UBCO celebrates 10 years in Kelowna

KELOWNA, B.C. – A free opera concert was held Monday night at the Kelowna Community Theatre to celebrate UBC Okanagan’s 10th anniversary in Kelowna.

“I understand we bring close to a billion dollars a year of economic activity to the region in terms of the add-on activity that comes from our campus, the 10,000 people who are on our campus every day, a mixture of students and professors and staff with well-paying jobs,” said Deborah Buszard, UBCO Principal and UBC Deputy Vice Chancellor. “I think we’ve certainly added a lot to the prosperity in the region.”

Buszard emphasized UBC’s commitment to the Okanagan campus into the future.

“I’m fully anticipating that the city of Kelowna will become very much influenced as we grow, by the university, our graduates, our ideas, the industries that come and partner with us and the health system,” she said.

And while the university campus influences the City, Buszard says UBCO has adopted some of the nature of the Okanagan as well.

In 2005, about 3,500 students were enrolled for the first semester of UBCO. In 2015, that number grew to 8,500.

The concert celebration Monday night featured 30 performers from UBC’s Opera program in Vancouver.