Community Support
Giving Tuesday raises $12K for student food security
December 18, 2024
Thanks to a number of generous donations from °ĶĄč·čĀķŠćfaculty, staff and our community, the shelves in OCās student union food banks and the KLO community fridge will be well stocked for the holidays. °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć Foundationās Giving Tuesday food drive inspired hundreds of donated food items and cash donations totalling more than $12,000 in support of student food security through November and December. This includes a $5,000 donation from the °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć Faculty Association (OCFA). Donations made to the Student ...
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°ĶĄč·čĀķŠćFoundation distributes over $500,000 in student awards for fall semester
December 4, 2024
For Lucas Weigert, receiving awards was the moment he knew he had made the right choice to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor.Weigert, a second year Associate of Science student, was a student speaker at °ĶĄč·čĀķŠćās (OC) Kelowna Awards Celebration November 21. The event was one of three held in November that saw more than $550,000 distributed to °ĶĄč·čĀķŠćstudents across the region.Weigert is completing his first two years of his undergraduate degree at °ĶĄč·čĀķŠćbefore pursuing medical school.āWhen youāre constantly studying you can ha...
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Community rallies for recreation: Thrive Here campaign hits major fundraising milestone
November 27, 2024
Thanks to a number of passionate individuals and organizations, the finish line for the Thrive Here campaign to build a gymnasium at °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć is now in sight.The °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć (OC) Foundation is announcing it has raised $12 million towards its $14-million goal to build a Recreation and Wellness Centre on the Kelowna campus.āIt is truly a team effort by our community to make this centre a reality,ā says Helen Jackman, executive director of the °ĶĄč·čĀķŠćFoundation.āWe want to thank everyone who has selflessly donated to help us g...
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°ĶĄč·čĀķŠć faculty member Amy Modahl presents Redactions at the Kelowna Art Gallery
November 22, 2024
Art has a way of revealing the unspoken, inviting us to reflect on what lies beneath the surface. On December 5, °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć instructor and multidisciplinary artist Amy Modahl will present her latest body of work, Redactions, in a captivating talk and guided tour at the Kelowna Art Gallery.This free, public event offers a unique opportunity to engage with Modahlās creative process and explore how her art bridges the worlds of visual and written language. A collection of paintings on canvas and paper, Redactions delves into the ...
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Vernon community help Sunflower Childcare Centre blossom into reality
November 13, 2024
When Clara Cheung gets ready to travel to °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć (OC) each morning, she now is able to do so with her two-year-old son Pak Sen in tow.Clara is on her way to attend class at the Vernon campus; Pak Sen is about to enter the campusās new childcare centre.The Sunflower Childcare Centre / smĆŗkwaŹxnĢ scÉcÉmalla itskn snmaŹmayaŹtn on OCās Vernon campus opened at the start of October, creating much-needed new childcare spaces for student parents, faculty and community members.āFor me, this centre has made a huge impact on my ...
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°ĶĄč·čĀķŠć alum gives $25K to power of sport
November 8, 2024
āSport teaches you to handle any challenge,ā says Kelly LoudounKelly Loudoun has no regrets when he looks back at his decision to attend °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć (OC) and study business, graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration Honours.āYou canāt deny the power of the °ĶĄč·čĀķŠćbusiness degree,ā says Loudoun, who owns Loudoun Construction and Development, now in its fifth year.āBeing an entrepreneur is difficult and itās a lot of hard work. Having been through those challenging experiences and lean years, it becomes quite rewarding as...
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Unwrap a winter of fun with Camp OC-inspired After School Programs at °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć
October 31, 2024
Local parent Angie Kunz enrolled her daughter in Camp °ĶĄč·čĀķŠćfor the first time this past summer and was impressed by the diverse course offerings and incredible staff.Now, Angie and families in Kelowna and Penticton have the opportunity to introduce their kids to education-focused programs with the expansion of Camp °ĶĄč·čĀķŠćfrom summer camps to include After School Programs beginning in January 2025."I chose Camp °ĶĄč·čĀķŠćfor my daughter because there were several programs that fit her interests,ā shares Angie. āShe had such a great experience at...
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°ĶĄč·čĀķŠć students lead the charge with EnactusOCās project on renewable energy education
October 28, 2024
For °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć students Reece LeGuilloux and Kayla Warner, their involvement with the student business club Enactus °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć (EnactusOC) is about more than just extracurricular activities, itās about making a real difference.The two second-year business students recently achieved a major milestone when the Enactus°ĶĄč·čĀķŠćproject, āRevive,ā was awarded $4,300 in funding by 100 Women Who Care in the South Okanagan/Similkameen area. This funding will help expand their renewable energy education program to middle schools a...
