OUR 50
TH
YEAR
On October 5, 1964, Premier W.A.C. Bennett officially opened the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Fast forward 50 years, and we were ready to celebrate how far we had come. To do something special for our milestone 50 anniversary, we organized events and projects designed to honour our past … celebrate our present … and imagine our future. th
We invited our students, alumni, faculty, current and retired staff, donors, volunteers, partners, and suppliers to join us in the celebrations. The pages of this book capture many of the great moments and highlight some of the incredible legacies and birthday gifts that were given to BCIT’s campuses. While this book wraps up our 50th year, it is also a gift to the future: to the people who will open our Time Capsule on BCIT’s 75th anniversary and find this memento. May you remember those who came before you. And may you be celebrating a BCIT that has helped transform the world.
IN 2014/15 We operated five campuses: >> Main Campus (Burnaby) >> Downtown Campus (Vancouver) >> Aerospace Technology Campus (Richmond) >> Motive Power Campus (Annacis Island) >> Marine Campus (North Vancouver); taught 47,000 full-time and part-time students; and welcomed more than 2,400 international students from 85 countries.
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FAB 50 CELEBRATION October 4, 2014 We kicked off our 50th anniversary with a community party on our Burnaby Campus. The theme was “Party like it’s 1964.” We rolled back the clock and showcased vintage photos, equipment, machines, and memorabilia. We dressed in early 1960s fashion, danced to Beatles tunes (courtesy of local band The Day Trippers), sold hamburgers at 1964 prices, and kept kids of all ages busy with a variety of activities to honour BCIT’s past.
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RIGHT Everyone found a way to have fun, including using their cell phones to take “selfie” photos with BCIT President Kathy Kinloch. LEFT Beatles tribute band, The Day Trippers, treated students, staff, faculty, alumni, and the community to the sounds of the ’60s at BCIT’s Fab 50 event. BELOW BCIT staff dressed in their best ’60s-era outfits, and schools displayed vintage technology from bygone eras.
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October 6, 2014 With a breath-taking view of the waterfront and the mountains, the Vancouver Convention Centre was the perfect setting for our 50th Anniversary Opening Gala. 1,300 people attended our biggest gala ever. We opened the archives and reminisced about our first 50 years. We honoured some amazing people — an outstanding student, a dedicated faculty member, and two distinguished alumni. And we announced the recipients of our 50th anniversary Honorary Doctorate of Technology.
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BELOW The tables were set for a spectacular evening.
ABOVE Chief Ian Campbell started off the gala with a traditional Coast Salish welcome.
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ABOVE Left to right: John Knappett, Distinguished Alumni Award; Markus Frind, Distinguished Alumni Award; Deanna Hill, Outstanding Student Leadership Award; Launi Skinner, Honorary Doctorate; Bill Good, Honorary Doctorate; and Thomas Abbuhl, Faculty & Staff Association Award. LEFT BCIT Student Association members strike a pose in the photo booth; gala attendees took selfies at the reception; President Kathy Kinloch and alumnus Dal Richards presented one of the evening’s awards.
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PHOTOMOSAIC WALL MURALS For our 50th anniversary we wanted to capture the faces of people who were part of our milestone year. We invited students, faculty, staff, alumni, retirees, donors, volunteers, sponsors, and suppliers to take a photo of themselves — a selfie — and submit it to us. We also had BCIT’s staff photographer go to different campuses and events to gather more images. Our aim was to compile these images into large photomosaic wall murals that would help beautify our campuses and leave a colourful legacy. Our lead designer Mirabelle Rohatgi created the murals. Special thanks to Ampco Grafix, who printed and installed these murals as a gift to BCIT.
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MARINE CAMPUS The Marine Campus mural incorporated more than 2,000 photographs. The larger base image shows an iconic scene for people who live along the coast of BC — a tugboat towing a barge of raw logs. Tug boats are powerful for their size and are often used to maneuver other vessels by pushing or towing them. Some tugboats even serve as salvage boats or icebreakers. Tugs have a long and storied history in our province and in our economy.
