For over 20 years, Goodwin University has helped more than 4,000 nurses find fulfilling careers in the field. Now, we’re helping address one of Connecticut’s toughest healthcare challenges head-on: the critical shortage of nurses.
Only half of the state’s 90,000 registered nurses are currently practicing, and nationwide demand is climbing fast. Over the next decade, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 5% increase in need, driven by an aging population and a wave of retirements.
Enter Goodwin’s new Nursing Simulation Center — the largest of its kind in Connecticut — giving students the hands-on training and confidence to meet this urgent demand.
Educational progress — professional promise
Occupying an entire floor of Goodwin’s main academic building on Riverside Drive, the 7,000-square-foot Nursing Simulation Center was unveiled during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 29, 2025. The event brought together state and local leaders, including Congressman John Larson, healthcare educators, and University benefactors, to celebrate this transformative addition to Goodwin’s Nursing programs. A citation recognizing Goodwin’s long-standing commitment to healthcare career development in the state was sent by Senator Richard Blumenthal.
Dr. Vivienne Friday, the current dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions, was joined by former program director Janice Watts, representing the past and present leadership of Goodwin’s Nursing programs. In her remarks, Dr. Friday pointed out that the Center features experiential learning labs centered around the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Four Spheres of Care: Disease Prevention/Promotion of Health and Well-being, Chronic Disease Care, Regenerative/Restorative Care, and Hospice/Palliative/Supportive Care.
With approximately half of all Goodwin students enrolled in a Nursing program, the new Center strengthens the University’s ability to prepare students for these in-demand roles, ensuring a steady pipeline of skilled, compassionate caregivers ready to serve their communities.
“Goodwin University trains about 30% of all the nurses in our area,” noted President Mark E. Scheinberg. “The Nursing Simulation Center represents both progress and promise. It’s a place where students learn to care, to lead, and to serve — one patient, one community, and one career at a time.”
Scheinberg further noted that the majority of Goodwin’s 4,000-plus Nursing program graduates remain in Connecticut to work after graduating.
A community collaboration
Built in collaboration with Capital Studio Architects, LLC, the Center was made possible through sources including CT Office of Workforce Strategy/CT Health Horizons, Congressionally Directed Spending/US Department of Education, CT State Department of Education/Carl D. Perkins, the Maximilian E. & Marion O. Hoffman Foundation, and the Judith Ann Libby Charitable Fund.
Individual philanthropic donors also played critical leadership roles in making the Center a reality, underscoring a shared commitment to advancing healthcare education and workforce development in Connecticut. Present at the ceremony were Ted Kaplan and Roberta Woronow, who funded the Rehabilitation Care Lab, and Frank and Judith Resnick, who named the Health Promotion and Wellness Lab in honor of Barbara Resnick, PhD, CRNP, nationally recognized nursing leader and gerontology expert.
Training the next generation of Connecticut’s caregivers
Following the ceremony, guests toured the new facility and observed live demonstrations led by current Nursing students Kemba Francis and Ariana Oeung. The demonstrations showcased immersive simulation environments, ranging from tracheostomy care and medication administration to bedside communication and patient charting. Instructors guide students from a central control room, communicating through the “patient” mannequin to simulate real-world urgency and unpredictability. Each high-fidelity manikin can breathe, blink, and even cry, providing a lifelike experience that bridges classroom learning and clinical practice
“Some students can get nervous when they go on site,” said Ms. Francis. “If they get exposure in the SIM Center with manikins that can exhibit real-world behaviors, they’ll feel much more comfortable once they graduate and begin practicing.”
For Goodwin University, the Nursing Simulation Center represents far more than a cutting-edge educational facility — it embodies the University’s mission to align education, commerce, and community while preparing students for meaningful, purpose-driven careers in healthcare.
“Goodwin University continues to grow and expand,” added Congressman Larson. “It becomes a mutual collaboration for the good of the USA.”
Bri Gagné is a content developer at Goodwin University, bringing backgrounds in literary studies, creative storytelling, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and social justice. They earned their bachelor’s degree in English Literature, Film Studies, and Gender Studies from University of Connecticut and a master’s in Elementary Education from Eastern Connecticut State University.
After teaching English abroad and locally, Bri transitioned to a full-time writing career, contributing to the University’s educational narratives and brand-building efforts. They are currently earning their Master of Fine Arts in Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing at Emerson College.