FORT WAYNE — Trine University will formally dedicate its new Dr. Earl D. and Melanie
N. Brooks College of Health Professions (BCHP) facility, located at 12817 Parkview
Plaza Drive, Fort Wayne, on Sept. 27.
Developed in close partnership with Parkview Health, the BCHP opened for classes this
month, with final work ongoing.
The university’s Board of Trustees voted in May 2023 to name the facility and the
academic department it houses in honor of Trine University President Earl D. Brooks
II, Ph.D., and his wife Melanie, in recognition of their transformational leadership,
commitment to excellence and impact.
“The Brooks College of Health Professions is the most ambitious single building project
in the history of Trine University. It’s been very exciting to see this facility take
shape, and we’re even more excited to share it with our students and the Greater Fort
Wayne community,” Dr. Brooks said.
“Melanie and I are honored and humbled to be recognized in this way, and proud to
be connected with a project that will greatly impact Trine students, the community
and the regional economy for many years to come.”
Largest in Trine history
Featuring 110,000 square feet of space, the BCHP is by far the largest building project
in Trine University’s history.
It offers state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories and features, in partnership
with the Parkview Mirro Center, an innovative Simulated Patient Care Center (SimCenter)
including mock surgery and Emergency Room suites and exam and patient rooms.
Parkview will use the SimCenter and other facilities in the BCHP for training its
staff.
“We’ve been proud to partner with Trine University for more than a decade to help
the university produce healthcare professionals who benefit from the quality education
Trine offers,” said Rick Henvey, CEO of Parkview Health and a member of Trine University’s
Board of Trustees. “With the Brooks College of Health Professions, we not only are
helping Trine continue to expand its programs, we’re providing another state-of-the-art
avenue of training for our dedicated professionals at Parkview.”
“We look forward to continuing to partner with Trine to meet healthcare needs, produce
well-trained medical professionals and improve the quality of life overall in this
region.”
The building also contains ample resources for student support, including a library,
gathering area, academic support and counseling services.
The new $42.5 million facility, which eventually will employ 100 faculty and staff
and serve nearly 700 students, is home to Trine’s programs in physical therapy, physician
assistant studies, occupational therapy and surgical technology. Additional degree
programs are planned.
BCHP programs offer opportunities for health sciences students on Trine’s Angola campus
to continue on to graduate school and health professions careers. Several programs
offer 3+3 options, which allow Trine students to count their first year of graduate
classes toward their undergraduate degree.
Experienced health educator
Lisa Clemens, DMSc, PA-C, a longtime medical professional with extensive ties to health
education and the Fort Wayne area, serves as dean for the Dr. Earl D. and Melanie
N. Brooks College of Health Professions.
A New Haven High School graduate, Clemens worked for Parkview Health as a physician
assistant for more than a decade before joining Trine.
She also served Parkview as director of provider professional development and director
of simulation education. In that role, she led the provider educator and simulation
educator teams, performing professional development and onboarding needs assessments
for Parkview service lines and external customers. She also planned and executed professional
development courses and events for physicians and advanced practice providers and
oversaw the accreditation and research endeavors of the accredited education institute
at the Parkview Mirro Center.
She holds a Doctor of Medical Science with a specialization in education from A.T.
Still University, a Master of Science in physician assistant studies and an Associate
of Science in biology from the University of St. Francis, and certificate in designing
and implementing simulation-based mastery learning curricula from Northwestern University.
Health education history, future
The Brooks College of Health Professions began with the university’s Doctor of Physical
Therapy (DPT) program, which launched in fall 2014 on the campus of Parkview Randallia
Hospital. As Trine added additional academic programs, a larger space was needed.
Trine University purchased an additional 43 acres of land from Parkview Health in
September 2023 to continue to grow its health professions programs.
