OCNews

Articles tagged "OC Alumni Association"

Erum Ahmad
OC alumna gives back with bursary for high school grads

June 22, 2022

Okanagan College alumna Erum Ahmad has been spending her time teaching Vernon high school students how to be smart with their money. Now, she is giving one of those students a chance to put their learnings into action by creating a bursary to fund the next steps of their educational journey. Erum, who graduated from Okanagan College in 2021, found a passion in sharing financial literacy with high school students after experiencing a lack of financial training herself. “When I was in grade 10, I realized there were no classes to help me lea...

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Keegan Pereira
OC celebrates Convocation in person next week

May 30, 2022

Keegan Pereira will be taking part in a momentous occasion next week, as he and his Okanagan College peers cross the stage at the first in-person Convocation ceremonies to be held at OC since the pandemic began.  Growing up in the region, Pereira has always known Okanagan College will provide him with the educational opportunities he needed, especially when the Bachelor of Computer Information Systems Degree called to him. “I heard amazing things about the program,” he says about why he chose OC. “The widespread opportunity between practica...

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Nick Pelletier
OC Alumnus cycles for charity in solo ride across Mexico

May 6, 2022

Nick Pelletier didn’t spend his recent trip to Mexico relaxing on the beach. The Okanagan College Business Alumnus pedaled solo across Mexico in a 51-day trek, stopping at points with the highest and lowest elevation in the country, while raising awareness and funds for charity. The journey, which began in February, benefited charity: water, an organization that provides clean and safe drinking water to those without access. Pelletier, an ultra-endurance athlete and extreme adventurer, is no stranger to epic endeavors and likes to combine...

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Divyesh Dagia
OC student to attend prestigious astroparticle physics summer school

May 5, 2022

The sky is the limit for Okanagan College physics student Divyesh Dagia, who is set to attend the Canadian Astroparticle Physics Summer School (CAPSS) this May. The intensive week-long session is designed for astronomy, physics and engineering undergraduates and will introduce them to the current topics in the field of astroparticle physics at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., and virtually at SNOLAB. Only 20 students from across Canada are invited to attend the session each year. Dagia, who will complete an Associate of Science Degree ...

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OC Student Dinner Series
Student becomes the master at OC Student Chef Dinner Series

March 17, 2022

Okanagan College’s Culinary Arts program served up a tasty opportunity for students to bring their culinary learnings to the table alongside an experienced OC alumnus on Friday. The College’s restaurant, Infusions, hosted guests for a meal that was part of the Student Chef Dinner Series, which gives students an opportunity to showcase their skills and the very best of Okanagan region cuisine while working with experienced chefs. Chef Chris Van Hooydonk of Backyard Farm’s Chef Table in Oliver, B.C., returned to the OC kitchen for the dinner ...

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Kayle Gablehouse
Meet Kayla Gabelhouse

February 10, 2022

OC alumna Kayla Gabelhouse felt there was a gap in the jewelry market and started making pieces for herself and her friends. What started as a fun side hustle, quickly grew to being a profitable jewelry business that’s been featured in Vanity Fair UK and donned on reality TV stars.   What did you take at OC/OUC? When did you graduate? What campus did you attend? BBA with a specialty in Marketing, I graduated in April 2020. Would you recommend the program you took? Why/why not? Yes!...

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Courtney Koga
Meet Courtney Koga

January 18, 2022

Eight years ago, Courtney Koga and her sister Meiko started CrAsian Food Truck. Today, they continue running a successful food truck business in addition to two brick and mortar kitchens in tasting rooms of two popular Kelowna breweries: Kettle River Brewing and BNA Brewing. Recently Koga was nominated for two Kelowna Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards for Young Entrepreneur and Social Leadership. We caught up with her to hear more about what she’s been up to since grad...

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Harrison Coe
Silver screen smitten with OC alumni making Hallmark movie debuts

December 16, 2021

‘Tis the season for warming up by the fire, sipping hot chocolate and spotting an Okanagan College alumnus starring in your favourite, cheesy Christmas movie. A literal Jack of all trades, Harrison Coe doubles as a journeyman electrician at Capra Electric in Vernon and also as a professional actor. Coe has appeared in television shows such as The X-Files, Millennium, Stargate, the Outer Limits and also starred in a film with Sylvester Stallone called Eye See You. He made his Hallmark movie debut this year, starring in Fixing Up Christmas. S...

