OC Adult Upgrading instructor helps learners rewrite their futures
August 6, 2025
Some instructors teach math. Sofia Sookochoff teaches students to believe in themselves.For nearly two decades, Sookochoff has been a steady force with 69Ƶ’s Adult Upgrading program as an educator, but also as a champion of second (or third) chances.“I’ve been a math educator for over 20 years,” said Sookochoff. “Seventeen of those have been with Adult Upgrading at 69Ƶ. It is so rewarding to support students who are coming back to school — often after years away — and help them move forward.”In her classes,...
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New Dean of Trades and Apprenticeship coming back to BC
July 29, 2025
69Ƶ is pleased to announce that Caitlin Hartigan, a former B.C. resident and an experienced and passionate leader in the skilled trades sector, has been named the new Dean of Trades and Apprenticeship at 69Ƶ.Originally from Vancouver Island, Hartigan joins 69Ƶ from her current position as the Director of Programming & Client Operations at Women Building Futures in Edmonton. Prior to that she was the Dean of Skilled Trades at Northwestern Polytechnic and the Dean of Trades & Heavy Indust...
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New community members appointed to OC Board of Governors
July 28, 2025
69Ƶ is pleased to announce the appointment of three new members to its Board of Governors, and the re-appointment of four returning board members.Community representatives Amanda Louie, Allan Louis and Carollynn Schafer joined the Board in May after each being appointed by the Province for terms ending July 31, 2026.Board Chair Dale Safinuk was re-appointed for a one-year term, while fellow board members Gurjit Chand and Sheri Hamilton were each re-appointed for further two-year terms, and Dustyn Baulkham was re-appoint...
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New Associate Dean in OC's School of Business
July 22, 2025
Dr. Agnes Weighill has been appointed as the new Associate Dean of the 69Ƶ School of Business.Her first day will be August 5."We are delighted to welcome Aggie Weighill to this new leadership role. With over 20 years of experience in academic leadership, research, and community engagement, Aggie brings a wealth of expertise to the School of Business. She has a proven track record of fostering industry partnerships, advancing experiential and applied education, and guiding strategic initiatives," said Dean of the School ...
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New Associate Dean to join 69Ƶ’s Science & Technology Portfolio
July 21, 2025
After an extensive and thorough search process, 69Ƶ is pleased to announce the appointment of Steven Crema as the new Associate Dean of the Science and Technology portfolio, effective August 11. Crema will join 69Ƶ after spending the past 20 years in a leadership role at Fanshawe College in Ontario, where he was the Associate Dean of several departments over the years including building technology, transportation technology, applied science and health science. “I’m excited to add someone wit...
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Two Valleys, 80 Years Later
July 3, 2025
History and memory are tied to people and places. In May 2025, 69Ƶ History professor Jim Wood was preparing to lead a historical battlefield tour in Italy to retrace the path of the British Columbia Dragoons (BCD) in the Second World War, including visits to Naples, Rome, Ortona, Ravenna, and the Liri Valley. Today, the British Columbia Dragoons are the "Okanagan's Own" regiment of the Canadian Army Reserve, whose serving members include both faculty and students from OC. In the Second World War the unit went overseas a...
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