From rolling out innovative programs to welcoming UBC’s new President, 2023 has been another eventful year at UBC Okanagan. As our campus steps into the end of term and the holiday season, it’s a good time to take a look back at the highlights and memories of this year.

UBC Okanagan introduces new programs

This year, UBC Okanagan announced the addition of three new degree programs.

In March, the Okanagan School of Education introduced a new Doctor of Education program, with the first cohort beginning studies this summer.

Currently accepting applications, the Master of Design is a new interdisciplinary program developed by the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, School of Engineering and Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences to help answer vital questions affecting the planet.

And earlier this month, applications opened for a new Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies theme. The Indigenous Knowledges theme was created for students interested in pursuing a pathway in Indigenous studies, and marks the first Indigenous Knowledges master’s and doctorate degrees in Canada.

UBCO launches a signature event—UBC Okanagan Debates

On May 3, UBC Okanagan hosted four leading thinkers to debate the future of artificial intelligence in the inaugural UBC Okanagan Debates—a new signature event for the campus. Moderated by Nora Young of CBC’s Spark, 400 people attended the inaugural debate in The Commons building, where debaters tackled both the optimistic and skeptical sides of the technology.

The second Debate took place on October 24 at the Kelowna Community Theatre, and featured an expert panel on the topic of free speech. Debaters tackled the question “is free speech dead or more alive than ever?”, and explored the state of free speech in the digital age.

 

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UBCO celebrates the graduates of 2023 and conferring of the first-ever Bachelor of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency degrees

On June 8 and 9, UBC Okanagan conferred more than 2,300 degrees across six graduation ceremonies. Eight degree recipients represented the first-ever graduating cohort of the Bachelor of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency (BNLF) program. The program is an innovative and revitalizing collaboration between communities, the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT), En’owkin Centre, and UBC Okanagan.

 

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Visual Arts students unveil largest addition to UBC Okanagan’s Public Art Project

Six weeks, 400 hours of work, and a full summer term later, UBC Okanagan’s Public Art Project received its latest and largest colourful addition. Painted by 18 of UBCO’s Visual Arts students in collaboration with instructors David and Jorden Doody, the large-scale mural features wild horses against the picturesque backdrop of the Okanagan region. Located on the Landmark District lot, the panoramic mural is the fourth installation in this annual summer course project, and was unveiled to the public on August 17.

 

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UBCO displays unity amidst adversity

As historic wildfires burned in and around Kelowna, UBC’s Okanagan campus was ordered to evacuate on Friday, August 18. As the situation improved, the campus became a staging ground for the wildfire fight, hosting more than 800 firefighters, wildfire personnel and critical firefighting equipment from fire departments across the country. During the wildfire response, more than $202,000 was raised towards the UBC Okanagan Student Emergency Assistance Fund to help support impacted students. Campus returned to normal operations 10 days later.

Despite the trying times presented by the Kelowna wildfires, the resilience of the UBCO community shone through when more than 12,000 students started their fall term on September 5. Our campus welcomed over 3,200 new students and helped more than 1,400 students as they arrived to move into their on-campus residences.

UBC welcomes Benoit-Antoine Bacon as the new President and Vice-Chancellor

On November 1, the University of British Columbia welcomed Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon as our 17th President and Vice-Chancellor. An accomplished researcher and teacher, Dr. Bacon joined UBC from Carleton University in Ottawa, where he had been serving as President and Vice-Chancellor. Dr. Bacon holds a PhD in neuropsychology from the University of Montreal and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Glasgow in Scotland.

Watch his holiday message to the UBC community below.

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WHILE SOME MIGHT SEE A BLANK CANVAS AS DAUNTING, Dr. Peter Arthur sees the endless possibilities of what it might become—a philosophy formed through his research and experiences supporting transition in higher education.

Dr. Arthur has been a steady and supportive presence in the evolving landscape of education and the campus itself. A faculty member since the days of Okanagan University College, Dr. Arthur has experienced and led transformative change both in his classroom and in the wider teaching and learning community.

“It was a crazy time,” he says of the early days of UBC Okanagan. “A lot of people rolled up their sleeves, pitched in and worked hard to transform this campus and build a community. It’s gratifying to see that vision unfold into the campus we know today.”

Dr. Arthur notes many similarities between the transition of Okanagan University College to UBC Okanagan and the journey each student takes when they transition from high school to university.

Following in the footsteps of his eldest brother—who taught at the high school Dr. Arthur and his other siblings attended—Dr. Arthur spent his first ten years as an educator teaching in the K-12 system before joining Okanagan University College. The vastly different experiences highlighted how students learn in Kindergarten to Grade 12 versus university environments.

“When students come to university, they’re beginning to paint a picture of the rest of their lives,” Dr. Arthur explains. “Like the early days of UBC Okanagan, students have a blank canvas in front them, and it’s up to them to create their future by design and decide what they want in life.”

Dr. Arthur found a deep passion for supporting students on their educational journey through his research on metacognition and self-regulated learning. This focus area was inspired by his time as founding director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning, when faculty members approached him with a concerning problem—some students were struggling and unprepared for learning at the university level.

Again, Dr. Arthur rolled up his sleeves and got to work. Drawing on his experiences in the classroom and his research, Dr. Arthur created curricular interventions to help students become more successful in their learning. Many of his strategies have been shared and adopted around the world. But most importantly, Dr. Arthur seeks to build connections with his students so they feel supported.

“My role is to help students learn and to help them succeed, not only in the classroom but in life,” he explains. “We’re all learning together—there’s no hierarchy in my classroom. I see myself more as a learning architect; someone who is responsible for creating supportive environments, but it’s the students who are empowered to create knowledge and teach peers.”

