F I F T Y Y E A R S of Transforming Lives and Communities
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O K A N A G A N
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C O L L E G E
COMMUNITY REPORT 2013
OKANAGAN COLLEGE 2013 By THE NUMBERS StudentS 7,289 full-time equivalent students 366 full-time equivalent international students 27 is the average student age 52.4% female, 47.6% male 2,659 credentials conferred in 2013 65,000+ credentials conferred since 1963
Institution 50 years old on Sept. 30, 2013 14 locations from Oliver to Revelstoke 4 campuses: Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon and Salmon Arm 1,200+ full- and part-time employees
Financial $95.5 million operating budget $542 million annual economic impact to regional economy 12.7% annual return on investment to B.C. taxpayers $915 million impact to provincial economy
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Messages from the Chair, Board of Governors and Chair, Education Council
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Message from the President
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Penticton launches new wine sensory lab Building skills in the Shuswap-Revelstoke region Community connects through new Vernon sports facility
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A $33-million expansion will build the future of trades training in Kelowna
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College partnerships reach across industry and education
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The Okanagan College Foundation – expanding possibilities through donor support 50 years of Transforming Lives and Communities 50 people who made a difference Golden alumni and their contributions College gives back on Golden Day of Service Honouring its finest Fellows Students help hunger disappear Recognizing achievement
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Employees make headlines
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The financial year in review
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The governing bodies of Okanagan College
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A message from the Chair, Board of Governors For four years, I’ve had the pleasure of serving on the Okanagan College Board of Governors. 2013 was my first as the Chair of the Board and it has provided many opportunities to see the impact of the institution first-hand. Impact is what our organization is about. You see it in the faces of the students receiving credentials. It is evident in the words and behaviour of students who receive scholarships and bursaries, those who are afforded the chance to showcase their skills nationally and internationally, and those who have acquired new abilities and insight. As an institution, we go well beyond the anecdotal, to ask for quantitative evidence of the impact in myriad ways. We measure what we do, how we compare and where we are improving and in need of improvement. This devotion to evidence is important, but the human side of what we do is critical. Nothing illustrates this as clearly as a student who tells you about the new career he’s just started as he shakes your hand, with a freshly minted credential, and with his wife and children clapping loudly in the background at a Convocation ceremony.
The purpose of our efforts is manifest as you hear a student speaker explain that while she started her education as a number, she soon realized she was much more than that at Okanagan College, and now counts faculty, support staff and a host of colleague students as her friends. This year (2013-14) is the 50th that we have been here to serve the region and the province. Important investments are being made in facilities and in efforts to ensure our college helps B.C. meet the skills challenge being served us by demographics and economic development. Evidence suggests – and I believe – that the need for colleges has never been greater. As always, we’ll be there to meet the larger goal, and we’ll do it in the way we always have and always will: one person at a time.
Tom Styffe Chair, Okanagan College Board of Governors
A message from the Chair, Education Council Every year, British Columbia’s government surveys students who graduate from our public post-secondary institutions. Over 90 per cent of Okanagan College’s graduates surveyed are satisfied with their education. While instructors, curriculum, facilities, and individual experiences all play an important role in determining the survey results, there is a contributing agent that is not always at the forefront of public attention: Education Council (EdCo), one of the two governing bodies for Okanagan College. EdCo, in conjunction with the Board of Governors, is responsible for approving courses, programs, and policies that have much to do with the quality of the educational experience at our institution. Faculty members, support staff, administrators, and students meet monthly to review and approve new curriculum and academic policies.
Supporting EdCo are a number of standing committees which provide a preliminary review of proposals, and hardworking support staff. More than 75 members of the College community meet to consider curriculum and policies. The overall goal is to ensure that the students who choose Okanagan College for their education and training have the best education and training that is available. EdCo sees the results of its work when we approve the graduands for graduation. (A person is a graduand after completing all the requirements for a credential and becomes a graduate after the credential is awarded.) EdCo members believe our work is crucial to Okanagan College’s mission of transforming lives and communities. We are proud of our curriculum and of the quality of our graduates.
