It’s graduation at UBC Okanagan and students are being celebrated by faculty, staff and their families.

With the pomp and circumstance, the piper, the proud families, celebrations and packed audiences, come a number of awards presented to students and faculty during the two days. For the students, the awards are based on academic merit—simply being the best they can be.

Governor General Gold Medal for Academic Excellence

A chance encounter at a conference with Associate Professor Adam Ford brought Dr. Melanie Dickie to UBC Okanagan, continuing on a path that would eventually be a gold medal journey.

“It was a bit of serendipity, a bit of curiosity and a lot of shared values when I first met Dr. Ford in 2019. It was one of those classic hallway conversations—brief but energizing—where you realize someone else is thinking about the same big questions you are. We were both interested in how science can move the needle in real-world decision making.”

Dr. Dickie, who received her doctorate in biology after conducting years of research with UBCO’s Wildlife Restoration Ecology Lab, is UBCO’s 2025 winner of the Governor General Gold Medal for Academic Excellence. The gold medal is awarded annually to the student with the highest academic standing graduating from a master’s or doctoral program.

Originally working with the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, Dr. Dickie had become familiar with Dr. Ford’s work through social media, where their professional interests overlapped in land use, conservation policy and the role of Indigenous leadership in ecological stewardship.

But after that chance conversation, she made the leap to UBCO to tackle “applied, gritty, make-a-difference kind of science.”

“It wasn’t just that the research fit, it was that the lab culture encouraged asking hard questions, working collaboratively and staying rooted in real-world effects,” she adds. “My time at UBCO has been transformational. Working with Dr. Ford and the lab has sharpened my thinking, expanded my skill set and pushed me to a new level as a researcher. It’s been one of those rare experiences where my gut feeling that something is ‘the right fit’ actually turns out to be true.”

Dr. Dickie, who was named a UBCO researcher of the year in 2023, is now back at the monitoring institute but has fond memories—including making Taylor Swift friendship bracelets with fellow researchers while camping—of hard work, driven research, lengthy Zoom calls and lasting friendships that add to the special honour of earning the gold medal. Her ongoing research will continue to cross paths with the Wildlife Restoration Ecology Lab and she will remain connected to the team.

“My time at UBCO helped me grow, and that’s changed how I approach my work—and how our team works together. I’m excited to be continuing to collaborate with Dr. Ford. We’re still focused on what first brought us together: using strong ecological theory to inform applied research that directly supports transparent, data-driven decisions—especially in landscapes where people and wildlife intersect every day.”

Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation

For many, Mihai Covaser is a prime example of the value of always putting the emphasis on what we can do, rather than what we cannot do.

Covaser, who graduated from UBCO yesterday with a Bachelor of Arts double major in Philosophy, Political Science and Economics, and French, is a top student and recognized leader in BC and Canada. Born in Bucharest, his family moved to Canada when he was young, eventually relocating to West Kelowna. Covaser graduated from Kelowna Secondary School in 2021 as class valedictorian with a dual dogwood diploma in French immersion.

When it came time for post-secondary studies, Covaser’s community involvement and career goals encouraged him to stay in the Okanagan.

“I chose UBCO in part to stay in my hometown and continue my community work, but I was also attracted to the philosophy, political science and economics program,” he explains. “It’s unique in its interdisciplinary approach and seemed perfectly situated to prepare me for my career goals in law.”

It’s also where Covaser continued to thrive. When he graduated yesterday, he was presented with the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation. The medal is offered annually to a graduating student who demonstrates academic merit and contribution to the life of the university and their community.

While at UBCO, Covaser created the Help Teach podcast, which he continues to produce and host, and worked as a language and writing tutor as well as a student ambassador. In addition, Covaser is an ambassador and director at the Rick Hansen Foundation—planning events that highlight accessibility and inclusion and guiding the organization—while also playing in a band and getting exceedingly high grades.

Not only is Covaser UBCO’s 2025 winner of a Lieutenant Governor’s medal, but he is also the recipient of the $10,000 Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Leadership Prize. Available to graduating students in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Science and Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, this donor-funded award recognizes students who have excelled academically and shown leadership while completing their degrees.

The award will come in handy when he moves to McGill University to begin the bilingual Bachelor of Civil Law and Juris Doctor program, where he will earn two degrees upon completion; the first degree in common law, the other in civil law.

