LAFAYETTE, IN — Just more than 150 years after the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration migrated to Lafayette from Germany, the educational institution they helped found is returning to the city’s north end.
At a grand opening ceremony for the University of Saint Francis Lafayette campus, university President Lance Richey said it’s great to be back in the institution’s founding city.
The University of Saint Francis was founded by the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration in 1890, operating here until 1944, when the university relocated to Fort Wayne.
The university has since grown from its Fort Wayne headquarters to campuses in Crown Point, Indianapolis and Gas City.
The new three-story facility named Our Lady of Lourdes Hall was donated by Franciscan Health, formerly the location of the hospital’s Bill Long Medical Building. The refurbishment of the property into an educational facility and office space was made possible by a $3.5 million donation by an anonymous donor.
Although the site began serving students in the spring through mostly online classes, Katie Dwyer, vice president of marketing and enrollment for the University of St. Francis, said about 65 students will arrive at the Lafayette campus in the fall.
Richey said much like the spirit the original Sisters of St. Francis intended by founding the school in Lafayette, he hopes the new location will help to fill a critical need for health-care professionals.
“In these classrooms and labs licensure, we will deliver high-demand certificate licensure and degree programs that not only meet the needs of our community but will also transform the lives of our students and their families through the careers this education opens for them,” Richey said. “Healing, education, service, personal transformation — these are the hallmarks of the ministry of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, and it’s because of their support and inspiration that the University of St. Francis can continue its mission to prepare students for personal and professional lives of virtue, service and joy here in Lafayette. That work starts now.”
The school will offer certificate programs alongside two- and four-year degrees in health-care roles, Provost and Academic Dean Angie Harrell said. Given the new facility’s location, Harrell said the university hopes it can affect many lives of potential students on the city’s north end.
“No one institution can do it all to address the shortages in health care, but we can do our part in helping meet that need in our own community,” Harrell said.
After a prayer by Bishop Timothy Doherty, he and Sister Maria Gemma Salyer sprinkled holy water in the rooms and facilities across the building’s first floor. Ensuring the sisters were included was important given their role in the university.
“This is their ministry, and there’s nothing in canon law that says that a sister can’t sprinkle some of this water to help celebrate this wonderful inauguration,” Doherty said.
In a room packed with local officials and staff members from Franciscan and the University of St. Francis, Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski said it was important for the university to see the support of the community gathered Tuesday.
“We are grateful to God. We are grateful to the sisters, to the bishops, for everybody that played a role, and to the donors that made this possible,” Roswarski said. “Today, it is incredibly important that we have opportunities for people in our community to obtain this education, these licenses, these certifications, for the many, many jobs in health care that need filled.”
Before releasing the crowd to explore the newly blessed facility and enjoy light refreshments, Richey said there was one imperfection he needed to warn guests of before venturing to the upper floors.
“Unfortunately, the devil always has his say, and our elevator is a little persnickety today,” Richey said, earning laughs from the crowd. “Perfection is only found in heaven, and that is even through here today.”
Jillian Ellison is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. She can be reached via email at jellison@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: University of St. Francis returns to Lafayette, eyeing health-care needs
Reporting by Jillian Ellison, Lafayette Journal & Courier / Lafayette Journal & Courier
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