9/15/2023
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Harrisburg University and UPMC on Wednesday celebrated the dedication of the new UPMC Health Sciences Tower at Harrisburg University. The building houses expanded resources for new and existing health sciences and advanced manufacturing programs.
The 11-story UPMC Health Sciences Tower at Harrisburg University, located at 222 Chestnut St. in downtown Harrisburg, features skills labs, simulation spaces, state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, classrooms and auditoriums that support education and research in advanced manufacturing, pharmacology, exercise science, physical therapy and the UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing at UPMC Harrisburg.
“The UPMC Health Sciences Tower is not just a building. It represents the culmination of years of dedication, hard work and collaboration among countless individuals and organizations,” said Eric Darr, Ph.D., president of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. “It symbolizes a beacon of hope for our community, signifying our commitment to innovation and excellence in health care and advanced manufacturing.”
A highlight of the tower is the space dedicated to the Advanced Manufacturing program. New labs feature 3D printers, machining equipment, industrial and collaborative robots, workstations for 2D and 3D modeling and computer programming, manufacturing systems and pneumatic/hydraulic automation trainers.
The tower also houses the nursing partnership between Harrisburg University and UPMC to provide a new opportunity for area residents to pursue careers in nursing. Launched in August 2022, the UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing at UPMC Harrisburg is a 16-month accelerated diploma program for registered nurses (RNs). Two floors of the building are dedicated to high-tech classrooms, skills labs and realistic simulation labs to prepare students for their clinical rotations. With commencement scheduled for the first class in December, students who graduate and pass the RN licensing examination will be well-positioned to earn their bachelor’s degree in nursing from Harrisburg University while maintaining full-time employment.
“UPMC’s partnership with Harrisburg University is changing the landscape for health care,” said Jason Marx, M.D., president of Physician Services at UPMC in Central Pa. “Together, we’re creating a new pipeline for nursing, providing new opportunities for innovation, offering space for growing programs, and achieving collaboration between students, faculty, and health care professionals in ways that are unique to our institutions.”
The Health and Innovation Training Center located in the tower provides opportunities for collaboration with medical providers and external partners to provide medical education and an onsite training hub for the region. UPMC physicians have already begun to use the spaces to train residents, support fellowship programs and provide innovative spaces for research. The academic spaces are outfitted with technology that will enable researchers, educators and trainers to broadcast medical training across the country and internationally.
The UPMC Health Sciences Tower at Harrisburg University is now open for students, faculty and partners.
PHOTO DETAILS: (click images for high-res versions)
First photo
CREDIT: UPMC
CAPTION: UPMC Health Sciences Tower at Harrisburg University
Second photo
CREDIT: M.R. Gruber Photography
CAPTION: Robin Zellers, chair, UPMC Pinnacle Foundation Board of Directors; Jessica Ritchie, president, UPMC Pinnacle Foundation; Nadia Stuckey, student, Harrisburg University Advanced Manufacturing; Penny Lenig-Zerby, director, UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing at UPMC Harrisburg; Dr. Jason Marx, president, Physician Services, UPMC in Central Pa.; Eric Darr, president, Harrisburg University; Mark Singel, chair, Harrisburg University Board of Trustees; and Duane Maun, COO and CFO, Harrisburg University, prepare to cut the ribbon that celebrates the opening of the UPMC Health Sciences Tower at Harrisburg University.