Construction is underway for a new Health Sciences Institute at Eastern Florida State College’s flagship Melbourne Campus. The project is part of a larger 10 year expansion for the college.
The new $20 million, 60 thousand square foot Health Sciences Institute will have specialized labs for students studying nursing, radiography, surgical technology and physical therapy.
Eastern Florida State College is expanding programs mainly in the areas of health care, business and computer technology. John Glisch, Associate Vice President of Communications, said the majority of the college’s students are Brevard residents.
“The average age of our bachelor students is 34, 35, so it’s just a tremendous opportunity for them to come back to school and get degrees that they maybe wanted to get but couldn’t for a variety of different reasons including having to maybe travel too far to go to school, costs. Most of them are married and raising families,” Glisch said.
He said a recent study shows graduates from the new institute are expected to add about $6.3 million annually to the local economy through their salaries and spending power.
The institute, funded with state dollars, is scheduled to open early 2017. It’s the second of six new buildings planned for Eastern Florida State College’s Melbourne campus. Just last year, a new Public Safety Institute opened for those studying criminal justice.