“I have gained a deep curiosity for constitutional law and legal theory throughout my undergraduate studies,” he says. “While I haven’t chosen a specific field of law yet, I’m most interested in constitutional law and government work, entertainment law, human rights law and the functioning of the Canadian judiciary.”

Along with the medal and Pushor Mitchell recognition, he has also been presented with the Walley Lightbody Award in Law, the Amal Alhuwayshil Award in Campus Engagement and Leadership as well as the Petraroia Langford LLP Award in Legal Studies. He also received the University of British Columbia Okanagan Medal in Arts, which is awarded to the head of the graduating class with a BA degree.

Dr. Gordon Springate Sr. Award in Engineering

There was a time in her life when Samantha Krieg, who struggled in high school, didn’t think the world of academia was in the cards.

Now, the newly minted civil engineering graduate is not only one of UBCO’s top award winners, but she’s about to embark on her doctoral studies in structural engineering at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.

“After researching countless career paths, everything from interior design to urban planning to food science, I landed on engineering,” she says. “What made me fall in love with it is finding creative solutions to real-world problems to help people and the environment.”

Krieg transferred to UBCO from Montreal’s Concordia University four years ago. Coming from a university of more than 40,000 students, Krieg appreciated UBCO’s smaller class sizes, and this helped her find opportunities for engagement in extracurricular activities and undergraduate research.

Part of this undergraduate research included work in Dr. Lisa Tobber’s Advanced Structural Simulation and Experimental Testing Group—a team that focuses on the social, environmental and economic factors behind today’s engineering problems. Krieg has a strong interest in climate change, a passion for sustainability and wants to research how the environmental impacts of large buildings can be reduced.

Krieg is the 2025 recipient of the Dr. Gordon Springate Sr. Award in Engineering. Named for electrical engineer and educator Dr. Gordon Springate Sr., this donor-funded award is presented annually to a School of Engineering graduate who has demonstrated a material contribution to their community outside of their program.

“I struggled in high school and always felt like I was not the person to succeed in STEM,” she says. “Throughout university, I have found confidence in my passion—using engineering to battle climate change while uplifting the people who need it most. This award will help me boldly pursue that passion.”

Krieg will continue this passion while she works on her doctorate in New Zealand analyzing trade-offs between embodied carbon reductions and earthquake resilience for concrete buildings.

“My interest in climate change mitigation, social equity and their intersection with the built environment drives me to become a structural engineer focusing on sustainable, earthquake-resilient buildings,” she adds. But my experiences as a woman in engineering and a student with a disability inspire me to empower others.”

Heads of Graduating Class

University of BC Medal in Arts: Mihai Covaser
University of BC Medal in Education: tum Marchand
University of BC Medal in Engineering: Conor Manahan
University of BC Medal in Fine Arts: Cady Gau
University of BC Medal in Human Kinetics: Simoné Kruger
University of BC Medal in Management: Shelby Frederick
University of BC Medal in Media: Juan Ablan
University of BC Medal in Nsyilxcn Language: Skye Fay
University of BC Medal in NłeɁkepmx Language: Sunshine O’Donovan
University of BC Medal in Nursing: Mackenzie Themens
University of BC Medal in Science: Zahra Kagda

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This week more than 2,600 students will graduate from UBC Okanagan—the largest graduating class the Okanagan campus has celebrated since opening its doors in 2005.

“Graduation is always exciting, but here at UBC Okanagan, where we’re a close-knit community, it’s truly special,” says Dr. Lesley Cormack, Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor. “Our exceptional programs, research opportunities for students, and commitment to student success help foster an inclusive and empowering environment. The heartfelt cheers at graduation come from the fact that everyone genuinely knows and cares for each other.”

It’s been two decades of milestones and growth for UBCO. When the campus opened its doors in 2005, there were 3,500 students. Today, there are nearly 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in 137 programs. The campus itself has also grown significantly over the past 20 years, with the addition of new lecture theatres, student residences and cutting-edge research facilities.

UBC’s graduation traditions began in Vancouver in 1916. While many continue at UBC Okanagan, the campus has added its own flair, including a bagpiper-led procession and cap tossing—which ended up being revived in Vancouver after President Benoit-Antoine Bacon experienced it while presiding over UBCO’s 2024 ceremonies.

