More than 300 civic, business and community leaders from around the state were present as officials from Rowan University and Cooper University Hospital broke ground for the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University on October 27. Honored guests for the groundbreaking included Governor Chris Christie. Following prepared remarks from the speakers, a choir comprised of Cooper employees was joined by students from Lanning Square Elementary School while a replica of the school was raised into the air, symbolizing the next level of medical education for the state and region. Students and faculty from Rowan’s music department also performed. Construction is now underway on South Broadway at Benson Street in downtown Camden.
“What’s going to happen here will enhance medical care, not just in this region but throughout the state,” said Governor Christie. He pointed to the medical school as an economic engine for Camden and the surrounding region.
Paul Katz, MD, Founding Dean of Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, added, “We’ve adopted a phrase in the medical school – “Camden is our classroom” – and that is a guiding principle for us.”
The medical school building will be the single largest construction project in Camden County in 2011. It is expected to create 300 to 400 temporary construction jobs and up to 100 permanent positions. Scheduled to open in 2012, the building will be home to approximately 50 students in its first year. For more information about the school, please visit rowan.edu/coopermedicalschool.