Aims Community College campus in Greeley will get a new Student Health Wellness Center, scheduled to open August 2026.
The campus will work with Sunrise Community Health to operate the center. Sunrise is a non-profit healthcare provider serving northern Colorado with 11 clinic sites in Greeley, Evans, and Loveland.
“This is a perfect example of how Aims and community partners can work together to meet a considerable need among students,” Dr. Leah L. Bornstein, CEO and president of Aims Community College said in a March 18 news release. “We’re fortunate to have an experienced organization like Sunrise poised to step in.”
At their March 2024 meeting, the Aims Board of Trustees approved $18.4 million in funding to build the health center. The board also approved Sunrise Community Health partnering with the Aims facility to provide students with affordable, quality health care. Sunrise has provided affordable health care in Northern Colorado since 1973.
“By investing in student healthcare access, we are investing in student success. Ensuring Aims provides a safe and supportive environment where students can thrive ties directly to our mission as a college,” said Heidi Windell, treasurer of the Aims Board of Trustees.
According to officials, Sunrise Community Health will provide general primary care, diagnostic lab and radiology, health screenings, immunizations, gynecological care, and family planning.
In addition, they will provide dental services. Aims will provide mental health counseling, case management services, and group meeting spaces for group therapy, recovery meetings, and more.
Larry Pakowski, Aims Vice President of Student Engagement, Inclusion, and Success, said the school needs on-campus healthcare.
“We’re constantly looking for ways to serve students better and ensure that we’re supporting their success,” Pakowski said.
Pakowski said the college has long wanted to provide students with healthier physical and mental healthcare services.
“The hope is that they would be able to address conditions that a primary care physician might treat, but also to bridge that connection to mental health. The ease of access to the campus is also a plus for students who want to access services before or after class,” he said.
Pakowski said survey feedback the school received demonstrated a need for more healthcare options for Aims students. At a recent student government town hall, 83% of attendees said they would use a free or low-cost health center on campus.
According to another survey the college performed, 31% of Aims students receive Medicaid or other government assistance, 12% of students do not have insurance, and 5% of students are unsure of their health insurance status.
“Establishing the new Student Health and Wellness Center is a significant step toward offering more services to Aims students in the future as this project progresses,” Palowski said.
More information about the new student health and wellness center will be available at aims.edu/news.