OC Enactus helps young females navigate the future
January 15, 2021
Okanagan College’s nationally recognized Enactus team is kicking off the new year with new community-initiatives, including a program preparing local young females to navigate their future with confidence, positive self-image and the know-how to tackle the world of job hunting. The project, Ivy Collective, is a free skills development program that supports females aged 15-18 through a series of one-hour online training workshops. Topics include public speaking, job application skills and confidence-building strategies. The first ...
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Meet Pamela Rouse, Practical Nursing instructor
January 4, 2021
What is your education and experience? I was born in Vancouver and lived there until I moved to the Okanagan with my husband and two teenage children in 2010. I attended UBC and achieved my BScN and then specialized in orthopedics and adolescent medical/surgical care at B.C. Children’s Hospital. I worked there for 20 years prior to starting my teaching career in the Practical Nursing program at Vancouver Community College. I began working at OC on a term instructor ba...
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Loved nurse honoured with a major gift to the College
December 23, 2020
She was the type of nurse who was working even when she was off. If the phone rang in the middle of the night, Mary Miller would go to the hospital to help her colleagues. In celebration of all the love she gave her patients and especially those closest to her, the Miller family are making a $150,000 donation to Okanagan College’s new Health Sciences Centre. The gift honours Mary, who passed away in October at age 83. “My Mary would be so pleased and so honoured that we’re doing this for her,” says Dean Miller, her husband of 62 y...
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Zahra Salon takes a cut for College fundraiser
December 18, 2020
Experience in – and experience of – health care services has led management of Zahra Salon and Spa to turn their attention until the end of January to supporting the education of health care professionals at Okanagan College. Zahra Salon will be inviting its customers to make a holiday or New Year donation to the College’s Our Students Your Health campaign, along with selling raffle tickets for a gift basket valued at $1,000. The salon’s medical spa will also be donating 10 per cent of all laser treatments services to the campaign ...
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Collegial effort cooks up a recipe book for student support
December 16, 2020
After compiling recipes into a delectable read, the What We Cooked: A Compilation of Recipes During COVID Times cookbook is available for purchase. The idea for the book started when a team of College library staff members noticed their online daily conversations constantly reverted to food. With a hunger to support the community in a time of isolation and invite others to connect on a relatable subject, What We Cooked was born. All proceeds raised from book sales will go towards the Okanagan College Students’ Union and the Vern...
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Season’s Eatings fundraiser surpasses fundraising goal
December 10, 2020
An evening celebrating festive cooking virtually is resulting in a very real-world impact for Okanagan College health care students. Season’s Eatings, a virtual cooking class and wine tasting fundraiser hosted by the Okanagan College Foundation, raised $315,000 on the evening of Dec. 3, surpassing its $250,000 goal. The virtual cooking and wine tasting class featured Okanagan College Culinary and Pastry Arts instructors and their students who walked participants through how to cook a gourmet dinner consisting of mouth-watering stu...
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Meet Marty Paradine, SBT Professor
December 9, 2020
Q: What is your education and background? A: My education is as follows: B.Sci. in Mechanical Engineering (University of Manitoba) M.Sci. in Renewable Energy (Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany) MBA (Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden) Certified Energy Manager (Association of Energy Engineers) Professional Engineer (APEGBC) I have worked in the mining, oil and gas industries as an engineer and operations manager, before moving into my ...
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Meet Brian Rippy, SBT Professor
December 9, 2020
Q: What is your education and background? A: Undergrad in Civil Engineering and Bio Resources, and a Master's in Sustainable Design. Q: What is your area of interest? A: Beautiful, healthy and regenerative buildings. Q: When did you know you had found your discipline? A: When I discovered the impact that the built environment has on our planet, social fabric, health and wellness. Q: Why did you choose to work at Okanagan College? A: It presented an opportun...
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Enactus’ FruitSnaps transitions into social enterprise
December 8, 2020
The award-winning Enactus initiative FruitSnaps is now running as a social enterprise after the student-run team recently launched apple juice boxes. The direct result of an abundant number of apples over the fall semester, the five-litre boxes of fresh apple juice are now available locally and online for purchase. All proceeds go back into the program and help to keep it sustainable. OC alumni, staff and community members were among the first people who showed up to help the Enactus team pick the approximately 13,000 pounds of app...
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OC’s Thurnheer sheds light on lessons from the pandemic in CPHR virtual roundtable
December 8, 2020
Laura Thurnheer, Okanagan College’s Associate Dean of Science, Technology and Health, was one of four panelists on the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR) Canada virtual roundtable on Dec. 1. Titled, “In Conversation with HR Leaders,” the session saw human resources specialists from across Canada discuss next steps on workplace recovery from the pandemic, asking crucial questions around changes made in light of the pandemic, mental health and attracting and engaging talent. With close to 300 attendees, the event also g...
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