Wellness Center-History Wellness Center-History Wellness Center-History
The Minot State Wellness Center was opened in 2012, but it has been planned for over ten years. At the request of Minot State students and their demand for better facilities, student fees were raised to fund the project.
Also, the need for the new center arose from the remodeling of Swain Hall into an academic building. The Swain is now the home for the College of Education and Health Sciences in addition to expanded classroom, office and lab space for education and the sciences. The gymnasium in Swain that previously served as a multipurpose facility that handled athletic practices, intramurals and other student activities is now the primary pedagogical laboratory for the Department of Teacher Education and Human Performance.
This idea of an expanded wellness center was first suggested by campus master planners as a way to better utilize the swimming pool and locker rooms in the Student Center. Concerns with space limitations at that site resulted in consideration being given to other possible locations. The one that made the most sense to project architects is adjacent to the Dome. This site takes advantage of some features already in place in that fine facility.
At the same time and as part of a desire to improve services to students there is an opportunity to house student health, and disability, testing and counseling services in a more accessible location for students. Couple this with the potential to address a long needed location for child care services and it created a powerful argument for a new building.
The final piece of this dynamic puzzle is the need for more space for one of the most in-demand majors on campus; nursing. A plan to expand facilities for a growing nursing program adds to the list of critical needs and has resulted in the new working concept of a Health and Wellness Center.
An expanded nursing program would include state-of-the-art simulation laboratories and potential new related programs in geriatrics/gerontology, sports medicine, and athletic training. This expanded program has potential to support and provide new services for retired populations while also providing academic training for healthcare professionals and collaboration with community and regional health providers.
The vision of many has come to fruition as the Minot State Wellness Center is open and provides students with a place to be healthy and a facility to be proud of. Improvements in the future to expand the nursing program is another vision and dream of many at Minot State and will hopefully be brought to life in the near future.
