Maria College is excited to announce the opening of its new Center for Academic Innovation (CAI), offering more than 1,000 square feet of extended reality (XR, which includes virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality) technologies to train students in nursing, anatomy & physiology, and human biology. This is the only facility of its kind nationwide dedicated to nursing.

In recognition of a $3.5 Million gift – the largest in the college’s 65-year history and its first multimillion donation – Maria College has named its nursing school the Andrea Lewis Siek School of Nursing. The late wife of Richard E. Siek, a Navy veteran, Andrea Lewis Siek, R.N. was a 1966 graduate of Troy High School and 1969 graduate of St. Peter’s Hospital School of Nursing. Richard made the gift on September 7 to celebrate what would have been Andrea’s 75th birthday. The dedication ceremony is being held to coincide with the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception to reflect Andrea’s great devotion to the Blessed Mother.