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AEROSPACE CAMPUS More than 2,700 photographs were included in this two-storey mural. The larger base image depicted two de Havilland DHC-2 Beavers — planes that were designed and built in Canada from 1947–1967. The Beaver was made for short take-off and landings on both land and water. During its 20 years of production, 1,657 Beavers were built. They became known as a real workhorse of the air. Many still fly the rugged wilderness of BC’s coast and the north.
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DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER CAMPUS This mural used more than 2,000 photographs. The larger base image shows two modes of transportation that have become increasingly popular in recent years in downtown Vancouver — a bicycle and a Vespa scooter. These images also reflect a modern concern for health and sustainability among students, as well as a certain internationalism. (The bicycle depicted in the mural, is a Brodie and is made locally, while the Vespa is Italian.) The word “vespa” is Italian for wasp — a somewhat unflattering comment on the noise of its small motor.
BURNABY CAMPUS For Burnaby, our oldest campus, and the one with the most diverse range of programs, we decided to pay homage to something that has been here a long time — long before the place was known as BCIT — and something that touched many parts of our campus. Guichon Creek is the focus of the Burnaby mural. The salmon in the image represent BCIT’s goal of eventually making all parts of the creek accessible to migrating salmon. The mural used almost 3,800 individual images.
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R U O L R O U C YO S U P M A C
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COLOUR YOUR CAMPUS In January 2015, we invited BCIT students, as well as faculty and staff, to help add colour and design to six locations on the Burnaby Campus — our biggest campus. We received a total of 65 design submissions. A jury narrowed down the ideas to the best and most workable. We then invited the BCIT community to vote for their favourite design for each of the six locations. Here are the winning designs that were installed around the Burnaby Campus.
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SE12 EXTERIOR WALL “A Murder of Books”— designed by Dahlia Yousuf, faculty, Environmental Health.
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LIBRARY SOUTH ENTRANCE Designed by Herman Ho, student, Web Design.
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RECREATION SERVICES EXTERIOR WALL Designed by Siobhan O’Kelly, employee, Recreation Services.
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LIBRARY INTERIOR WALL Designed by Herman Ho, student, Web Design.
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LAMP-POST BANNERS Designed by Herman Ho, student, Web Design.
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INTERIOR STAIRCASE Designed by Emma Schram, student, Digital Design and Development.
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COAST SALISH HOUSE POST
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To commemorate our First Nations during our 50th year, we commissioned the carving of a Coast Salish house post. The BCIT house post was carved from a single Western Red Cedar log, and was donated by the Squamish Nation, under Chief Bill Williams. The design celebrated Aboriginal participation in BCIT’s first 50 years of success. Three faces look towards the past, present, and future.
THE ARTIST Aaron Nelson-Moody, a member of the Squamish First Nation, created the house post. His Squamish name Tawx’sin Yexwulla translates as “Splashing Eagle.” Most people just call him “Splash.” Splash’s work includes large pieces like house posts and entrance doors, as well as smaller designs such as jewelry. Several of his carvings were incorporated into venues in Vancouver and Whistler during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
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DEDICATION BCIT’s Fab 50 celebration included a traditional house post blessing ceremony before Splash started his work on the piece.
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UNVEILING BCIT’s Coast Salish house post was unveiled during the 2015 Aboriginal Services Honouring Our Graduates ceremony.
OTHER LEGACIES Besides our large photomosaic wall murals, we found other ways to transform blank walls or doors around our campuses.
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LEFT Elevator doors at our Downtown Campus were adorned with the 50th visuals. BELOW A blank wall in Building NE1 was transformed with artwork done by our own in-house graphic designer Mirabelle Rohatgi. The artwork was inspired by the general theme of “blueprints, schematic drawings, and renderings” — something that several of the programs housed in that area of the campus had in common.
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SCHOOL OF HEALTH ELEVATOR PROJECT We took an old elevator and transformed it with photos of students from Health Sciences programs as they posed with messages for students in the future.