“A UBC grad ceremony is special regardless of which campus it takes place on,” says Dr. Cormack. “However, it is especially rewarding to celebrate with traditions that are unique to UBC Okanagan and our history as a campus.”

Graduation 2025 begins Thursday morning with students in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies donning gowns and mortarboards to mark a major milestone in their lives. Ceremonies continue Friday with students graduating in the Faculty of Health and Social Development, the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Management, and the School of Engineering.

A significant milestone this year is the first cohort of five students who will receive their Bachelor of Nłeʔkepmx Language Fluency degrees. In direct alignment with UBC’s commitment to reconciliation, the BNLEK to creates new speakers in communities whose languages are critically threatened.

This year will also mark the third cohort of Bachelor of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency graduates. Dr. Cormack says the university is honoured to play a role in language preservation and there are plans for more language programs to be introduced in the future.

“Language and culture are deeply intertwined,” she says. “Preserving and revitalizing the precious Indigenous languages of British Columbia is essential to reconciliation and reversing the harms of past attempts to erase Indigenous cultures. I’m incredibly proud of our inaugural BNLEK graduates for their perseverance and deeply grateful to the dedicated faculty, staff and community partners who bring this program to life.”

A look back at UBC Okanagan’s milestones during the past 20 years can be found here: ok.ubc.ca/20-year-anniversary

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What: Indigenous Art Intensive, keynote presentations and artist panels
Who: Weekly speakers, UBCO students, faculty, members of the public
When: Wednesdays, May 14 to June 18, noon to 3:30 pm
Where: University Theatre, ADM 026, 1138 Alumni Avenue, UBC Okanagan

Now in its 11th year, UBC Okanagan’s Indigenous Art Intensive gathers artists, curators, writers, students and scholars to engage in ideas and dialogue rooted in contemporary Indigenous art.

The intensive includes a month-long artist residency and academic program taking place May 14 through June 18 at UBC Okanagan, situated on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation.

The uniquely immersive program connects contemporary Indigenous artists with students, faculty and the public. At the same time, it creates space for critical conversations, collaborative creation and the celebration of Indigenous art practices, explains program director Tania Willard.

“Indigenous art can help preserve cultural traditions and heritage that have been honed since time immemorial, and nurturing these traditions also allows us to pass down knowledge from one generation to the next,” she says.

Each week, the program hosts keynote talks, artist panels and community gatherings, all of which are open to the public. Events take place on campus every Wednesday until June 18, starting at noon. All events are free and the public is encouraged to attend.

This year’s roster features a dynamic group of Indigenous artists, curators and scholars, says Willard. Artists featured include Jaimie Isaac, Serena Steel, Sherry Farrell Racette, Faye Heavyshield, Joseph Naytowhow, Marie-Anne Redhead, Peter Morin, Justine Woods, Nicole Neidhardt, Catherine Blackburn, Judy Anderson, Amber Sandy, Vance Wright and Les Louis.

In addition to visiting artists, UBC Okanagan Gallery will host a special exhibition by Indigenous Art Intensive alumni, including Peter Morin, Justine Woods and Nicole Neidhardt. Their new exhibition, Troubling Times: Traces, Portals and Groundings, will be open from May 26 to August 16 at UBCO’s FINA Gallery in the Creative and Critical Studies building.

The exhibition explores the concept of troublemaking as a generous and generative act for building human experiences. Each of the featured artists will focus on honouring “trickster troublemaking and space making” from their respective ancestries through beadwork, installation, garment design and a new performance by Peter Morin.

Morin will also host a durational performance May 27 at noon in the FINA Gallery, and an exhibition reception will be held on Wednesday, May 28 from 6 to 8 pm in the Creative and Critical Studies building foyer.

“UBCO’s Indigenous Art Intensive continues to build community partnerships and collaborations by offering one of the largest Indigenous artist programs in the BC interior,” says Willard. “Many artists in our program develop works that are shown across Canada and the world. We view our intensive as an incubator of Indigenous creative practice, and we invite the public to hear, learn and participate in the weekly program.”

For the full event schedule, visit: blogs.ubc.ca/indigenousintensive

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For the past seven years, the SpokenWeb project at UBC Okanagan has processed a collection of literary audio files—digitizing and preserving hundreds of recordings that could have been lost to time.

The audio tapes have also been tagged with metadata, fully researched and made discoverable through web platforms.

