Florida A&M University (FAMU) is the new owner of the former FAMU Credit Union building that will be the School of Allied Health Sciences’ Allied Health Professions Learning Center for faculty and students. Located adjacent to the campus, the two-story building, known as Lettman Square, will be a site for faculty and students’ experiential learning and to treat members of the community.
“This address, 1550 Melvin Street, was once the place where Tallahassee residents banked their money and invested in their future. In a similar vein, this facility will be used to advance the future of Allied Health Sciences to the benefit of our faculty, staff, students, this community, and all of the special places our graduates will go and provide health care to others,” FAMU President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., told administrators, faculty, students and staff gathered for the announcement.
“This investment will help ensure that our students continue to have high licensure passage rates and are ready for the tasks ahead, upon graduation.”
Robinson thanked School of Allied Health Sciences Dean Mary Simmons, Ph.D., her faculty and staff, Title III Program Director Erick Akins, Ph.D., Special Projects Coordinator Delores Glover, the development, legal and facilities teams, and Office of the Provost who helped bring the project to fruition.
Dean Simmons said the acquisition enables students to gain real time experience in a clinical setting while providing non-invasive treatment working with faculty, other students, and community members. The goal is to have students and faculty in the facility by August 2024.
“With the acquisition of this new building, we are poised to revolutionize the way we educate our students, provide experiential learning opportunities, and foster faculty development,” Simmons said. “This marks a new chapter in our journey, one that will undoubtedly shape the future of healthcare professionals.”
Through its Title III Program Office, the University acquired the $640,000 property on October 31, 2023, using federal funds. Glover thanked the U.S. Department of Education’s Institutional Service Division for their approval.
“It is the first time FAMU considered using Title III’s, Historically Black Graduate Institution funding since it was included in the legislation,” said Glover, speaking on behalf of her boss Director Akins. “Therefore, it is a historic opportunity for the University.”
This purchase provides support for the University’s strategic Priorities of Student Success and Academic Excellence and one of Title III’s internal strategies 2.1.8, which is the advancement of Healthcare Education, officials said.
About 1,400 students are enrolled in the School of Allied Health Sciences’ six divisions and nine programs, which include Cardiopulmonary Science, Health Care Management, Health Information and Informatics Management, Health Science General, Pre-Physical Therapy, Pre-Occupational Therapy, Master of Science in Health Care Administration, Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, and Doctor of Physical Therapy.
