Okanagan College has added a new entrepreneurship specialty to its Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program, giving students the chance to study creativity, innovation, and how to bring big ideas to life.
The new specialty is part of the curriculum designed by the OC School of Business, and focuses on equipping students with the skills, experience, and connections they鈥檒l need to thrive.
鈥淲hat I love most about the School of Business at Okanagan College is the combination of hands-on learning and the passion and experience of the faculty,鈥� said student Kaiti Clark. 鈥淲e receive a lot of work experience within the program and have the opportunity to build our networks with professionals from the business community.鈥�
With the addition of entrepreneurship, there are now seven specialty areas within the BBA: accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, human resources, management, marketing, and tourism and hospitality management.
鈥淭his new specialty area in entrepreneurship will enable students to focus on the skills, knowledge and practical experiences related to starting and running a business,鈥� said Joe Baker, Dean of the School of Business. 鈥淲e are proud to offer a well-rounded degree program that provides students with choices and is focused on providing students with the skills needed to enter the workforce and support our communities.鈥�
The OC Foundation offers scholarships for business students, including some specifically for the entrepreneurship stream. Two of those awards have special meaning. One honours Kevin Greenwood, a former OC business professor and local entrepreneur who passed away in 2021, and another celebrates Don Turri, an OC Honorary Fellow, and long-time partner at Crowe MacKay.
The program came together with help from the OC Foundation, along with a $50,000 donation from the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), and a $25,000 gift from Accelerate Okanagan.
鈥淭he Okanagan and Shuswap regions are full of innovative, entrepreneurial minds building the future across every sector,鈥� said Brea Lake, CEO of Accelerate Okanagan and OC alum. 鈥淥kanagan College鈥檚 Bachelor of Business Administration is already a strong foundation for emerging leaders, and the addition of an entrepreneurship specialty is a fantastic step forward.鈥�
