Architectural rendering of the new nursing wing At hospitals, clinics and care facilities across Wisconsin, nurses are often the steady presence patients remember. They are the reassuring voice, the careful listener and the compassionate hand during moments that matter most.
At Concordia University Wisconsin, preparing students for those moments is more than academic training — it is part of a larger calling.
This spring, Concordia will take a significant step forward in that mission. On April 22, 2026, from 3:30 to 6 p.m., the university will host a ceremonial groundbreaking for a new nursing wing designed to expand how future nurses are formed and prepared.
The project includes approximately 26,000 square feet of new construction and 11,650 square feet of renovated space. Construction is expected to continue through summer 2027, with the new facility opening for the fall 2027 semester.
Responding to a growing need
Across Wisconsin and the nation, health care systems continue to face critical staffing shortages. Hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities and community health organizations are all feeling the strain.
Concordia’s investment in a new nursing wing is a proactive response to that need. By expanding its facilities, the university will be able to prepare more students to enter the field as skilled, confident and compassionate caregivers.
This work reflects Concordia’s broader mission as a Lutheran higher education community committed to developing students in mind, body and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world.
A space designed for real-world care
Inside the new wing, students will encounter learning environments designed to mirror real clinical settings.
Advanced hospital simulation and virtual reality suites will allow students to practice responding to complex, high-pressure situations before caring for real patients. These scenarios may include stabilizing a patient in cardiac distress, navigating difficult conversations or assisting with the delivery of a newborn.
In addition to simulation spaces, the facility will feature collaborative learning environments where students can debrief cases, reflect on decisions and learn alongside peers and faculty mentors.
Gathering areas throughout the building will create space for conversation, encouragement and personal formation. These moments matter, too, as students grow not only in skill but in confidence and purpose.
Forming nurses with skill and calling
For Concordia, nursing is more than a profession — it is a vocation grounded in service to others.
“Our students are equipping themselves for moments that truly matter — when the stakes are high, when families are looking for reassurance and when steady, thoughtful care makes all the difference,” said Jessica Leiberg, dean of the School of Nursing. “We view nursing as both a profession and a calling. The new nursing wing will give students the space to practice with confidence, learn alongside dedicated faculty mentors and grow into nurses who serve others with clinical excellence, compassion and Christ-centered purpose.”
Building on a strong foundation
Concordia’s School of Nursing has prepared nurses for more than four decades. In 2025 alone, the university awarded 388 health care-related degrees, including 68 bachelor’s degrees in nursing.
Graduates serve patients and families in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, leadership roles, research settings and community organizations throughout Wisconsin and beyond.
The new nursing wing builds on that legacy while looking ahead to the future. It expands Concordia’s ability to prepare the next generation of nurses — professionals who combine clinical excellence with compassionate, Christ-centered care.
Want in?
Rooted in a mission of Christ-centered service, the School of Nursing at Concordia University Wisconsin prepares both new and experienced nurses for meaningful careers in a rapidly changing healthcare landscape. Through flexible online and hybrid pathways — including MSN, MSN-DE, DNP and post-master’s certificates — Concordia equips nurse leaders who combine clinical excellence with compassion, integrity and a commitment to whole-person care.