Learning & Programs
Okanagan College automotive program receives donation from Ford of Canada and Orchard Ford
March 8, 2021
Contribution of a 2020 Ford F-150 will allow students to gain valuable hands-on experience Automotive trades students at Okanagan College are getting a big boost for their education with the arrival of a shiny new training tool on which they can hone their skills. Ford of Canada and Orchard Ford are donating a 2020 Ford F-150 to the College to be used by students in its automotive service training programs. The vehicle has arrived at the Kelowna campus and will be put to good use in the shop immediately, notes Dean of Trades Steve...
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Meet Kurt Albrechtsen, Kinesiology student
March 4, 2021
Q: What’s your hometown? A: I’m from Williams Lake, located in the Cariboo region. Q: How did you end up at Okanagan College? A: I originally made my choice to come to OC by the recommendation of a friend who had attended previously and had a wonderful experience here. Q: How did you choose your program? A: After playing rugby and soccer all through my life, and having experienced injuries from both, as well as other activities like mountain biking and boxing, I...
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College offers summer courses and virtual information sessions to help students get ahead
March 4, 2021
Summer plans uncertain because of COVID? Okanagan College is once again offering its summer session courses online and via flexible distance education options to help students get ahead on their studies. The College’s first summer session of online courses will run May 10-June 18 and the second summer session begins on July 5. Distance education courses start on May 10 and run through late August. Current and prospective students can now explore courses and register online at www.okanagan.bc.ca/summer. To check course availabilit...
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CFUW Kelowna celebrates 60 years of empowering women
February 26, 2021
Before there was Okanagan College or the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO), a small group of women met to discuss how they could contribute to their community and promote higher education for women. Today, that group, known as the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) Kelowna chapter, are celebrating 60 years of community impact and support for female students. More than $175,000 has been donated to female students at Okanagan College over the last 30 years including eight awards for students this year alone....
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Open education efforts continue to enhance access for OC students
February 25, 2021
Thanks to a grant from BCcampus, over the next several months Okanagan College will be adding to its strong track record for promoting and supporting open education practices, including the creation, use and adaptation of open educational resources (OER). The $10,000 grant is empowering project lead Roën Janyk, Web Services Librarian, and a group of OC employees and student union representatives who have been meeting for the past several years, to focus their efforts on honing an open education strategy and action plan for the Col...
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A date with OC: A Valentine’s dinner surprise
February 9, 2021
Last minute Valentine’s day plans aren’t always the most memorable, but Okanagan College’s restaurant, Infusions, has a solution for you this Saturday that offers an unforgettable dining twist – everything is a surprise. What do we know about this surprise evening? Infusions Restaurant is opening its doors this Saturday, Feb. 13, to offer diners a Valentine’s culinary adventure to remember, where they won’t know what dish is coming out next. Diners will sit down for a five-course dinner menu created by OC Pastry Arts chef Danny C...
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Meet Aleena Isobe, Criminal Social Justice student
February 9, 2021
Q: What’s your hometown? A: Vernon, B.C. I grew up here and I’ve always been so grateful for the natural beauty that surrounds us. Q: How did you end up at Okanagan College? A: I had always planned to do a couple years of college before going to university so I had time to adjust to the differences between high school and post-secondary, so I chose a local college that had courses that interested me. Q: How did you choose your program? A: I’ve always been fasci...
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Meet Jordan Boultbee, Kinesiology student
February 9, 2021
Q: What’s your hometown? A: Penticton, British Columbia. Q: How did you end up at Okanagan College? A: I first began at Okanagan College, back in 2013 the year following my graduation. I was playing junior hockey for the Penticton Vees, but wanted to keep my mind sharp, so I enrolled in a few college-level courses. I returned to Okanagan College around 2015 in the Trades program, before finally realizing my passion and enrolling in the Human Kinetics program in 2018...
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Meet Ty Sideroff, Kinesiology student
February 9, 2021
Q: What’s your hometown? A: I was born and raised in Summerland. Q: How did you end up at Okanagan College? A: Exiting high school, I was unsure of what I wanted to do. I felt that the Okanagan College in Penticton was a low-risk, high-reward option. Staying local was important to me, but it was also hard to argue with small class sizes, hands-on labs and affordable tuition. Q: How did you choose your program? A: I’ve always been fascinated by the human body and ...
Read more...What is community evaluation? Sociology Professor Priscillia Lefebvre explains
February 8, 2021
Sociology Professor Priscillia Lefebvre is one of the instructors involved in OC's new Applied Bachelor of Arts: Community Research and Evaluation. Here, she describes how an inclusive evaluation process brings community and researchers together. Community evaluation helps us to understand how well a social program is working. It involves researching and collecting information about important aspects of a program, such ...
Read more...Why is research important? Psychology Professor Stephanie Griffiths explains
February 8, 2021
Psychology Professor Stephanie Griffiths is one of the instructors involved in OC's new Applied Bachelor of Arts: Community Research and Evaluation. Here, she describes how research encourages us to think differently in order to arrive at new perspectives. Research helps us to make sense of the world by testing our predictions about how things work. As a psychologist, I am most interested in how people think, fee...
Read more...What is community? Professor Olivia Sullivan offers a definition
February 8, 2021
Social Work Professor Olivia Sullivan is one of the instructors involved in OC's new Applied Bachelor of Arts: Community Research and Evaluation. Here, she provides insight into a definition of community that enables acts of solidarity and connection. If we asked any group of people, “What does ‘community’ mean to you?” we would receive many answers. For some, their community is the city in which they live. For others, it is thei...
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Experience OC takes post-secondary explorations virtual
February 5, 2021
Experience OC, from the safety of home. The College’s premiere participation event for prospective students is making the leap to the online world, with virtual Experience OC sessions launching next month. Starting Feb. 16, College professors will welcome prospective students, parents and employers in for program overviews or a glimpse of what a post-secondary classroom is like. Participants will get a first-hand look at the topics covered in these programs, including sustainability, Indigenous and technological issues facing the...
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Giving to the health of the community
January 29, 2021
A retired Kelowna couple are donating $30,000 to Okanagan College’s Health Sciences Centre to support the health of the community. Jim Hodgson and Joy Bianco are supporting the Our Students and Your Health Campaign with a gift they say recognizes their passion for the Okanagan. “Kelowna is a beautiful place. We’ve seen so many changes here for the positive, and it’s feels good to support the community,” says Bianco, who was born in Kelowna but spent her formative years in Vancouver. Bianco adds education has always been central ...
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OC Business students shine at international competition
January 28, 2021
While COVID-19 travel restrictions cheated two Okanagan College business administration students out of an opportunity to visit Kingston, Ont. in mid-winter, the duo now have an international quality achievement that will serve to enhance their post-graduation resumes. As the OC Accounting team, Kayla Berlinski and Zina Park earned a third-place finish at the Queen’s University Intercollegiate Business Competition (ICBC), which draws post-secondary business student teams from around the world. Organizers describe the event as “Cana...
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OC health care grad launches her own business
January 21, 2021
A desire to better understand her mother’s struggle with dementia, and support her through it, inspired Susan Kyle to go back to school. This Saturday, Kyle will be among the more than 2,000 Okanagan College students receiving their credentials during OC’s first-ever virtual convocation ceremony. “Congratulations to all of our graduating students from the Revelstoke and Salmon Arm campuses,” says Joan Ragsdale, Regional Dean for Shuswap-Revelstoke. “Over the past year, you’ve demonstrated resilience, determination and tremendous ...
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