Dr. Karis Shearer, Associate Professor of English and Cultural Studies at UBCO, explains that the audio recordings, many made between 1960 and 1980 by a number of internationally recognized BC poets, have become brittle and were in danger of being lost.

“The magnetic tapes are fragile objects, and over time the tapes degrade and are at risk of becoming unplayable,” says Dr. Shearer, who has worked with a team of librarians, literary scholars, artists and students to preserve these recordings. “In the AMP Lab, we have the legacy technology to read and play these objects, so digitizing them allows us to hold on to that history.”

Now that these literary collections are more accessible, it’s time to make the collections public—to “re-sound” them, as Dr. Shearer says—and let them be used for research and teaching.

Next week, researchers and artists from across Canada are coming to Kelowna for a four-day program of discussions, workshops, performances and exhibitions hosted and organized by the SpokenWeb project. Named Re-Sounding Poetries: Collections, Classrooms, Communities, the event will also celebrate the preservation of these recordings.

The SpokenWeb is a partnership among 12 institutions across Canada, partially funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada. It has been dedicated, under the leadership of Concordia University professor Jason Camlot, to preserving these literary audio recordings on magnetic tape as well as researching and teaching with those tapes.

“In Western academic institutions, literary study has been mainly focused on print,” explains Dr. Shearer, director of UBC’s AMP Lab. “While the reading of poetry aloud has its own long history, it has never been a focus of the study and teaching of literature. Developing new and collaborative approaches to researching and teaching with sound has been the main focus of the SpokenWeb project over the past seven years and we’re excited to share these methods with the wider community.”

She notes that most tape recordings in this project haven’t been listened to in decades, if ever. The collection has been digitized, and many tapes are being made available to the public to listen to for the first time on the SoundBox Collection website and at next week’s Re-Sounding Poetries event.

Co-organized by Dr. Shearer and postdoctoral researcher Dr. Klara du Plessis, this immersive series of workshops will take place at UBC’s Okanagan campus and downtown Kelowna from May 14 to 17.

During the four days of the immersive institute, Drs. Shearer and du Plessis are convening academics, archivists, librarians, artists and members of larger creative and teaching communities to exchange ideas, methods and art focused on the intersection of sound and literature.

“Re-Sounding Poetries will gather people from a variety of areas of expertise,” explains Dr. du Plessis. “Collections of recorded poetry are best understood by bringing together these specialists including the archivists, librarians, scholars, artists, technicians, teachers and poets themselves.”

The conference will offer panel discussions, workshops on podcasting and spoken word performances, with an open mic hosted by the Inspired Word Café. There will also be three exhibitions of archival materials and research projects, curated by UBCO doctoral student Slava Bart, Sarah Cipes who is currently working on her master’s degree and UBCO alumna Erin Scott.

A workshop series, hosted at UBCO in the Creative and Critical Studies building, as well as the Special Collections and Archives located in The Commons, will have limited spots reserved for the public. These workshops take place May 16 starting at 10:30 am, and are available at a reduced rate of $35 for all of three.

“Our four-day gathering will function like an immersive summer camp experience for students, faculty and members of diverse communities to engage creatively and critically with archival audio,” says Dr. Shearer. “The final product will be a diverse and innovative series of events for everyone.”

Re-Sounding Poetries Sound Institute has received support from the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art, Inspired Word Cafe, the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, UBC Okanagan Library and funding from a SSHRC Connection Grant.

For more information and to register for the full Re-Sounding Poetries Sound Institute or individual workshops, visit: events.ok.ubc.ca/event/re-sounding-poetries-collections-classrooms-communities.

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What: Woodhaven Newcomers Package event
Who: UBCO creative writing students, general public
When: Saturday, April 26, 10:30 am to noon
Where: Woodhaven Nature Conservancy Regional Park, 4711 Raymer Road, Kelowna

A group of UBC Okanagan creative writing students is wrapping up a project that will make a local park a welcoming haven for Okanagan residents.

Under the direction of Creative Writing Lecturer Umar Turaki, the students studied, learned about and visited Woodhaven Nature Conservancy Regional Park from January to March. From those experiences, they created a “welcome package”—including poems, stories, postcards, meditations, a film, maps and illustrations—which will be shared on Saturday.

