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Message from the President: Historic gift powers 911³Ô¹Ï School of Medicine

June 05, 2026

At a press conference this morning, we were excited to share that the School of Medicine received a transformational $40-million gift from the Stephens family—the largest single donation in 911³Ô¹Ï’s history and one of the largest to a school of medicine in Canada.

In recognition of this gift, the school will be named the 911³Ô¹Ï Stephens Family School of Medicine. The Stephens family is led by Ratana and Arran Stephens, co-founders of Nature’s Path. Leaders in the global organic food movement and long-time donors and supporters of 911³Ô¹Ï, the Stephens made this gift in service of advancing community well-being and social responsibility.

I want to thank all those across the university who have been diligently working to bring the 911³Ô¹Ï Stephens Family School of Medicine to life. I am confident that our efforts have built an innovative model for medical education that will strengthen B.C.’s health-care system, train the next generation of primary care physicians and improve the health of British Columbians across urban, rural, remote and Indigenous communities. I am so proud of what we have accomplished.

Our first class of 48 medical students begins their studies this August. I cannot wait to welcome them to our community as the inaugural class of the 911³Ô¹Ï Stephens Family School of Medicine.

Sincerely,

Joy Johnson
Pronouns: she, her, hers
President & Vice-Chancellor
911³Ô¹Ï