GOFFSTOWN, N.H. – Saint Anselm College will officially open Grappone Hall, the new home of the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 5. The 45,000-square-foot, $40 million facility represents the largest capital investment in the college’s history and a significant step forward in addressing New Hampshire’s critical healthcare workforce shortage.
Grappone Hall features a seven-lab simulation center with high-fidelity patient simulators, a 150-seat auditorium, collaborative learning spaces for kinesiology, anatomy, and physiology, and multi-purpose community spaces. The simulation center includes specialized environments for labor and delivery, pediatrics, medical/surgical care, intensive care, home health, mental health, and a complete simulated nursing unit.
The ceremony will feature remarks from Saint Anselm College President Joseph A. Favazza and Dean Diane Uzarski of the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Campaign co-chairs Roger Jean and Beverly Grappone will speak to why they support investment in the region’s healthcare professionals. U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas also are expected to attend.
“This facility positions Saint Anselm to significantly expand our impact on healthcare workforce development in New Hampshire and beyond,” said President Favazza. “We’re not just opening a building – we’re launching a new era of nursing and health sciences education that will benefit our communities for generations to come.”
“Simulation learning represents the gold standard in nursing education,” said Dean Uzarski. “Our students will graduate with hands-on experience in realistic scenarios, fully prepared for the challenges they’ll face in hospitals and healthcare facilities across the region.”
The facility will house the college’s undergraduate nursing program, which boasts a 98.84% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX licensing exam, as well as new majors in Community and Public Health, and Health Sciences. Saint Anselm recently launched its first graduate nursing program, a Master of Science in Nursing Leadership and Innovation.
The project was made possible through the Campaign for the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Major gifts include $10 million from Roger and Francine Jean to name the school; $5 million from the Beverly and Robert Grappone to name the building; $4.7 million in federal funding secured by Sen. Shaheen and Rep. Pappas, and significant contributions from the Flatley Foundation and other donors.