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50TH SWAG We produced commemorative items, like mini USB drives, tote bags, and hoodies that we gave away as prizes and gifts during the year.
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50TH ANNIVERSARY BENCH
This bench was designed by Interior Design student Prentice Chien and fabricated by faculty and students from Joinery and Carpentry. The letters BCIT were cut from 50 individual slats of wood, representing each year BCIT has operated.
BELOW To honour our past, we created this vintage mural, which featured photographs from the BCIT Archives. RIGHT Hanging banners added our 50th colours to the atrium in the Gateway building.
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VANCOUVER BOARD OF TRADE November 19, 2014 One of the goals for BCIT’s 50th anniversary was to use this milestone year to showcase the depth and breadth of services we offered, and our unique role in post-secondary education. That was the main reason why the School of Business and the 50th anniversary team partnered with the Vancouver Board of Trade on a luncheon that attracted a variety of members from Vancouver’s business community. Titled “Partners in Profit,” the lunch-hour event was designed to showcase the various ways that BCIT partners with business and industry, and the benefits that can result from these partnerships. Ultimately, the goal was to invite more businesses to consider partnering with BCIT. The event sold out with more than 300 people attending.
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President Kathy Kinloch sat on the Vancouver Board of Trade panel with moderator Bill Good. Business leaders from McDonald’s, Terramera Plant Science, Procurify, and SAP joined them for a discussion about how BCIT partnered with businesses throughout the province.
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PRESENTATION IDOL March 25, 2015 BCIT held its annual public speaking competition for engineering students. Participants had 7–8 minutes to showcase their presentation and persuasion skills and win cash. For the 50th anniversary, we invited a number of high-profile judges from industry to rate the speakers. Jamie Haakons claimed the $1,000 first place prize from the judges with his presentation on the “AutoGarden,” a prototype hydroponic garden centre used to grow produce inside the home. The judges selected Dean Tamboline for second place. He won $700 for his presentation “Not so Green: The Dark Side of Manufacturing Monocrystalline Photovoltaic Solar Cells.” The Audience Choice prize went to Nagaresh Manohar, who took home $500 for his presentation “Transportation — Reducing Congestion the Smart Way.”
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VEHICLE IN A BOX May 13, 2015 This annual competition involved a box and students from the Technology Teacher Education program. Their goal? To assemble a vehicle that had to fit into a 30" x 18" x 16" box before its assembly. Once assembled, vehicles were timed over a challenging obstacle course.
Students from the Technology Teacher Education program took their vehicles through an obstacle course in the Great Hall. Drivers had to make their way up and down ramps and through pylons without assistance from their teams.
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PEDAL CAR RAFFLE Students in our Auto Collision Repair and Auto Refinishing programs restored and custom painted 10 vintage pedal cars as part of their way to celebrate 50 years. Raffle tickets were sold leading up to the closing gala in October 2015, where the cars’ lucky winners were announced. The funds raised by the ticket sales went towards the Auto Collision program’s Graduating Achievement Award.
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OTHER EVENTS 2014/2O15 saw other notable activities at our campuses. As well as opening new facilities and programs, we hosted some high-profile national events and reunions with attendees from across the country.
May 6, 2015: BCIT staff test the photo booth at the Staff Service and Retirement dinner.
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POLYTECHNICS CANADA November 14, 2014 BCIT hosted this annual national celebration of applied research. Students from Red River College, Humber, BCIT, Algonquin, NAIT, Seneca, George Brown, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Conestoga, Sheridan, and SAIT presented the best applied research projects in the country, showcasing the innovative research being done by students at Canadian polytechnics.
Student representatives from polytechics across Canada presented their research at the 2014 Polytechnics Canada Annual Student Applied Research Showcase.
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MOTIVE POWER CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE November 24, 2014 We officially opened our Motive Power Centre of Excellence on Annacis Island. The campus was a collaboration between BCIT and Vancouver Community College with support from the provincial government.