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Sean McFetridge
Meet Sean McFetridge, OC alumnus

November 1, 2021

After an intense wildfire season, heatwaves and droughts, the need for Canadians to conserve water is more crucial than ever. That’s where OC alumnus Sean McFetridge comes in. He and his wife, Alisha McFetridge, co-founded RainStick Shower, a WiFi-enabled smart shower system that aims to solve water and energy waste by up to 80%. We caught up with Sean to hear more about what he’s been up to since graduating from OC in 2011. Where is your hometown and where are you located now? Kel...

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OC alumna Cassidy McEown
OC alumna masters her trade on TV; panelist in upcoming webinar

June 9, 2021

While most college graduates can relate to the at times hectic challenge of balancing life, school and work during their student days, few know what it feels like to meet that challenge while followed around by a camera crew. OC alumna Cassidy McEown is one who does. She has been learning her trade, Collision Repair and Refinishing, while on HISTORY’s Rust Valley Restorers (RVR) for the last three years. “I generally work better under pressure, but having a camera over your shoulder while working on metal work is something you definitely h...

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Saige Girouard
OC grad honoured for contributions to inclusion, democracy and reconciliation

May 20, 2021

When Saige Girouard arrived at Okanagan College to have her photo taken during a grad experience event this week, she took home much more than a snapshot. She left with provincial recognition of her outstanding efforts to bring people together. Girouard, a Bachelor of Business Administration student, became the first OC student to ever receive the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation. The Lieutenant Governor’s Medal has been a symbol of academic excellence since 1979. In 2019, eligibility for the Lieutenan...

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Mark Hopley
Meet Mark Hopley

May 13, 2021

Where is your hometown and where are you located now? Penticton What did you take at OC/OUC and when did you graduate? I took the Winery Assistant Program in 1997. It was one of the first years that the course was available.  I attended the Penticton campus. Our instructors at the time where Holly Birtwistle in the lab and Gary Strachan on the winemaking end. They really laid the groundwork for a great program which I enjoyed immensely. It is such a small industry, I actually ended...

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Jacqueline Barnett, OC Alumna
Starting in science at OC propel alumni to success

April 30, 2021

As the world continues to navigate life in a pandemic, it has become increasingly clear that science matters. High school students approaching graduation and pondering their future, may be considering a career in this field, but knowing what area to specialize in can be a challenging decision with so many options. Okanagan College alumna Jacqueline Barnett started her journey in sciences through the College’s Associate of Science degree program. She’s now chasing her dreams, following not just her head and her heart, but also her gut, as s...

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Allan Coyle and Nick Melemenis OCAA
Alumni Association honours essential workers; provides support to next generation

April 12, 2021

For 18 years, the Okanagan College Alumni Association (OCAA) has honoured OC graduates whose extraordinary contributions have positively impacted those close to home and around the world. In a year like no other and for the first time in the awards’ history, the OCAA is celebrating multiple recipients of this prestigious award: essential workers. “This year we decided to do things a little differently and honour all alumni who have been working hard in our community to keep us all safe,” says OCAA Vice President Nick Melemenis. “This pandem...

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Rosanne Ting-Mak Brown
Meet Rosanne Ting-Mak Brown

March 15, 2021

Okanagan College Bachelor of Business Administration alumna Rosanne Ting-Mak Brown had to completely pivot her event management business when the pandemic hit. Through navigating the new norm, she has remained optimistic about the future of her company, RedScope Media.   Where are you from and where are you now? I grew up in Edmonton and now live in West Kelowna.   Looking back at your time at OC, what is your best memory? It was great to learn and grow with so many likeminded pe...

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Lucas Griffin
Meet Lucas Griffin

February 2, 2021

What did you take at OC/OUC? When did you graduate? I took my Bachelor of Business Administration degree and graduated with distinction in 2000 from OUC.   Where are you from and where are you now? I was born and raised in West Kelowna and still live there! My wife, family and I have travelled all over the world, and the more we travel, the more we realize that the Okanagan is an amazing place to live!   Who was your biggest influence during your time at OC? The professors and fac...

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