Simmons College of Kentucky Plans New $32 Million Science and Technology Campus in Chickasaw
Louisville, KY – Simmons College of Kentucky, Louisville’s only historically Black college and university (HBCU), is moving forward with plans to establish a new $32 million campus focused on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) education in the city’s Chickasaw neighborhood. The prospective Westover Campus will be built on the former site of Christ the King Church, located at 724 South 44th Street, marking a significant expansion for the institution’s educational offerings and impact on the local community.
Revitalizing Education in Chickasaw
The property formerly housed Christ the King Church and a K-8 school, the School of Christ the King. Built in 1927, the campus was closed and transferred to Simmons College by the Archdiocese of Louisville due to declining membership and upkeep costs. This transition is seen as a profound return to the site’s original educational purpose, but now focused on higher education and STEAM disciplines.
“We’re bringing education back to one of our city’s most underserved neighborhoods, this time with a focus on preparing students for the 21st-century workforce,” said Myra Rock, chief of staff at Simmons College. “This new campus is a vital step toward meeting the growing demand for talent in STEAM fields, not just in Louisville’s West End but across Kentucky.”
Campus Features and Expansion Plans
Simmons plans to transform the former church campus into state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, and specialized facilities such as a chemical engineering lab, an aviation simulator, and spaces for prototyping and fabrication. Additionally, the campus will include a new theater dedicated to performance arts, underscoring a commitment to a well-rounded STEAM education.
The Westover Campus will enable Simmons to expand current programs like its master of science in medical science and introduce new courses including various engineering disciplines. The college envisions partnerships and educational pipelines with local schools such as W.E.B. DuBois Academy High and The Academy @ Shawnee to encourage student progression into engineering and aviation management programs.
Funding and Community Support
The total project cost is estimated at $32 million. Simmons College received the property at no cost, courtesy of the Archdiocese of Louisville, and has secured $1.5 million in seed funding from Louisville Metro through the city’s 2026 budget. This initial funding will support planning and environmental as well as structural assessments. The college aims to raise the remaining $26.5 million through a combination of public and private sources.
Simmons’ funding proposal has attracted endorsements from community organizations including the Westover Subdivision Association and area schools, emphasizing broad support for the campus and its mission to advance educational opportunities and economic development in the region.
The Role of HBCUs in Advancing Diversity in STEM
This expansion aligns with the critical role HBCUs play in fostering diversity in STEM fields. Despite Black men and women comprising only 8.2% of the STEM workforce nationally as of 2021, HBCUs contribute more than 25% of all Black bachelor’s degree recipients in these disciplines.
Experts highlight that HBCUs excel at not only admitting students traditionally underrepresented in STEM but also graduating them with degrees, despite systemic challenges such as limited access to advanced STEM courses in many predominantly Black public schools.
Cheryl Talley, director of the HBCU STEM US Research Center, noted, “The true measure is not just course offerings but how these institutions support students to entrance and completion of STEM degrees.”
Challenges Ahead and A Vision for the Future
While HBCUs are pivotal in closing gaps in STEM education, they confront challenges including reductions in federal funding for diversity-focused programs, which have historically supported minority-serving institutions.
Despite these hurdles, leaders in the HBCU community remain optimistic. Dr. Mark Melton, a neuroscientist and former academic leader, remarked, “It’s the environment, mentorship, and support that make HBCUs succeed. This new campus at Simmons will further enhance their capacity to nurture homegrown STEM talent.”
As Simmons College embarks on this transformative project, the Westover Campus is poised to become a beacon for science and technology education in Louisville, driving economic growth and expanding opportunities for the next generation of innovators in Kentucky and beyond.