GRAND OPENING OF THE CENTRE FOR LARGE FORMAT IMAGING May 20, 2015 The Centre for Large Format Imaging opened with donors and industry leaders getting the first look at the new facility.
TOP LEFT Students of the Graphic Communications Technology program walked donors and guests through the new Centre for Large Format Imaging, showing the equipment and technology used in the program. BOTTOM LEFT A Graphic Communications Technology student presented a donor with a large thank-you card designed and printed by the class.
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CANADA APPRENTICE LOAN PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
January 8, 2015: Then Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the Canada Apprentice Loan program at the Motive Power Centre of Excellence Campus.
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TEDX BCIT January 24, 2015 The BCIT Student Association hosted a TEDx event, themed “Building the Future.”
BROADCAST AND MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS REUNION May 8, 2015 Broadcast, one of the original schools in 1964, came together to celebrate 50 great years of graduates.
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Local TV personalities Tamara Taggart and Mike Killeen were among the BCIT Broadcast grads who came together to celebrate and reconnect with old classmates, instructors, and alumni.
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PIONEERS BCIT Pioneers were faculty and staff who were employed at BCIT on or prior to June 15, 1965 — the date of BCIT’s first graduation class for students in two-year diploma programs — and contributed in some way to the development of the first programs. Many came back to pose for a 50th anniversary photo.
ABOVE Faculty and staff at BCIT’s first Commencement Exercise, September 9, 1964. RIGHT Left to right: Pioneers Derek Holden, Amar Kshatriya, Granville David Johnson, Ted Upward, Ron Hyde, Margaret Briscall, Peter Woolley, Mel Bishop, Trevor Glave, Isobel MacLaurin, Roger Cradock, Steve Berghold, and Arthur Ridgway.
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BCIT RETIREES ASSOCIATION
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Umit Olcay Physics, electronics, robotics. Retired 2012 after 30 years.
Ann McArthur Instructor physics, Associate Dean, degree development. Retired 2009 after 42 years.
Keith Errington Instructor, Program Head, Associate Dean, School of Engineering. Retired 2001 after 33 years.
Bao-Yih Chang Instructor power and process. Retired 2006 after 11 years.
Ewan Sheard Heavy-duty mechanic, chief instructor tutorial math and science. Retired 1996 after 10 years.
Ron Jackson Tool room attendant. Retired 2011 after 35 years.
Gabriel Yam Instructor electrical trades. Retired 2010 after 20 years.
Brent Brown Instructor civil engineering. Retired 2011 after 33 years.
Judith Hall Cooperative education coordinator, marketing. Retired 2014 after 20 years.
Victor Martens Instructor, Program Head. Retired 2000 after 32 years.
Other retirees (former faculty and staff) came back to visit us on our 50th year. They included the following people who were members of our BCIT Retirees Association.
Ernie Iannocone Dean, School of Business. Retired from BCIT in 1992 after 25 years.
Randy Robinson 36 years at BCIT and still teaching in the School of Business (cost and management financials).
Derek Knox Instructor, financial management. Started 1975, and still teaches night school.
Gordon Farrell Instructor, Dean, School of Business. Retired 2001 after 35 years.
Christine Barnard Chair of the Retirees Association for four years.
Donna Foster Instructor, Program Head physics. Dean, School of Computing. Retired 2010 after 30 years.
Ted Howard Instructor, forestry. Retired 1989 after 15 years.
Robert Wagner Instructor, apprenticeship instrument technician. Retired 2005 after 22 years.
Alan Barnard Instructor, electrical trades. Retired 1990 after 25 years.
Don Eklof Instructor, heavy-duty mechanics. Retired 2000 after 15 years.
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CONVOCATION Our 50th year saw thousands of students graduate and start new careers. They joined more than 160,000 BCIT alumni who have helped British Columbia prosper.
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We invited our grads to jump into our photo booth and send messages to the future.
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Most students attended graduation ceremonies at our Burnaby Campus. As well as our major convocation ceremonies, we also held graduation events for Aerospace and Marine programs.
