State-of-the-art facility to train students for careers in medical field
information provided by the Office of the Governor
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (October 3, 2019) – Governor JB Pritzker released $35.8 million for construction of an Allied Health Facility at South Suburban College in South Holland. The funding was included in the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan, the most robust capital plan in Illinois history and the first in nearly a decade.
The project includes planning and design for an approximately 130,000-square-foot, four-story facility as part of a cutting-edge teaching facility to train students for healthcare careers. Projected cost for the project is approximately $70 million, with nearly $17 million in state funding already released and the remaining funding being provided locally.
“This state-of-the-art facility will provide training for thousands of students seeking careers in medical fields, ensuring they can meet the jobs of today and providing a critical investment to the South Suburban community,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Community colleges like South Suburban are economic engines for our communities, helping to create jobs and grow our economy, and I’m proud that our Rebuild Illinois capital plan includes investments in community colleges across the state.”
“This is a great day for the South Suburban College community,” said Frank M. Zuccarelli, Chairman of the SSC Board of Trustees. “This capital addition will provide state-of-the art teaching and lab facilities that will allow us to both expand and enhance our current healthcare programs, as well as bring new exciting curriculum to our students to prepare them for highly skilled, in-demand jobs. Our Southland community deserves the opportunities that this facility will provide to them, and I commend Governor Pritzker and our legislators for making this happen for all of our talented faculty, staff, and students.”
With an average of 24 percent of South Suburban College students choosing career pathways in nursing and allied health professions, this new facility will help meet growing student demand for health-related education and training. The facility will provide training for healthcare careers such as registered nurses and nursing assistants, community health workers, emergency medical technicians, radiologists, echocardiography technicians, occupational therapy assistants, phlebotomists, pharmacy technicians, medical assistants, and medical records and coding specialists. The facility will also provide space for new career programs including dental hygiene, respiratory technician, physical therapy assistant, and patient care technician, in addition to a community health center and child care center.
About South Suburban College
South Suburban College is a community college located in South Holland, Illinois, and with an extension site in Oak Forest, serving 21 communities, including parts of the Chicago Southland and northwest Indiana. South Suburban College serves more than 9,000 students annually and offers more than 100 program options to those students. In September, South Suburban Community College officially received its full reaccreditation for the maximum period of ten years from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
