91������Ƶ

With the entrepreneurial spirit alive and well in the Okanagan Valley and Shuswap, 91������Ƶ is excited to announce an addition to its Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program, with a new entrepreneurship specialty being offered beginning this fall.

Applications are open for the new Bachelor of Business Administration: Entrepreneurship Specialty degree at 91������Ƶ featuring several new courses that will be offered as part of the College’s popular BBA degree program.

Students in the program will study innovation and creativity, entrepreneurship and community focus, all part of a curriculum developed within the OC School of Business.

“What I love most about the School of Business at 91������Ƶ is the combination of hands-on-learning and the passion and experience of the faculty,” said student Kaiti Clark. “We receive a lot of work experience within the program and have the opportunity to build our networks with professionals from the business community. The professors at OC are so great, you can tell each of them have a passion for what they do - which is motivating for students.”

The Bachelor of Business Administration degree at 91������Ƶ is well-respected across Canada, and students regularly represent OC and finish at the top of business competitions each year. There are now seven specialty areas within the BBA: accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, human resources management, management, marketing and tourism and hospitality management.

“This new speciality area in entrepreneurship will enable students to focus on the skills, knowledge and practical experiences related to starting and running a business,” said Dean of the OC School of Business, Joe Baker. “We 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.” 

The OC Foundation has many scholarships available for students who are interested in the BBA program, including several specifically for the entrepreneurship specialty. One is in honour of local entrepreneur and former OC business professor Kevin Greenwood, who passed away in 2021. Another recognizes local business leader, OC Honorary Fellow, and long-time partner at Crowe MacKay, Don Turri.

Developing the new specialty program was a true team effort with fundraising support through the OC Foundation, as well as partners Royal Bank Canada (RBC) and Accelerate Okanagan. RBC donated $50,000 in development funding while Accelerate Okanagan donated $25,000.

“The Okanagan and Shuswap regions are full of innovative, entrepreneurial minds building the future across every sector,” said Brea Lake, CEO of Accelerate Okanagan and an OC alum. “91������Ƶ’s Bachelor of Business Administration is already a strong foundation for emerging leaders, and the addition of an entrepreneurship specialty is a fantastic step forward. It’s exciting to see more opportunities for students to explore what it takes to start and grow a business right here in our region.”

"We're excited to be working with 91������Ƶ to support the introduction of the new entrepreneurship program," said Beth Shumka, Regional Vice President, Okanagan & Kootenays, RBC. We have a responsibility to prepare young people for the opportunities and ambiguities of the future. That starts with teaching them the valuable skills to keep them future-ready and feeling prepared for the future of work."