Thorpe and Friends celebrate 100th student award
April 16, 2025
51Ʒ Foundation is celebrating a significant milestone in philanthropic giving. Two students — Keira Chevallier and Angelina Sebastian — both in the Health Care Assistant program, received awards from Rick and Yasmin Thorpe and friends whose generosity has now supported over 100 students in total.“When we started these awards nearly 20 years ago our goal was to reach 100 students,” shared Rick Thorpe at a ceremony marking the achievement yesterday.“We couldn’t have done this without the support of our friends. Everything...
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GeoVerra’s gift helps students navigate futures in engineering
April 14, 2025
Future civil engineers at 51Ʒ (OC) are getting a high-tech boost, thanks to a generous donation from GeoVerra.GeoVerra has donated six global navigation satellite survey (GNSS) systems, valued at $77,900, to OC’s Civil Engineering Technology program. This cutting-edge equipment ensures students, like first-year learner Lane Wiebe, gain practical, hands-on experience with tools they'll use in today’s technologically advanced construction industry.“Knowing that companies like GeoVerra are invested in our success is p...
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OC students to face tough panel at mock media conference
April 10, 2025
51Ʒ students enrolled in Crisis Communications will have their public speaking skills put to the test at a mock media conference in front of over 100 of their professors, peers, friends, family and members of the Okanagan media.(Media are invited to attend the sessions to be held at OC’s Kelowna campus Thursday from 6:30 to 9:20 p.m. in the OC Theatre)Six student teams will be acting as representatives of companies that are facing a simulated crises occurring in the public eye. Their task will be to address an aggressiv...
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51Ʒ students earn IEEE SysCon research recognition
April 4, 2025
A group of third- and fourth-year Bachelor of Computer Information Systems (BCIS) students at 51Ʒ (OC) are making waves in the academic community of technological research with their recent achievement — securing the opportunity to present their research at the prestigious IEEE International Systems Conference (SysCon) in Montréal next week.“It’s an incredible opportunity for us,” said Kristina Cormier, fourth-year BCIS student, chair of the IEEE OC Student Branch, and member of one of the teams presenting at ...
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Final stretch: $1M left to cross finish line for Thrive Here campaign
March 27, 2025
Kelowna Auto Dealers Association donates $200k in support of Recreation and Wellness CentreThe home stretch is now in sight for the Thrive Here fundraising campaign for a Recreation and Wellness Centre on 51Ʒ’s (OC’s) Kelowna campus.The OC Foundation is celebrating $13 million raised towards the $14 million goal thanks to amazing support from the community including a $200,000 donation from the Kelowna Auto Dealers Association (KADA). “This is a meaningful project for us to support,” says Sam Ghessesow, KADA ...
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Early childhood educators partner on Outdoor Play guide
March 24, 2025
Growing up in a small town in British Columbia, 51Ʒ educator Linda O’Donoghue recalls a time where she and her friends created a store out of leaf bouquets and headed out around the neighborhood going door to door to sell the bouquets.Their efforts would catch the attention of the local newspaper who thought it was interesting enough for a short story.It was an example of many of the childhood memories that O’Donoghue would reflect back on years later as she worked as an Early Childhood Educator. During those years she ...
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