Rick Gee Chair, Education Council
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A message from the President This past year, I had the privilege of meeting some of the first students who attended Okanagan College when it opened its doors as the B.C. Vocational School in 1963. Meeting them not only provided me with a living sense of the history of our college, but it also served as a reminder of all that we have contributed collectively – students, alumni, staff and friends – to the development of our region, province and nation. For instance, the first group of welders we graduated had a hand in building the hydro-electric dams, mines, and major projects that to this day still help define our province. Their impact as industry leaders, educators, and tradespeople is immeasurable. The first class of nurses, some of whom are still working, have helped countless thousands of us and contributed to the development of a world-class health system in British Columbia. Alumni, both recent and experienced, carry with them pride in the education and training received at Okanagan College, OUC and the B.C. Vocational School. They speak of the importance of close-to-home, quality education. They speak of the difference it made in their lives, and we can see easily how they have affected others. Celebrating our golden anniversary, we share that pride in accomplishments with the communities we serve. There is no way to count the people and no way to adequately quantify the efforts and energy involved in creating a success story – a story that now has tens of thousands of chapters and spans five decades. A community report such as this can only partially reflect all those stories and achievements, but it will have done its job if it communicates the sense of who we are, how and who we serve, and the commitment of all who attend, work at and support Okanagan College. I invite you to continue to turn the pages, visit us online and drop in to visit.
Jim Hamilton President, Okanagan College
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Raising the bar on wine education
Okanagan College’s commitment to enhanced programs and connections with the region’s wine industry was at the forefront in October, when plans were announced for a wine sensory lab at the Penticton campus, spurred by a $300,000 donation from the BC Wine Information Society. Jonathan Rouse, Director of Food, Wine and Tourism at Okanagan College, says this new state-of-the-art facility underlines the College’s commitment to diversified programming. “The sensory lab classroom will be a research-oriented facility. One that is interactive and
engaging for a variety of students from wine makers to hospitality professionals,” said Rouse. The new BC Wine Information Centre Sensory Lab will provide 24 seats in a 120-squaremetre space. In keeping with the College’s commitment to sustainability, it will be designed to meet the Living Building Challenge standards. The facilities will be constructed with a complete kitchen and multimedia facilities that can broadcast instructional material worldwide. The lab will open in 2014.
“This is an important step in the evolution of our programming at Okanagan College, and demonstrates how important the relationship is between the College and the industry,” observed Okanagan College president Jim Hamilton. “Partnerships such as this are what makes Okanagan College unique, and will bring more people to the College for exceptional training in the food, wine and tourism industries.”
Jonathan Rouse, Director of Food, Wine and Tourism toasts Laura Kowalchuk, General Manager of the BC Wine Information Centre on a $300,000 donation from the BC Wine Information Society.
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A study published in October underscores the importance of wine tourism to British Columbia’s economy and illustrates the industry’s need for trained professionals. Researched and co-published by Blair Baldwin, Okanagan College School of Business, the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society and the British Columbia Wine Institute, the research found that wine festivals, winery tours, wine tasting shops, and restaurants generate more than $139 million in economic impact and 1,100 full-time jobs in the region. “This study really validates the importance of wine tourism to our local economy,” said Baldwin.
W ne Tourism Matters Each year, over 800,000 tourists visit wineries, taste wines, buy wines, eat at winery restaurants and attend wine festivals in British Columbia. Arriving in search of the real and the local, Okanagan wine tourists generate $139 million in regional economic impact.
What’s Wine Tourism Worth? 800,000 Visitors
800,000 wine tourists visit British Columbia annually
1,100 FT Jobs
$4 M in Taxes
Over 1,100 FT jobs in wine tourism and tourism-related employment
$69M GDP Impact
$4 million in net annual government revenue from wine tourism
$139M Economic Impact
The value added or GDP impact attributed to wine tourism is $69M
$87M in direct annual economic impact and $52M in indirect economic impact
All About Okanagan Wine Tourists Visitors spend an average of $474 per person, per day $97 on wine $160 on transportation and general expenses $75 at winery restaurants $142 on accommodation
50+ per cent of wine tourists will visit four or more wineries 25 per cent will visit seven or more wineries
Primary Destinations: Kelowna, West Kelowna, Penticton Wineries are selected for reputation, convenience and scenic location.
B.C. Wine Facts
2 annual wine competitions, over 1,000 entries
217 wineries, 9,800 acres of grapes planted; 80+ varietals
3 Okanagan Wine Festivals – Winter, Spring, and Fall
Top 3 Reds Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon
Top 3 Whites Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer
SOURCES: winebc.org; 2013 Okanagan Wine Tourism Industry Economic Impact Report. Commissioned by The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society and the B.C. Wine Institute. Prepared by Dr. Blair Baldwin, Okanagan School of Business, Okanagan College.
