New Classrooms and Expanded Labs: What's New on MCPHS's Boston Campus

Take a look at the flexible classrooms, expanded labs, refreshed residence halls, and new academic spaces awaiting MCPHS students.

This article was originally written for MCPHS by Dana Barbuto.

Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) Boston campus, where students will find flexible classrooms, expanded labs, refreshed residence halls, and new academic spaces this fall.

One of the most visible changes is White 101, a newly renovated lecture hall located just off the Atrium. A 16-by-9-foot LED video wall now dominates the front of the room, but the technology is only part of the transformation.

The old stadium-style seating and sloped floor have been replaced with tables and chairs that can be rearranged for lectures, group work, and events. The room now seats 102 students during classes.

“We reduced the capacity of the room, but made it multi-purpose,” says Tom Scanlon, chief information officer at MCPHS. “You can move the tables and chairs around. With the raked seating, you couldn't because everything was bolted down.”

White 101 also has fresh paint, carpeting, lighting, audiovisual equipment, and wider entrances connecting it to the Atrium. The result is a more adaptable learning environment where students can shift more easily between listening, discussing, and working together.

Expanded labs for growing health programs

MCPHS has also expanded several hands-on learning spaces to support growing programs.

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography suite is increasing from 13 to 24 stations, with an additional lab room containing eight stations. Scanlon says the project nearly doubles the lab's capacity.

The radiography lab is growing from two machines to four and expanding into an adjacent space. In Matricaria, another lab has been renovated for Anatomy & Physiology courses, with new audiovisual equipment and improvements to building access and exit routes.

Other rooms in the White Building are being repurposed for students. A former Student Affairs space is becoming a classroom for more than 60 students, while another room will become an acupuncture training suite with space for practical learning.

More space for student support and academics

Several student service offices are moving within One Palace Road. Student Affairs, Counseling, Residence Life, and International Studies will occupy the third floor, while the Office of Student Success and Achievement and the Dean of Students will be located on the second floor.

These moves are opening up additional space elsewhere. In Fennell, the former Dean of Students area is being refurbished into approximately 20,000 square feet of academic space, creating room for future classrooms and learning facilities.

Residence hall improvements

Students living in Fennell will also see updates. Wi-Fi access points have been upgraded, and residence hall floors have received new carpeting and paint.

A shower area on the fourth floor has been renovated with new tile floors and stalls. According to Scanlon, the updated space will serve as a model for future renovations on the upper floors.

Infrastructure that supports the campus

Some important projects may be less noticeable to students, but they are designed to strengthen the campus for years to come.

A new 285-kilowatt generator has been installed on the roof and is nearing activation. Scanlon says it is designed to provide full power to the campus and reduce the University's reliance on local utilities.

“This is one of those infrastructure improvements happening behind the scenes that no one notices,” he says, “but it has a big impact.”

Growing the academic and research footprint

MCPHS is also preparing to reclaim the Channing Labs, which Brigham and Women's Hospital has been leasing from the University. The labs are expected to return to MCPHS in October.

The University plans to connect the existing Fennell space with the Channing Labs area, adding thousands of square feet to its academic and research footprint. Future work will include levelling floors, adding windows, and installing lighting.

For prospective students, these projects offer a look at how the Boston campus is evolving to support collaborative classes, hands-on training, student services, research, and campus life.