Wellness at the Heart of Campus
A new student-focused facility unites health, identity, and engagement through inclusive design and integrated support services.
Student Health and Wellness Center
Bryn Mawr, PA
Bryn Mawr College, a nationally recognized women’s college, is known for its commitment to academic excellence, student empowerment, and community connection. As the campus evolved, the college identified the need for a modern facility to unify its approach to health, inclusion, and student development.
The former student health center—initially built in 1913—no longer met the college’s expectations for accessibility, capacity, or student support. In response, Bryn Mawr developed a new 21,000-square-foot student life and wellness center to foster belonging and holistic well-being.
The new facility combines three vital centers: the Health and Counseling Center, the Career and Civic Engagement Center (CCEC), and the Pensby Center for Community Development and Inclusion. These programs now share a central home, encouraging cross-functional support and meaningful student interaction.
The first floor features a calming water wall in the main lobby and offers access to both the CCEC—complete with interview rooms, a tech-enabled community room, and space for its 16-person staff—and the centrally located Pensby Center. The Pensby Center provides expanded common areas for student programming, along with a halal and kosher kitchen, a prayer room with a foot-washing station, and a multicultural living room.
Upstairs, the Health and Counseling Center includes six exam rooms and ten counseling rooms, offering accessible care in a setting designed for privacy and comfort.
Architecturally, the building bridges Bryn Mawr’s campus styles—merging Wissahickon schist, limestone, aluminum, and a glass curtain wall to create a visual link between tradition and progress. The result is a welcoming and inclusive space that reflects the college’s Quaker roots and forward-thinking values.
“This project began with the need to build a Health and Wellness Center that is inviting and accessible. The new building makes it possible for us to advance a concept of wellness that includes learning how to care for yourself and communities that are important to you. Locating the Pensby Center for Community Development and Inclusion and the Career & Civic Engagement Center with health and wellness services and programs creates opportunities for innovation and collaboration in student life.”
– Jennifer Walters, Dean of the Undergraduate College, Bryn Mawr College
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