“We are excited for local residents to join us for a community celebration about this special place and to introduce newcomers to it,” says Turaki. “This launch event will showcase some of these works and give neighbours the chance to view these creative pieces and learn more about this wonderful greenspace.”

Turaki coordinated this project with the non-profit Friends of Woodhaven Nature Conservancy Society, which regularly seeks ways to engage the local area in stewardship efforts.

True to its name, the UBCO course is called Writing and Community Learning and has a rich tradition of generating work that’s relevant to and rooted in Okanagan communities as a way of fulfilling learning objectives, explains Turaki.

“It made sense to continue in this tradition by guiding the students involved to create work that meets the needs of an existing community and makes a real difference in the world. Students get to hone their craft, sharpen their outlook and engage with a little corner of the world they know nothing about, while the community benefits. It’s a beautiful symbiosis and a living example of the principles of community creation and engagement we explore in the class,” he says.

The package will have postcards, a book called Wild Woodhaven: Poems and Activities, another book called Welcome to Woodhaven: A Guide to Connection, and a small handout with a map that shows how to live well near Woodhaven. Some items from the package will be given away on Saturday; the full package will be delivered to new residents of the Woodhaven neighbourhood.

Thanks to a City of Kelowna Strong Neighbourhoods Grant, the UBCO students will also offer refreshments and show a short 10-minute film they created.

This event builds on the UBCO’s Dig Your Neighbourhood project that Creative Writing Instructor Nancy Holmes worked on with her students from 2012 to 2014. Holmes is now an emeritus professor as well as a member of the Friends of Woodhaven.

“UBCO has such a long, rich history with the park, this is yet one more wonderful asset we helped create,” says Holmes. “There are some pretty interesting items in the package, including an impressive archival history of nearly every art event and workshop that has taken place in Woodhaven and at the Eco Culture Centre.”

Through an agreement with the Regional District, the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies manages the Woodhaven Eco Culture Centre, which is right next door to the park. UBC faculty have hosted a number of events in the area and it can be used by artists or writers who are engaged in visual arts, digital arts, performance, social and community-based artistic practices.

The public is invited to attend this event at the Woodhaven Nature Conservancy Regional Park on Saturday, April 26, between 10 am and noon. Some of the materials will be available for purchase and will support student initiatives.

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What: Voices in Bloom opera concert
Who: Opera Kelowna, UBC Opera, 14 student and alumni performers
When: Saturday, April 12 at 7:30 pm
Where: Mary Irwin Theatre, Rotary Centre for the Arts, Kelowna

Opera Kelowna presents Voices in Bloom—a special evening featuring the next generation of talent from the University of British Columbia’s opera program.

Partially sponsored by UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, the event is co-hosted by Opera Kelowna’s Artistic Director Rosemary Thomson and Director of the UBC Opera program, Professor Nancy Hermiston. The concert features more than a dozen emerging opera artists—students and alumni of UBC Opera—as they take the stage to perform music from well-known composers like Mozart, Puccini, Verdi and more.

The audience will enjoy an evening of beautiful music while supporting up-and-coming opera singers. Proceeds from the performance will support Opera Kelowna’s Valley Opera Summer Intensive emerging artist training program and UBC Vancouver’s Opera Department, helping young singers develop their skills and prepare for international careers.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: rotarycentreforthearts.com/events/event/VoicesinBloom25

