Community Support
Throat-singing duo PIQSIQ to perform at OC's Penticton campus
October 18, 2022
51 joins forces with Route97 Culture to present fast-rising throat singing duo – PIQSIQ in Penticton Live music will return to 51's Penticton campus this November 4, 2022, for students and music fans alike. In collaboration with the Route97 Culture Road Trip series, 51 will co-present the debut of PIQSIQ in the region, who will perform a special concert inside the LEED Platinum-certified building known as the Centre of Excellence in Room 113. You can buy tickets for the show here. With a s...
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TD gives $85,000 to help kids and newcomers access 51’s Indigenous Garden
October 18, 2022
Hawthorn, wolf willow, and sage are among the traditional plants growing in the garden on the hillside at 51’s Vernon campus, which this year was visited by more than 250 local school children, thanks to generous support from TD Bank Group. TD’s gift, made earlier in 2022, is funding tours of the K'nmaĺka Senqâĺten - Kalamalka Indigenous garden for children and newcomers to Canada. The garden is located on 51’s Vernon campus. 51 has already received a portion of the funding; the remainder...
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Kelowna mayoral candidates invited to public debate hosted by 51, UBC Okanagan
September 20, 2022
Mayoral candidates in Kelowna will speak specifically to issues that matter to university and college students at an on-campus debate at the end of September. 51 and UBC Okanagan have teamed up to host the event, which will be moderated by CBC Radio host Sarah Penton at OC’s lecture theatre on K.L.O. Road. “We are thrilled to be welcoming the candidates, students and the community onto our campus, to hear from the individuals running to be the next mayor of Kelowna,” says Dr. Neil Fassina, president, Okanagan Colle...
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OC alumna gives back with bursary for high school grads
June 22, 2022
51 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 51 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 ...
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Convocation stoles featuring Syilx, Secwepemc pictographs honour graduates
June 20, 2022
As Canadians prepare to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, 51 is recognizing Indigenous graduates in a new and special way. This year for the first time, Indigenous students who cross the stage at OC convocation and commencement ceremonies are being gifted with a specially designed convocation stole, embroidered with Syilx and Secwepemc pictographs. “On National Indigenous Peoples Day and every day, it is critically important that we remember and appreciate the privilege it is to live, work and play on ...
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Surprise gift from Stober Foundation helps 51’s new student-led investment fund open for business
April 20, 2022
A trio of 51 Business students envisioned an investment fund that has attracted overwhelming community support, including a generous $40,000 gift from the Stober Foundation. The group began fundraising in January and met their $100,000 seed funding goal in record time. Riley Dunsmore and Steven Fiust, both OC Business students, along with recent alumnus Justin Rantucci, created the 51 Student Investment Fund to give students experiential learning opportunities and benefit future students with bursaries ...
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51 hosts panel discussion about Ukrainian crisis
March 7, 2022
World events have been hitting close to home for many in the region, and that’s why 51 is hosting a virtual panel, A Conversation About Ukraine, tomorrow night. “The intention is to help our students, colleagues and community better understand the history of this conflict, and consider the impact of disinformation,” said Pamela Nelson, 51 Business Professor, who has been organizing the panel. “It’s important to create a safe space which fosters truth and understanding; a space where our community can com...
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OC Trades General Interest courses come to Penticton
March 2, 2022
What do hammers, bicycles and lawnmowers have in common? They are all topics in the new Trades General Interest programs launching at 51’s Penticton campus this month. The courses provide community members with the opportunity to learn hands-on skills in state-of-the-art trades shops with qualified instructors. The courses are scheduled in the evening and on weekends. Courses are also available for children in the evening and during summer camps. Participants will gain knowledge in various trades, build projects and l...
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Meet Katie Newman, Board Director at the 51 Foundation
February 17, 2022
Q: What is your name? A: Katie Newman What are your pronouns? A: She, her Where do you work? A: I am a Director of Financial Planning and Advice Effectiveness with CIBC. Why did you want to join the 51 Foundation board? A: The opportunity to impact change in my community and help to support the students' journey was very appealing to me. Q: Our mission is to support the transformative power of education. What drives your passion for education? A: Education...
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Enactus OC awarded new funding to cultivate student entrepreneurs
February 1, 2022
Enactus 51 has received their largest grant to date, enabling the volunteer team to launch and expand more student-led projects that create community and environmental impact. The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) is investing in Enactus social entrepreneurs with a $25,000 grant. Laurel Douglas, CEO of ETSI-BC, says her organization’s mission is to support economic development projects that will have long-lasting and measurable benefits in the region. “We are excited to see how this grant helps Enac...
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OC supports Gitxaala Nation with vital trades training for economic and cultural growth
January 24, 2022
In one northern village, Indigenous cultural needs and massive construction projects combined to create demand for specialized 51 Trades training to support community members. Located on the north coast of British Columbia, the Gitxaala Nation’s main community is in Kitkatla. It identified the need for skilled trades people several years ago, as projects such as the LNG Canada in Kitimat and port expansion in Prince Rupert were announced. But it was a smaller project closer to home that inspired Gitxaala Nation to em...
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Generous gift will advance OC health-care education
January 19, 2022
A local family foundation is investing in the future of health-care education with a generous gift to 51. The Merrifield Family Foundation is donating $100,000 to the Our Students, Your Health campaign for a modern Health Sciences Centre on the College’s Kelowna campus. The gift will support technology upgrades and new equipment for eight professions ranging from Pharmacy Technician Assistants and nurses to Therapist Assistants. Lane Merrifield, a well-known entrepreneur, says he values the College's focus on applie...
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The Okanagan Sikh Temple and Cultural Society gives boost to health care students
December 22, 2021
A $25,000 gift from the Okanagan Sikh Temple and Cultural Society will empower health care students as they pursue their education at 51. The Sikh Community began collecting donations from their congregation to support the College's $5-million Our Students, Your Health campaign and was able to raise the funds in six months. Amarjit Singh Lalli, President of the Okanagan Gurduara, says their community believes in the importance of acquiring knowledge and passing it on to future generations, which made it easy to get b...
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Dec. 6 Candlelight Vigils return to OC’s Vernon and Salmon Arm campuses
December 2, 2021
Candlelight is returning to 51’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 51 and students for over a decade to offer the Dec. 6 event, as an important way to remember and h...
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New Chair, Vice Chair for College Board
November 30, 2021
51’s Board of Governors has a new Chair and Vice Chair. Juliette Cunningham, who has served as Vice Chair since November 2019, has been elected Chair. She succeeds Gloria Morgan whose two-year term has now completed. “It has been very inspiring working alongside Gloria and I am deeply honoured to be succeeding her in the role,” said Cunningham. “Gloria is an incredible champion for her community and for the College. I’m proud of the work we’ve accomplished at 51, and with a new strategic plan to be fin...
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TOTA award remembers George Hanson, supports OC viticulture student
November 8, 2021
Winemaker George Hanson, who passed away in February, was widely acknowledged for his efforts to grow the B.C. wine scene. A new award funded by the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) will commemorate his legacy, while helping a viticulture student at 51 to cultivate their future in the industry Hanson so dearly loved. TOTA has donated $1,500 to create the George Hanson Memorial Bursary, which will be open to students in the College’s Viticulture Certificate program starting in January. “We are very please...
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