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OCNews

group of students standing outside an Okanagan College building at the Kelowna campus
OC welcomes more than 550 international students at fall orientation

September 13, 2023

Last week, Okanagan College welcomed more than 550 students from 70 countries at fall orientation events held at its four campuses. OC is excited to welcome the largest numbers of international students to the College this semester, with many students from India, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, Jamaica, Brazil, China, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. This year, International Education saw its biggest volunteer groups, including 42 volunteers from 19 different countries.  "International students bring with them rich experiences and perspectives that wi...

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OC President Neil Fassina.
Celebrating 60: Welcome to the 2023/24 academic year at OC

September 5, 2023

A message from Okanagan College President, Dr. Neil Fassina: For many people, this week marks the start of a new chapter. The first day of classes, a return to school, those initial moments where you check out the textbooks, syllabus, and materials of a new course – the energy on campus this time of year is electric and exciting.   This year is all the more special for OC, because we’re celebrating sixty years since the opening of the B.C. Vocational Institute in Kelowna and the College’s growth through the region in the decades that follow...

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Student chefs prepare dinners for wildfire evacuees.
OC student chefs supporting community

August 25, 2023

You can call it cooking with love.   Students from the Okanagan Chef School at Okanagan College dropped plans this week for a final feast to celebrate the end of their program and jumped into supporting the local emergency response instead. Typically, students at the Okanagan Chef School host a community dinner at the end of their year and one was planned for this week. However, when the event had to be cancelled due to the area wildfires, the students decided to shift their focus to preparing meals for those engaged in the response and imp...

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Members of the OC community drop off food for wildfire workers.
OC community steps up to support wildfire efforts

August 24, 2023

The OC community has been busy this week, stepping up to support wildfire efforts in their communities and supporting friends, family and neighbours in many different ways. The cancellation of this week’s  Connections event at Okanagan College, an event led by employees to kick off a new school year, meant some timely donations of lunches and snacks went out to people who are supporting the wildfire efforts in the Okanagan Valley. It was just one example of the many efforts the OC community has undertaken in their communities. Thank you to ...

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Himrose Bajaj
OC alum turns passion for music into a career in DJing

August 16, 2023

Set to release six original songs next month on Apple Music and Spotify, Himrose Bajaj’s career as DJ Hamy Shah is hitting new high notes.  As a child, Himrose Baja felt an instant connection to the Punjabi music his mom played in their home.  Now thanks to a unique music production course at OC he’s creating his own songs blending Punjabi language and hip-hop beats.   Himrose, who came to OC as an international student and is now a Canadian permanent resident living in Kelowna, is set to release six original songs this summer after graduat...

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OC Board of Governors member Cindy Battersby.
Okanagan College welcomes new board member

August 14, 2023

Okanagan College is pleased to announce the appointment of Cindy Battersby as the newest member of its Board of Governors. Battersby brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her role, having dedicated over 30 years of service to the College and the community. Prior to her retirement in 2021, Battersby served as the Student Services – Financial Awards Analyst at Okanagan College, where she played a large role in supporting students in their educational pursuits. Her deep understanding of the institution, its programs, and its commitmen...

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Early childhood education in the South Okanagan
OneSky Community Resources receives funding to offer free tuition for new Early Childhood Education program at OC’s Penticton Campus

August 10, 2023

OneSky Community Resources, in collaboration with Okanagan College (OC) and the Government of British Columbia, is excited to announce a new Early Childhood Education (ECE) program featuring free tuition and a flexible delivery method for people living in the South Okanagan. The program is designed to help support the childcare industry in the South Okanagan with 15 seats in the free program which begins Aug. 26 at OC’s Penticton campus. Applicants must meet certain criteria to qualify for the funding. “We are thrilled to receive this gener...

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two students walking in front of the Okanagan College Trades building
Nearly 30 courses at Okanagan College qualify for B.C. future skills grant toward tuition

July 6, 2023

A new grant offered by the B.C. Government can be used toward nearly 30 short-term skills training courses at Okanagan College this fall, expanding options for people who want to upgrade their skills, advance their careers and pursue in-demand jobs across the region. The $3,500 per person grant was announced earlier this year as part of the Province’s StrongerBC: Future Ready Action Plan, which invests $480 million into skills training and workforce development. "Every action we are taking is designed to build a better future for people a...

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Kayla Caruana
OC alum empowers seniors with financial planning expertise

June 29, 2023

OC alum Kayla Caruana was the youngest Certified Financial Planner (CFP) in Canada when she received her designation in January 2019, just 18 months after completing her program at the Okanagan School of Business. She credits her professors at Okanagan College for the training and encouragement that led her to explore the CFP designation. And Caruana was just getting started. Following the completion of her Bachelor of Business Administration from OC, during her last semester of studies she went on to found her own financial planning busi...

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Dr. Sylvia Janet Russell
$40,000 gift creates lasting tribute to former Okanagan University College Professor Dr. Sylvia Janet Russell

June 27, 2023

In her twenty-year tenure as a history professor at Okanagan University College (the predecessor to Okanagan College), Dr. Sylvia Janet Russell breathed life into bustling classrooms, transforming them into vibrant hubs of knowledge and inspiration. Now in a fitting tribute to her legacy, an anonymous $40,000 gift will establish a bursary fund in her honour. The Dr. Sylvia Janet Russell Memorial Fund will provide bursaries to students who have fulfilled the graduation requirements for Okanagan College’s Associate of Arts diploma - with a pa...

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