On April 28, 2025, in an educational space where healthcare students typically learn about repair, Goodwin University faculty, staff, students, and supporters gathered to do some breaking instead. With sledgehammers in hand, school administrators and student representatives took swings at an existing classroom wall to kick off construction of the University’s new Nursing Simulation Center, scheduled to open in fall 2025.

The Center, which will occupy the entire fifth floor of Goodwin’s main academic building on Riverside Drive in East Hartford, will feature integrated simulation technology for Goodwin’s RN, BSN, and MSN programs, providing immersive learning experiences that reflect real-life scenarios for Nursing students.

The launch event included remarks from University leaders Mark Scheinberg, president; Se-Min Sohn, board of trustees chair; Dr. Ethan Foxman, Goodwin Foundation board president; Dr. Michael Pardales, provost and vice president for academic affairs; and Dr. Vivienne Friday, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions.

Scheinberg, Sohn, and Pardales all commented on Goodwin’s 25-year tradition of taking on initiatives often seen by others as impossible. “With our upcoming Commencement in June, we will have graduated more than 4,000 nurses into the workforce,” Scheinberg said. “The new Simulation Center helps ensure that our future graduating students learn under the best conditions, prepared for the many challenges that come with a career in healthcare today — and tomorrow.”

Dr. Friday recalled the difficulties students faced during the COVID pandemic, when clinical experiences were difficult to arrange, and how the Center will help address future obstacles. “Simulation in nursing education provides a safe, controlled environment where students can practice critical skills, make mistakes without consequence, and learn from them, ultimately enhancing their preparedness for real-world patient care,” she offered.

“The technology that our students will access in the new Simulation Center completely elevates how we will be able to prepare them for their future careers. They will perform more efficiently in the workplace because they have already ‘experienced’ a certain situation in an educational setting here at Goodwin,” added Heather Massicotte, program director and assistant professor of RN-to-BSN.

Also sharing thoughts were current nursing students Kemba Francis, Nancy Squarciafico, and Ariana Oeung. “Being able to integrate what we learn in the classroom and apply that in a clinical simulation will be very important to our education,” Francis shared. “One thing I see in all of this is safety.”

“Learning in a controlled setting is very important for students. [They can] become acclimated and confident in themselves as nurses and healthcare providers. The confidence that you have as a nurse is going to be crucial to how you interact with every patient,” added Squarciafico.

Capital Studio Architects, LLC of East Hartford, long-time collaborators with the University, have created a comprehensive architectural designs for the Center, which include hospital-simulated learning environments, an advanced simulation lab suite, cutting-edge virtual reality systems, and comprehensive labs designed to address the Four Spheres of Care (disease prevention/promotion of health and wellbeing; chronic disease care; regenerative or restorative care; and hospice/palliative/supportive care) as outlined by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Construction of the Center will be handled by Downes Construction of New Britain and Rhode Island, an employee-owned firm experienced in working with corporations, hospitals, universities, museums, schools, and municipalities.

A capital campaign is underway to complete the Nursing Simulation Center with initial support from CT Office of Workforce Strategy/CT Health Horizons, Congressionally Directed Spending/US Department of Education, CT State Department of Education/Carl D. Perkins, and the Maximilian E. & Marion O. Hoffman Foundation. For naming and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Jade Stoltz at jstoltz@goodwin.edu or 860-727-6976.