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Who: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Media Studies students What: Everything and Then Some, fourth-year art exhibition Where: Creative and Critical Studies Building, 1148 Research Road, UBC Okanagan Opening Reception: Thursday, April 17, 6 to 9 pm Exhibition: April 17 to 25, open daily from 10 am to 4 pm Known as a much-anticipated event, the annual showcase for graduating art students at UBC Okanagan is set to open its doors next week. The year-end exhibition for students graduating from UBCO’s Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Bachelor of Media Studies (BMS) programs marks a milestone moment for this year’s class, says Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies Studio Instructor David Doody. “This annual exhibition is the culmination of four years of dedication, exploration and artistic growth from our students and encapsulates the excitement surrounding the completion of their degrees,” says Doody. “This is by far my favourite time of the year—watching our students approaching the home stretch of their degree. Over the past four years, they have honed their skills and polished their crafts, and now are ready to share their work with the community.” This year’s exhibition is titled Everything and Then Some and Doody notes the prolific work of the graduating students created a bit of a challenge for organizers. “The 2025 collection is particularly huge and we were worried about fitting everyone’s works in the show, in a way that also supports their practice,” says Doody. “The sheer volume of projects is a testament to the dedication of our students.” Everything and Then Some not only represents the individual achievements of each artist but also the deep-rooted sense of community created throughout their academic journey, explains BMS student Landen Kielpinski. “I want to applaud all my peers for the countless hours of dedication and creativity that went into this exhibition,” he says. “This final showcase is not merely a culmination of our hard work but a celebration of our time together at UBCO.” BFA student Frederick Thacker elaborates on this sentiment and the close ties created by the graduating students. “Sharing studios with the same people for four years creates a strong bond. I’m going to miss everyone.” Doody says the fourth-year BFA and BMS art show is more than an exhibition—it is a celebration of passion, community and creative expression of the graduating students. “We have such an amazing group of talented individuals. These students have put their heart and soul into this exhibition,” says Doody. “It is just so great to see the fruits of their labours, their hard work and their dedication. Everyone should experience this extraordinary collection of work and witness the next generation of creatives take centre stage.” The community is welcome to the on-campus opening reception on April 17, from 6 to 9 pm. Everything and Then Some is a free, public exhibit and is open daily from April 17 to 25, from 10 am to 4 pm. For more information visit: fccs.ok.ubc.ca/bfa-exhibition. The post UBCO graduating students host year-end art exhibition appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

Anyone who has stood in wonder while visiting a European cathedral or Gothic building, wondering how such architectural marvels were constructed, will appreciate the newest offering from UBC Okanagan Continuing and Professional Education.

Starting April 26, UBCO is presenting “Western Europe Transformed: Art in the Gothic Era.” The new course explores how dramatic cultural and religious transformations manifested through soaring cathedrals, luminous stained glass and intricate illuminated manuscripts during this pivotal period of European history, explains Dr. Hussein Keshani, Art History and Visual Culture Program Coordinator.

“The Gothic period of European art and architecture is fascinating,” he adds. “In our upcoming course, participants will dive into how Europeans celebrated Christianity—a faith that began in the Middle East. They will also explore the complex relationship between these regions, which still influences our culture and politics today.”

Dr. Keshani says this latest offering follows an enthusiastic community response to its inaugural medieval art course “Through a Glass Darkly” launched in December. This newest course invites participants to unravel the mystical beauty of Gothic art and architecture.

He notes there was strong community interest in the first course, and this reflects a broader desire for people to engage meaningfully with visual culture.

Course instructor Elizabeth Loeffler says that while the Gothic course naturally follows the progression of December’s European art history, newcomers are welcome to attend.

“Although the content builds from the material in the Romanesque course, I will be laying the groundwork for learning about Gothic art and architecture with the same core fundamentals, and introducing works without assuming that learners have prior knowledge of terms and historical figures.”

Loeffler sees the Gothic course as an opportunity to continue exploring the visual language of the Middle Ages.

“Art and architecture in the Middle Ages were overwhelmingly expressions of a collective desire to touch the Divine, a godhead that could only be seen imperfectly through the eyes of humanity in a mundane world,” she says. “In the Gothic era, this desire was evidenced by the mystical use of light and increased height in church spaces, as well as the proliferation of sculptural decoration and painted works. Additionally, illuminated manuscripts reveal the unique worldview of individual patrons who commissioned their creations. We’ll also see that artists could be incredibly imaginative and were not without a sense of humour.”

The six-week course explores how Western Europe experienced profound change during the Gothic period, examining buildings and artwork infused with Christian mystical themes. Participants will enhance their ability to read and interpret the visual arts from this time of cultural exchange and transformation.

The course, offered by the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, is available through UBC Okanagan Continuing and Professional Education and costs $195. Classes will take place on campus on Saturdays from 1 to 3 pm starting April 26. No prior experience or participation in the previous Romanesque course is required.

For more information and to register, visit: cpe.ok.ubc.ca/courses/western-europe-transformed-art-in-the-gothic-era

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What: Student Okanagan Film Festival
Who:  Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies students, faculty and staff, general public
When: Monday, April 28 at 7 pm
Where: University Theatre, ADM 026, 1138 Alumni Ave., UBC Okanagan

The call is now out for all emerging filmmakers to make the final cut and get their work ready for judging.

