Samuel Merritt University's 2,000 students arrive in downtown Oakland

"It's about education, but it's also an economic multiplier,"

"This campus represents many, many things, including training our next generation of nurses and healthcare providers with racial and economic equity to address health disparities, so everyone has access to good quality health care,"

"You can tell the foot traffic has increased,"

"I don't think one opening is going to be rainbows and sunshine, but it's a good beginning."

Samuel Merritt University opened a 10-story glass-paneled campus in downtown Oakland, relocating 2,000 students and 500 faculty and staff from its Pill Hill campus a mile away. The grand opening coincided with the school's 117th anniversary and drew elected officials, faculty, students, and staff. City leaders expect the campus to increase foot traffic for downtown businesses and serve as an economic multiplier. The campus trains professionals in nursing, podiatry, physical therapy, and other health sciences, supporting workforce development in a growing healthcare sector in Alameda County. Local leaders highlighted city investments in workforce programs such as Laney College's apprenticeships and a revived police cadet program.

Read at The Oaklandside