BATON ROUGE — Baton Rouge Community College just got a $375,000 boost from St. James Place to help train future nurses and healthcare workers in its new Nursing & Allied Health Building.

The space is set up to look and feel like a real assisted living community, giving students a chance to practice caring for patients in a setting that’s as close to the real thing as possible.

Willie E. Smith, Sr., chancellor of Baton Rouge Community College, said partnership will give students hands-on experience in a space that stands for excellence, compassion and dignity in senior care, while also helping BRCC tackle workforce shortages in the area.

St. James Place will also help decorate the Assisted Living Apartment, using its experience in interior design and resident-centered living. The goal is to make the space feel just as warm and welcoming as the real St. James Place, so students can train in an environment that focuses on both clinical skills and compassionate care.