Sherman College breaks ground on Drs. Thom & Betty Gelardi Student Center

November 13, 2017-Sherman College of Chiropractic broke ground on a 22,000-square foot Student Center November 13 on its 80-acre campus in north Spartanburg, SC, celebrating the next steps of its campus master plan and ongoing capital campaign.

The Drs. Thom and Betty Gelardi Student Center is named in honor of the college’s founder and his wife, who live nearby in Gaffney. Thom Gelardi, DC, founded Sherman College in 1973; his wife, Betty Gelardi, DC, was a member of the college’s first graduating class. The Student Center will be the newest physical addition to the Sherman College campus since 2000.

“We are thankful for this opportunity to recognize our founders’ vision by naming, in their honor, a facility that ensures that their legacy for the chiropractic profession is carried on,” said Sherman College President Edwin Cordero, DC, during the groundbreaking ceremony. Cordero spoke from behind the same podium once used by Dr. Gelardi, as well as the college’s namesake, Dr. Lyle Sherman, and other well-known historical figures in the chiropractic profession.

“Transformational change is happening at Sherman College of Chiropractic,” Cordero continued. “These changes are attracting more students, better serving the students already enrolled, and increasing the campus’ capacity to accommodate the growth of the chiropractic profession. We are poised to make Sherman College the undisputed leader in chiropractic education.”

The Gelardi Student Center will serve as the new campus gateway and arrival point for Sherman College of Chiropractic. The facility will underscore the institution’s focus on student success, including a new library, bookstore, campus café, large meeting space, student study spaces, lounge areas and more. The cost of the Student Center, including site work and parking, is estimated at $8.9 million.

The broader campus master plan also calls for a complete renovation of the Scallon Building, which serves as the college’s main classroom building, (currently underway); renovation of Olsen Building, which houses executive offices (completed in May); updates to the on-campus Chiropractic Health Center, which serves 35,000 patient visits each year (to begin in 2018); and an enhanced campus plaza and campus drive that will welcome visitors, open up green spaces, and showcase the college’s 80-acre campus.

The college has doubled its enrollment since 2013 under Cordero’s leadership, and he anticipates continued growth at the institution, potentially doubling student enrollment again over the next decade. As one of just 18 chiropractic colleges in the nation and the only one in the Carolinas, Sherman College’s doctor of chiropractic program is unique in its approach to health care and known globally for producing doctors who are highly skilled in their delivery of care.

Cordero said the college’s expansion plan is designed to meet the demand for skilled, passionate and successful doctors of chiropractic as the profession continues to grow, with increasing numbers of consumers seeking less invasive and more proactive approaches for healthcare. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, chiropractic employment opportunities will increase “much faster than the average for all occupations,” with an expected bump of 17 percent this decade alone.

Sherman College announced its strategic plans for the college last November, including the engagement of planning and program management firm Brailsford & Dunlavey to guide the institution’s master planning process and serve as owner representative. The college has since formed additional partnerships with construction firm Harper Corporation and architects at Lord Aeck Sargent.

The Gelardi Student Center and remaining campus updates are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2018.