Pictured is a digital rendering of the 32,000-square-foot expansion which will include a pro bono physical therapy clinic on the north side of Fort Wayne. Photo provided by Manchester University.

News Release

FORT WAYNE — Manchester University President Dave McFadden announced Monday, Dec. 12, that Manchester University is investing more than $20 million in its health science hub in Fort Wayne.

Dave McFadden

“Our health care offerings in Fort Wayne are growing, and we need more space,” he said. “Manchester University Fort Wayne will also get a brand-new look with its 32,000-square-foot expansion on the Parkview Health campus.”

He described this expansion as a strategic move that strengthens Manchester’s commitment to its neighbors in northeast Indiana and expands its education opportunities in health careers that are in high demand, such as physical therapy and nursing.

“Manchester’s expansion will be good for the region and help us meet critical health care needs in our communities,” said Parkview Health Chief Executive Officer Mike Packnett.

The expansion will feature a pro bono physical therapy clinic focusing on amputees, providing students and faculty with hands-on opportunities to serve a high-need population in the region. Other new additions include a state-of-the-art lab, research and classroom spaces, nursing simulation and skills laboratory and a variety of versatile collaboration areas for students.

The University will replace the existing facade facing Diebold Road to include a new entrance and two-story addition. There also will be a significant bump-out on the back of the existing nursing suite and a new cafe and patio.

The expansion and some recent renovation incorporate education upgrades for current programs: Doctor of Pharmacy, Master of Athletic Training, Master of Science in Pharmacogenomics and Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Accepting students now, the Doctor of Physical Therapy begins in May 2023, and the cutting-edge Master of Science in Nutrition and Nutrigenomics begins in fall of 2023. Students now in Manchester’s traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing track will do their final two years in Fort Wayne after two years at the North Manchester campus.

“We are designing Manchester University Fort Wayne for those who will practice well into the 21st century,” said W. Thomas Smith, dean of health sciences and pharmacy. “We are maximizing our space to accommodate today’s learners.”

Students will find more collaborative spaces, portable whiteboards and modular furniture, an inviting sandwich and coffee shop and nooks where two or three students can study or work together on a project, he said.

Groundbreaking for the expansion is expected in spring of 2023 with anticipated completion in the fall of 2024. The current building is 80,000 square feet.

“Manchester’s success in the health professions began in 2012 with our Pharmacy Program and what was then a state-of-the-art building in Fort Wayne,” McFadden said. “Those were funded through a $35 million grant from Lilly Endowment that helped the University to create a space where health science professionals can learn and grow together.” Manchester’s next step was to establish the first pharmacogenomics master’s degree program in the nation in 2016 followed in 2018 by a dual degree in pharmacy and pharmacogenomics.

Each of its health science graduate programs focuses on interprofessional collaborations, so grouping them in one place has been an effective strategy. Manchester also has clinical rotation partnerships with health care providers throughout northeast Indiana.

Manchester has long offered successful, well-regarded undergraduate programs in the health and natural sciences at its campus in North Manchester.