Aims Community College is taking a significant step forward in student support by constructing a new 30,000 square-foot Student Health and Wellness Center set to open in August 2026.
Aims Community College Breaks Ground on Student Health and Wellness Center
May 20, 2025
Groundbreaking for the Aims Student Health and Wellness Center. Pictured left to right, Mike Millsapps (Aims Facilities & Operations Executive Director), Mitzi Moran (Chief Executive Officer, Sunrise Community Health), Dr. Leah L. Bornstein (CEO and President of Aims), Marilyn Schock (Aims Board of Trustees Chair) and Dr. Larry Pakowski (Aims Vice President of Student Affairs).
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Tuesday, May 20, at the Aims Greeley Campus to celebrate the start of construction. Aims is pursuing the Student Health and Wellness Center project as a strategic investment in student well-being. “This center will benefit generations of students to come,” said Marilyn Schock, Chair of the Aims Board of Trustees. “It’s an investment in our students’ health and an investment in the future leaders of our community.”
Health challenges, financial stress, and basic needs insecurity are among the top reasons students struggle academically or leave college. “Providing healthcare on campus makes it very convenient, but more importantly, it ensures students can stay focused on their education instead of worrying about how they’ll get the care they need,” said Dr. Larry Pakowski, Vice President of Student Affairs, Aims Community College.
Having medical, dental and mental health services on campus ensures students can address their health needs between classes without transportation or time obstacles. “At Aims, we believe that access to healthcare is essential to educational equity,” said Dr. Leah L. Bornstein, Aims Community College CEO and President. “The new Student Health and Wellness Center is a major step forward in ensuring every student and their family has the support they need to reach their goals.”
Aims Counseling Services currently provides students with basic access to mental wellness care for issues with anxiety, depression, stress management, coping strategies and more. Aims mental health counselors are committed to assisting students with personal or relational struggles in a safe and confidential space. Once it is opened, these operations will move to the new Student Health and Wellness Center.
The holistic vision for the center is to “create a space for mind, body, and soul — not just a place you go when you’re sick,” Pakowski said. “The goal is to create a beautiful healing environment, with features like a meditation garden, where students can refocus between classes.”
Partnership with Sunrise Community Health
Aims is partnering with Sunrise Community Health for this project. At the new Student Health and Wellness Center, Sunrise Community Health will provide various medical and basic dental services to support students and their immediate family members.
“Our partnership with Sunrise Community Health is a great example of how higher education and healthcare can unite to build stronger communities,” Bornstein said. “Together, we’re investing not just in student success but community well-being.”
Stay tuned for project updates and more at aims.edu/news.
