Goshen’s New Home for Healthcare Education

Center for Nursing and Public Health

at Westlawn

State-of-the-art learning spaces advancing nursing and public health education at Goshen College and supporting healthcare excellence across the region.

The Center for Nursing and Public Health at Westlawn brings together advanced learning spaces, hands-on simulation labs and community partnership under one roof. Designed to expand Goshen College’s impact and respond to a growing regional need for healthcare professionals, the center supports students, educators and healthcare partners by providing enhanced learning spaces for our programs and expanding access to experiential learning and cutting-edge technology for the community.

Inside the Center

Purpose-built for the future of healthcare education, the Center for Nursing and Public Health combines innovative design with cutting-edge learning environments. These spaces prepare learners to step confidently into clinical and community settings.

Inside you’ll find:

  • Inpatient simulation rooms
  • High-fidelity exam rooms
  • 10-bed skills lab
  • Flexible classrooms and study spaces
  • Student lounges and faculty offices
  • Simulation center available for public and professional use
Students working as a group to insert an IV into a manikin arm

Nursing and Public Health Programs at Goshen College

 

Home to one of Indiana’s top-ranked nursing programs, the Center for Nursing and Public Health supports undergraduate, graduate and doctoral nursing education rooted in compassionate, culturally responsive care. From opening the first BSN program in Indiana in 1950 to today’s advanced practice degrees, Goshen College has been preparing healthcare leaders to serve their communities with confidence and purpose.

    In the new Center for Nursing and Public Health, students are able to practice their essential nursing skills with the latest technology to support it.

    Simulation Lab for Community and Professional Training

     

    The Westlawn Simulation Center aims to extend world-class healthcare education beyond campus classes, offering healthcare organizations, educators and community groups access to advanced nursing technology and immersive learning environments. From clinical skills training to medical scenario simulations, the lab supports high-impact, real-world learning.

    Learn more about the Westlawn Simulation Center

    About Westlawn

    Quick facts:

    • Originally built: 1951
    • Renovation Groundbreaking: September 1, 2023
    • Reopened: May 7, 2025
    • Nursing space expanded from 6,000 to 18,000 square feet

    Before its transformation, Westlawn played a steady and evolving role in campus life at Goshen College. Built in 1951 as a residential hall, the building was home to generations of students and a place where daily rhythms of campus life unfolded. Over time, the first floor became home to the campus dining hall, making Westlawn a natural gathering point where students, faculty and staff came together over meals. As residential needs shifted, the upper floors transitioned away from housing, and for the past 25 years the second and third floors served primarily as campus storage, supporting the behind-the-scenes work of the college.

    While much of Westlawn’s activity moved out of sight, the building remained central to the campus experience through its dining services. Prior to the current renovation, the dining hall and kitchens continued to serve the campus but were ready for renewal to meet evolving needs and expectations. The renovation builds on this history, refreshing and modernizing dining and kitchen spaces while introducing new community gathering and study areas on the first floor. Together, these updates honor Westlawn’s legacy as a place of connection and prepare it for a new chapter as a hub for learning, care and community.