The Sisters of St. Ann, with their long historical ties to nursing and education, are donating $1 million to support teaching at Camosun’s new Alex and Jo Campbell Centre for Health and Wellness.
The Sisters of St. Ann have specified the money go to the teaching clinic, which will bear a bronze plaque or some other indicator honouring the order’s generosity.
The Camosun College Foundation said the gift brings its Together for Health campaign up to 60 per cent of the $5-million goal.
At the teaching clinic, students will be able to practise their skills in an applied learning environment while serving the public.
The Sisters of St. Ann have long been supporters of health education in Victoria, dating all the way back to their arrival in 1858 from Quebec. Originally a teaching order, the nuns switched to nursing when they saw need.
The order was instrumental in the formation of X-ray and lab training at its teaching hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, on Humboldt Street. It also assisted with the development of the joint nursing degree program offered by Camosun and the University of Victoria.
The Sisters of St. Ann have also provided annual bursaries to Camosun nursing students.
“Their relationship with us is long and deep,” said Angie Bowles, manager for Camosun’s Together for Health campaign.
“We are very blessed to have them coming forward to support us,” she said.
“It’s a true and lovely partnership.”
Construction is underway on the Alex and Jo Campbell Centre for Health and Wellness, named in honour of the Campbell family.
The $48.5-million building is located at the college’s Interurban campus in Saanich, with completion scheduled for 2019.
Inside will be 8,900 square feet of space for 1,000 students to study and train for health-related fields including nursing, laboratory testing, radiography and community mental-health work.
It will bring together the majority of Camosun’s health and human services programming and feature hands-on labs, simulation environments, collaboration spaces and the Teaching Clinic.
