The Center will advance the Klipsch Educators College, elevate healthcare education, and anchor a $102 million investment in community transformation and regional growth.
Marian University celebrated the groundbreaking for its new $72 million Center for Human Flourishing on June 4th.
Combined with a separate $30 million investment to transform the nearby former Larue D. Carter Hospital, renamed The Grove at Cold Spring, into a community education district, Marian University is making a total $102 million investment in Indianapolis’ near northwest side to advance educational attainment and health outcomes.
The Two Pillars of Human Flourishing
The center's name reflects Marian University’s vision of preparing leaders for service to the two foundational pillars of human flourishing: education and health.
By intentionally bringing teacher preparation, healthcare education, and medical innovation together under one roof, the Center will break down academic silos. This unified environment is designed to promote interdisciplinary collaboration, research, innovation, and community partnerships that provide experiential learning while directly combatting Indiana's critical workforce shortages.
Key Details of the Project
- - Timeline: Construction will continue through 2028, with the Center opening in Fall 2028. (The Grove at Cold Spring, will open earlier in Summer 2027).
- - Footprint: The expansion adds massive capacity across two sites, featuring modern classrooms, advanced laboratories, lecture halls, and meeting spaces:
- - 95,000 sq. ft. for the new on-campus Center, located adjacent to the university’s Tom and Julie Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine
- - 160,000 sq. ft. at The Grove at Cold Spring.
- - Design Highlight: The building features a striking entrance rotunda anchored by a large angel sculpture, reflecting Marian University’s Catholic and Franciscan identity and its commitment to educating the whole person—mind, body, and spirit.
What the Facilities Will House
Designed to catalyze access and success, research and innovation, and community collaboration, the state-of-the-art spaces are expected to serve as the shared home for:
- - Educator Preparation: The A+-rated Klipsch Educators College and its Center for Vibrant Schools, anchoring programs dedicated to community outreach and elevating academic achievement both statewide and nationally.
- - Healthcare Programs: Marian’s high-demand Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy programs.
- - Medical Research: The administrative headquarters of the Crossroads Academic Medical Institute, a premier partnership with Purdue University and statewide health systems designed to accelerate clinical innovation, secure external research funding, and aggressively improve Indiana's health metrics.
Why This Investment Matters
The Center for Human Flourishing is a definitive, proactive response to Indiana’s statewide workforce shortages. By blending elite teacher preparation, advanced healthcare education, and medical innovation, Marian University is aggressively fueling its momentum as one of Indiana's largest private universities while equipping a new generation of graduates for high-impact, high-demand careers.
"The Center for Human Flourishing is a transformational investment in Marian University and the future of Indiana," said Daniel J. Elsener, president of Marian University. "This Center will enable us to expand research, drive innovation to address critical workforce shortages, and contribute mightily to our unflagging mission of advancing human flourishing."