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CLOSING GALA
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October 29, 2015 We closed off our 50th year with a spectacular show in the hangar of our Aerospace Campus. Using the latest in projection technology, we took a trip into BCIT’s future, imagining where our journey would take us in the next 50 years. We hosted 1,000 people and recognized remarkable alumni, an amazing student, a dedicated faculty member, and the next recipients of a BCIT Honorary Doctorate of Technology.
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OPPOSITE PAGE CBC radio personality Bob McDonald hosted our show. LEFT BCIT named Dominic Barton and Julie Payette as the next recipients of an Honorary Doctorate. BELOW Award winners at the President’s Reception. Front row (from left): BCITSA President Dylan Smith, Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Marty Edwards, Outstanding Student and Leadership Award recipient Lauren Lee, BCIT President Kathy Kinloch, Faculty & Staff Association President Teresa Place, and Faculty & Staff Association Award recipient Ralph Hargreaves. Back row: BCIT Alumni President Brent Charleton, Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Randy Smallwood, BCIT Board of Governors Chair Adam Pion, and BCIT Vice President, Advancement Paul McCullough.
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BCIT LEADERSHIP 2014/15 BCIT BOARD OF GOVERNORS
BCIT EXECUTIVE TEAM President Kathy Kinloch Vice President, Academic Bill Dow Vice President, Advancement Paul McCullough
Adam Pion Chair
Laurie Sterritt 1st Vice-chair
Kathy Kinloch President**
Richard Plett**
Vice President, Administration and Chief Financial Officer Lorcan O’Melinn Chief Information Officer Stephen Lamb Vice President, Human Resources Tomi Eeckhout Vice President, Industry Sponsorships Doug Callbeck Associate Vice President, Marketing and Communications Lara Johnson
Emery Biggar*
Jenny Chen*
Kitty Chan
Neil Cox*
Jack Davidson
Tejinder Grewal
Herb Silber
Dylan Smith*
MJ Whitemarsh
Cathy Young
*Elected members **Ex Officio members
Manjit Dhillon 2nd Vice-chair
50TH ANNIVERSARY PROJECT TEAM Project/Creative Director Catherine Clement Lead Designer Mirabelle Rohatgi Projects and Events Erin McInnis and Trina Prince Lead Photographer Scott McAlpine Writer Paul Heraty Administration Donna Woo and Elizabeth Drews Archives Cindy McLellan and Elizabeth Padilla Special thanks to the staff from Marketing and Communications, the BCIT Foundation, BCIT Alumni Relations, IT, Media Services, and the various BCIT Schools, who collaborated with us on these many projects.
ABOVE Members of the 50th Anniversary project team at the Burnaby Campus selfie mural unveiling event with BCIT President Kathy Kinloch. From left: Erin McInnis, Trina Prince, Kathy Kinloch, Mirabelle Rohatgi, Catherine Clement and Donna Woo.
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We gratefully acknowledge the following sponsors who were part of our milestone year. Opening Gala
Closing Gala
Media Sponsors
Event Sponsors
Title
> > > >
BC Ferries Genus Capital ABC Recycling Applied Science Technologists & Technicians of BC (ASTTBC) > New Car Dealers Association of BC > iA Financial Group
> TD Insurance Meloche Monnex
> CKNW > CTV > Vancouver Sun
Media Sponsors
> Applied Science Technologists & Technicians of BC (ASTTBC) > BC Ferries > BOSA Properties Ltd. > Craftsman Collision > VIA Rail Canada > Yamaha Canada
> > > >
CTV CKNW Lamar Transit Advertising The Vancouver Sun
Silver > Ampco Grafix > Ledcor Group > Scotiabank Bronze
Supporter > > > > > > > >
Airbus Helicopters BMO Bank of Montreal Hatch Mott MacDonald iA Financial Group Manulife Financial Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. Mott Electric Real Estate Foundation
Supplier > DLA Piper (Canada) LLP > Steam Whistle Brewery
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Printing Sponsor > Ampco Grafix