OCNews

Articles tagged "Salmon Arm"

Aspire Plumbing
A tale of three plumbers: a career path for all generations

April 13, 2022

Plumbing and Piping Foundation program coming to OC’s Salmon Arm campus A trio of plumbers at Aspire Plumbing and Heating may have different years under their belts, but their passion for the career holds strong with each generation. Dallas Stewart, Gary Whitlock, and Allen Minderlein are all at various stages of their careers but have all relied on post-secondary training at some point to advance their careers in the plumbing industry. Stewart, the youngest at 23, has just finished the Plumbing and Piping Foundation program at Okanagan C...

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Portraits of Kristine Wickner and Shelley Desautels
OC employees shine in Salmon Arm Top 20 Under 40

February 16, 2022

OC instructor Shelley Desautels and Marketing Assistant Kristine Wickner usually have a full agenda, but it’s never too full that they can’t tackle another challenge. Desautels and Wickner, who both work at the Salmon Arm campus, were recently nominated as one of the city’s Top 20 Under 40, highlighting their contributions within the community. Wickner was nominated to the list in fall 2021, when the Salmon Arm Economic Development Society and the Salmon Arm Chamber of Commerce fi...

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Associate of Science student Claire Hall
Meet Claire Hall, Associate of Science student

February 1, 2022

Q: What’s your hometown? A: I’m from Salmon Arm. Q: How did you end up at Okanagan College? A: I talked to some of my friends who were going to OC and they had all had really great experiences.  So, I decided to stay in town and go to OC for the first part of my degree. Q: How did you choose your program? A: I started in the Associate of Arts Program at OC and wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do.  I had always been interested in psychology, but I was particularly drawn towards...

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Candlelight Vigil text overlay on an image of candles lit in the background
Dec. 6 Candlelight Vigils return to OC’s Vernon and Salmon Arm campuses

December 2, 2021

Candlelight is returning to Okanagan College’s campuses, as a symbolic commitment to end violence against women. Communities in the Okanagan and Shuswap are marking the 32nd anniversary of the École Polytechnique Massacre, in addition to the ongoing cases of missing women from the region, with a Candlelight Vigil on Dec. 6 co-hosted by a network of organizations and volunteers. “The SAFE Society has been partnering with Okanagan College and students for over a decade to offer the Dec. 6 event, as an important way to remember and honour wome...

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Melissa Munn and Chris Clarkson
Okanagan College professors pen in-depth book on history of Canadian corrections

October 22, 2021

Discourse about the lived experiences of those behind bars is about to break free across the country, with a special virtual book launch event next week. Okanagan College Sociology Professor Melissa Munn and History Professor Chris Clarkson joined forces to co-author Disruptive Prisoners: Resistance, Reform and the New Deal, published this fall by University of Toronto Press. The book is a collective biography that reconstitutes the histories of Canada’s federal prison system in the mid-20th century – constructed after years of extensive r...

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Salmon Arm student Savannah Lamb
Incoming OC Salmon Arm student wins a $40,000 scholarship

August 31, 2021

Salmon Arm student Savannah Lamb has 40,000 reasons to be excited to begin her educational journey at Okanagan College this fall. Thanks to an external $40,000 scholarship from the Beedie Luminaries foundation, Lamb will begin the Associate of Arts program at the College’s Salmon Arm campus in the fall, worry-free. “When I found out about receiving this scholarship, I was so surprised and it took me a while to process it,” says Lamb. “After it sunk in, I shared the news with my family, and we had the chance to celebrate together.” Lamb attr...

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Brian White, Biology Professor
Meet Bryan White, Biology Professor

July 6, 2021

Q: What is your education and background? A: I have an undergraduate degree with honours in biochemistry, a masters degree in post-secondary Education, a PhD degree in Medicine (Focus on reproduction and the signals that initiate labour), and postdoctoral  research in animal reproduction and vascular (blood vessel) development.  Q: What is your area of interest? A: Although I started in Biochemistry, as time went on I seemed to transition over to Anatomy and Physiology (A&P). T...

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Entrepreneurship Professor Andrew Klingel hangs out with Chewbacca during a holiday break
Meet Andrew Klingel, Business Administration Professor

April 27, 2021

Q: What is your education and background? A: I have a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master's of Business Administration from Queen’s University. Q: What is your area of interest? A: Prior to joining Okanagan College, I consulted for major corporations such as Telus, TD and General Motors — but my true passion is entrepreneurship. I have been involved with many new ventures as an operator, investor and advisor.  For example, I joined a software start up that grew from $0 in sales to ov...

