College celebrates Grappone Hall, new home of the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences

With the snip of ceremonial scissors, a new chapter in the storied history of Saint Anselm’s health care education was underway.

The college officially opened the doors to Grappone Hall, the new home of the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Sept. 5. The 45,000-square-foot, $35M facility represents the largest capital investment in Saint Anselm history and a significant step forward in addressing New Hampshire's critical healthcare workforce shortage.

Roger ’70, HD’06 and Francine Jean made a transformational gift commitment of $10 million to name the school. Beverly and Bob Grappone P’04, HD’21 made a leadership commitment of $5 million to name the state-of-the-art facility. There have been 12 gifts of $1M or more.

In his remarks, Roger Jean remembered a conversation with the Chief Nursing Officer of Massachusetts General Hospital who believed nurses with Liberal Arts backgrounds view their patients differently. “They don’t just see them as patients, but also as people as well,” he said.

“Fran and I are convinced that our nursing and health science students have this attribute because of their exposure to excellent professional training and a sound core Liberal Arts education,” he added. “This attribute reminds us that caring for the sick, promoting wellness and advancing health is not only a profession but a vocation. This School will prepare generations of students to go out into the world with skills in their hands, knowledge in their minds, and compassion in their hearts.”

Grappone Hall features a seven-lab simulation center with high-fidelity virtual patients, a 150-seat multimedia auditorium, collaborative learning spaces for anatomy and physiology, and multi-purpose community spaces. The simulation center includes specialized environments for labor and delivery, pediatrics, medical/surgical care, intensive care, home health, mental health, and a complete simulated nursing unit.

A registered nurse, Bev Grappone shared her story as a young person who felt the calling to be a nurse at the age of four.

“To be trained as a nurse is one thing. To be prepared for that incredible work at a place that makes you ready to offer yourselves wholly to the care of others, well that is something much, much more,” she said. “That is what has happened on this campus for decades, and that is what will be happening inside this building for decades to come. All of us working together to shape the heart of a nurse.”

Following an opening prayer by Rev. Francis McCarty, O.S.B. ’10, a number of speakers echoed their excitement for the new home of the college’s health care education. Jim Flanagan P’23, P’25, the Senior Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer, served as the master of ceremonies.

Dr. Diane Uzarski, the founding Dean of the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences, summed up the mood of the day with one word: “Wow!”

“This new building sits right on the campus quad for a reason. It’s not a siloed compound where healthcare education happens, but a hub of interdisciplinary conversation and activity in which we all share,” she said. “Everyone at Saint Anselm, and many people beyond this campus, will share in the education and formation of compassionate healthcare professionals, people who will graduate from this school and have positive impacts on the lives of countless people throughout New England, this country, and the world.”

Saint Anselm College first welcomed nurses to the campus more than 70 years ago, in 1952. The program was begun at the request of Margeret Amsbury, a nurse at what is now known as the Manchester Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Ruth Bagley, a nurse leader at Elliot Hospital. The program was established by Rev. Bernard Holmes, O.S.B. and Bagley, who would become the first directress of nursing.

Today, the program is nationally recognized, with students consistently outpacing the national average of the NCLEX licensure exam; the class of 2024 had a 99% pass rate while the national average is 88%. Health Sciences and Public Health majors have been added in recent years and majors in Exercise Science and Kinesiology are under consideration.

The two-year Campaign for the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences is the largest project-based campaign in the history of Saint Anselm. Through its ambitious $40M goal, the campaign is directing $32M toward the construction of Grappone Hall and $8M for scholarships and programs.

As of the ribbon cutting, the campaign had raised $37 million dollars. Board of Trustees Vice Chair Jeb Lavalle ’82 pointed out that the original campaign goal was set at $30 million dollars, but the board and college leadership committed to an additional $10M to propel the Jean School and Grappone Hall well into the future.

Also in attendance were U.S. Sen. Jean Shaheen (NH-D) and U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-D). Both Sen. Shaheen and Rep. Pappas have been steadfast supporters of healthcare and higher education in New Hampshire. Together, they secured two federal grants totaling $4.7 million dollars to benefit the Jean School at Grappone Hall.

President Joseph A. Favazza, Ph.D., told the crowd of more than 500 that the ribbon-cutting represented the fulfillment of a shared and determined vision.

“Ponder the fact that this building, comprised of three stories, contains hundreds upon hundreds of stories, he said. “At this very moment, as I am speaking, somewhere out there in an Intensive Care Unit, a Labor and Delivery Room, on a Cancer Floor, or in a Cardiac Rehab Center, someone is receiving exceptional and compassionate care at the hands of a Saint Anselm healthcare professional.”

The Campaign for the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences continues through June 30, 2026. Those interested in contributing may give here.