Summary
College of Health and Human Services will be opening its new building in October 2017, It will include a working health clinic that will be open to the public.Information
Web: CHHS Office of Community Engagement
Time-Lapse Construction Camera
Architect: Perkins Eastman
Scheduled Opening: October 2017
Building
Located in the North Sector of the Fairfax Campus, this complex completes Perkins Eastman’s North Sector Plan which was developed with the ultimate goal of strongly denying a campus entrance, creating a variety of outdoor spaces, identifying future building sites, and reinforcing vehicular and pedestrian connections. The five-story facility will be a flagship for its campus in sustainability, student accommodation, community outreach, and visual design.
Articles
George Mason University Breaks Ground on Long-Planned Health Sciences Building
Michele McDonald
June 16, 2015 | Mason News
“We need new solutions, not just new cures, but new solutions to how health care is delivered,” said Ángel Cabrera, George Mason president.
The new health sciences building will have a working health clinic “offering health services to people who need health services in our community,” Cabrera said. It also will include a kitchen where students will practice nutrition science, and labs for nursing, health care data and rehabilitation studies.
The groundbreaking comes less than two months after Mason opened the new Institute of Advanced Biomedical Research on the Science and Technology Campus in Prince William County. The new health sciences building is part of Mason’s commitment to becoming a “very high” research university, Cabrera said.
When completed in late 2017, the building will represent a much-needed home for the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) as well as an important new campus destination. The beautiful, light-filled building will, together with Merten Hall, create a welcoming gateway at the northern entrance to campus. Its 160,000 square feet will unite the many aspects of CHHS under a single roof, including Social Work, Rehabilitation Sciences, Health Administration and Policy, Global and Community Health, Nutrition and Food Studies, and the School of Nursing. It’s an exciting prospect for the college’s faculty, staff, and more than 2,500 students.
The worth of an academic building, of course, is measured best not by square footage or price tag but by the value of the learning and research that goes on within its walls. Inside the new Peterson building, Mason’s nearly one thousand nursing students will gain hands-on experience in the Patient Simulation Laboratory, where they can master techniques while practicing teamwork and crisis management. New classrooms, the Nutrition Kitchen, and top-flight labs for health services research and rehabilitation studies will provide places for students and professors to seek solutions that improve health and quality of life.
Peterson Family Support Mason Mission with $10 Million Gift
Milt Peterson, the founder of Peterson Companies, has spearheaded several high-profile real estate ventures across the region including Fairfax Corner, the revitalization of downtown Silver Spring, and National Harbor. Carolyn Peterson, an avid arts patron, has served on several committees and boards at the university, including the Mason Foundation Board of Trustees.
In recognition of their service to the community and support of George Mason, Milt and Carolyn Peterson each received the Mason Medal in 2008.
“Our family believes strongly in giving back to the communities we serve, and we view this gift as another strategic investment in Mason and in our region,” said Jon Peterson, principal at Peterson Companies and a current member of Mason’s Board of Visitors. “This gift won’t just build a building and provide scholarship or program support. Over time, it has the potential to save and change lives. We are grateful to be in a position to make that sort of difference for our community.”
As the backbone of Mason’s health sciences, the College of Health and Human Services notably educates nurses, but also economists, global and public health specialists, social workers, and those involved in health care policy, rehabilitation, and nutrition sciences, among other key areas.
“We can’t thank the Petersons enough for making this transformational gift and truly being our champions over the years,” said Janet Bingham, vice president of university advancement and alumni relations and president of the George Mason University Foundation. “Gifts like these help propel the university forward—moving us farther, faster, for the greater good.”
Sketches by Perkins Eastman
