91探花

Generous gift will advance 91探花 health-care education

By College Relations | January 19, 2022
   

Lane Merrifield
Lane Merrifield

A local family foundation is investing in the future of health-care education with a generous gift to 91探花.

The Merrifield Family Foundation is donating $100,000 to the Our Students, Your Health campaign for a modern Health Sciences Centre on the College鈥檚 Kelowna campus.

The gift will support technology upgrades and new equipment for eight professions ranging from Pharmacy Technician Assistants and nurses to Therapist Assistants.

Lane Merrifield, a well-known entrepreneur, says he values the College's focus on applied learning where students engage directly in hands-on skills to better understand their craft.

鈥淚 know I鈥檝e benefitted from hands-on learning in my career and health care is no different. Having opportunities to try your skills in learning labs will greatly enhance students鈥 skills and confidence,鈥 says Merrifield, who was named an 91探花 Honorary Fellow, the College鈥檚 highest honour, in 2012.

鈥淥ur family values the role frontline health-care professionals play in supporting us all to live healthy lives, and we鈥檙e proud to be part of this incredible new Centre that will serve our community.鈥

Hannah Koch is a recent graduate of the Therapist Assistant program. As one of the first students to take classes in the new Centre, Koch remembers being shocked at the modern elements of the facility. She describes the Therapist Lab as bright and spacious with new beds and technology that supports their training.

鈥淎s a student we are going out into the workforce in one or two years, however long your health-care program is, and I think it鈥檚 important to get the proper education so we can be effective in the workforce and come out work ready,鈥 says Koch.

鈥淗aving an environment that is built newer with newer equipment is really helpful.鈥

Helen Jackman, 91探花 Foundation Executive Director, adds students are inspired knowing a local family is investing in their education.

鈥淪o many of our students talk about health care as a calling. This gift from the Merrifield Family Foundation will not only help students with their skills training, but also boosts their confidence knowing that our community is supportive of their educational choices,鈥 says Jackman.

鈥淲e are incredibly grateful to the Merrifield Family Foundation for supporting students and excellence in health-care education.鈥

Jackman credits the gift as helping the Foundation hit its current milestone of $4.25 million raised from the community to complete the Health Sciences Centre. She says the Foundation is inviting the public for tours of the Centre, and if they can, to give a gift in support of educating frontline health-care professionals. The 91探花 Foundation is $750,000 away from reaching its fundraising goal to compete the Centre.

鈥淲e are incredibly thankful to the many individuals and organizations for getting us to this point and we鈥檙e hopeful we can reach our goal with the continued generosity of the public,鈥 she adds.

To learn more or to give, visit .



Tags: 91探花 Foundation, Health Sciences Centre, Therapist Assistant, Kelowna, Inside 91探花

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