Shawmut Design and Construction completes Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Center for Well-Being

March 10, 2023 - Front Section

Shown (from left) are: Meghan Vincent, architect, LPA|A; Annette Valdez, project manager, Shawmut; Eric Beattie,
vice president for campus planning and facilities management, WPI; Charles Morse,dean of student wellness, WPI;
Josiah Herbert, project executive, Shawmut; Philip Clay, senior vice president for student affairs, WPI;
Sean Brennan, architect, LPA|A; and Cory Jackson, assistant superintendent, Shawmut.

Worcester, MA Shawmut Design and Construction joined Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) on January 26^th to cut the ribbon on the Center for Well-Being, a groundbreaking model of wellness programming and support for the WPI campus community.

Spanning nearly 3,000 s/f, the new center – designed by Lamoureux Pagano Associates | Architects – includes a welcome desk staffed by students serving as Peer Well-Being Ambassadors, staff offices, and a wellness hub with comfortable seating where students can connect or relax. The center also features a programming room for hosting wellness activities and a rest and recovery room equipped with a zero-gravity chair, compression boots, and red-light therapy. The center is adjacent to new spaces for Student Health Services, which relocated from another area of the campus and additional offices for the Student Development and Counseling Center.

“Creating a space for our longtime partners at WPI focused on student wellness was something our team took immense pride in,” said Ryan Lynch, vice president of education for Shawmut Design and Construction’s New England region. “As a cross-functional hub, this state-of-the-art center will enable a unique holistic approach to fostering student and community well-being and offers a supportive space for all members of the WPI community to gather and recharge.”

“The connection between mind, body, and spirit is undeniable, and the creation of the Center for Well-Being and the establishment of the Health & Wellness Collaborative demonstrates a thoughtful and holistic approach to more fully supporting the wellness of every individual in the WPI community,” said Winston Soboyejo, WPI interim-president. “Academic success is best achieved when a student’s needs are met such that they can thrive both in and out of the classroom. This ethos of care also extends to supporting our faculty and staff in their work. I am truly grateful for all who worked tirelessly to bring this center – and this collaborative – to fruition, and I believe WPI’s experience can ultimately benefit others.”

To help foster a more holistic approach to student health and well-being, the university has also co-located the new center with its Student Health Services (SHS) and offices for the Student Development and Counseling Center (SDCC). The convergence of these three entities, plus WPI’s Office of Accessibility Services, comprises WPI’s pioneering Health & Wellness Collaborative. The overall project positions these significant health and well-being services next to the campus quad in an area well-traveled by students heading to the university’s largest dining hall.