OC Life
AV unveils Inspire strategic plan
February 28, 2022
After nearly 60 years of transforming lives and communities, AV has unveiled the roadmap to its future with an inspiring new plan that keeps the needs of learners – and a growing and changing region – at the forefront. OC’s Board of Governors recently gave unanimous approval to Inspire, the College’s new strategic plan that maps out the mission, vision and priorities of the institution for the coming years. “AV has long taken its mission to heart, striving to transform lives and communities,” said Juliette Cunn...
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College’s Red Dot Players return to the stage with Wonder of the Age
February 22, 2022
Curtain up! After a two-year, pandemic-imposed hiatus, AV’s theatre troupe, the Red Dot Players, are bringing back the wonder of live theatre this March. Wonder of the Age is an original comedy by playwright and director Jeremy Beaulne about a medical hoax that scandalized eighteenth-century London. The show will run March 10-13 in the theatre at OC’s Kelowna Campus, 1000 KLO Road at the following times: Thursday, March 10, 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 11, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 12, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 13, 2 p.m. Ti...
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Meet Tara Laveay, Therapist Assistant student
February 20, 2022
Q: What is your name/preferred name? A: Tara Laveay Q: What are your pronouns? A: She/Her Q: What program and year of study are you in at AV? A: First year, Therapist Assistant Diploma Q: Which campus do you primarily study at? A: Kelowna Q: What drew you to that program? A: Everything! This is a program that...
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Meet Mikala Vujcich, Therapist Assistant student
February 16, 2022
Q: What is your name/preferred name? A: Mikala Q: What are your pronouns? A: she/her Q: What program and year of study are you in at AV? A: I am in my last semester of the Therapist Assistant Diploma Q: Which campus do you primarily study at? A: Kelowna Q: What drew you to that program? A: The TAD program is a defined diploma program, meaning it is designed and built to direct successful graduates r...
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OC employees shine in Salmon Arm Top 20 Under 40
February 16, 2022
OC instructor Shelley Desautels and Marketing Assistant Kristine Wickner usually have a full agenda, but it’s never too full that they can’t tackle another challenge. Desautels and Wickner, who both work at the Salmon Arm campus, were recently nominated as one of the city’s Top 20 Under 40, highlighting their contributions within the community. Wickner was nominated to the list in fall 2021, when the Salmon Arm Economic Development Society and the Salmon Arm Chamber of Commerce f...
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OC remembers Don Herring
February 15, 2022
Flags will be lowered in memory of Don Herring, Air Brakes Instructor, who passed on Feb. 3. Don was born in Edmonton, AB and obtained his education in Vancouver, BC. He was with AV for 12 years and is fondly remembered by those he worked with. “Don was one of the most welcoming people that I have met,” says Tanya Tarlit, Program Administrator with Trades and Apprenticeship. “When I took over the role of Program Administrator, he would ...
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AV launches online reporting for campus sexual violence
February 3, 2022
AV has partnered with REES (Respect, Educate, Empower Survivors), a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week centralized online reporting and information platform that provides increased options for students and employees to report campus sexual harassment, misconduct and assault. REES includes multiple reporting options and critical information about resources and supports available both on campus and in community. “While our sincerest hope is that no AV student will ever have need to use this platform, sadly we know that ...
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Success brewing for OC student with bursary award
January 31, 2022
Mother, volunteer, former brewer, Business student and now, award-winner. Annika Kirk has many titles and is used to juggling work, life and every other curveball that comes her way, which helped her shine when she applied for the Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) Paul and Gerri Charette Bursary Award. Kirk received the news in a unique way: AV President Neil Fassina announced she won the bursary during a meeting of the Board of Governors, of which she is a student representative. “It was a complete shock and I crie...
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OC remembers Steve Robinson
January 25, 2022
Flags have been lowered and this notice is shared in memory of former AV Director of International AV Steven (Steve) G. Robinson who passed away on Jan. 22, 2022. Robinson served as Director of OC’s International AV department from June 2009 until his retirement in June 2012. He oversaw the launch of international student recruitment in India and the Middle East, helping to raise awareness of the College’s reputation internationally. When he left O...
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Sexual Assault Awareness Month
January 25, 2022
The following is a statement from the Sexual Violence Prevention Committee at AV. According to a Statistics Canada report, 71% of students witnessed or experienced unwanted sexualized behaviours in a Canadian post-secondary setting in 2019. These behaviours reportedly happened on campus, or in an off-campus situation that involved students or other people associated with the school. Among students, 45% of those who identified as women and 32% of those who identified as men personally experienced at least one such behavior in ...
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Meet Kylee Seddon-Johnstone, SBT graduate
January 19, 2022
Q: What is your name? A: Kylee Seddon-Johnstone Q: What are your pronouns? A: She / Her / Hers Q: Where is your hometown and where are you located now? A: I grew up in Naramata, B.C., left for 10 years after high school and then returned back to Naramata to raise my two girls. I’m currently working out of my home office. Q: What did you take at OC? When did you graduate? A: I took the Sustainable Building Technology Diploma (formerly known as the Sustainab...
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Generous gift will advance OC health-care education
January 19, 2022
A local family foundation is investing in the future of health-care education with a generous gift to AV. The Merrifield Family Foundation is donating $100,000 to the Our Students, Your Health campaign for a modern Health Sciences Centre on the College’s Kelowna campus. The gift will support technology upgrades and new equipment for eight professions ranging from Pharmacy Technician Assistants and nurses to Therapist Assistants. Lane Merrifield, a well-known entrepreneur, says he values the College's focus on applied learni...
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Meet David Sawatzky, SBT graduate
January 19, 2022
Q: What is your name? A: David Sawatzky Q: What are your pronouns? A: He / Him / His Q: Where is your hometown and where are you located now? A: Originally from Kelowna, B.C., now I am located in Coldstream, B.C. where I am working on projects in the central and north Okanagan. Q: What program did you take at OC? When did you graduate? A: I completed the Sustainable Building Technology Diploma (formerly Sustainable Construction Management Technology Diploma) ...
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Meet Brendon Gray, SBT graduate
January 19, 2022
Q: What is your name? A: Brendon Gray Q: Where is your hometown and where are you located now? A: I’m a second generation born and raised Kelowna resident. Q: What program did you take at OC? A: Electrical Apprenticeship and Sustainable Building Technology (SBT). Q: What is your current position? A: Principal at Egnite Sustainability and Registered Energy Advisor. Q: Why did you choose your program at OC? How does it relate to what you’re doing now? A: ...
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OC Business Professor's stained glass portrait honours Indigenous students, colleagues
January 14, 2022
If you have visited the Kelowna campus’ Centre for Learning and looked up at the second-floor offices, you may have seen colourful stained glass art hanging from the windows. Those pieces were created by OC Business Professor, Devin Rubadeau. During the day, he teaches business administration and in his spare time, he is a stained glass artist. His father taught him how to make industrial art at a young age and since then, stained glass art and woodworking have been two media he always comes back to. While working on his doctorate, howe...
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OC’s Health Sciences Centre receives LEED gold certification
December 23, 2021
AV’s leadership as a champion of sustainability continues after receiving another LEED certification for the new Health Sciences Centre (HSC), which officially opened at the Kelowna campus in October. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the most widely used green building rating system that certifies the level of sustainability-related features incorporated in a building’s design. The HSC building joins several other buildings at three AV campuses that have already received certification: th...
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