30
January
2015
|
15:18 PM
America/Los_Angeles

Grand Opening for Student Health and Counseling Services Building

By Katie Chappell

At a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, January 22 CSUSM officials, students, staff and faculty gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the new Student Health and Counseling Services Building (SHCS) 

President Haynes, University administrators and student leaders spoke about the nearly two-decades-old plan to make CSUSM's health and wellness resources more accessible to campus. This new 20,000-square-foot, two-story space near the heart of campus fulfills that dream.

"We are now more accessible for students and can better serve our 'healthy cougars' on their journey to academic success," said SHCS Director, Dr. Karen Nicholson.

The new health center includes clinical and counseling offices, health and wellness education spaces and a pharmacy, as well as a conference and resource room. SHCS is located adjacent to Parking Structure 1 on Campus Way Circle and is twice the size of the previous location off-campus in the Palomar Pomerado Health Building.

"This building is a visible representation of the wellness resources for all of our Cougars," said Hayley Perko, president of Associated Students, Inc.

The $9.5 million dollar project took 14 months to complete and was funded through student fees.