Gifts to Bow Valley College are launching professional journeys, equipping our students with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive in their chosen careers. A significant recent gift from the Fredrickson-McGregor Education Foundation for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) will help transform our city’s healthcare landscape now and into the future by empowering students in the Practical Nursing Program to create their own legacies in the profession, while also honouring a pair of extraordinary practical nursing professionals in the province, Pat Fredrickson and Rita McGregor, the namesakes of the Foundation.

We were thrilled to welcome members of the Foundation to the Bow Valley College downtown campus this month to celebrate their generous $100,000 gift —an investment that will set our students up to successfully address Alberta’s future healthcare needs. The visit was an opportunity to showcase firsthand our simulation and virtual reality training tools that lead the nation in giving student nurses a valuable head start in their training.

Using a Virtual reality (VR) simulator and headset, Practical Nursing students at Bow Valley College can gain valuable experience with hospital procedures, exposing them to a wider variety of clinical challenges than a traditional practicum placement and helping them gain experience faster and more safely. With roughly 10,500 simulation hours delivered over the past 13 months, it’s the largest VR program of its kind in the country.

These advanced training technologies align with the vision of Pat and Rita, two LPNs whose contributions to their field included advocating for nursing professionals to increasingly strive to enhance their competencies. The Fredrickson-McGregor Education Foundation for LPNs was named in their honour.

Described as a woman of vision, leadership and credibility, Pat dedicated more than 40 years of her life to the nursing profession, including in her role as the Executive Director and Registrar of the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA) from 1986 until her retirement in 2006. Rita was also a committed nursing educator, serving as the CLPNA’s Director of Practice and Policy from 1987 until she also retired in 2006. She was instrumental in curriculum upgrades and standardizing education for LPNs in Alberta.

Although the Fredrickson-McGregor Education Foundation wound down after 18 years of operations at the end of 2024, it was of great importance that Pat and Rita’s legacy of advocacy, vision and passion continued by distributing the remaining assets in a meaningful and impactful way. Recognized as a leader in training future LPNs with a 25 per cent growth in new students year over year, Bow Valley College was chosen to create an endowment — the Fredrickson-McGregor Education Fund — to further strengthen the program and support our students in becoming leaders in healthcare for years to come.

“The Fredrickson-McGregor Education Fund Scholarship at Bow Valley College stands as a testament to the profound impact these two remarkable individuals have had on the nursing profession,” says Jacinda Daley, Associate Dean, School of Health and Wellness. “Pat Fredrickson, with her visionary leadership as the Executive Director/Registrar of the CLNPA and Rita McGregor, with her dedication to nursing education and policy within the CLPNA, have both played pivotal roles in shaping the standards and practices of Licensed Practical Nursing in Alberta. This Foundation continues their legacy by supporting the next generation of practical nurse learners at Bow Valley College, ensuring that their spirit of innovation and commitment to quality care lives on.”

Embodying the values both Pat and Rita held dear, the Foundation was established in 2006 by the CLPNA with a $3.3 million grant from Alberta Health and Wellness. Its purpose was to support the continuing education needs of Alberta LPNs by distributing educational grants, awards and bursaries that provided access to continuous learning opportunities, while also celebrating their achievements.

The Foundation’s mission aligned with Bow Valley College’s impact on students as they embark on their journey to make a difference in healthcare and contributing to the growth of Alberta’s economy. The demand for work-ready nurses has led to 94 per cent of our graduates finding employment, while 77 percent say our high-tech simulation labs help prepare them for the real-life scenarios they experience in the field.

We are forever grateful to the Fredrickson-McGregor Education Foundation for choosing Bow Valley College to carry on the legacy of two extraordinary women in nursing. Their incredible gift will help our students uphold the same commitment to the profession and continuous growth through education that Pat and Rita embodied as the next generation carve their career paths.