Sinclair Board of Trustees Approves Largest Strategic Investment in Forty Years

On March 10, 2015, Sinclair College's Board of Trustees approved the largest investment in people, programs and places in forty years. The trustees approved $32 million in project funding for a revamped health sciences center and strategy, an expanded National UAS Training and Certification Center, and a newly integrated student services center.

"Today is an exciting day for Sinclair College and for our students and community," Sinclair President Steve Johnson said. "This investment is one of the largest in our college's history and every dollar is aimed towards improving our local economy and in improving student success. Thanks to our Board of Trustees for their leadership and I look forward to working with our faculty and staff to maximize this strategic investment."

Below is a brief description of each of the projects approved by the Sinclair Board:

Health Sciences Center – $25 million

Sinclair will consolidate its health care programs into one facility with the renovation of and addition to an existing building.  This will enable efficiencies of scale and operations and encourage inter-professional education, an area of expanding importance in producing job-ready professionals.  It will also free up space on campus for future educational innovations. The new Center will provide a state-of-the-art education and training facility, not just for Sinclair students, but also for the tens of thousands of regional incumbent health care workers who need to learn new skills and approaches for emerging health care practices.

National UAS Training and Certification Center - $5 million

Sinclair is combining the strengths of its Aviation Technology programs with its growing UAS programs to create the National UAS Training and Certification Center.  This unique center will involve the adaptive reuse of the entire first floor of an existing building as well as the construction of an innovative two-and-a-half story, free-standing “flying pavilion” for UAS calibration and flight training.  The facilities will enable cost-sharing and collaborative instruction between the UAS and Aviation programs, as well as easily-accessible spaces for workforce development training.

Integrated Student Services Center - $2 million

Sinclair has been a national leader in programs resulting in greater student completion, knowing that about two-thirds of jobs in 2020 will require some post-secondary credential.  To further facilitate these efforts, the college will undergo renovations in two buildings where most student services are currently located.  The renovations, combined with cross-training of Sinclair staff, will enable high quality, individualized service, to assist students with career and academic advising, financial aid, registration, and other key enrollment and retention services.

"Sinclair needs to continue to innovate to provide better and more efficient and more impactful services for our students," Sinclair Faculty Senate President Mike Oaster said. "This is an investment in people and in a better way to conduct our business and I'm excited to work with my colleagues as this process moves forward."

Throughout the nation, Sinclair is known for its innovation and leadership.  For over 128 years, the Dayton region has benefitted from this excellence in meeting emerging community need through partnerships and strategic investments.