Jacobs, Kennedy, Ryan Announce $5 Million for D'Youville Health Professions Hub

(Buffalo, NY) – New York State Senator Chris Jacobs (60^th SD), State Senator Tim Kennedy (63^rd SD) and Assemblyman Sean Ryan (149^th AD) announced $5 million in higher education capital funding to support the construction of a 50,000 square foot Health Professions Hub on the D’Youville College campus.

“The Health Professions Hub is a very visionary project that will fulfill a number of important needs for D’Youville College, the healthcare industry, and medically underserved residents of the City of Buffalo,” said Senator Jacobs.  “The great return on the state’s investment of these resources will be seen in the exceptional students entering the health professions in our community and the improved health and wellbeing of some of our most vulnerable citizens.”

"As a former occupational therapist and a proud D'Youville grad, I know first-hand just how transformative this state-of-the-art Health Professions Hub will be to students, staff, and the entire community," said Senator Tim Kennedy. "This will not only be a game-changer in the way we educate and train the next generation of healthcare professionals, but it will enhance the medical services and opportunities available to folks who call Buffalo's west side home."

“The Health Professions Hub will allow D’Youville College to further cement its reputation as a leader in Western New York Healthcare,” said Assemblyman Sean Ryan.  “This center will produce leaders in our health professions, and the community clinic will allow our refugee community, as well as others in need of medical care to receive treatment and services they desperately need.  This Hub is a tremendous addition to our community, and I’m excited to see the positive effects this project will have on our region.”

The roughly $20 million facility will function as a training center for students in D’Youville’s health professions programs and existing professionals in the constantly changing healthcare industry.  In addition to providing  workforce development training programs for people looking to enter health professions, the hub will function as a community clinic, providing much needed medical care to the very diverse population on Buffalo’s west side. 

D’Youville is a comprehensive health professions college that has long been recognized for the excellence in its programming, employment outcomes and post-graduation salaries.  Their vision in creating the Health Professions Hub stems from the region’s growing employment demands in the healthcare sector, the inequities in the regional health workforce and provision of healthcare services, and the college’s desire to utilize its assets to alleviate these needs.

“We are honored to receive the largest award in D’Youville’s history as this grant is a transformative step in opening up a world of opportunity for our students, college, and community, helping to establish Western New York as a premier location for health career enhancement,” said D'Youville President Lorrie Clemo, PhD.  “I would like to thank D’Youville distinguished faculty and thought leaders, State Senator Chris Jacobs, Assemblyman Sean Ryan, Senator Tim Kennedy, and the entire Western New York delegation whose tireless efforts went into procuring this extraordinary award, and helping us to achieve our vision of creating a beacon for health professions for the State and beyond,” said Clemo.