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Building skills
A ceremonial ribbon-cutting marked the completion of the 2013 Home for Learning project in Salmon Arm.
on the job
Take 11 students (five of them secondary students), give them the tools and knowledge to construct a 3,000-square-foot luxury home in Salmon Arm’s Laurel Canyon subdivision, and you have an example of hands-on learning that is becoming common practice for Okanagan College’s Trades and Apprenticeship department. The Home for Learning project is part of Okanagan College’s Residential Construction program. The concept of the experiential learning initiative was launched in Salmon Arm in 2004 and it sees the College partner with community groups and local sponsors to give Residential Construction students the handson training they need to advance their education.
“The success of that first project in 2004 resulted in similar projects in each of our regions, from the South Okanagan to Revelstoke,” says Steve Moores, Okanagan College’s Dean of Trades and Apprenticeship. “In the decade since breaking ground in Salmon Arm, Okanagan College has completed 43 projects of varying scope from large residential homes to cabins at the Agur Lake Camp for children with special needs to a barn for rescued horses.” The 2013 initiative in Salmon Arm was a partnership between the College, the Shuswap Rotary Club, and the North Okanagan Shuswap School District (SD 83).
Heyde and his team at Heyde Werk Homes, not only received valuable hands-on training but also an Okanagan College certificate in Residential Construction and Level One technical credit towards their carpentry apprenticeship. The net sales proceeds from the completed project will go toward the Rotary’s community projects. “Practical experience is critical for training the next generation, but projects like these also fill the students with pride knowing they contributed to building something sound and helped a community organization in the process,” says Moores.
The students, who worked with general contractor Rudy
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Meeting Community health care needs A special intake of Okanagan College’s Health Care Assistant program is helping answer Revelstoke’s critical need for health care workers. The program started last September, courtesy of a one-time funding allowance from the provincial government that is intended to address gaps in regional health care training programs.
The B.C. government set aside $1.8 million in funding targeted at programs running for one year or less and supported a total of 12 programs offered at eight public post-secondary institutions in B.C. “There is a growing need for the program in Revelstoke due to the demands the aging population is putting on heath care services as well as the lack of skilled labour in the Revelstoke community,” says Julie Lowes, Acute Health Services and Site Manager at Queen Victoria Hospital in Revelstoke.
“There were people who wanted those positions, but they lacked the qualifications,” she says. The Okanagan College class in Revelstoke, which graduated in March 2014, was comprised of 11 students who, after passing their certification exam, will be ready to work in a variety of care settings within a few weeks. “The partnership between Queen Victoria Hospital, Okanagan College, Interior Health and the Revelstoke District Health Foundation has been a really successful example of the community approach to health care,” says Lowes.
Provincial funding helped Okanagan College fill Revelstoke’s urgent need for Health Care Assistants.
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Vernon Sports Complex to promote community health and wellness
For sports enthusiasts and community boosters, there couldn’t have been a more welcome sight than the earthmoving machines and surveyors who started work in October on the Greater Vernon Community Sports Complex at Okanagan College’s Vernon campus.
opportunity for our college to become even more engaged with the community,” said Jane Lister, Regional Dean of the North Okanagan. “It is one more way in which we can serve the College’s mission of transforming lives and communities, this time through athletic activities.”
Scheduled for completion in November 2014, the multiuse $7.8-million, four-hectare recreation facility is the result of years of collaborative effort between Okanagan College and the Regional District of the North Okanagan (RDNO).
For community residents, a range of sports and recreation needs will be met by the facility’s running track and sports fields.
“Placing the sports complex on our campus provides an
The sports complex will be used extensively by local athletes and by the general community. Over half the projected annual visits to the running track are expected to come from community users.
The facility will also serve local athletes by allowing the RDNO to bid on hosting premier sporting events. Numerous benefits for Okanagan College students and staff have been identified, including improved recreational facilities and possible new programming opportunities. The College contributed a nocost 40-year lease of the land to the RDNO, which represents a significant saving to local taxpayers.
The project includes: • • • • • •
a community-use Olympic-size (400-metre) rubber-surfaced running track a lighted playing field with an artificial turf surface that can be used for football, soccer, and other field sports track and field facilities with sites for high-jump, broad-jump, pole-vault, and throwing events covered seating for 400 spectators a 425-square-metre field house with four change rooms two buildings that encompass four change rooms, public washrooms, a sporting officials room, storage, and a classroom/meeting room
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Construction underway on $33-million trades expansion Five decades after it was first built, the Trades training complex at Okanagan College’s Kelowna campus is undergoing a significant upgrade with the renovation and expansion of its trades training facilities. Announced by the provincial government in 2012, the $33-million project will transform the look and capacity of the Kelowna campus. When complete, the trades complex on the Kelowna campus will be home to more than 2,400 students and apprentices annually. It will feature a 10,649square-metre combination of shops and classrooms as well as a 566-square-metre building for heavy duty and commercial transport programs, plus a canopy covering a 1,858-squaremetre outdoor shop space. Approximately 750 students who are currently taking programs in
leased shops off site will return to the College’s Kelowna campus. While the project is about improved spaces for students and instruction, it’s also about reducing carbon footprint and leading by example. The goal for the project is LEED Platinum certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) operating with net zero energy. Part of that solution is already in place, with one of Western Canada’s largest arrays of photovoltaic solar panels adorning the roof of the canopy over the outdoor shop area. (This was completed in the summer of 2013 as part of the project’s first phase.)
