Mayor Thomas M. Menino today joined Sister Janet Eisner, President of Emmanuel College, and John Palmieri, Director of the BRA, for a dedication ceremony for the new $70 million Maureen Murphy Wilkens Science Center.

Featuring 14 laboratories for biology, chemistry, physics, biochemistry, neuroscience/psychology and faculty research, as well as multipurpose classrooms, meeting spaces and common areas, the 47,500 square feet of academic space in the Wilkens Science Center fosters the type of interactive learning and community building that is the hallmark of the Emmanuel College educational experience. As a “green” building, The Wilkens Science Center speaks to the 21st century and sustainability in every way.

The Wilkens Science Center will have a long-lasting impact on Emmanuel, its students and the larger community, enabling the College to make greater contributions to education in the sciences. Neighbored by world-class medical centers in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area (LMA), Emmanuel is in a position to serve the city of Boston as a hub for science education in the future. Emmanuel is the only college in the country with a private research facility located right on its campus. Since Merck Research Laboratories-Boston opened its doors in October 2004, this unique partnership has provided Emmanuel students with the type of access and opportunities few undergraduates get to experience.

Press Contact: Jessica Shumaker, 617.918.4446.

Release Date: September 24, 2009