GREENVILLE, S.C. (May 1, 2019) – In the last chapel service of this academic year, Tuesday, April 30, Bob Jones University President Steve Pettit announced the renovation of the first floor of the University’s Mack Library to house the School of Health Professions.
Beginning immediately after Commencement May 3, BJU will complete the right sizing of its library. With students accessing many resources digitally, BJU has strategically reduced print materials and will consolidate all library resources on the second floor. In August, construction will begin on a new School of Health Professions facility on the first floor with completion scheduled for fall 2020.
“Moving the School of Health Professions to a larger facility will enable us to accommodate the growing number of students interested in health care, update our technology and equipment in these programs, and have room to add new programs in future years,” said Pettit.
“Equally important, the new building will facilitate the collaboration aspect of health care. Teams of students and faculty from various programs will be co-located and can work together as health care teams work in the real world.”
The School of Health Professions is BJU’s fastest growing school. Freshmen enrollment in these programs has grown 13 percent each of the last two years with another 15 percent projected for fall 2019. This school is also receiving the most applications from prospective students. Increased student interest is a direct reflection of the high demand for health care professions graduates in the marketplace.
BJU launched the School of Health Professions in August 2018, bringing together into one school a number of academic programs: Exercise Science, Sport Management, Health and Fitness, Nursing, Premed/Predent, and Health Sciences with a general concentration plus concentrations in Pre-Physician Assistant, Pre-Physical Therapy, Pre-Nutrition, Pre-Pharmacy, Public Health/Global Health and Health Care Administration.
In the past several months, BJU has raised a large portion of the funds for the new School of Health Professions facility and will go public with a capital fundraising campaign this summer.
