Campus Improvements

Nazareth University continues to invest in campus improvements to support excellence in student learning, belonging, and comfort, and to expand accessibility.

Millie's Cafe

A major expansion of Millie's Cafe inside Wilmot Library has transformed it into a place where students, faculty, and staff connect in the heart of campus. The cafe nearly doubled in size, and its look and feel were completely overhauled in 2023. Students helped choose new food offerings, furnishings, and an innovative visual design.

Look closely at the walls to see photo montages of architectural elements from around campus and a mural reflecting pages from books in the adjacent Rare Book Room.

Academics

A new elevator in Smyth Hall (2026-27) and third-floor all-gender toilet renovations (2026-27) will improve accessibility.
Additional corridor sprinkler coverage in Smyth Hall (beginning 2027), supporting safety.
A new high-fidelity interprofessional simulation center with state-of-the-art manikins and wearable simulation technology allows nursing and physician assistant students to engage in realistic patient care scenarios to sharpen clinical decision-making skills. Nazareth secured a $1.5 million grant awarded from New York State’s Higher Education Capital Matching Grant Program for the project along with a portion of the major gift Nazareth received from Rochester philanthropist Tom Golisano in 2024.
A comfortable, new 24-hour study lounge opened in Smyth Hall in 2023 and is popular with commuters and grad students.
Two Naz hybrid-flexible classrooms were created in Clocktower Commons, with support from the Alden Foundation. These classrooms are equipped with technology to teach in-person and remote learners simultaneously.

Residence Halls

Two of the three residence halls for Nazareth first-year students are getting substantial renovations to elevate student inclusion and accessibility thanks to a $3.1 million grant from New York State's Higher Education Capital Matching Grant program, or HECap, plus significant Nazareth investments.

Lourdes Hall

2023-2024

Common area renovations are completed, giving students better places to engage socially and to work on group projects.
New private, gender-neutral bathrooms are ready for use on all floors. Each one includes a toilet, sink, and shower.
An elevator is installed and ready for use — Lourdes' first since the residence hall opened in 1958.

Kearney Hall

Summer 2024

Kearney has its first-ever elevator, in time for the fall 2024 semester.
Student rooms on the third floor received new paint, flooring, lighting, and closets.
Kearney West: Four private, gender-neutral bathrooms were installed on the third floor, completed in October 2024.
Kearney East: Two private, gender-neutral bathrooms were built on the second and third floors, complete in August 2024.
Existing bathrooms on the second and third floors of Kearney East and Center were refreshed for fall 2024.

Summer 2025

Kearney West private bathrooms built on the first and second floors.
Student rooms on the first and second floors receive new paint, flooring, lighting, and closets.

O'Connor Hall