College professor Celebrates Chinese Canadian history at Commando Bay 80th anniversary
August 9, 2024
Okanagan College history professor Howard Hisdal celebrated a major milestone in the history of Chinese Canadian right to vote. Hisdal was invited by Shaun Boo to make the trip to Commando Bay on Okanagan Lake to commemorate the 1944 British Special Operations (SOE) training of 13 Chinese Canadian commandos. The event included members of the Kelowna Chinese History Group, the Chinese Freemasons of Kelowna, and Military Historian Keith Boehmer of the Okanagan Military Museum. “The training of the 13 Chinese Canadians ...
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Over 20 courses and programs at Okanagan College qualify for StrongerBC future skills grant
August 8, 2024
Learners who are considering upgrading their skills, advancing their careers or taking on a new challenge through a program at Okanagan College (OC) have another great reason to take the plunge right now. The StrongerBC future skills grant is back with tuition support.Introduced for the first time in fall 2023, the StrongerBC future skills grant covers as much as $3,500 in eligible short-term skills training at public post-secondary institutions—including Â黨´«Ă˝ The grant is open to most B.C. residents aged 19 years or ol...
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Green Drinks: Fire Ecology and Wildfire Management Panel Discussion at Penticton OC
August 1, 2024
Discover the vital role of fire in landscape and gain practical strategies for wildfire management at the upcoming Green Drinks Penticton event.This engaging and informative panel discussion at Okanagan College’s Penticton campus is supported by the City of Penticton, the Regional District of the Okanagan Similkameen, the District of Summerland, Tin Whistle and the BC Beverage Technology Access Centre at OC.Date: Tuesday, August 6, 2024Time: 6 to 8 p.m. (Doors open at 5:30 p.m.)Location: Community Hall, Okanagan Colle...
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New Associate Dean joins the School of Business
July 31, 2024
After an extensive search, Â黨´«Ă˝is pleased to welcome Dr. Christine Sjolander as our Associate Dean, Business Administration.Christine comes to Â黨´«Ă˝with a breadth of experience in post-secondary education, most recently serving as Vice-Chair, Academic at Capilano University for the School of Business. Christine has completed a Doctor of Education from Simon Fraser University as well as a Master's and Bachelor's Degree from Alfred University.As a strong proponent of student-centered teaching and learning, she is looking forward to worki...
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Okanagan College Welcomes New Dean of Health and Social Development
July 31, 2024
Okanagan College is pleased to announce that Patrena Mackie has joined Â黨´«Ă˝as the new Dean of Health and Social Development. With over 17 years of experience in teaching and health care, Patrena brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to our community. She holds a Master of Education and a Bachelor of Nursing.Mackie comes to Okanagan College from Bow Valley College where she was the Associate Dean of the School of Health and Wellness, Nursing portfolio. During her career she has maintained a focus on integrating technology into c...
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Camp OC: Where Summer Fun Meets Support
July 29, 2024
Summer is in full swing at Okanagan College campuses across Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon, and Salmon Arm, where Camp Â黨´«Ă˝has opened its doors once again. Running throughout the summer, Camp Â黨´«Ă˝aims to engage children in a variety of interests from engineering and arts to music, science, culinary arts, trades, and computers. With hundreds of children expected weekly, the campuses are buzzing with laughter and excitement as kids dive into their passions.For families like the Smiths, Camp Â黨´«Ă˝isn't just a summer camp—it's a vital sup...
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More people will benefit from training grants
July 26, 2024
People training for good paying, in-demand careers will be able to access grants that cover most, or all, of their tuition thanks to the next intake of the StrongerBC future skills grant.This popular grant covers as much as $3,500 in eligible short-term skills training at public post-secondary institutions.“Because B.C.’s strong economy is growing, we now have more job openings than people with the training needed to work in high-demand fields,” said Premier David Eby. “We need to give people the opportunity to build a good life – a...
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Paddle fundraiser raises over $29,000 for Sunflower Childcare Centre
July 25, 2024
On July 20th, Kristin (Postill) Holomis and her team paddled the length of Kalamalka Lake (18km) in support of the Okanagan College Foundation’s Sunflower childcare campaign, raising more than $29,000 in just a few weeks.“Stand Up For” is an annual local fundraising effort by Kristin Holomis and Brittney Page where they paddleboard the length of Kalamalka Lake in support of a chosen charity. This year they paddled for OC’s new Sunflower Childcare Centre, located on the Vernon campus. Scheduled to open in September, The Sunflower Chi...
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Community leader shares personal story of how sport transformed her life
July 23, 2024
Paula Quinn was only seven years old when she first stepped onto a running track but that experience with athletics dramatically changed her life.Quinn is the former Executive Director of the KF Aerospace Centre for Excellence and is active in the Kelowna community sitting on four volunteer boards including the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, Regional District of Central Okanagan, B.C. Cancer Foundation and the Airport Advisory Committee.Quinn is now among a growing number of local residents putting their support behind the Thrive Here...
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Student housing project in Salmon Arm impacted by weather, trades availability; will open in January 2025
July 18, 2024
SALMON ARM - You can’t miss the new 60-bed student housing building at Okanagan College’s Salmon Arm campus. Nearing the end stages of construction, it will soon be home to people pursuing education and training in everything from Arts, Science, and Business to careers in trades and health care.However, the unexpected cold snap that hit the region last winter had a cascading impact on the construction schedule, and while efforts were made to make up the time, the College has now announced the building won’t be ready for the fall sem...
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