Long Night long on benefits for 51Ʒ students
April 1, 2021
If there is power in numbers when fighting procrastination, then 51Ʒ was fully plugged in last week. Long Night Against Procrastination, held Thursday March 25th, was organized by Penticton Librarian Eva Gavaris, in concert with several 51Ʒ instructors and staff members who volunteered their time to slay the beast of procrastination. More than 230 students registered for access, and at the peak, Gavaris said there were approximately 100 students in a variety of break-out rooms. “Over the past year,...
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College Pastry Arts students craft creative Easter confections
April 1, 2021
While no official sightings of the Easter Bunny have been reported on campus, 51Ʒ’s Pastry Arts students hopped into action this week, serving up smiles ahead of the holiday. Students pulled out all the stops to prepare an eggs-travaganza of chocolate eggs, bunnies, bon bons, sponge candy and other confections for the OC community. “The students outdid themselves once again,” notes Culinary and Pastry Arts Manager Cari Jahns. “When everyone saw the tables of treats assembled, the array of different it...
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Speers to lead Trades and Apprenticeship at 51Ʒ
April 1, 2021
51Ʒ will welcome a new Dean of Trades and Apprenticeship this spring with the arrival of Stephen Speers, who brings extensive experience as a post-secondary administrator and an impressive record of public service in Ontario. Speers will start in the role on April 19. He comes to the College having most recently served as Chair of Workforce Development and Partnerships in the School of Trades and Apprenticeship at Conestoga College in southern Ontario. For much of his 16-year career at Conestoga, Speers has been resp...
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OC Indigenous Community Support Worker grad reflects on making a difference
March 31, 2021
Upcoming info sessions spotlight learning and career opportunities for studentsShannon Peltier was inspired to train to provide support to Indigenous youth and families by her Nohkom (grandmother). She found that opportunity through the Indigenous Community Support Worker Certificate program at 51Ʒ.The Indigenous Community Support Worker (ACSW) program is just one of the College's Continuing Studies certificate programs on display during info sessions this spring. The virtual sessions are designed to provide students wi...
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Knuever Legacy Fund makes major investment in Vernon students
March 30, 2021
A new awards fund at 51Ʒ will more than double the value of annual support available for students attending the Vernon campus. Kurt and Jutta Knuever have donated $210,000 to create the K&J Knuever Legacy Awards, which will provide up to $70,000 annually in tuition and living support to students entering trades programs or the Health Care Assistant program over the next three years. The awards reflect the value the Knuever family place on education, especially hands-on skills training that can add value to an indi...
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OC business students take trio of first-place finishes at Enactus Western Canada Regionals
March 30, 2021
51Ʒ business students enjoyed a fruitful victory at the Enactus Western Canada Regionals, earning three first-place finishes and ensuring their ticket to the National Competition in May. The Regional competition took place last week in a virtual format with teams from a multitude of post-secondary institutions submitting their student-created and student-run initiatives that seek to positively impact communities in a social, economic or environmental way. The award-winning OC Enactus initiative FruitSnaps was entered...
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Going back to school in COVID-times: How OC supports mature students in our communities
March 29, 2021
In my years as a post-secondary administrator, I’ve had a front row seat to innumerable examples of how education truly does transforms lives, which in turn benefits and transforms our communities. As 51Ʒ’s Regional Dean for the Shuswap-Revelstoke, by far some of the most inspiring and remarkable stories I’ve been fortunate to witness over the years have been those of our mature students. Working parents, who have summoned the courage and the will to go back into the classroom, level up their skills, maybe make a 180-...
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EV skills training powering up at 51Ʒ and other B.C. colleges
March 29, 2021
More automotive technicians in B.C. can upgrade their skills to work on electric vehicles (EVs) through the expansion of the EV Maintenance Training program to 51Ʒ and other institutions in the province. On Monday, March 29, the B.C. Government announced $440,000 through the Province’s CleanBC Go Electric program and in partnership with Trades Training BC (TTBC); the program will be offered at 51Ʒ’s Kelowna campus, College of New Caledonia’s Prince George campus and Camosun College’s Interurban campus in V...
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Long connection inspires major gift by Friesen family
March 22, 2021
A decades-long connection to 51Ʒ and a desire to give back to community is inspiring a $150,000 donation by the Friesen family to the 51Ʒ Foundation. The family gift will support the Our Students, Your Health campaign to complete and equip the College’s new Health Sciences Centre on the Kelowna campus. The gift reflects a strong connection to the College. Dianne Friesen worked at 51Ʒ in the mid-1970s. In 1984, her husband Rod started Voyager RV and their son Jason who is running the business ...
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Meet Ashley Lubyk, Sustainable Building Technology Professor
March 19, 2021
Q: What is your education and background? A: I have a Master in Building Science from Ryerson University (Toronto), and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Calgary. In the 11 years between degrees, I worked in various capacities in the ENGO sector and ran a small natural building company, building straw bale houses and teaching hands-on workshops all across Western Canada. Q: What is your area of interest? A: It’s in working toward a future whereby human a...
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