On The Grow

THE UNIVERSITY'S RECENT expansion to the Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center (RFWC), and updates to the Health Professions Center and the Liberal Arts Center—a whopping 82,200-square-feet of new and renovated spaces between the three—highlights our commitment to education and people.

"I wanted people to see this space as a place that addresses all students' physical and emotional needs, while also supporting recruitment and retention," said James Wolfe, Director of Facility Operations and Planning, in talking about the Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center addition.

The Center's unique design promotes calm and care, featuring a moss wall, quiet rooms and recreational spaces. It consolidates several student-focused departments under one roof. Meanwhile, Phase III renovations of the Health Professions Center have created advanced, hands-on learning environments for healthcare students, with Phase IV, introducing a new look for the entrance of campus and more administrative and classroom space, underway this fall.

If you haven't visited USI recently, especially if you're an alum, now is the perfect time to come back and explore campus.

PUBLIC SAFETY

The safety of our campus has always been a cornerstone of the University of Southern Indiana, and Public Safety's new space is a powerful reminder of that commitment. "The fact that we now literally sit at the entrance of this new building is an awesome reminder of what we do," says Sam Preston, Director of Public Safety.

Relocating to the main floor of the RFWC is an upgrade for the University community and Public Safety. "Being closer to housing is advantageous for after-hour emergencies," Preston said. "We often respond to injuries from intramural events, so being on-site will be beneficial to students."

Previously based in a temporary 1970s building, Public Safety had to evacuate to the College of Liberal Arts basement during tornado warnings. The new dispatch room, encased in two feet of concrete and steel, ensures the team can remain operational during severe weather and other emergencies. "We've updated our dispatch console with touch screens and additional monitors for cameras, weather information and other critical systems," Preston adds.

The new office features a 24/7 access window to Dispatch (where officers can view the more than 500 cameras across campus), evidence storage lockers, interview rooms, group reporting rooms, a conference/ training room, lost and found, locker rooms and a bike and equipment storage room.

COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES

When it comes to prime real estate, it's location, location, location…and the new Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office is now on Rodeo Drive, so to speak. The new suite of offices, counseling rooms, triage spaces and more are on the top floor of the Center, overlooking the campus' main boulevard. "Our new location is, in a way, more centrally located to the heart of campus, while at the same time in a more discrete location, and without the heavy foot traffic of the Orr Building," said Dr. Robin Sanabria, Director of CAPS. "We can now leave our window shades open during sessions without having to be concerned about protecting client confidentiality."

Previously located in the Orr Center since 1973, CAPS needed not only more space to counsel students (whose fees cover the costs of counseling), but a fresh look too. The expanded suite includes individual counseling rooms, two group/ conference rooms, a triage room and extra offices for the department's counseling staff to grow into as students' needs expand. "We needed a facelift to help students feel more comfortable in our space, but we also needed an additional group meeting space," Sanabria said. "The offices are brighter, cleaner and more modern, with fresh, comfortable office furniture."

STUDENT WELLNESS

Wellness begins with the individual, and the USI Student Wellness facility is not only getting great neighbors, but a significant refresh to its existing space as well. The renovations include an extensive lounge space with all new gaming stations, pool and ping pong tables, tons of new seating, vending machines, microwaves, a multipurpose room/kitchenette and more. There are study areas and small meeting rooms students can use, as well as a Quiet Lounge. The shades on some of the light fixtures are made of felt to help dampen the sound

"I look forward to using the new spaces (such as the Quiet Lounge) for wellness programs related to stress management and healthy sleep," said Catherine Champagne, Assistant Program Director of Student Wellness. "I am excited for students to see the space and utilize the many wellness resources that exist on campus in one convenient location."

Entrance to the fitness area includes a beautiful new check-in counter where pool sticks, ping pong paddles, gaming equipment and more can be checked out. The locker rooms were repainted and the fitness area floor replaced.

A planned future addition to the building, slated for 2025, includes a new bike shop and an expanded free weight area.

USI DEACONESS HEALTH CLINIC

The new USI Deaconess Health Clinic, now triple its previous size, offers comprehensive care comparable to primary and urgent care facilities. Services include skin biopsies; COVID, strep, flu, STI testing; basic splints; cryotherapy; pap smears; stitches; and more.

