rooms, and 45 offices for faculty. Students training to become emergency medical workers will also be able
to test their skills on mannequins in a "state-of-the-art simulation
suite." Funding for the building is coming from the county and the state.
School officials expect to enroll another 640 students in the college once the building is completed, says Sharon Pierce, vice president of academic affairs. Howard Community College currently has 9,000 enrolled students, of which 1,800 are enrolled in the health sciences curriculum.
Student demand for these classes is high, Pierce says. There's currently a wait list to get into the nursing program, but not enough space to accommodate more students.
"We have outgrown our space and cannot increase enrollment," Pierce says.
Maryland is expected to need 10,000 nurses by 2016, according to the Maryland Hospital Association.
School leaders like the Columbia area because the town is suburban yet cosmopolitan, Pierce says. It's also convenient for students coming from either Baltimore or Washington, D.C.
Howard Community College was one of the local colleges that received a total of $11 million in grants from Maryland companies to address the nursing shortage. CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., MedStar Health and other companies also gave money to Anne Arundel Community College, Stevenson University, Towson University, and Coppin State University.
Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Sharon Pierce, Howard Community College