Dr. Arthur believes that connecting on a personal level is essential to building strong connections and communities.

“Each student is an individual and I want to know who they are personally. Knowing who they are as people is so important to building that connection, and to also help them find the best pathways to achieve their goals.”

Dr. Arthur has played a pivotal role in shaping the teaching and learning community at UBC Okanagan and beyond, earning him the 2023 Killam Teaching Prize in recognition of these outstanding achievements and impacts.

“I’m always pushing myself to grow, but there’s so much more we can learn together,” says Dr. Arthur. “Bringing people together to share innovations and help one another out is really special, and a big part of community building.”

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The year is coming to a close and we have so many memories to look back on here at UBC Okanagan. From the return of in-person learning, to the announcement of a major downtown development, to the first on-campus graduation ceremonies since 2019—our community has a lot to be proud of.

Before we kick off 2023, let’s look back on some of the highlights of the past year at UBCO.

April 2022

UBC’s Southern Medical Program celebrates 10 years of graduating doctors in B.C.’s Interior

On April 21, the Faculty of Medicine celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Southern Medical Program (SMP) at UBCO. Opened in 2011, the SMP has graduated more than 215 doctors, helping to improve health care for patients and families in B.C. It’s also one of four sites within UBC’s broader distributed medical education program, which is training the next generation of medical students and resident doctors around the province.

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MAY 2022

UBC Okanagan student residence receives Passive House certification

In May, UBCO’s Skeena Residence officially received Passive House certification—a stringent set of efficient design and construction standards—making it the first student residence in Canada to receive that status. The building requires only one-third the amount of energy of a typical residence building and is an integral part of UBC Okanagan’s recently announced Climate Action Plan.

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June 2022

UBCO’s Emergency First Responder Team saves student’s life

In February, UBC Okanagan’s Emergency First Responder Team (EFRT) saved a student’s life. When Murray Forbes, 77, started his studies at UBCO, he frequently mentioned that being surrounded by young people was one of the greatest perks of being a mature student. Little did he know, it would be a group of young people—UBC Okanagan students—who would one day save his life. He was found unconscious and had suffered a massive heart attack, but was luckily aided by student members of the EFRT just in time. The students were honoured with a letter of commendation by UBCO’s Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Lesley Cormack in the spring.

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UBCO celebrates the graduates of 2022

On June 9 and 10, UBCO conferred more than 2,400 degrees in six different graduation ceremonies—making this the largest group of graduates in the campus’s history. The last time graduating students crossed the stage in person was in 2019, with both the 2020 and 2021 ceremonies held virtually. Many of the students who received their undergraduate degrees this year have spent more than two years learning online and through remote lectures, labs and exams— a testament to their dedication and perseverance.

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UBCO visual art students unveil new mural in Kelowna’s Lower Mission

In June, a new mural in the Lower Mission area of Kelowna was unveiled— the latest project by students in a UBC Okanagan fourth-year visual arts course. Instructor David Doody and co-facilitator Jorden Doody supervised and guided the students through the steps of planning, pitching and painting a public mural. This is the third year the course has been offered at the Okanagan campus and David says that he can see how much impact and excitement a large painting like this can bring to a community.

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UBCO Downtown

After living on the outskirts of the city for more than 16 years, UBC Okanagan revealed plans this summer to open its doors in a new location immersed in the heart of the city. Given the rapid growth of the campus since 2005—which has now surpassed projected enrolment targets—the time is right to expand. The project, known as UBCO Downtown, plans to function as a collaborative, multi-use space in the heart of downtown Kelowna.

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September 2022

UBCO welcomes class of brand-new students

During the first week of September, we welcomed 3,330 new students to campus. This was the largest-ever incoming cohort of students at UBCO—a remarkable number considering that, when the campus first opened its doors 17 years ago, the entire student population was roughly equal to this year’s incoming cohort.

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UBCO celebrates 10 years of canine therapy programs

The B.A.R.K Program celebrated its 10th anniversary at UBCO this year, having fostered a community full of joy for students, volunteers and handlers alike. The program started modestly in 2012 with 12 dogs and has grown significantly. Now, B.A.R.K. has more than 60 in-house handler and dog teams—all UBCO volunteers—and reaches thousands of students each year. In addition to providing comfort to students, more than 15 peer-reviewed research papers have been published based on the program.

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UBC powers FORWARD to drive decades of discovery and solutions

This September, UBC announced the most ambitious campaign ever via a simulcast event held on the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses. FORWARD, the campaign for UBC, will raise $3 billion to benefit students and researchers across both campuses, and activate the power of global alumni by doubling alumni engagement.

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November 2022

UBCO hosts three graduation ceremonies for pandemic graduates

Early November saw UBC Okanagan’s campus filled with students, now alumni, who graduated and were celebrated with a virtual ceremony during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 600 alumni returned to campus to take part in a special ceremony. The event recognized the accomplishments of those who didn’t have the chance to experience that iconic opportunity of crossing the stage to receive their degree at a live graduation. This unique occasion was the first time UBC Okanagan has hosted a fall graduation ceremony.

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And that’s a wrap! It has been such an eventful 12 months and, with even more to look forward to in the coming year, we cannot wait to see what 2023 holds in store for us here at UBC Okanagan. Have a wonderful New Year!

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Dear colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the second extension of the appointment of Dr. Jan Hare, dean, pro tem of the UBC Faculty of Education.

Dr. Hare, an Anishinaabe scholar and educator from the M’Chigeeng First Nation, is the first Indigenous person and the second woman to serve as dean of the UBC Faculty of Education. She has served as dean pro tem for the Faculty since July 1, 2021. This second extension of her appointment is for the period July 1, 2023, until the earlier of June 30, 2024, or the appointment of the new dean.

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