Each spring, UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies (FCCS) hosts the Student Okanagan Film Festival. The festival screens short films from a wide range of genres including mini-documentary, experimental films, music videos, animation and narrative shorts.

Emerging filmmakers from any school in the Okanagan are invited to submit their work for the chance to be included in the festival screening. A panel of jurors, consisting of UBCO student and faculty volunteers, will narrow the selections to an hour of programming, explains Visual Arts Professor and event co-organizer Myron Campbell.

“I’m really excited for this year’s Student Okanagan Film Festival,” says Campbell. “The talent we’ve seen over the years has been impressive, and we’re thrilled to share these films with the public. It’s a great opportunity for students across the Okanagan to showcase their hard work to an appreciative audience. It also makes a perfect end-of-year celebration.”

This annual event includes films from any student in the Okanagan, including those at UBC Okanagan, all regional high schools and local colleges.

Campbell co-organizes the event along with FCCS faculty members Michael V. Smith and Daniel Keyes. He notes films more than 15 minutes long are less likely to be selected, as the goal is to keep the screening to about 75 minutes to highlight a diverse array of submitted works.

“We’re hopeful to see voices from more schools in the area represented this year,” adds Campbell. “It’s inspiring to watch the festival grow and to see the amazing creative work coming from students in the region.”

To be eligible, filmmakers must be a registered student in any Okanagan school and their film must have been produced anytime in 2024 or 2025.

The screening of the selected short films takes place Monday, April 28 in UBCO’s University Theatre, starting at 7 pm. This event is open to the public. Admission is by donation and all proceeds support awards and future festival programming.

The films are due by April 15. Submission and event details can be found at: fccs.ok.ubc.ca/about/events-workshops/film-festival.

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What: Art on the Line gala and fundraiser
Who: Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies students, faculty, local artists
When: Saturday, March 15, from 6 to 10 pm
Where: Engineering, Management and Education building, UBC Okanagan, 1137 Alumni Avenue, Kelowna
Cost: $200 per ticket, which admits two people and guarantees one piece of artwork. General admission, $10 at the door

It’s that time of year for art lovers to head to UBC’s Okanagan campus for the annual Art on the Line fundraiser.

Art on the Line is organized by Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies (FCCS) students and faculty as a fundraiser for fine arts and media studies students. The annual event is organized by FCCS students in a fourth-year practicum class, and led by Visual Arts Instructor David Doody.

“The night consists of a fantastic display of artwork, where guests are invited to choose from approximately 160 pieces of art that speak to them,” explains Doody. “Guests are also welcome to beverages and food during the night as they browse the exhibition and chat with artists. The artwork is then chosen by guests in the lottery portion of the event as the night progresses—an exciting way to claim art.”

Every guest will go home with a piece of art, each donated by fine arts and media studies students, visual arts faculty and staff as well as local artists. Each guest selects a piece of donated work they would like to take home. However, no one knows until their ticket is pulled which piece they will have the opportunity of actually claiming as theirs, explains Doody.

Laura McCarthy, a fourth-year Bachelor of Media Studies student and one of the organizers, says having the opportunity to help organize one of the biggest events on campus has been a great learning opportunity.

“I’m extremely thankful to have been a part of the practicum class. Helping plan Art on the Line was also a fantastic way to learn how to run, curate and prepare an event, and I can feel confident in using these skills in the future,” she says. “This class helped me make connections in the Kelowna artistic community and take my first steps into the professional world as an artist.”

Proceeds from the event support UBCO visual arts student exhibitions, including the fourth-year show, the visiting artist program, opportunities for travel grants and exhibitions, as well as the KGH Foundation—an organization dedicated to providing mental health services and counselling to young people in the Okanagan.

“We are thrilled with the number of artworks donated by our students, faculty, staff and alumni,” adds Doody. “There are some great pieces of art for people to take home.”

Art on the Line takes place on Saturday, March 15, at 6 pm in the Engineering, Management and Education building on the UBC Okanagan campus. Tickets are $200 for two people and this ticket guarantees one piece of art. People who would like to attend and view the exhibition but not take anything home can purchase a ticket at the door for $10.

“We are so excited to host this event again,” says Doody. “Each year, the students work so hard on it. To see everthing come together for this fun night with art lovers in the community is such a great experience for me as an instructor and artist.”

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: fccs.ok.ubc.ca/artontheline

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