Rasmussen College Set To Open In April

Rasmussen College’s Claire Walker made her way through the school’s new building in Land O’ Lakes for the first time.

“Wow! Look at this place,” she exclaimed. “It’s very exciting!”

The college, which has served West Pasco since 2004, is building a new campus in Land O’ Lakes near the intersection of State Road 54 and Sunlake Boulevard. The wallpaper is up and the carpet is down. The lighting has been installed and so have the windows.

On Feb. 9, the campus was full of workers putting up awning frames, painting window ledges and walls, mounting doors and sanding drywall.

“Everything is very much on schedule,” said Walker, campus president who will oversee both the West and Central Pasco locations.

She said she anticipates opening the campus in April. Employees will get settled in and begin a marketing campaign, inviting the community in and partnering with the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce and the Pasco Economic Development Council. Then, classes will begin in August.

It’s difficult to say how many students will initially enroll, Walker explained, but she said the eventual goal is to have a population of 1,200 students from Central and East Pasco.

Rasmussen College is a four-year degree-granting institution with 21 campuses in five states. It offers programs in fields with a high occupational demand. The Land O’ Lakes campus will have degree opportunities in allied health, nursing, business, and technology and design.

“As we grow, we might be bringing over the School of Justice Studies and the School of Education,” Walker said. It just depends on the needs of the community.

“We’ll open the doors, and we’ll see how things go,” she added. “We just know that there are people out here that need an education.”

Rasmussen chose the Land O’ Lakes location next to The Shoppes at Sunlake Center and in front of Sunlake High School because much growth is expected in that area, Walker said. T. Rowe Price, a global investment management firm, plans to build an office complex on a 72-acre site across from Rasmussen’s property, although that project has been on hold due to the state of the economy.

“What better location to be than Sunlake and 54?” Walker said.

The Land O’ Lakes campus isn’t Rasmussen’s only new facility. In January, it relocated its Holiday campus to New Port Richey and now occupies 30,000 square feet in the second and third floors of an office building.

“It’s just a different feel – different color palette – from a layout perspective,” Walker said, comparing the West and Central Pasco campuses.

Vibrant reds, greens and blues greet those who enter the 25,000-square-foot Land O’ Lakes building. Green, textured wallpaper and red mosaics make the walls pop.

“I love this!” Walker said, as she ran her hand along the mosaic tile above a water fountain.

Nursing labs will have a simulated body that can be programmed with different afflictions to train nursing students in various scenarios.

“It allows our students to practice clinical experiences,” Walker said.

Computer labs will have diffused lighting, which prevents glare on the computer screens. A large room with a divider down the middle will be opened up for career and networking fairs for students and the general public.

“We’re very connected,” Walker said. “We really partner with the community and the county.” Rasmussen has already partnered with Sunlake High in anticipation of opening the campus.

After walking through the entire building, Walker came back to the front hall and glanced around again. She took a deep breath and smiled.

“This campus is spectacular,” she said.