The Clinic features separate entrances for students and faculty/staff, eight exam rooms, an immunization/ allergy room, space for a future pharmacy and a bariatric room designed for tall student-athletes, wheelchair users and patients with special needs. "The allergy room is crucial for quick service," said Christine Waterman, Practice Manager.

All three nurse practitioners are USI graduates with bachelor's and master's degrees in nursing. "They are deeply committed to students, faculty and staff," Waterman noted, emphasizing their thorough patient care, which has led to significant medical discoveries, including collapsed lungs, cancer and heart conditions.

The Clinic also manages chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension. "We can serve as the primary caregiver for USI employees and enrolled students, up to six months post-graduation," Waterman said.

RELIGIOUS LIFE

When it comes to student wellness, mind, body and spirit are equally important. The new Religious Life offices are on the main floor of the RFWC, occupying a welcoming space for people of all faiths. There is a Meditation Lounge where small groups can gather for Bible studies, small worship services and individual study. Students holding faith-based and faith-adjacent events can reserve this room through Special Events and Scheduling Services.

There are 12 faith-based student organizations on campus: one Muslim group, two denomination-specific Christian groups and nine nondenominational Christian groups. "Religious Life is the umbrella of all the different faith groups on campus. Our goal is to connect students with faith communities so that they can find a faith-home-away-from-home and a sense of belonging here at USI," said Anna Schulten, Director of Religious Life.

Along with the new space comes new offerings: a Listening Lounge, where a faith-based advisor and/ or chaplain will be available daily for students to stop by, unscheduled, and share what's on their mind, and workshops, offered quarterly to help students explore their core values, mission and the unique giftedness they bring to the community.

UNIVERSITY STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION

University Strategic Communication is no longer housed in a temporary building (rumored to have once held Indiana University Medical School's cadavers). The department’s new suite has space for the entire team—the writers and the photographers—to be together under one roof. The space includes offices, a conference room, a new photography studio with high ceiling and state-of-the-art lighting (that can now accommodate athletic and staff teams of every size), a sound booth and video production room. The former studio could not accommodate large groups to be photographed and limited the photo team's creativity in terms of backgrounds. The new space can fit more than one athletic team and has an infinity wall to allow forseamless photography. The new recording studio allows for more creative opportunities, such as making audio recordings of some Illume magazine articles.

"The Creative and Print Center, formerly called the Publishing Services Center and endearingly, The Pub, has been a good home for us for many years," said John Farless '98 M'21, Chief Communications Officer, "but as we continue to grow, this new space better accommodates our needs and centrally locates us on campus. It also gives Creative and Print needed space to expand its operations until a new building is completed to meet their needs."

DENTAL HYGIENE

USI's Dental Hygiene program, the first in Indiana to offer a bachelor's degree, is elevating its educational opportunities with expanded facilities and advanced equipment in the Health Professions Center. The program has increased its clinic space from 12 to 18 operatories and upgraded all equipment, providing more hands-on training for students and greater access to low-cost dental hygiene services for the community. "The new clinic was necessary due to aging equipment and repair costs, as well as growth potential for the programs," said Emily Holt '00 '01 M'04, Clinical Professor and Chair of the Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting Programs.

USI has invested in cutting-edge equipment, including soft tissue diode lasers and Prophylaxis Masters, which are becoming the standard of care in dental offices. "Our graduates will be prepared to offer top-notch care in their careers," Holt said.

Additionally, the program features a new 12-station simulation laboratory for dental assisting students, complete with a simulation manikin to teach essential skills.

"USI is the only dental assisting and dental hygiene program in the state to offer a simulation laboratory," Holt noted. The simulators enhance clinical competency, reinforce ergonomic positioning and prepare students for long, healthy careers. "It's exciting to see students being trained in the best environment with the best equipment available."

CLINICAL SIMULATION CENTER

Clinical Simulations Coordinator Carly Andrews '17 M'18 is thrilled about the recent upgrades to the Health Professions Center's Clinical Simulation Center. These renovations significantly enhance students' healthcare education, offering four distinct simulation suites—Emergency Room, Intensive Care, Post-Acute Care and Obstetrics/ Pediatric—that mirror real medical environments. The advanced hospital equipment is adaptable for diverse learning objectives, and each suite now has its own dedicated control room, improving operational flexibility and supporting simultaneous simulations.