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Award-Winning Chef Shucks Up Fun at Upcoming Tasting Festival
October 23, 2024
Infusions Restaurant at °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć has been one of Kelownaās best-kept culinary secrets, but word is getting out as diners are going public, serving up excellent reviews. The restaurant, led by former Top Chef contestant Ruth Wigman, received OpenTableās 2024 Dinerās Choice award, which recognizes outstanding restaurants based on feedback from local diners.Chef Wigman, who competed on Food Networkās Canadaās Top Chef and Beat Bobby Flay, noted the impressive achievement is a testament to the student chefs who prepar...
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Tom Dyck joins °ĶĄč·čĀķŠćFoundation Board of Directors
August 20, 2024
The °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć Foundation is pleased to welcome Tom Dyck, who is joining its Board of Directors for a four-year term. Tom is a retired senior executive who has worked in banking at a national and international level for a large part of his career. We asked Tom to share what motivated him to volunteer his time and how education has transformed his own life.What inspired you to join the °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć Foundation board of directors?The types of skills people learn at °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć are in such demand and are just not pro...
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Camp OC: Where Summer Fun Meets Support
July 29, 2024
Summer is in full swing at °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć campuses across Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon, and Salmon Arm, where Camp °ĶĄč·čĀķŠćhas opened its doors once again. Running throughout the summer, Camp °ĶĄč·čĀķŠćaims to engage children in a variety of interests from engineering and arts to music, science, culinary arts, trades, and computers. With hundreds of children expected weekly, the campuses are buzzing with laughter and excitement as kids dive into their passions.For families like the Smiths, Camp °ĶĄč·čĀķŠćisn't just a summer campāit's a vital sup...
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Paddle fundraiser raises over $29,000 for Sunflower Childcare Centre
July 25, 2024
On July 20th, Kristin (Postill) Holomis and her team paddled the length of Kalamalka Lake (18km) in support of the °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć Foundationās Sunflower childcare campaign, raising more than $29,000 in just a few weeks.āStand Up Forā is an annual local fundraising effort by Kristin Holomis and Brittney Page where they paddleboard the length of Kalamalka Lake in support of a chosen charity. This year they paddled for OCās new Sunflower Childcare Centre, located on the Vernon campus. Scheduled to open in September, The Sunflower Chi...
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Community leader shares personal story of how sport transformed her life
July 23, 2024
Paula Quinn was only seven years old when she first stepped onto a running track but that experience with athletics dramatically changed her life.Quinn is the former Executive Director of the KF Aerospace Centre for Excellence and is active in the Kelowna community sitting on four volunteer boards including the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, Regional District of Central Okanagan, B.C. Cancer Foundation and the Airport Advisory Committee.Quinn is now among a growing number of local residents putting their support behind the Thrive Here...
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°ĶĄč·čĀķŠć celebrates āconstruction kick offā for Recreation and Wellness Centre
June 20, 2024
There was jumping, cartwheels and a full crowd of cheering spectators on Thursday at °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć to mark an exciting milestone that will transform student life at °ĶĄč·čĀķŠćfor years to come.Kelowna Cheer Athletics was on hand to help the °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć Foundation celebrate a major fundraising achievement - theyāve raised $10 million for the Thrive Here campaign, and construction can kick off for the future home of the Collegeās Recreation and Wellness Centre. āToday is a very meaningful day,ā remarked Helen Jackman, exec...
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°ĶĄč·čĀķŠćprofessor named Business Woman of the Year
May 28, 2024
°ĶĄč·čĀķŠć business professor Dr. Kyleen Myrah was named the 2024 Business Woman of the Year by the Kelowna Women In Business (KWIB) organization earlier this month.Myrah was not able to be at the award ceremony as she was with °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć students at the Enactus Canada National Exhibition, doing what she does best, leading students to chase their passions and make a difference with their careers. Myrahās mother was in attendance along with OC business alum Danielle Walker, who accepted the award...
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BC Anti-Racism Awareness Week, May 27-June 2, 2024
May 27, 2024
Have you seen the Anti-Racism Reminder posters popping up on bulletin boards across °ĶĄč·čĀķŠćcampuses recently? As B.C. marks Anti-Racism Awareness Week starting on May 27 to June 2, itās a good time to reflect on what all of us at °ĶĄč·čĀķŠć are doing to engage with anti-racism in our classrooms, campuses, and communities ā and to think about what more we can do.°ĶĄč·čĀķŠć's mission to transform lives and communities and our commitment to equitable and inclusive access to education, make it crucial for each of us to understan...
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