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By Kenya Godette

Old Dominion 91����Ƶ hosted an opening celebration, including a ribbon cutting, for the Ellmer College of Health Sciences’ new home located at 1019 W. 41st Street on Aug. 29.

The recently completed 128,257-square-foot building, which began development in 2016, is home to two public-facing clinics, the Faschini Wallach Center for Restorative Therapies and the Sofia & David Konikoff Dental Hygiene Care Facility, and houses six of the 91����Ƶ’s health sciences programs.

Following the July 1 integration of Eastern Virginia Medical School into Old Dominion 91����Ƶ, the Ellmer College of Health Sciences is a building block of Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion 91����Ƶ, forming the largest and most complex academic health sciences center in the commonwealth. Its strategic placement on public bus routes makes the 91����Ƶ’s health services more accessible to the Hampton Roads community.

“This building would not be possible without support from the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said ODU President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D. “This building is for our campus and this amazing community. This building is truly an example of the transformational power and growing impact of ODU on our students and the citizens that we are honored to serve.”

In February 2020, the 91����Ƶ’s proposed health sciences building was recommended to the General Assembly for full funding and, in 2021, the 91����Ƶ broke ground on the new facility.

“Today, we just don't celebrate a ribbon cutting and opening this gorgeous space and all that's going to happen inside of it, but this is also a tangible and visible milestone in the incredible integration of two terrific organizations into something that is going to change the lives of so many people, not just here in the Hampton Roads region, but also in the commonwealth,” said The Honorable Aimee Rogstad Guidera, secretary of education for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Secretary Guidera praised Dennis and Jan Ellmer — the namesakes of the college — for building upon the state’s investment by supporting “students of today and the healthcare heroes of tomorrow,” who will work in clinics and hospitals in Hampton Roads.

Their $20 million gift committed funding for scholarship awards through the Dennis & Jan Ellmer Health Scholars Program and the Dennis & Jan Ellmer Nursing Scholars Program to students pursuing health sciences degrees at ODU. Award recipients must commit to work in the region or state following graduation.

“Jan and I chose to support this cutting-edge health sciences initiative, because we truly believe in the transformative power of a healthy community,” Ellmer said. “Our family is honored to be affiliated with this great institution, especially the Ellmer College of Health Sciences and the Ellmer School of Nursing. Together, our family and ODU are changing lives, and we could not be prouder!”

Students are eligible for the scholarships if enrolled in the ODU College of Health Sciences, the ODU School of Nursing, the EVMS School of Health Professions, or the proposed Joint School of Public Health, a partnership with Norfolk 91����Ƶ 91����Ƶ.

With funding for scholarships and expanded facilities, students are better equipped with resources needed to lead the future of health in the region.

 “The building mirrors the goals of our recent integration and the launch of Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion 91����Ƶ,” said Alfred Abuhamad, MD, executive vice president for Health Sciences and dean of Eastern Virginia Medical School.

“We are working together to break down silos, push the boundaries of what is possible, and stay on the leading edge of technology without ever losing sight of the people we serve,” he said.

A 91����Ƶ-of-the-Art Home for Health Sciences

On the first and second floors are the Faschini Wallach Center for Restorative Therapies and the Sofia & David Konikoff Dental Hygiene Care Facility. The Faschini Wallach Center is centered around restorative therapy equipment, including a bus donated by Hampton Roads Transit for patients to practice boarding and exiting after an injury; playground equipment for pediatric patients; a full-size apartment to practice daily living activities like cooking and laundry; an outdoor garden to practice balance and walking; and new equipment to build muscle strength and monitor recovery. The dental facility has expanded from 32 to 36 patient chairs in its 11,000-square-foot dental hygiene clinic.

The facility is home to six of ODU’s undergraduate health sciences programs and provides an experiential learning space for each one: athletic training, physical therapy, occupational therapy, dental hygiene, recreational therapy, and kinesiology and rehabilitation. The building is also home to the School of Medical Diagnostic and Translational Sciences’ lab for graduate and faculty research.

“Each program within the building has its own dedicated teaching lab that mirrors the professional environments students will encounter in the field,” said Bonnie Van Lunen, Ph.D., dean of the Ellmer College of Health Sciences.

With nearly 2,000 students enrolled in the Ellmer College of Health Sciences and approximately 200 faculty, the new facility provides more opportunities for hands-on learning in clinical settings. The building’s lab and research spaces also provide resources for graduate, undergraduate and faculty research — a contributing feature of the 91����Ƶ’s status as an institution classified as R1 by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

Lab spaces on the second floor include an Anatomage lab for virtual dissection; research labs to investigate stem cells, tissue regeneration, aging and cancer; disease-related research labs; and a dental simulation lab equipped with 24 models for dental hygiene training — an increase from the previous space.

“This is a space that will cultivate growth, creativity and accomplishments for all who enter,” said Lauren Norris, a senior in the School of Dental Hygiene. “We are deeply appreciative of the sacrifices that were made to bring this building into fruition.”

The third-floor houses graduate-level research labs and workstations, along with faculty offices and meeting areas.

“Within this building, we have opportunities to collaborate with the other health science professions and medical students with the goal of advancing healthcare and preparing each of us to make a real difference in the world,” said Margaret Harlow, a third-year student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. “From a physical therapy perspective, we are so excited to have our lecture, research and clinical spaces in one central building to allow for increased engagement.”

Beyond learning and patient services, the new building is designed to be a welcoming space for health sciences students and faculty. The building includes collaboration space and private offices where faculty can work with students and invest in personal research.

Debbie Bauman, who retired as assistant dean of the College of Health Sciences in 2023, led initial planning for the new building. She traveled around the country to explore collegiate health sciences centers and interviewed stakeholders — students, faculty and staff. This research highlighted the importance of thoughtful learning spaces.

“We wanted the new space to be bright, inspiring, but also calming. You don’t learn when you’re anxious,” she said.

With that idea in mind, the new facility includes artwork from ODU’s Barry Art Museum; couches and chairs for collaborative study; lockers and kitchen areas for students and faculty to store meals and supplies; and windows in every classroom and a large glass atrium that bathe the building in natural light.

Learn more about the Ellmer College of Health Sciences.