Okanagan College

For decades, Okanagan College’s (OC) Kelowna campus has been missing one of its most important classrooms: there was no gymnasium. No space for intramural leagues or tournaments. Convocation ceremonies dodged rain and heat outside. This fall, all that will change. Thanks to the generosity and passion of hundreds of local families and businesses, OC has reached its $14 million fundraising goal and will finish construction of the Don Folk and Family Recreation and Wellness Centre. The achievement marks the successful completion ...

Nadia Alves had never considered the science behind beverage formulation before she walked into the BC Beverage Technology Access Centre (BC BTAC) at the Penticton Campus of Okanagan College last spring. But after a Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) experience, not only did she understand and practice some of the scientific research that goes into beverage formulation, she also co-developed a non-alcoholic beverage recipe that a real client selected for potential commercial development. Alves, a first-year Associate of Science student ...

A new project led by Okanagan College researcher Dr. Emma Lind has received national funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) to explore how colleges across Canada measure the value of arts education. Lind’s project, titled “Transforming Impact: Alternative Metrics for Assessing the Community Value of Post-Secondary Arts Education in Canada,” will bring together existing research and evidence to examine the role colleges play in the Canadian arts sector and the tools used to measure the value of...

When Omar Algiasena enrolled in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) studies through InspirED Continuing Studies and Corporate Training at Okanagan College, he was looking to take his interest in digital mapping and turn it into a career. He did just that, demonstrating how education can open doors and why programs like the StrongerBC future skills grant matter for learners looking to build skills, advance their careers or transition into growing industries. The Province of B.C.’s StrongerBC future skills grant is helping Brit...

Great food and great music have a way of bringing people together – so it only makes sense for the two Canadian cities that hold UNESCO designations in gastronomy and music to strike up a partnership.Kelowna, which was recently named Canada’s first UNESCO Creative City in Gastronomy, is collaborating with London, Ontario – Canada’s only UNESCO Creative City in Music, to promote cultural exchange and celebrate the unique strengths of both communities.“One of the most exciting aspects of joining UNESCO's Creative Cities...

Mariah Matthews didn't set out to become a visual artist.For years, words were her medium of choice. She wrote fiction and poetry, drawn to stories that explored resilience, identity and the complexity of human experience. Then, during a difficult period in her life, she found herself with an itch to create something with her hands.That’s when she started to explore items like plaster, collage and even… chicken wire.Today, the Okanagan College (OC) Associate of Arts student creates powerful sculptures and collages that invite viewer...