"All suites are equipped with cutting-edge audio-visual recording technology managed by Sim Capture," said Andrews. This allows for real-time feedback and progress tracking, enabling students to review their recorded simulations for reflective learning and skill refinement.

A key upgrade is the addition of advanced simulator manikins, which intensify the realism and effectiveness of training scenarios. "These enhancements align with our mission to prepare health professions students to deliver safe, quality care through simulation methodologies and interprofessional education," said Andrews.

The Center also features a Virtual Reality Lab for immersive training and, in future phases, an Experiential Learning Lab with Anatomage tables for interactive anatomical education. "This approach underscores USI's commitment to advancing healthcare education through innovative technology and experiential learning," Andrews added.

RADIOLOGICAL AND IMAGING SCIENCES

The Health Professions Center's Mitchell Auditorium has been transformed into an advanced learning space for students in the Radiologic and Imaging Sciences Program. Previously located on the second floor, the program was designed for 12 students but quickly outgrew its space. The new, significantly larger facility features four digital radiography rooms, an MRI simulator, a CT scanner and two digital mobile radiography units.

"Previously, all students had to share one room for radiographic exposures," said Dr. Joy Cook '03 M'09 D'22, Associate Professor, Chair and Program Director of Radiologic and Imaging Sciences. The additional rooms reduce group sizes, offering students more hands-on practice time and individualized instruction. The expanded classroom also supports future program growth, potentially allowing more students to enroll in USI's highly competitive program.

The new equipment mirrors the technology used in clinical settings, easing students' transition to clinical practice. The upgrades include imaging phantoms, which are real or human tissue-equivalent objects used for practicing radiography. "The renovations allowed us to obtain whole-body imaging phantoms, enabling students to practice radiology positioning, make exposures, evaluate their performance and improve through repeated practice," said Cook.

ARCHEOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY 

Artifacts unearthed by students and faculty in USI's Archaeology Field School are finally being showcased in a new, purpose-built laboratory designed to meet the specific needs of student learning. "In our previous space, the basement of Public Safety, dirty excavation equipment was stored in the same room as the artifacts," said Dr. Michael Strezewski, Professor of Anthropology. "This created contamination issues, and we needed a clean, secure area for the collections."

The old location was also too small to house all the artifacts in one place, offering little space for students to work. "I typically have two or three students working on projects each semester, and they didn't have room to spread out artifacts for cataloging and analysis," Strezewski explained. The new, much larger space now allows all collections to be housed in one location, providing ample room for student projects.

Located on the lower level of the Liberal Arts Center, the new facility, previously a computer lab, is used for teaching, artifact processing and analysis, storage and faculty research. "Students learn about different artifacts in the archaeology lab class, with many hands-on activities," Strezewski said.

Strezewski is excited about the new space's potential impact. "We now have big windows along the hallway, which will boost the profile of anthropology and allow people to see what archaeology is about."

WAYNE KINNEY '77, accounting, was the son of schoolteachers. While a student at the University, he worked full-time while attending classes. After graduation, he put his education to work at various hospitals before deciding to invest in a future for his family in a different way by founding the Evansville-based Innovative Consulting Group. The company— focused on flexible healthcare IT services and engagement with hospitals across the country—prospered.

In 2023, when Wayne and his wife Beth, an educator in Evansville schools for many years, sold the company, they knew they wanted to do something that would provide for the future of Evansville, USI and its students. Both their children, Julie Burczyk '06 M'09, elementary education, education, and Jeff Kinney M'10, business administration, studied at USI and were succeeding in their chosen careers. It was time, they felt, to pay it forward.

The Kinney's became aware of USI’s impact on healthcare in this region—over 4,300 College of Nursing and Health Professions graduates residing in four local counties— and wanted to play a larger role in the wellbeing of area residents by making a $6 million leadership gift to the College of Nursing and Health Professions.

The unrestricted funds will be used to address the greatest needs of the College, and the College has been named to reflect the family's generosity: The Kinney College of Nursing and Health Professions.

"We are excited to be making this gift and to be part of USI's ongoing story of success," Wayne said. "We look forward to the many ways this investment will enhance the College of Nursing and Health Professions, its students and faculty and, ultimately, our community."

Thank you, Kinney Family, for your gift and for helping USI continue to better lives.