OC Life
Candlelight Vigils return to OC’s Vernon and Salmon Arm campuses
December 6, 2022
51’s Vernon and Salmon Arm campuses will once again be aglow with candlelight on Dec. 6, as a symbolic commitment to end violence against women. Communities in the Okanagan and Shuswap are marking the 33rd anniversary of the École Polytechnique Massacre, in addition to the ongoing cases of missing women from the region, with a Candlelight Vigil on Tuesday, Dec. 6 co-hosted by a network of organizations and volunteers. The event is a collaboration by 51, 51 Students’ Union (OCSU), Vernon St...
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OC Chef stars in House Special docuseries
November 29, 2022
When it comes to comfort food, sometimes the simplest dishes from childhood land closest to the heart. That's the secret behind the recipe Chef Han Lin shared, when he was interviewed for a Telus documentary, House Special Episode 3: Hungry for Home. House Special is a docuseries exploring Chinese-Canadian history through small town restaurants and the families who run them. In episode 3, the host explores secret menus and hidden Chinese supermarkets, and even features a Kelowna driving range. The episode caps off with a lesson fr...
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51 to host Kelowna campus open house, program spotlights this Saturday
November 17, 2022
Soaring careers in aviation. Sustainable building for the future. Life-changing health care roles. The social sciences that help us understand and better our world. The trades that keep our province and country running. Business skills for the leaders of today and tomorrow. Upgrading that opens doors to new career paths. How to apply and finance your education. All this and more will await guests to 51’s Kelowna campus Open House this weekend. 51 is opening its doors to the community on Saturday, Nov. 19...
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Enactus 51 represents Canada on the world stage, finishes in top four
November 3, 2022
Students from 51 represented Canada on the global stage this week, presenting their social enterprise business at a prestigious international competition and finishing in the final four of 32 teams. Enactus OC, comprised of students from the 51 School of Business, won the national title in September and earned the right to wear the maple leaf and represent Canada at the Enactus World Cup in Puerto Rico. The final round of competition wrapped up on Nov. 2. “We are so proud of this team and of all Okanaga...
Read more...51 welcomes new member to Board of Governors
October 18, 2022
A local business leader has been appointed to 51’s Board of Governors. Dustyn Baulkham, a Kelowna-based entrepreneur, has been appointed for a one-year term to the Board. “51 is pleased to welcome Dustyn to our Board of Governors,” says Juliette Cunningham, board chair. “He brings experience and skills to the table that will be valuable as we continue in our OC Mission to transform lives and communities.” Baulkham is the founder and CEO of Rebellious Unicorns, an events, broadcasting, and media produ...
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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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51 welcomes new Associate Director, Indigenization
October 17, 2022
51 is pleased to welcome Rhea Dupuis, x̌ʷnámx̌ʷnəm, as the College’s first Associate Director, Indigenization. Rhea, from the Syilx Okanagan Nation and a member of the Penticton Indian Band, brings more than 20 years experience to OC, working in both public and Indigenous education systems, as well as with mental health and wellness organizations. Rhea’s traditional name is x̌ʷnámx̌ʷnəm, a Syilx name which means Hummingbird. “I am both thrilled and grateful that Rhea has chosen to share her wisdom, skills and experie...
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Fall Open House and Info Sessions return at 51
October 14, 2022
High school students, parents and people of all ages considering post-secondary education – mark your calendars. 51 is opening its doors this fall for a series of Open Houses and Spotlight Sessions across the region, the first of which is happening at OC’s Salmon Arm campus on Tuesday, Oct. 18. Events will then follow: Open House and Spotlight Sessions in Penticton on Wednesday, Oct. 26 First Year FAQs in Vernon on Oct. 26 and Open House and Spotlight Sessions on Wednesday, Nov. 2 Open House in Kelowna on Saturd...