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Joan Ragsdale, Regional Dean for Shuswap-Revelstoke
Going back to school in COVID-times: How OC supports mature students in our communities

March 29, 2021

In my years as a post-secondary administrator, I’ve had a front row seat to innumerable examples of how education truly does transforms lives, which in turn benefits and transforms our communities. As Okanagan College’s Regional Dean for the Shuswap-Revelstoke, by far some of the most inspiring and remarkable stories I’ve been fortunate to witness over the years have been those of our mature students. Working parents, who have summoned the courage and the will to go back into the classroom, level up their skills, maybe make a 180-degree car...

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OC Salmon Arm
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 flexibilit...

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United Against Violence Against Women Online Candlelight Vigil
OC joins Vernon and Salmon Arm communities to hold vigil against violence against women

December 1, 2020

Many activities stopped as a result of the 2020 pandemic. Violence against women, however, is not one of them. This is why communities in the Okanagan and Shuswap are paying special attention to the 31st anniversary of the École Polytechnique Massacre, in addition to the ongoing cases of missing women from the region, with a Virtual Candlelight Vigil on Dec. 6 co-hosted by a network of organizations and volunteers. “The SAFE Society has been partnering with Okanagan College Students’ Union and Aboriginal Services for over a decade to offer ...

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Student smiles at the camera while holding papers and a stop watch
Meet John Varga, Advanced GIS Certificate alumnus

November 26, 2020

Q: What was your program and month/year of graduation. A: The Advanced GIS Certificate, May 2019. Q: What is your hometown? A: Salmon Arm Q: What brought you to OC over any other school? Why did you come to study here of all places? A: I met the instructor in a social situation, and she told me about the program. She was knowledgeable and personable. Q: Did you bring any other post-secondary education or training with you when you came into your program? A: A Programmer Analyst dip...

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Long Night Against Procrastination poster with a map showing all the ways we distract ourselves, plus the Nov. 26 date of the event
Pizza over procrastination: OC students power through deadlines together during annual event

November 19, 2020

Long Night Against Procrastination is back – even with the pizza – and all from the comfort of home. An Okanagan College rite of passage, Long Night Against Procrastination has helped countless students kick procrastination to the curb and get assignments in on time. In recent years, the popular Penticton event had spread to multiple campuses, as students converged on campus for a late-night cram session, surrounded by faculty, librarians and Success Centre coordinators who would help with final assignments, papers and projects due at the e...

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Culinary Arts student, Ruby Pahtayken
College hosting region-wide virtual open house

October 16, 2020

Participants eligible for $5,000 tuition giveaway While the pandemic means prospective students can’t stop by to explore campuses physically this fall, Okanagan College is pulling out all the stops to host an interactive virtual open house to ensure students can still get questions answered. On Sunday, Nov. 8, from 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., future students, parents, high school counsellors and anyone looking to learn more about the College and its programs will have a chance to experience OC from the comfort of home. All those interested can fi...

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Alison Beaumont
New work-integrated learning opportunities for OC students and employers across the region

October 5, 2020

Earlier this year, Okanagan College announced new opportunities through the Student, Graduate and Co-op Employment office for Indigenous learners and students who face accessibility challenges. With funding from the provincial government, the College is set to launch a third project to increase access to co-op and work-integrated learning for OC students and employers. Overseeing the project at OC is Alison Beaumont, a Coordinator in the Student, Graduate and Co-op Employment office. She notes that the new project has dual opportunities for...

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Grid of images from OC campuses, clockwise from top left: Penticton, Vernon, Kelowna and Salmon Arm
Physically distanced but still fun: College Orientation serves up info, activities and prizes

September 2, 2020

Okanagan College will welcome back students with a range of virtual and in-person physically-distanced, curbside Orientation Day activities next week – all geared toward making them feel connected and starting their post-secondary experience off on a positive note. “Okanagan College is about people – our students, and employees coming together in a truly supportive community,” said Meri Kim Oliver, OC’s Vice President Students. “As much as COVID-19 has changed how we connect, all OC campuses are committed developing the best student experie...

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