This EDA investment supports the renovation and expansion of a former residence hall at briar cliff university for adaptive reuse as an academic building and primary education and training hub for all…

The Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded Briar Cliff University $3,627,276 under the Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) program on April 26, 2022. The funding will support renovating and expanding a former residence hall to serve as the university's new Center for Health Sciences. The Center will consolidate existing health sciences programs under one roof, allowing for expanded enrollment and enhanced training. New classrooms, labs, learning studios, faculty offices, and a pediatric clinic will support approximately 500 students, nearly doubling current enrollment. Over nine years, the university expects the new facility to educate and place up to 913 graduates in high-paying, in-demand health care jobs throughout Iowa, the tri-state region, and nationwide. The EAA program aims to assist regions facing adverse economic changes, and this project addresses workforce needs exacerbated by the pandemic by increasing the local pipeline of skilled health care professionals.

This EDA investment supports the renovation and expansion of a former residence hall at briar cliff university for adaptive reuse as an academic building and primary education and training hub for all health sciences programs at the university. The new space will allow the existing health sciences programs at the university to be CO-located in one building, supported by new classrooms, labs, learning studios, faculty offices, and a new pediatric clinic for applied learning, allowing for expanded and enhanced training and educational capacity. Staffing shortages in the health care industry have consistently been a challenge for several years in the sioux city area and for surrounding rural critical access healthcare facilities, and thus have been only further exacerbated by the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. The project will help address the region's health care workforce strategy and contribute to the industry's market growth and resiliency. In addition, the new center for the health sciences programs will accommodate approximately 500 students, almost doubling the current enrollment with room for future expansion. Over the next nine years, the university expects this new facility and its consolidated health sciences programs to educate and place up to 913 graduates in high-skill, well-paying jobs in the sioux city TRI-state region, throughout the state of iowa, and nationwide.