College’s Regional Dean for the Central Okanagan. “We can boast of having the first building in the region that was completed to LEED Gold standards (the $28-million Centre for Learning) and now we’re going to take that to the next level. “When we’re done, we hope that what is now one of the worst buildings in the post-secondary sector in terms of energy consumption will be a shining example of energy management and conservation.”
“We see this as a chance to integrate new construction thinking, responsible design, and to help advance the agenda of energy-conscious renovation of aging public infrastructure,” says Heather Schneider, the
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Paul Dangerfield (left), Vice President of Education, Research and International at BCIT with Dr. Andrew Hay, Vice President Education, Okanagan College.
Industry and educational partnerships drive regional
innovation and student success Partnerships are key to Okanagan College’s connection to the communities it serves and to building new opportunities for students and regional enterprises. In 2013-14, Okanagan College signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) to formalize or establish new partnerships. “Over the past year, we established some very important relationships that will bring new opportunities to the College and to business and industry in the region,” said Dr. Andrew Hay, Okanagan College’s Vice President, Education. “We’re looking forward to working with other institutions and organizations to share knowledge and resources, develop new products and enhance innovation.”
In June 2013, Okanagan College and BCIT signed an MOU with a broad focus on collaborative development in the areas of planning, partnerships related to programming and applied research, and capital planning.
and training will benefit, while Okanagan College domestic students will be better prepared for success in a global workplace.
Specific areas of interest include building sciences, sustainability education, fuel alternatives, energy management, and simulation for health programming.
A February 2014 MOU between the College and Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre will connect expertise, facilities, connections and interest in cleantech to help grow the emerging industry and integrate post-secondary institutions in the development of the sector.
An October 2013 MOU signed by School District 67 and Okanagan College will create a closer working relationship between the two groups to foster academic linkages through greater cooperation.
The cleantech industry contributes an estimated $2.5 billion annually to the B.C. economy, through products, services and processes based on renewable materials and energy sources.
International students who want to stay in Penticton to pursue college-level education
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Okanagan College FOUNDATION The Okanagan College Foundation touches the lives of students and donors, bringing the two together with initiatives that continue to expand and grow possibilities for the future of Okanagan College. This past year, the Foundation disbursed more than $1.1-million into the hands of students and for programs and building projects at the College, thanks to the generosity of its donors.
The year also marked a turning point for the Foundation. Alf Kempf, a partner at Pushor Mitchell, assumed the role of President of the Board of Directors, and the groundwork was laid for the Foundation’s new Bright Horizons: Building for Skills campaign. This $7-million campaign is raising funds for the new Trades Training Complex at the Kelowna campus on KLO Road with support from many community and business
leaders, including the volunteer campaign leadership team made up of Honorary Chair Ben Stewart, Campaign Chair Dennis Gabelhouse, and Campaign Ambassador Mike Roberts.
Just a few of the donor-funded initiatives in 2013 • Wine Sensory Lab at the Penticton campus (BC Wine Information Society) • Western Canada RoboCup Junior Championships (TELUS) • Southern Interior Construction Association Patrick Waunch Scholarship • The Factory Foundation Trades Entrance Bursaries For more information, visit
www.okanagancollegefoundation.ca.
Linda Laird (left), and her mother Billie Laird (right) established the Charles Laird Memorial Award to help students like Jeanette Slater complete their Health Care Assistant Certificate – one of hundreds of awards handed out each year.
