Christendom College recently completed Venerable Jerome Lejeune Hall, its newest academic building and the new home of the college’s Natural Science major. Featuring dedicated laboratory spaces for both life sciences and chemistry, the new facility will enable students to better pursue vocations in healthcare, scientific research, and related fields following graduation.
“The addition of this lab has opened up the possibility for students to explore a variety of science disciplines and work toward the completion of a Natural Science major,” says Dr. Aileen Foeckler, assistant professor of Natural Science at the college. “The liberal arts curriculum encompasses the search for truth, and the study of the sciences opens up an avenue for the students to learn how to properly seek Truth in Nature. The Creator is mirrored in His creation, and the study of nature complements the philosophical, theological, historical, literary, mathematical, political, and musical branches of the liberal arts. In the science courses, our students are given the opportunity to learn the skills and techniques proper to this search for natural truths.”
The building’s Life Sciences lab.
The new academic building, which has been under construction since last fall, contains two dedicated laboratory spaces: one for life sciences — including biology, anatomy & physiology, and microbiology — and another for chemistry. Each lab includes a classroom-style layout along with advanced safety equipment and specialized scientific tools, including an autoclave, incubator, ultra-low temperature chest freezer, compound microscopes, burets, and chemical safety cabinets. The labs are connected by a shared prep room that allows materials and lab trays to move efficiently between instructional and preparation spaces.
The building’s Chemistry lab.
Both labs are spacious enough to allow twelve students at a time to work, with classes shifting from a temporary space to this new building in the closing weeks of the spring semester.
“The lab is having an immediate effect on currently enrolled students because they can work together in larger groups than was previously possible,” says Foeckler.
The labs are connected by a shared prep room that allows materials and lab trays to move efficiently between instructional and preparation spaces.
The opening of the new lab will enable even more students to pursue the college’s Natural Science major, which launched in 2024. Students interested in pursuing medicine after attending Christendom will be supported in their preparation for application to medical school, while students interested in nursing will be able to complete nearly all the required prerequisite courses for admission to nursing school. Students hoping to pursue careers in fields such as paramedic work, physical therapy, pharmacy, optometry, or scientific research will also be well prepared.
The new hall is named after Venerable Jerome Lejeune, a staunchly pro-life geneticist who discovered the chromosomal cause of Down syndrome and other genetic disorders. Pope St. John Paul II appointed him the first President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, and he worked tirelessly on behalf of all unborn children, making him a fitting namesake for the college’s first science building.
“Our planning, construction, and faculty team have prayerfully enlisted his intercession for the successful completion of this new lab, and we continue to pray through his intercession for our students who will benefit from this lab,” says Foeckler.
Dr. Aileen Foeckler, assistant professor of natural science at the college.
As students pursue careers in healthcare and the sciences following their time at Christendom, Foeckler believes that the college’s Natural Science major, now housed in a state-of-the-art new space, will prepare students to thrive following graduation, regardless of the challenges of the medical field.
“As our graduates enter the professional world of science or healthcare, they will carry with them the philosophical state of mind fostered through Christendom’s authentically Catholic liberal arts curriculum. They will deal with bioethical issues and their faith will be challenged,” says Foeckler. “But Dr. Gregory White of the Catholic Physicians’ Guild once said long ago, ‘New discoveries in science may appear to contradict Revealed Truth. But rely on your Faith. Time has always and will always show that there is no conflict between Science and Faith.’”
With the opening of Venerable Jerome Lejeune Hall, Christendom continues to strengthen its commitment to forming students who can pursue scientific excellence while remaining firmly grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition.
For more information on the college’s Natural Science major, visit here.
To see more about the new Science Lab, watch below:
