CDU Unveils New Health Professions Education Building
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) officially unveiled its new Health Professions Education Building (HPEB) during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 11, marking a transformative milestone in the University’s trajectory as a leader in community-based healthcare training.
The four-story, 60,000-square-foot facility will serve as the new home of CDU’s College of Medicine and a learning hub for students across the University’s three colleges. The building features adaptive and tech-enabled classrooms, anatomy laboratories, simulation spaces, and collaborative learning areas designed to support interdisciplinary education.
“Today is a testament to what is possible when a community invests in its own future,” said Dr. David M. Carlisle, CDU President and CEO. “For 60 years, CDU has stood alongside the people of South Los Angeles, preparing healthcare professionals committed to serving the patients who need them most.”
Funded in part by a $50 million investment from the State of California, the HPEB and CDU’s historic four-year medical degree program are expected to create 749 local jobs and generate more than $86.8 million in annual direct and indirect economic impact for the Watts/Willowbrook community.
Construction of the HPEB began in 2024 and reached several significant milestones, including a topping-off ceremony in 2025 and the completion of major interior and infrastructure work earlier this year.
The ribbon-cutting followed the College of Medicine’s White Coat Ceremony for the newest cohort of students entering CDU’s four-year medical degree program. With the addition of the new class, enrollment in the program now stands at 240 students.
As CDU celebrates its 60th anniversary, the opening of the Health Professions Education Building represents both a major investment in the University’s future and a continuation of the vision that led to its founding in the aftermath of the 1965 Watts Uprising.
“We stand here today thanks to the perseverance of our Founding Mothers: Nola M. Carter, Mary B. Henry, Caffie Greene, Lillian H. Mobley, and Johnnie Tillmon – five women who demanded justice, equity, and access for the residents of Watts Willowbrook and South Los Angeles,” shared Dr. Carlisle.
CDU extends its gratitude to the many individuals and organizations whose support helped bring the Health Professions Education Building to life, including project management representatives Elaine Nesbit and Rufus Chambers; Wyn Thomas of CO Architects; and the entire team at Turner Construction, including Jamie Turner, Justin Bertain, Vesna Conroy, Adam DiMuria, Rao Rohan, Juresha Alemayehu, Silver Barragan, Jeray Terell, and Monica Hernandez. The University also thanks Kim Boras and Aiyanna Sanders of Latham & Watkins, as well as Dan Rosenfeld, for their contributions.
CDU also gratefully acknowledges the donors whose support helped make the HPEB possible such as the State of California, The Ahmanson Foundation, the California Community Foundation, The California Endowment, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, The Stovall Foundation, The W.M. Keck Foundation, Caleb DesRosiers, Dr. Ioannis Giannikopolous, Dr. Gene E. Grigsby III, Drs. Dana and Vidya S. Kaushik, Chinh H. Le, The Len Hill Charitable Trust, Dr. Sylvia Manning, John Merryman, Angela L. Minniefield, Dr. James M. Rosser, and Dr. Clarence Shields.