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1963 – • 1961 – W.A.C. Bennett announces Kelowna will get a Vocational School • 1963 – The B.C. Vocational School opens Sept. 30 with nine instructors, eight programs and 100 students • 1965 – Okanagan College starts – on paper; Norman Walker of England is hired as president and begins work on Aug. 1, 1966
• 1968 – Okanagan College takes over Grade 13 programming in Kelowna, Vernon and Salmon Arm (operates out of KSS, Army Barracks, and portables) • 1971 – College and B.C. Vocational School - Kelowna merge • 1974 – Okanagan College begins in Penticton, operates out of St. Joseph’s elementary school • 1982 – Kalamalka campus opens in Vernon
• 1988 – Penticton campus opens on Duncan Avenue • 1989 – Okanagan College starts BA and BSc programs in association with UBC and BEd, BSN, in association with UVic • 1991 – Salmon Arm opens new five-acre campus • 1993 – North Kelowna campus opens in January • 1995 – Okanagan College is designated Okanagan University College
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– 2013 • 1998 – First OUC degrees conferred. Accredited by major research granting councils
• 2009 – Okanagan College opens the Centre for Learning in Kelowna – LEED Gold certified
• 2004 – On March 17, Premier Gordon Campbell announces that OUC will split and North Kelowna will form a campus of UBC, while the remaining four campuses will become Okanagan College
• 2011 – Okanagan College opens Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Technologies and Renewable Energy Conservation in Penticton – one of the most sustainble buildings of its type in the world
• 2005 – OUC evolves into UBCO and Okanagan College on July 1
• 2012 – Okanagan College breaks ground on the $33-million Trades Training Complex at the Kelowna campus – scheduled to be complete by 2016 • 2013 – Okanagan College now provides training and education to 20,000 students per year and has granted more than 65,000 credentials over the past five decades
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Reid Schretlen (left) and Nelson Jatel are two of Okanagan College’s 50 People Who Made a Difference.
A story of people and commitment The history of Okanagan College, which dates back to 1963 with the opening of the BC Vocational School, is a story of people. Students who achieved their educational goals, staff and instructors focused on the services and classroom experience to make it all possible, and friends and community supporters who realized how important postsecondary education was to the region.
On Sept. 27, the names and faces passionate about the College’s of those chosen as 50 People role in the lives of students. Who Made a Difference were revealed. “My goal was to inform people that attending Okanagan “These 50 people really College could be a life changing encompass what distinguishes experience and lead to much Okanagan College, especially enriched lives and great careers,” when you think about all the says Gaudet, who retired in 1997. other people we’ve honoured in other ways,” says Okanagan While others, like Nelson Jatel, College Board Chair Tom Styffe. an alumnus, former executive director of the Okanagan “Those names speak to Partnership and current Water connections and contributions to Stewardship Director at the Last summer, the College put the community by staff, students, Okanagan Basin Water Board, felt out a call for nominations of alumni and members of the the College had an even larger those people who have made community who’ve had a very real role to play in the economy. a difference—students, alumni, hand in supporting development staff, friends, and supporters of the College over the years.” “Okanagan College has been whose contributions went at the forefront of helping move beyond the ordinary in building Some honourees, such as Gary the Okanagan region’s global Okanagan College, OUC, and the Gaudet, the College’s first competitiveness forward,” B.C. Vocational School, or those Communications and Community says Jatel. whose service stretched into the Relations Manager, felt larger community.
To read the list of the 50 People Who Made a Difference, visit
www.okanagan.bc.ca/makingadifference.
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Thousands of alumni
realize College’s mission on a daily basis From the first class of Practical Nurses in 1963 to the College’s most recent grads of 2013, more than 65,000 students have received credentials from Okanagan College and in doing so, created a powerful group of alumni. From business to trades to the arts, Okanagan College alumni have made an impact in communities both close to home and abroad. On the occasion of its 50th anniversary, the Okanagan College Alumni Association reflected on the importance of alumni contributions. “You really can’t go very many places without running into an Okanagan College alumnus,” said Kara Kazimer, President of the Okanagan College Alumni Association. “It’s a testament to the impact the College has on the region. The development of a regional college 50 years ago made it possible for the people of the Okanagan Valley to get the skills and education they needed to change their lives and our communities. I couldn’t be more proud to name myself among those alumni.”
Jacki Zehner
Jon Garratt
Jason Richards
CEO Women Moving Millions – 1984
Co-owner Whisk Cake Company – 2012
Jacki Zehner studied Arts at the College and went on to earn a Bachelor of Commerce degree from UBC. In 1988 she was hired by Goldman Sachs in New York and in 1996 became the first woman and youngest trader to be made partner of the firm. After 14 years on Wall Street she left to pursue her passion to advance women’s leadership.
Chef Jon Garratt completed his Professional Cooking apprenticeship at Okanagan College before becoming a Red Seal chef. He went on to work his way through some of the Okanagan’s top restaurants, including: Old Vines, Bonfire Grill, Cabana Grille and Waterfront Wines.
