The University of British Columbia (UBC) has received a $40-million gift from alumni Matthew and Natalie MacIsaac, the largest donation ever made to a school of nursing in Canadian history. In recognition, UBC has formally named the MacIsaac School of Nursing and its future-ready new home, the MacIsaac Health Building.
This gift will strengthen nursing education, research and practice, and help the MacIsaac School of Nursing—ranked among the top 25 globally and the top three in Canada—prepare the next generation of nurses and health-care leaders for evolving demand.
“This gift allows us to lead the future of nursing education, practice and research, while sustaining our deep commitment to health equity,” said Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc, the school’s director. “Our students will now learn in purpose-built clinical skills and simulation spaces, and alongside peers from across the health disciplines, preparing them to provide the collaborative, patient-centred care that improves health for all.”
The MacIsaac School of Nursing, part of UBC’s Faculty of Applied Science, has recently moved into the 270,550-square-foot facility, which brings multiple health and academic programs under one roof. In addition to the nursing school, the building includes UBC’s School of Kinesiology, UBC Student Health and Wellbeing services, the Arts Research Commons, and the new UBC Team-Based Care Teaching Clinic, where students from nine health professions deliver coordinated, relationship-based patient care in a real-world collaborative environment.
The nursing facilities include specialized spaces for education, simulation and research, including three dedicated nursing skills labs and seven high-fidelity simulation suites where students can develop and practise clinical skills in realistic care environments.
As donors, Matthew, a hedge fund manager and Natalie, a naturopathic doctor, say the gift brings together their longstanding interest in health, their alumni connection to UBC and a desire to give back to their community. “Health has always been important to our family, and we believe deeply in the power of education and research to improve people’s lives,” Matthew and Natalie MacIsaac said in a statement. “We are proud to support the next generation of nurses and the researchers and educators whose work strengthens health care in communities across British Columbia and beyond.”
