The University of Dayton’s new Health and Wellbeing Center will open its doors and begin providing services to students at the new student health and counseling centers on Monday, Aug. 3.
Over the past 17 months, UD has gone from breaking ground to preparing to welcome students into a new, 34,200-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility. The expansion of the RecPlex is part of UD’s commitment to educating and caring for the whole person — mind, body and spirit.
“This new center reflects our Catholic, Marianist commitment to the dignity of every person and to providing care, support and outstanding services to our students,” said University of Dayton President Eric F. Spina. “Health and wellbeing are integral to student success, and our students and their families should know that excellent services and compassionate care are available here at UD.”
The new UD Student Health Center will allow the University to serve more students through increased space and staffing, including additional exam and procedure rooms and advanced medical equipment. In recognition of Mary Boosalis’ generosity, the University will name the second-floor suite that houses the student health center in her honor.
The UD Counseling Center will enhance student mental health services through expanded space for individual counseling, group counseling and other mental health services to meet increased demand. In recognizing the generosity of Dr. Elizabeth Hardy and Rick Omlor, the University will name the suite that houses the counseling center in their honor.
“This facility allows us to take a more holistic approach to student care in a setting designed specifically for students’ needs,” said Melissa Longino, assistant vice president for health and wellbeing and executive director of campus recreation. “By expanding our medical and counseling spaces alongside dynamic new fitness areas, we can serve more students, offer broader programming, and provide every student a clear path to supporting their physical, mental, and social health and wellbeing.”
Additional highlights of the new centers and expanded RecPlex include:
- A dedicated, private emergency transport area for any student who needs higher-level medical care.
- Specialized spaces designed to reduce anxiety and support trauma-informed care.
- Expanded area for group therapy to serve more students simultaneously in a supportive peer environment.
- Expanded weight-lifting space and a new fitness studio.
- An outdoor plaza and indoor tranquility garden.
- A new lactation room.
The expanded center also will provide additional experiential learning opportunities for students, including UD Campus Recreation staff, master’s-level clinical mental health trainees and future partnerships with academic programs such as nursing, physician assistant and physical therapy.
“This was a much-needed improvement to our campus facilities,” said Rick Krysiak, vice president for facilities management and planning and auxiliary services. “We’re grateful for the strong partnerships that helped bring this project to fruition. We’re excited for students to begin using the new space.”
The UD Health and Wellbeing Center was made possible in part by generous philanthropic support, including nearly $5 million in gifts from four past UD board chairs — Mary Boosalis, Steve Cobb, Rick Omlor and Dave Yeager — and their spouses. Their generosity reflects a shared commitment to supporting students’ mental, emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing and helped advance the University’s vision for a modern, accessible center for care, connection and growth.
The previously communicated health and wellbeing charge will support operational costs, including student access to medical and mental health services, point-of-care tests, flu shots, UD Crisis Line access, fitness classes and intramural sports.