Senior Vice President Procera Networks – 1999
Today Jacki serves as CEO of Women Moving Millions, a New York based non-profit organization whose mission is to mobilize unprecedented resources for the advancement of women and girls.
In 2008 he became the junior president of the Okanagan Chefs Association and in 2009 became the Western Junior rep with the Canadian Culinary Federation. He is the co-owner of Whisk Cake Company, a joint venture he operates with his wife, Tanya, also an alumna of Okanagan College.
Jason Richards graduated from OUC with two Bachelor of Science degrees, one in Mathematics and the other in Physics. His career took him to Silicon Valley where he worked for some of the hottest tech companies in the world. In 2008, he moved back to Kelowna to start a new tech company, Vineyard Networks, which was acquired by Silicon Valley’s Procera Networks. Jason is now the Senior Vice President of Global Business Development at Procera Networks.
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College contributions Golden on Day of Service
Nearly 300 Okanagan College employees were joined by students on Friday, Feb. 14 in acts of volunteerism across the region in a Golden Day of Service. The event was held in recognition of the tremendous support the College has received from members of the community over the past five decades. “The College is rooted in a tradition of service,” explained President Jim Hamilton. “Giving back is our way of saying thank you as we write the next chapter in our College’s story and we want to write that chapter with the people who have done so much to support our students, our employees and our College.” Projects ranged from cleaning up the beaches of Kalamalka Lake to supporting the Vernon Food Bank, to building cat beds for residents of the Kelowna SPCA. Some employees engaged in promoting literacy in elementary schools, others painted the walls of the West Kelowna Boys & Girls Club.
Dozens of volunteer projects involving more than 300 Okanagan College employees and students were undertaken in communities from Revelstoke to Oliver on February 14, 2014.
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Honorary Fellows Okanagan College’s distinguished list of Honorary Fellows grew in 2013 with the inclusion of Ernie Philip, Alan Gatzke, and Barry Lapointe.
President Jim Hamilton bestowed the College’s highest honour on the three community-builders during a series of Convocation ceremonies in June. “I am proud to welcome Ernie, Alan and Barry as Honorary Fellows of Okanagan College,” said Hamilton. “When I think about the people who have made a difference in our communities, from Kelowna to Oyama and extending to the Shuswap, each of the 2013 recipients are shining examples of people who have been dedicated to improving their communities.” Philip is an elder of the Little Shuswap Indian Band, a First Nations people whose traditional territory covers 145,000 square kilometres in the Southern and Central interior of B.C. An acclaimed international dance artist, Philip has won more than 130 awards for his performances in powwows.
His performances have done much to spread understanding and knowledge of his people and their traditions. An ambassador for peace, Philip’s contributions have helped shine a light on the unique traditions of the region’s First Nations people and their culture. As proprietor of Gatzke Orchards in Oyama, Alan Gatzke is a third-generation farmer whose roots in the Okanagan extend back to 1929, when his grandfather began the family business. Deeply embedded in the agricultural history of the Okanagan, Gatzke Orchards is one of the region’s oldest producers of tree fruits. As one of the area’s early adopters of agritourism, Gatzke Orchards is committed to corporate social responsibility and sustainability in all forms of the business.
Philip, who is often referred to as Dancing Bear or Black Feather – names that were given to him by the Sioux and Blackfoot – is a celebrated dancer and lecturer. He has presented and performed for schools, folk festivals, conventions, powwows and exhibitions both locally and internationally.
Barry Lapointe
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Gatzke’s vision for the family business has resulted in a thriving local hub that includes a farm market, café, bakery, accommodations and venues for concerts, weddings and special events. A former city councillor for the District of Lake Country, Gatzke has also served as a Director for the Board of Tourism Kelowna, where he has helped move the sustainability agenda forward through his unique insight into economic diversification.
As the Co-founder, CEO and past President of Kelowna Flightcraft, Barry Lapointe is one of the region’s best-known aviation entrepreneurs. Lapointe identified a need for a regional aircraft maintenance company more than 40 years ago, launching Kelowna Flightcraft in 1970. The small start-up quickly grew to include courier and charter services, increasing its flexibility and providing full-service access for the industry. Kelowna Flightcraft is now the third largest airline company in Canada.
pilot’s license. With more than 14,000 hours of flying logged, Lapointe is highly respected for his contributions to the aviation industry in many capacities. He is a past Chairman of the Airline Transport Association of Canada (ATAC) board and is now serving as its Secretary. Lapointe was also a member of Partnership BC (PBC) and is a current Director with Purolator Courier Ltd. (PCL).
