Lebanon Valley College Dedicates $20 Million Arnold Health Professions Pavilion

The Jeanne and Edward H. Arnold Health Professions Pavilion opened officially today as the new home of the College’s Athletic Training, Exercise Science, and Physical Therapy programs. An extraordinary $10 million gift from Jeanne Donlevy Arnold H’08, a member of the College’s Board of Trustees, and Edward H. Arnold H’87, trustee emeritus, as well as gifts from many other friends of Lebanon Valley College, brought the $20 million-dollar facility to life. 

Visit here to see a video regarding the Arnold Pavilion.

“We believe in LVC and the outstanding education it provides to all its students,” said Jeanne, College trustee and former vice president of WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital. “Graduates trained in the new health professions pavilion will help meet the nation’s growing need for skilled health practitioners and will provide graduates with challenging and fulfilling careers.” Her husband, Ed, trustee emeritus, added, “Because of the country’s aging population, which is particularly relevant in the Lebanon Valley, there is a great need for the highly talented health professions graduates LVC will develop.” 

“The opening of the Jeanne and Edward H. Arnold Health Professions Pavilion is a milestone in the life of our College,” said President Lewis E. Thayne. “It signals our commitment to providing our students with exceptional learning spaces, as well as our commitment to the wellbeing of this region.”

LVC’s growing health professions majors will produce highly trained graduates for an industry that is projected to add more jobs—more than four million—than any other industry between 2012 and 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

With extensive input from LVC faculty and students, the architects from Stantec and Breslin Ridyard Fadero Architects, working closely with Benchmark Construction, designed the Arnold Pavilion to promote spontaneous interaction, support individualized learning, and allow ample natural light flow throughout the space. Learning commons are dispersed throughout the facility, offering formal spaces for quiet study, team rooms for collaborative learning, and breakout spaces for all students to study or socialize. 

“Assisting the design team has been a true pleasure,” said Gwen Breslin, architect and senior associate of Breslin Ridyard Fadero Architects. “Our purpose and goal was to bring together furnishings and equipment to enhance the experience of the facility’s many remarkable spaces. The project is a testament to the College’s vision and commitment to providing its students with top-notch, innovative, 21st-century learning environments.”

The Arnold Pavilion will have advanced learning spaces throughout including a Human Performance Laboratory that puts sports biomechanics equipment at the fingertips of LVC students. This equipment, typically only found at upper-level graduate programs and research institutions, will enable students to use new 3-D Motion Capture, Forceplate, and Electromyography Systems. 

“In partnering with Lebanon Valley College, we focused on designing a setting that supports individualized learning, provides flexible space as programs and technology evolve, and establishes an iconic destination on campus,” said Alex Wing, principal in higher education at Stantec. “We’re proud to support Lebanon Valley College in bringing this cutting-edge facility to life.” 

The Arnold Pavilion was designed for LEED Gold certification, a reflection of LVC’s commitment to sustainability. It includes a building-length terrace that overlooks Henry and Gladys Arnold Field, the campus, and the Lebanon Valley. Outdoor seating, along with an adjacent food/beverage area, creates an ideal setting for functions, social interaction, and collaboration outside the classroom. 

“Benchmark Construction has been involved with many projects for institutions of higher education throughout the region, and in our experience, this academic facility is a clear differentiator for Lebanon Valley College,” said Andy Gilberg, Benchmark’s vice president of higher education.