COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Columbus State Community College and OhioHealth have announced a joint $120 million investment that includes building a brand new academic building to train healthcare students.
In a press conference Tuesday afternoon at Columbus State’s Mitchell Hall, Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, and officials with OhioHealth and the community college revealed plans to build the OhioHealth Center for Health Sciences, an 80,000-square-foot training center to help incoming students in healthcare. The location of the new center will be at Cleveland Avenue and Spring Street.
“This bold partnership will ramp up the talent pipeline within key professions that form the backbone of our healthcare community,” said Dr. Steve Markovich, president and chief executive officer of OhioHealth. “Together, we will increase the pool of home-grown talent, keep regional healthcare strong, and address health disparities by attracting a workforce prepared to care for our diverse community.”
The college and OhioHealth are hoping to double the number of students in nursing, surgical technology, medical imaging, respiratory therapy, and sterile processing. Currently, the college enrolls 1,500 students in these five fields.
Along with the training center, other classrooms and laboratories will be renovated inside Union Hall, which are anticipated to cost $85 million.
The college and Ohio Health emphasized that it’s about lifting both students and people in central Ohio up. “We think this can be transformational in people’s lives. Students understand a little bit about health care opportunities, but the healthcare profession has changed so dramatically,” Columbus State President David Harrison said.
“A lot of us are, have been working really hard to try to find new ways to attract existing talent. And there hasn’t been enough conversation about how do we grow the talent pool. So what I’m hoping is that this really energizes the community,” President and CEO of Ohio Health Dr. Steve Markovich said.
Additionally, OhioHealth will provide a $25 million endowment to “expand and sustain academic programs at the college that will fund faculty and staff who train healthcare professionals in the five fields targeted for growth.” $12 million will also be raised for student support and specialized equipment to help with medical simulation and training for students. That money will be raised through the Columbus State Foundation.
“This major development in Columbus’s Opportunity Corridor is a huge step forward for the city’s healthcare industry, our network of higher education institutions and our downtown,” Ginther said. “This is another example of the Columbus way brought to life, with a public-private partnership that benefits us all.”
The design of the new OhioHealth Center for Health Sciences is in progress with the new building projected to open in 2027.