Amanda Ayres ’26 and Ava La Bruno ’27

by Amanda Ayres ’26 and Ava La Bruno ’27 on September 25, 2025

On Tuesday, Sept. 16, Student Congress was pleased to welcome Dr. Kyle McInnis, the Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, to our general assembly meeting. We learned that he was specifically recruited by Father Sicard O.P. ’78, ’82G due to his previous experience creating a nursing school at Merrimack College. According to Father Sicard, the introduction of the nursing and health sciences programs was able to“naturally flow from and support the Catholic and Dominican mission of Providence College.”

Dr. McInnis shared the creation of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences was a three and a half year project from conception to completion, with the Ben Mondor School of Nursing and Health Sciences being constructed at a record pace of 18months. This building now holds the title of the largest construction project in the school’s history, dethroning the recently completed Shanley Hall. The massive building is a symbol of the growth mindset that Providence College is known for. “Every student needs a 15 foot mahogany door,” said Dr. McInnis, and behind these doors is a world of scientific inquiry and educational innovation.

This new building features various state-of-the-art technologies, such as 33 simulation manikins, a human performance lab, and an environmental chamber able to simulate temperature, air pressure, humidity, and other conditions of any environment on Earth. Dr. McInnis also presented one of the most advanced pieces of technology: an AI-powered manikin, “Hal”, who can simulate different medical conditions, respond to AED paddles, and even offer information about his alternate personalities, one of which is a surfer!

He then began detailing the three different Bachelor of Science degrees offered: nursing, health sciences, and health policy and management. This program has proven to be highly competitive, despite only being created three years ago. Students in the nursing program also complete over 800 hours of clinical work at various sites throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts, such as Brown University, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, and UMass Memorial Hospital.

Executive President, Jack Brodin ’26, then opened the room to any questions and Caroline Stanton ’26 asked Dr. McInnis about the plans to expand the breadth of programs offered. He said that within the next few years they hope to introduce graduate programs to the school. This would hopefully include a generic direct entry nursing program in partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital, as well as nurse practitioner, physician assistant, and physical therapy programs. Student Congress was grateful to Dr. McInnis for presenting what the Mondor School of Nursing and Health Sciences currently is, and being open and honest about where it plans to grow. For the rest of the meeting, SCB 7601 regarding the Elections Calendar for the 2025-2026 academic year was passed, and no new legislation was introduced.