Hinds CC breaks ground on Rankin Campus residence hall

The Commons is a transformational project for Rankin and the region.

PEARL – Hinds Community College broke ground Monday (March 16) on its first Rankin Campus residence hall, The Commons, with an eye on transforming the student experience as the college expands health sciences offerings to support the region’s healthcare workforce needs.

Bordering Highway 80 in Pearl, the three-story building will include a contemporary, student-centered,175-bed residence hall, a food court plaza with a national restaurant option and a health center and gymnasium. The gymnasium will allow for the potential future addition of a competitive college volleyball program.

Slated to open in 2027, The Commons is a monumental step for the community and the campus, a commuter school since 1983, said Hinds President Dr. Stephen Vacik.

“When I arrived here, one of the key things I wanted to focus on was making sure we had the most top-of-the-line health sciences facilities anywhere,” Dr. Vacik said during the groundbreaking event attended by about 100 supporters, including local and state officials, on a cold, windy morning.

“To move beyond that, we really thought we needed to make this a place where students don’t just come for classes and leave. We’re going from a commuter campus where you come for a few hours to one where students can live and that’s a huge change,” he said.

The project comes on the heels of a new, four-story, 160,000-square-foot Health Sciences Complex facility that will consolidate most of Hinds’ nursing and allied health programs on the Rankin Campus beginning in the fall. The expansion of health sciences training capacity at Hinds will allow the school to welcome an additional 480 students over the next three years.

Garrett Wright, executive director of Rankin First Economic Development Authority, said The Commons represents a transformative moment for Rankin County.

“We have a much stronger story to tell when we’re talking about economic development and our workforce partner, Hinds. We can bring companies here and show them a campus vibrant with activity. That’s something we’ve never been able to do in Rankin County until now,” Wright said.

The residence hall addition also means Rankin students will have the option of an on-campus college experience close to home.

“Everyone here knows somebody that wants to stay right in the county and be close to family. We’ve never been able to have an opportunity. Students had to move away to somewhere to have a college campus experience, but now we can do that,” Wright said.

Pearl Mayor Jake Windham, a Hinds alumnus, said the addition of the residence hall is no accident. Hinds’ leadership continues to demonstrate a deep commitment to strengthening the region through education, thus, opening doors to opportunity.

“The Commons represents far more than new buildings or additional space. It represents an investment in students and the future of our community. The future is here, and it is bright,” Windham said.

With the new Health Sciences Complex, Hinds can add 480 students over the next three years, including 232 seats in traditional degree programs and 248 in short-term workforce training programs. The goal of the expansion is to create additional pathways for Mississippians to enter critical healthcare careers with dire shortages, including Associate Degree Nursing, Practical Nursing, Health Care Assistant, Dental Assisting, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Emergency Medical Services, Physical Therapist Assistant, Respiratory Care Technology, Radiologic Technology and Surgical Technology.

A key feature of the project is the development of a state-of-the-art Simulation Center designed to replicate real-world clinical environments and enhance hands-on training. The facility will also include four new nursing skills labs equipped with hospital-grade infrastructure, advanced audiovisual technology for simulation review and 48 hospital beds with headwall units that mirror acute-care settings. The Commons and Health Sciences Complex have been made possible with a mix of local, state and private funding.