Student sense of belonging and academic engagement can be improved by making available spaces that promote a culture of learning and information sharing. Engaging students face-to-face inside and outside the classroom is essential in today’s digital world. Promoting the development of collegial and collaborative relationships with faculty and developing communication skills improves students’ skillset to take on the post-college world. Worcester State University (WSU), the premier public health education institution in central Massachusetts, and the health sciences department are developing a shared space and social laboratory. NLM funds will be used to update computer equipment in a shared space within the health sciences department. By improving the learning space, WSU aims to create a student-friendly physical environment to network, foster student research, and improve the communication skills of the next generation of public health professionals.