News Photo Anna Smith
Image of balloons dropping onto the waiting crowd at the MHC announcement on Friday.
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
Medicine Hat College will see an enhanced capacity and programming for Healthcare students, thanks to a $5 million dollar pledge from the Yuill Family Foundation.
The donation, announced Friday in a ceremony at the College, marks the largest donation to MHC in history, for which President Kevin Shufflebotham expressed deep gratitude for what it will do for the future of healthcare in the region.
“To the Yuill family, your contributions go so much farther than what monetary value can provide,” Shufflebotham said. “You are investing in the dreams of countless students who will learn and train here that will serve rural Alberta, and you are strengthening our healthcare systems by enabling more professional studies and ultimately individuals who will serve the rural community.”
The funds will be used primarily for expanding and enhancing healthcare offerings at MHC, including nearly 200 additional seats in high demand healthcare programs.
“As we look ahead, we expect the demand for healthcare programs to grow substantially. Expanding healthcare education outside of Alberta’s two largest cities is an important part of building a better healthcare system for all Albertans,” said Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Advanced Education in a statement provided for the announcement.
This gift will enhance existing and new programs with the College’s School of Health and Community Services through new equipment and simulation technology. The donation is also a tangible expression of the community’s vision for the College’s Centre for Community Wellness, said Sawhney.
The announcement was attended by Bob Yuill and his wife Elizabeth, as well as Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Justin Wright.
“I’m honored to join you here today to celebrate this truly extraordinary milestone, this transformative donation from the Yuill Family Foundation to the Medicine Hat College will fundamentally change how we can impact rural health,” Wright said. He continued that the donation adds on to a significant investment from the province in the college, but more importantly, demonstrates the bridge between the community and government.
Yuill expressed that his family has been in the region for 135 years, and just as they have worked hard to make this city their home, they are pleased to be able to provide opportunities for young people to do the same.
In honour of the donation, the naming celebration for the School of Health and Community Services will take place in September.
