Enactus Ƶ represents Canada on the world stage, finishes in top four
November 3, 2022
Students from Ƶ represented Canada on the global stage this week, presenting their social enterprise business at a prestigious international competition and finishing in the final four of 32 teams. Enactus OC, comprised of students from the Ƶ School of Business, won the national title in September and earned the right to wear the maple leaf and represent Canada at the Enactus World Cup in Puerto Rico. The final round of competition wrapped up on Nov. 2. “We are so proud of this team and of all Okanaga...
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EDISJ training: LGBTQ2+ Inclusion in the Workplace
November 1, 2022
Improve cross-functional team connections and trust as it relates to LGBTQ2+ inclusivity and awareness. Canada has made leaps and bounds towards creating a more LGBTQ2+ inclusive place to live, learn, work and play, but there is still more work to be done. As an individual and within an organization, you hold the power to abolish workplace discrimination and exclusion, leading to much needed change. Ensuring safety, inclusion and a better future for those identifying as LGBTQ2+ starts with you. In this training, you ...
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Thorpe and Friends Scholarship recognizes two Ƶ students
October 26, 2022
Local students say the generosity of two prominent Penticton philanthropists is helping them take the next steps in their education. Since 2006, former MLA Rick Thorpe and his wife Yasmin John-Thorpe, along with their friends, have given more than $160,000 in scholarships to students in need at Ƶ’s Penticton Campus. Two of this year’s recipients, Wylie Rowan and Mattias Van Bergeyk, received $2,500 to put toward their education. Both students are Summerland Secondary School grads in their first year of studie...
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Local company partners with OC for Dragons’ Den viewing party
October 24, 2022
Ƶ and Kelowna company Second Slumber have partnered to host a fundraiser and viewing party when Second Slumber appears on the popular CBC TV show Dragons’ Den on Nov. 3. Earlier this year, Second Slumber pitched its innovative business model to Dragons’ Den, looking for a funding partner to scale up its business, which re-purposes and re-sells lightly used mattresses, providing them at affordable rates and keeping them out of landfills. The company features former Ƶ professor Rick Maddison and several...
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Okanagan Enactus team off to Worlds
October 21, 2022
After claiming the National championship, the Enactus Ƶ team will travel to Enactus World Cup 2022 in Puerto Rico later this month. For Penticton-based student Jon Talastas, the opportunity brings a chance to showcase a locally-grown idea on the world stage. From Oct. 30 – Nov. 2, OC’s Enactus team will compete against national champions from 30 other countries on projects that use entrepreneurship and innovation to solve the world’s biggest challenges. Enactus Ƶ’s award-winning project – Unusu...
Read more...Ƶ welcomes new member to Board of Governors
October 18, 2022
A local business leader has been appointed to Ƶ’s Board of Governors. Dustyn Baulkham, a Kelowna-based entrepreneur, has been appointed for a one-year term to the Board. “Ƶ is pleased to welcome Dustyn to our Board of Governors,” says Juliette Cunningham, board chair. “He brings experience and skills to the table that will be valuable as we continue in our OC Mission to transform lives and communities.” Baulkham is the founder and CEO of Rebellious Unicorns, an events, broadcasting, and media produ...
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Throat-singing duo PIQSIQ to perform at OC's Penticton campus
October 18, 2022
Ƶ joins forces with Route97 Culture to present fast-rising throat singing duo – PIQSIQ in Penticton Live music will return to Ƶ's Penticton campus this November 4, 2022, for students and music fans alike. In collaboration with the Route97 Culture Road Trip series, Ƶ will co-present the debut of PIQSIQ in the region, who will perform a special concert inside the LEED Platinum-certified building known as the Centre of Excellence in Room 113. You can buy tickets for the show here. With a s...
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TD gives $85,000 to help kids and newcomers access Ƶ’s Indigenous Garden
October 18, 2022
Hawthorn, wolf willow, and sage are among the traditional plants growing in the garden on the hillside at Ƶ’s Vernon campus, which this year was visited by more than 250 local school children, thanks to generous support from TD Bank Group. TD’s gift, made earlier in 2022, is funding tours of the K'nmaĺka Senqâĺten - Kalamalka Indigenous garden for children and newcomers to Canada. The garden is located on Ƶ’s Vernon campus. Ƶ has already received a portion of the funding; the remainder...
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Ƶ welcomes new Associate Director, Indigenization
October 17, 2022
Ƶ is pleased to welcome Rhea Dupuis, x̌ʷnámx̌ʷnəm, as the College’s first Associate Director, Indigenization. Rhea, from the Syilx Okanagan Nation and a member of the Penticton Indian Band, brings more than 20 years experience to OC, working in both public and Indigenous education systems, as well as with mental health and wellness organizations. Rhea’s traditional name is x̌ʷnámx̌ʷnəm, a Syilx name which means Hummingbird. “I am both thrilled and grateful that Rhea has chosen to share her wisdom, skills and experie...
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OC alum honoured for contributions to inclusion, democracy and reconciliation
October 17, 2022
Sorting through her mail on a recent trip to the mailbox, Ƶ (OC) alum Danielle Walker received a surprise - the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation. “The award was completely out of the blue,” says Walker. “I knew I had been nominated, but the timing was such a surprise. I just took it in for a minute at the mailbox and cried.” The award recognizes post-secondary students who make outstanding contributions in support of inclusion, democracy and reconciliation and is the culminatio...
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