Medicine Hat College receives largest donation in its history

Local entrepreneur Bill Yuill and the Yuill Family Foundation have long been a leader in giving back to Medicine Hat and beyond.

Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Justin Wright thanks Bill and Elizabeth Yuill. Jayk Sterkenburg/CHAT News

The donation they have given to the MHC will enhance existing educational opportunities at the college including program development, simulation training and applied health research.

It also demonstrates support for future joint wellness facilities.

Yuill said that over generations, they’ve worked hard to build family and community.

“Well, your cities are only as good as they can grow. If your cities can’t grow, then what happens?” he said.

“We hope that we keep more people in town, more jobs in town, so the city can grow.”

‘Your cities are only as good as they can grow’, said Bill Yuill. Bob Schneider/CHAT News

Medicine Hat College president Kevin Shufflebotham said that it’s all about “access”.

The donation will give students the opportunity to stay in the region and take programs vital to our economy.

“One of the things we want to look at is opportunities to expand our current health care programs,” he said.

“The other opportunity, of course, is to develop new programs,” he added.

“Those are two important things that take money. And the Yuill Foundation sees the importance of that, and they’ve chosen to step up and support that.”

MHC president Kevin Shufflebotham. Jayk Sterkenburg/CHAT News

Ina Old Shoes, student in the advanced care paramedic program at the college, said she feels that in bigger cities, there’s not a lot of space to focus on students on an individual level.

She said that building opportunity in Medicine Hat will allow more students a personal education.

“It’s really interesting that instead of donating that type of money to any other facility, it’s nice to come back to the college because this is where the education starts,” she said.

“This is where people start building their careers and start building their professions,” she added.

“By helping the students have the best experience that they can without having to wait to go on the job to be able to experience it in a real-world setting, it makes it where students can only benefit from it and, in turn, also the community.”

Yuill said that when a donation is focused, you know it’s going in “a certain stream to build a certain influence”.

He said that’s why the family identifies health and wellness with that impact.

“What we’re trying to do is keep people in town. So they have to have an education when they get into the workforce,” he said.

“Pretty good place here to have an education. So hopefully we can take what they learn, and move it out, but try to keep as many as we can right around town in southeastern Alberta.”

A balloon drop wrapped up the ceremony. Jayk Sterkenburg/CHAT News

Shufflebotham said that when the next academic year begins, they will be proud to welcome students to the Yuill School of Health and Community Services.

A naming celebration will be held in September of this year.

by Jesse Gill, Jayk Sterkenburg

Medicine Hat College receives largest donation in its history

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