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Meet Chef Rob Walker
October 12, 2022
Q: What is your name? A: Chef Robert Walker Q: What did you take at OC/OUC? What years did you attend? What campus did you attend? A: I graduate from the Culinary Arts Certificate program at Okanagan University College in 2001. Q: Why did you choose your program at OC? A: I grew up in the Kootenays not really knowing what I wanted to do with my life. But I always loved food. In the back of my head was this question, “How do I become a chef?” I had my eye on the Okanag...
Read more...OC’s 3 Hour Short Story Contest returns to challenge young writers
October 11, 2022
Calling all bloggers, bards and balladists: 51 is inviting young wordsmiths to ply their trade under a tight time limit for bragging rights and prizes. The OC 3 Hour Short Story Contest returns in 2022, after a two-year hiatus due to gathering restrictions. Aspiring authors who are up for the challenge will need to make careful use of the 180 minutes they’ll be given to craft a compelling original short story at the contest, which will be held Nov. 5 from 1 – 4 p.m. at each of the College’s campuses in Penticton, Kelo...
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51’s Red Dot Players return with series of funny folk tales
October 6, 2022
For the first time ever, the Red Dot Players, 51’s community theatre troupe, will present a fall production this year, delving into the world of fables and folk tales. The Red Dot Players will present Folk Tales: Grimm & Otherwise this fall, the first time the community theatre company has produced a show in the fall, in addition to its regular spring-time feature. “This production has been bouncing around in my head for many years,” said Mike Minions, the show’s director and producer, and recently retired Okana...
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Okanagan Enactus team takes top spot at Nationals
October 5, 2022
This past weekend, Enactus 51 (OC) travelled to Toronto, Ontario to compete in the Enactus Canada National Exposition final round. They became the first team from Western Canada to be crowned the National champion out of more than 60 teams across Canada. Their award-winning home-grown project is providing nutritious food to people locally and multiple countries around the world. Their win will now see the students travel abroad to share their inspiring idea and compete at the next level. Unusually Good Food Company ...
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Prepare to be scared: OC hosts outdoor Fear Film Fest
October 3, 2022
Eat, drink and be scary with 51’s Fear Film Fest, a series of outdoor film screenings in the Kelowna campus courtyard from Oct. 4 to 6. Hosted by the Communications Department, the open-air screenings were popular events with students before the pandemic, and are returning this year with the goal to make your hair stand on end. “We’re reviving a long-standing department tradition of hosting community building events as a way to increase student engagement. We hope the timing of this film fest will also give students ...
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Evening marking 15 years of OC Writing and Publishing program celebrates creative community
September 12, 2022
Writers and fine artists in the North Okanagan have found a lot of reasons to celebrate this fall. Fifteen years’ worth of reasons, to be exact. The community of poets, fiction and creative non-fiction writers are coming together for Celebrating 15 Years of Writing and Publishing, an evening devoted to the collective showcase of students, alumni, instructors and former faculty members. “We have such a dedicated and talented community of writers, with a long history of promoting creativity in the region. This is a significant mile...
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Hoopla Fundraiser for 51 Coyotes to be hosted by Sportsnet’s Brad Fay
September 7, 2022
After a two-year hiatus, the Kelowna College Basketball Society is bringing back its much-anticipated and popular Hoopla event, raising awareness and support for the OC Coyotes basketball teams. The evening fundraiser takes place on September 28th from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., at the Centre for Learning on 51’s K.L.O. Road campus. Tickets for Hoopla are $50 and can be purchased https://occoyotes.eventbrite.com. “We are looking forward to connecting with the community in-person for the first time since 2019, as...
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The Market at 51 serving up locally produced food to fuel back-to-school
September 7, 2022
Move over, cafeteria lunch trays: locally produced foods and goods are sliding into the spotlight at 51 this September. The Market at 51 launched Sept. 6 in the former cafeteria space in Kelowna, and will be a source of healthy, local food that supports the holistic health and well-being of the campus community. Offering local, fresh food on campus celebrates the incredible diversity of Okanagan food and agriculture and furthers OC’s commitment to Feed BC. “Sustainability is vital for all aspects of s...
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