By Brianna Saylor, News Editor
Originally Published October 31, 2023
Saint Vincent College (SVC) has exceedingly grown over the past decade. In fall of 2012, the Sis and Herman Dupré Science Pavilion completed a 40-million-dollar renovation, and in 2020, The Dale P. Latimer Library opened to students. The cafeteria has also undergone several new expansions. Now, through the united efforts of a truly dedicated and extensive community, SVC administration has begun unveiling exciting new details about the Strategic Master Plan for the future and expansion of the college over the next 10 to 12 years.
Dr. Jeff Mallory, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (CEO) of Saint Vincent College, explained the importance of paying it forward, or leaving SVC better than the current community found it for future generations to enjoy. Mallory also discussed some exciting new projects that are in SVC’s future–some of which include the new Dunlap Family Athletic and Recreation Center, updates to campus housing, a tentative addition to Dupre, and plans for repurposing the famous Sauerkraut Tower.
Mallory expressed the college’s commitment to approaching the Dunlap facility.
“While the [predicted renderings of the building] may change with the continuance of this project, which is set to begin in May 2024, in the grand scheme of things–the overall layout of the building and what’s in it will stay the same,” Mallory said.
There are also construction plans for residential buildings. Mallory explained that every building has a lifecycle, and it must be balanced with what is feasible in terms of how long it has been used and its quality. Regarding Bonaventure Hall (Bonnie), Mallory explained that this building is at the end of its lifecycle, and there is little that can be done to improve it further. He says that while the freshmen dorms have held up well, the college has noticed that upperclassmen need more variety.
“There’s an element leadership looks at when it comes to our students, in particular, what’s ethical and what’s right, especially when it comes to the residential footprint,” Mallory said. “Between Bonaventure Hall, Gerald Hall, and Saint Scholastica, the college is looking at a format that includes two or three smaller, two story, residential houses, with apartment-style configurations. We plan to implement these over the next 8 to 10 years.”
In addition to the dorms, Mallory also addressed SVC’s decision to split with Carlow’s Nursing Program, which has resulted in concerns about what that means for the future of SVC’s nursing majors.
“It’s proposed we will be accredited by the state body to serve as a fully functioning school of nursing,” Mallory said. “[However,] it’s a growing field with cohorts bigger than thirty-plus students; thus, the logistics for a nursing program have necessitated us to look at having a new facility just for that.”
He explained that a new nursing building would be a shared facility. He expressed the possibility of “significant growth, not only in current programs but also future pursuits of adding additional ones.” Permitting everything aligns, the plan is to begin construction in the Spring or Summer of 2024.
Lastly, the restoration of the Sauerkraut Tower has been proposed. Mallory explained how Father Paul has been discerning how the building could be used. Currently, there are two options being considered. The first is for the tower to house SVC’s extensive collection of rare books. Ideally, the building would consist of five floors for books with an open middle visitor area on the first floor. The second option would repurpose the building for faculty and staff, who could use it for research purposes.
Collectively, the college is undertaking a Master Process Plan for the next 10 to 12 years’ worth of construction on campus. All the projects mentioned would be included in the master plan.
“There is a logical nature for how we think these projects need to unfold and that’s where we get a clear timeline, that’s where we look at the resources needed, either internally or externally,” said Mallory.
The college has been working together to carefully plan how these pieces fit in and how they can deliver them to both present and future generations of the SVC community.