Providence College, School of Nursing and Health Sciences

the story

The Ben Mondor Center for Nursing and Health Sciences at Providence College is a dynamic hub for learning and community engagement. Purposefully designed to advance the College’s mission in healthcare education, it features state-of-the-art resources that prepare students for the future of care. The site itself holds a rich healthcare legacy—once home to Fennel Hall, a residence for nurses serving nearby Chapin Hospital. By honoring this history and looking ahead, the new building transforms a storied location into a forward-thinking environment, uniting past, present, and future through its architecture.

at-a-glance

TYPE:

New Construction

SERVICES:

Architecture

Interior Design

Lab/Sim Planning

Landscape Architecture

Programming & Planning

Structural Engineering

LOCATION:

Providence, RI

STATUS:

Completed 2025

SIZE:

151,000 SF

Tasked with creating a flagship facility for a brand-new academic discipline, the College needed a space that could support hands-on clinical training, foster interprofessional collaboration, and emphasize holistic, mission-driven care. Beyond housing new programs, the building had to signal a major institutional shift—elevating healthcare education on campus and transforming a quiet campus edge into a vibrant destination for learning and connection. In addition, the initiative set out to address a growing demand for skilled and compassionate healthcare professionals in Rhode Island, where they are currently experiencing critical nursing shortages in psychiatric and mental health facilities.

The design emphasizes flexibility and celebrates collaboration, with indoor and outdoor spaces that foster interaction and hands-on learning.

Providence College Nursing and Health Sciences Site

The new structure transforms an underutilized quad into a dynamic outdoor space, blending residential and academic life. Deeply integrated into its ecosystem, the design frames a beloved 150-year-old oak tree (The Fennel Oak), incorporating bird-friendly strategies, native materials, and pollinator gardens.

Providence College Nursing and Health Sciences

Material selections—including granite, brick, high-performance concrete, and white oak—create a warm, timeless feel. Expanses of glass open the “Social Edge,” connecting indoor collaboration zones to views of the quad and Fennell Oak. Pathways and landscape elements promote accessibility and sustainability.

The facility extends an open invitation to students of all majors, reinforcing a shared campus identity while nurturing reflection, resilience, and connection.

The School of Nursing and Health Sciences has quickly become a hub for interdisciplinary learning and student life. Purpose-built labs and classrooms support growth in both enrollment and programming, while dining spaces and a chapel extend its reach across campus. By transforming a once-quiet campus edge, the facility not only supports the College’s academic future—it redefines its physical and community presence.

<p>A vibrant, light-filled commons anchors the interior, offering flexible study areas, collaborative breakout spaces, and visual connections across multiple levels.</p>

A vibrant, light-filled commons anchors the interior, offering flexible study areas, collaborative breakout spaces, and visual connections across multiple levels.

A modern, on-site café enhances student life and supports a more connected, active campus edge.

<p>Having a rich history as an influenza hospital during the early 20th century, the new building honors this legacy through a commemorative art installation near the café.</p>

Having a rich history as an influenza hospital during the early 20th century, the new building honors this legacy through a commemorative art installation near the café.

<p>Patient bed simulation suites replicate real-world clinical settings, from inpatient hospital rooms to outpatient exam spaces, giving students hands-on experience with patient care in a controlled, high-fidelity environment.</p>

Patient bed simulation suites replicate real-world clinical settings, from inpatient hospital rooms to outpatient exam spaces, giving students hands-on experience with patient care in a controlled, high-fidelity environment.

<p>Flexible teaching labs support active, team-based learning with access to modern equipment, writable surfaces, and technology that prepares students for real-world clinical environments.</p>

Flexible teaching labs support active, team-based learning with access to modern equipment, writable surfaces, and technology that prepares students for real-world clinical environments.

<p>The Virtual Anatomy Labs offer an interactive, tech-forward alternative to traditional cadaver-based instruction. Students can explore anatomical structures, systems, and functions in high detail—enhancing their understanding of human biology through dynamic, repeatable learning experiences.</p>

The Virtual Anatomy Labs offer an interactive, tech-forward alternative to traditional cadaver-based instruction. Students can explore anatomical structures, systems, and functions in high detail—enhancing their understanding of human biology through dynamic, repeatable learning experiences.

<p>The chapel provides a quiet respite, acknowledging the emotional demands of clinical education. It reinforces the College’s emphasis on educating the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—and ties directly to the mission-driven nature of healthcare education at Providence.</p>

The chapel provides a quiet respite, acknowledging the emotional demands of clinical education. It reinforces the College’s emphasis on educating the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—and ties directly to the mission-driven nature of healthcare education at Providence.

This facility will set us apart among healthcare education programs… It will be a powerful draw for the excellent students who aspire to be the skilled, compassionate healers the Providence College nursing and health sciences programs will produce.

Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P. ’78, ’82G

College President

Providence College

the story

at-a-glance

Project Contacts