OCNews

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

My name is Keona Gagnier. I grew up in the Okanagan and live in West Kelowna. Outside of school and work, I enjoy hiking, swimming, drawing, painting, reading, fashion and dancing —  pretty much anything that helps to balance out the amount of time I spend sitting at a desk, typing on keyboards and staring at screens!

How did you learn about the programs offered at OC?

An OC representative came to my high school, Mount Boucherie, to talk about programs and opportunities. At the time I was interested in the Associate of Arts diploma with a plan to eventually transfer to UBCO for a Psychology degree. I didn't know anything about the Bachelor of Computing Information Systems (BCIS) until halfway through my first year at OC.

What drew you to the BCIS program — and what were you hoping it would lead to?

In my first year I took COSC 122, Computer Fluency, to fill a science credit. The professor was Sarah Foss, and once we started working with HTML and JavaScript, something clicked. 
I have always had an enjoyment in creating and designing, so getting to do that through a markup language and scripting was really fun!

I truly felt I had gained multiple new skills, and not just in the way that I memorized some facts or information, but in the way that I could use those skills to MAKE something tangible. That's what pulled me into BCIS. As for where I hoped it would lead, honestly, I had no idea. I was really just taking a leap into this new world, open to any possibilities.

What does a typical week look like for you in the program?

This really depends on whether or not you are in your first year. First year is a grind — you're focused on programming and math, working through labs and building your foundational skills. I had almost no free time, but the effort you put in early pays off. Second year onward involves a lot of group work and multi-month software and database projects, sometimes with real-world clients. Overall, a typical week means going to lectures, studying and working through labs or project milestones.

Has anything in the program surprised you?

I didn't expect to fly to Montreal to present research at SYSCON 2025 in my third year. It started as a Data Warehousing course project — our professor, Youry Khmelevsky, encourages students to turn class projects into formal research projects and write a formal paper. My team worked at it for several months and ended up getting published by IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). That was something I never imagined when I enrolled.
Tell us about a moment where something clicked — where you felt like you were doing real work, not just studying.
My Software Engineering course was that moment. My team was building a web app for a real-world client, and we decided to push beyond what was taught in class and learn modern frameworks actually used in industry. The foundation from our coursework made picking up those new tools much easier than it would have been otherwise. Building something from scratch for a real client — and having something meaningful to put on my resumé — made it feel like genuine work, not just an assignment.

How have your instructors shaped your experience?

I would say the majority of my instructors were amazing and had a big impact on my experience. Sarah Foss, Ken Chidlow, James Nastos, Alan Kennedy, Mohamad Khajezade, Chaoping Guow, Matthew Fritter, and Youry Khmelevsky all did a fantastic job teaching me, making me feel supported, and pushing me to work hard and always strive for more.

My classmate, Kristina Cormier, while not an instructor, also had a major impact on my experience as the chair of the IEEE OC Student Branch. Along with Youry, she did a great job getting me involved with research and opportunities beyond the classroom.

Another example that stands out is Sarah Foss — her teaching was the reason I switched into BCIS in the first place! Having her for Programming I and II helped me feel like I could actually succeed in a new and unfamiliar field. She also gave me a reference at the end of first year that helped me land my first co-op role. I’m very thankful for the impact she had on my first year and for helping me take that first step into my career.

How did the program prepare you for your co-op work term?

I completed two co-op terms while at OC, both in offices that relied heavily on tools like SharePoint, Power BI, and Power Automate — none of which are taught in class. But the BCIS program gave me the foundation to learn them quickly. SharePoint made sense because of web development. Power BI was approachable because of my database courses. Power Automate clicked because I already knew how to program. The BCIS program teaches you how to learn new technology fast, and that flexibility has been one of my biggest assets.

Who do you think would thrive in this program?

If you're someone who does well in both humanities and STEM and has always felt pulled in two directions, BCIS might be the right fit. I always struggled to choose between a BA and a BSc, and BCIS felt like a combination of both. It's also not heavily math-focused — you only take two math courses. And if you're a practical person who likes to see results from your learning, you'll appreciate how quickly the program gets you building real things.

If you could say one thing to someone on the fence about applying — what would it be

If you’re anything like I was and you’re on the fence because you feel intimidated, I would still absolutely encourage you to apply. If you’re willing to work hard and take the time to learn, you are more capable than you think. Don’t let your own fears hold you back from an opportunity that could completely change your future.