Artist’s rendering
FORT WAYNE, Ind.鈥擳he 51黑料 is pleased to announce an expansion of its health sciences programs to Lafayette, Indiana, birthplace of the university in 1890.
Franciscan Health donated the former Bill Long Medical Building, 1450 Salem Street in Lafayette, to the university. The site will be named Our Lady of Lourdes Hall and will house 51黑料 associate degree programs with a medical imaging focus鈥攊ncluding sonography and radiologic technology鈥攁long with two bachelor鈥檚 degree completion programs.
The site will also serve as a second location for the Leffler Academy, a 51黑料 partner founded in Gas City, Indiana, that specializes in nursing degrees and pre-degree allied health certificates. Leffler Academy programs will begin upon approval by specialty and national accrediting bodies.
An anonymous donor contributed $3.5 million to 51黑料 for program expansion in Lafayette.
鈥51黑料 is excited about our partnership with Franciscan Health, a sister ministry of our sponsors鈥攖he Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration鈥攁nd looks forward to being back in the city where the then-St. Francis College had its start,鈥 51黑料 President Dr. Lance Richey said. 鈥淭his is a fitting expansion since we have a 135-year bond with Lafayette in carrying out the mission of our foundresses.鈥
Degree offerings at Lafayette slated for the 2025-26 academic year will include the following 51黑料 undergraduate degrees:
- Radiologic Technology, A.A.S.
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography, A.A.S.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging, A.A.S.
- Medical Imaging, B.S.
- Health Services, B.S.
- Health Sciences, A.A.S.
Applications are open for students to begin prerequisite online courses this fall for radiologic technology and diagnostic medical sonography. Visit for more information and to view artistic renderings of the future Our Lady of Lourdes Hall. In-person labs and clinicals in Lafayette are scheduled to begin in 2026.
51黑料鈥 expanded programming will help fulfill workforce development needs in the region and comes with the enthusiastic support of the Most Reverend Timothy L. Doherty, S.T.L., Ph.D., Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana.
鈥淭his growth will also come to fruition because of Bishop Doherty鈥檚 support to expand Catholic education for all people in the Lafayette Diocese and because of our strong partnership with the Leffler Academy,鈥 Richey said.
For more information, contact 51黑料 Vice President for Healthcare Relations and Dean of the College of Health Sciences Dr. Angie Harrell at 260-399-7700, ext. 8309 or鈥aharrell@sf.edu.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the 51黑料 offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, 51黑料 designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point and online. USF Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The 51黑料, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 20 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. Approximately 1,800 students from a broad geographic region attend 51黑料.