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Local entrepreneur, Bill Yuill shared the foundation\u2019s vision to support education. <\/p>\n
\u201cOur foundation is committed to supporting projects that focus on teaching students marketable skills so they can achieve their dreams, build a rewarding lifestyle, and provide leadership for their communities,\u201d said Yuill.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe work being done here at the college will touch lives, strengthen families, and build healthier communities across our region and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yuill adds he likes to make Medicine Hat a little bit better of a place to live through his philanthropy efforts.<\/p>\n
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The gift will support both new and existing programs within the school, including the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Health Care Aide, Paramedic, and Practical Nurse programs. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe have five million more possibilities than we did a year ago,\u201d said the college\u2019s Dean of the Yuill School of Health & Community Services, Jason Openo. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis transformative gift supports program development, simulation training, and applied health research, while also laying the foundation for future joint wellness facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n
He highlights plans to advance student education by investing in new simulation technology and equipping faculty with resources to better offer high-quality simulation experiences.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s high fidelity simulation where we actually have mannequins that look and sound and react just like people so that our students can learn how to do those things in a very safe setting so that real patients are not at risk,\u201d Openo said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s where the Yuill Foundation dollars will have a real impact. We try to create the situations that are as identical to the learning environment as we possibly can,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of times when students go out on clinical, they\u2019re hoping to see certain situations, but there\u2019s no guarantee that they will be presented with those situations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Openo adds there are also new digital simulation that can happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe things that we can do with virtual reality, augmented reality, extended learning it\u2019s really amazing what\u2019s possible now,\u201d Openo said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe startup costs are expensive for us to figure out our way we need a little bit of investment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Faculty will also have opportunities to conduct research in areas such as rural healthcare, aging, telehealth, mobile diagnostics, and nursing education.<\/p>\n
Kevin Shufflebotham, MHC president and CEO, emphasized the importance of partnerships in expanding educational access and meeting workforce needs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe strive to build strong, collaborative relationships that reflect the unique character of our region,\u201d said Shufflebotham. <\/p>\n
\u201cVital partners like the Yuill Family Foundation have given us the opportunity to expand educational access across our region and respond to evolving workforce needs.\u201d <\/p>\n
The donation has already enabled the launch of the in-demand Pharmacy Technician diploma, which welcomed its first cohort of students this fall.<\/p>\n
A new pharmacy technician lab is being built at the 13th Avenue Co-op location and will open this winter.<\/p>\n