Lapointe’s passion for aviation began at an early age. He graduated with honours from BCIT’s Aircraft Mechanic Engineer program in 1967; shortly after he completed his commercial
Alan Gatzke
Ernie Philip
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Enactus Okanagan College earns national recognition Okanagan College’s Enactus team built upon its national reputation by winning the Help Hunger Disappear challenge for the fourth year in a row. The Okanagan College students are the only Enactus team in Canada to have won the challenge, which was created four years ago with support from Campbell Company of Canada. The team won the inaugural challenge in 2010 and has continued to dominate the hunger relief initiative for four consecutive years. Spread across Okanagan College’s four campuses – Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, and
Salmon Arm – Enactus Okanagan College is a non-profit studentrun organization that develops and implements projects in local communities that improve the quality of life and standard of living across the region. The students from Okanagan College were recognized for their efforts in raising more than 24,000 kilograms of nonperishables for food banks throughout the region. They did so by creating and delivering 11 hunger relief initiatives throughout the Okanagan Valley. Their projects ranged from the Farm Bag Fundraiser, in which students work with local farmers
to distribute local produce, making farming more viable and sustainable through a franchisee model, to MOMentum, which provides single mothers with information about how to cook healthy and affordable meals and teaches them financial budgeting skills. “Enactus Okanagan College stood out again this year for their continued teamwork and commitment to lasting hunger solutions in their community,” said Mark Childs, Vice President of Marketing, Campbell Company of Canada. “Their boundless energy, passion and creativity continue to impress – they are truly role models for us all.”
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Aboriginal students find support
from Irving K. Barber Scholarship Society Eight Okanagan College students were selected as recipients of B.C. Aboriginal Student Awards, an annual award funded through the generosity of the Irving K. Barber British Columbia Scholarship Society. “The additional money will make a big difference for me,” said Penny O’Leary, a Practical Nursing student at the Kelowna campus. “Now I can afford school supplies, bus passes to get to school on time, and the extra books that instructors recommend to help with my studies. “Being awarded the scholarship really inspires me to keep going. It’s like a pat on the back, some recognition that I’ve made it this
far. It’s definitely going to help me get where I plan to go.” The Scholarship Society awards funds each year through a competitive process to support the post-secondary education goals of B.C.’s Aboriginal students. In 2013, the Society disbursed $813,000 to students who received awards that ranged between $1,000 and $5,000 to help in securing skills and training. “Financing education is a huge concern for our Aboriginal students,” said James Coble, Director of Student Services and former Aboriginal Access and Services Coordinator at Okanagan College. “The reality is that not all of them are able
to access needed funds through their bands. And even when bands do provide funding, the money doesn’t cover everything. “Adequate funding is a critical component of student success,” said Coble. “Many Aboriginal students face multiple barriers. They often need additional help with emergency needs like transportation and child care, along with the everyday essentials such as food and rent.” Since its formation in 2004, the Irving K. Barber British Columbia Scholarship Society has awarded over $5 million to students through its various scholarship and award programs.
Okanagan College scholarship recipients by campus: Britney Jennison – Kelowna Penny O’Leary (in photo left) – Kelowna Robin Arnouse – Kelowna Naomi Baker – Kelowna Dallas Keller – Penticton Tyler Walkden – Salmon Arm Cassandra Gunn – Salmon Arm Jessica Hamilton – Vernon For more information on the Irving K. Barber B.C. Scholarship Society visit: www.ikbbc.ca.
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Publishing prowess The following Okanagan College employees exercised their considerable creative talents releasing books, articles, short stories and films in 2013. Marc Arellano Marc Arellano, Communications Professor, released his latest documentary film, Spinning Green, which chronicles the experience of social activist Curtis Stone who used his passion for local food to create what is now known as Small Plot Intensive (SPIN) Farming.
Jason Dewinetz Jason Dewinetz, who specializes in typography and letterpress printing, placed second in the Limited Edition category in the 2013 Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence, for his special reprinting of Stanley Morison’s classic essay, “First Principles of Typography.”
Matt Kavanagh English Professor Matt Kavanagh published an essay in the online American literary journal, The Millions. “Paper Tiger: Irish Financial Fiction after the Bust” examines recent fiction by Irish writers seeking to make sense of the financial crisis of 2008.
Cathy Fitzgerald Business Professor Cathy Fitzgerald co-authored a textbook, Essentials of Managing Human Resources.
Corinna Chong English Professor Corinna Chong has published her first novel, Belinda’s Rings, a story following a smart-alecky teenaged girl as she tries to cope with her crumbling family while her mother flies off on a trip to study crop circles in the English countryside.
