Parrott Foundation Advances Health Care Education at Loyalist College

Belleville, ON, May 26, 2026 – A $750,000 gift from the John M. & Bernice Parrott Foundation is strengthening health care education at Loyalist College, supporting a new Medical Radiation Technology lab that gives students hands-on training for careers in diagnostic imaging. 

Loyalist launched its Medical Radiation Technology program in 2024 in response to growing demand for trained professionals in hospitals and clinical settings across Ontario. As one of the only colleges outside a major urban centre to offer this specialized pathway, Loyalist is building the pipeline of diagnostic imaging professionals in small and rural communities. 

“The Parrott Foundation has a long history of responding to regional health care priorities, through funding for equipment in our local hospitals,” said Loyalist College President and CEO Mark Kirkpatrick. “This gift extends that impact in a powerful way. By investing in Loyalist students and the learning spaces that make hands-on training possible, the Foundation is helping prepare the skilled professionals who will use that equipment, care for patients and serve communities across our region for years to come.” 

The gift reflects the Parrott Foundation’s longstanding commitment to advancing health care and education in the region. John M. and Bernice Parrott established the first student award at Loyalist College in 1968, beginning a legacy of generosity that has continued for more than five decades. 

“John and Bernice created the first award for students at Loyalist in 1968, and the Foundation they created has remained connected to the college in the years since,” said Lyle Vanclief, President, John M. & Bernice Parrott Foundation. “We are proud to have been part of Loyalist’s history and now its future, and we are pleased to support a program that our health care providers so desperately need and our community urgently requires.” 

Through this donation, the Parrott Foundation is helping expand access to specialized training close to home, while advancing the development of a skilled local workforce prepared to serve patients and communities across the region. 

About Loyalist College  

Loyalist College is built upon the lands governed by the Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement. We affirm and thank the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabeg and Huron-Wendat nations for their continued caretaking of the land. At Loyalist, we empower our students with wraparound support services and hands-on training to succeed on any path they choose. Our academic programs are responsive and innovative, designed to solve pressing social and economic challenges and meet the evolving needs of our regional industry and community partners. Our graduates enter the workforce equipped with the knowledge they need to be better global citizens, and with future-focused skills to lead change in their fields. With a presence in Belleville, Bancroft, Port Hope and Tyendinaga, we believe our institutional responsibility extends beyond the classroom to seeing the big picture for the communities we serve. Our expertise in applied research and deep connections to local industry support economic development, to the benefit of businesses, entrepreneurs, changemakers and innovators. Our commitment to decolonization, and the pursuit of a more inclusive, equitable world, means we hold ourselves accountable to the diverse perspectives, cultures and experiences that shape our communities. 

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