Alix Hawley The Walrus magazine published an excerpt from English Professor Alix Hawley’s debut novel, All True Not a Lie in It. The book, to be published early 2015, is a fictional first-person account of Daniel Boone’s captivity by the Shawnee. Hawley also won the Canada Writes 2013 BloodLines short story contest for “Pig (for Oma),” a story based on her grandmother’s experiences in the Second World War.
Sean Johnston
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Sean Johnston English Literature and Creative Writing Professor, Sean Johnston published his fourth book, Listen All You Bullets, which tells the story of a young boy named Billy who is trapped on a hardscrabble North Dakota ranch with his lonely mother and his wheelchairbound father. The characters are inspired by Jack Schaefer’s 1949 novel Shane.
David Lethbridge Cañada Blanch Centre Publications, an arm of the London School of Economics’ European Institute, published David Lethbridge’s Norman Bethune in Spain: Commitment, Crisis and Conspiracy. Lethbridge is a Psychology Professor in Salmon Arm.
Jeremy Lanaway English Professor Jeremy Lanaway’s story “Downturn” was nominated for the Journey Prize, a $10,000 award given to an emerging writer for a short story.
Ross McKerlich Ross McKerlich, Education Technology Coordinator, published an article in International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, entitled “Measuring Use and Creation of Open Educational Resources in Higher Education.”
Corinna Chong
Brett Wade Therapist Assistant Professor Brett Wade published the Ekahi Method, based on his research on the therapeutic effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields. The book explains how individuals can use their unique “base frequencies” to improve their health.
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Financial
Statement of Operations Summary For the Year Ended
Year in Review Other
March 31, 2013 (millions)
March 31, 2012 (millions)
$
$
Revenue:
Ancillary Sales
Grants Tuition Contract Services Ancillary Sales Other
Contract Services
56.8 22.2 4.2 5.9 6.0
57.5 21.7 4.8 5.8 5.0
95.1
94.8
65.7 22.4 5.5 0.2
65.3 23.6 5.0 0.2
93.8
94.1
1.3 9.2
0.7 8.5
Expense:
REVENUE Tuition
Grants
Salaries & Benefits Supplies & Services Depreciation Debt Interest
Surplus Accumulated Surplus, Beg $
Accumulated Surplus, End
10.5
$
9.2
Statement of Financial Positon Summary As at
Other Financial Assets
March 31, 2013
March 31, 2012
$
$
18.4 6.5 3.2
9.5 7.2 5.5
Financial Assets: Cash & Investments
Cash & Cash Equivalents Investments Other Financial Assets
ASSETS
28.1
22.2
Financial Liabilities:
Accrued Liabilities Long Term Debt Deferred Revenues Employee Future Benefits Deferred Contributions
9.2 4.5 6.9 14.2 78.5
Tangible Capital Assets
Net Financial Debt
5.0 5.6 5.7 14.1 77.0
113.3
107.4
( 85.2 )
( 85.2 )
0.7 95.0
0.4 94.0
95.7
94.4
Non-Financial Assets:
Prepaid Expenses Tangible Capital Assets
Accumulated Surplus
$
10.5
$
10.5
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The Governing Bodies
of Okanagan College Board of Governors 2013 Tom Styffe, Chair Connie Denesiuk, Vice Chair Barry Antoniow Bill Cooke (term ended June 2013) Rick Gee (Ex officio) Charity Gerbrandt Jim Hamilton (Ex officio) Lance Kayfish (term ended Sept. 2013) Douglas Manning
Robert McGowan Sunddip Nahal George Nielson Yvonne Pinder Lianne Rozniak Loretta Swite-Ghostkeeper Laura Thurnheer Zach Webster (term ended June 2013) Javid (Jingwei) Wu (term ended June 2013)
Education Council 2013 Rick Gee, Chair Michelle Nicholson, Vice Chair Barry Antoniow (term ended Oct. 2013) Jim Barmby Bryan Bergen Corey Bransfield Terrena Buck Reema Gidda (term ended June 2013) Jim Hamilton (Non-voting member) Andrew Hay Allan Hickey (term ended June 2013) Robert Huxtable Ayla Kilic Andy Li
Leanne Mallory Rebecca Marchand (term ended June 2013) Siri Marken Drew McGillivray Michael Mitsch Jane Muskens (Non-voting member) Sunddip Nahal (Non-voting member) Kim Naumann Nancy Noble-Hearle Todd Redding Sean Rossouw Garry Schroth Joanne Thomsen
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Okanagan College
www.okanagan.bc.ca