College honours Jim Hamilton with special award

Jim Hamilton’s many years of leadership at Okanagan College will be recognized by the school at an upcoming ceremony.

The Vernon resident will be presented with the college’s distinguished service award on June 10, during a convocation and commencement ceremony at OC’s Kelowna campus.

The award is presented to employees who have contributed in exemplary and significant ways to the college, and who are active in the broader OC community.

Hamilton was the president of Okanagan College for 17 years before retiring in 2021. His leadership tenure began in 2004, as the institution transitioned from being a university college.

“While he was at the helm, OC was the only college in the province to meet or exceed student enrolment targets each year, all while the number of programs available were also rising,” a news release from the school stated.

Hamilton helped bring about $170 million in capital projects to the college’s sites across the region, including trades buildings in Penticton, Kelowna, Salmon Arm and Vernon, and new student housing for Kelowna, Vernon and Salmon Arm.

“At the time of his retirement, Jim Hamilton was the longest-serving president across all colleges in British Columbia,” Dr. Neil Fassina, current president of Okanagan College, said. “Over the years, Jim’s focus on students and supporting them at every stage has set the example for everyone at Okanagan College.”

Fassina said Hamilton provided leadership during a time when the college was growing quickly, with fulltime student enrolment increasing rapidly between 2005 and 2019, and several new buildings constructed in Vernon, Kelowna, Salmon Arm and Penticton.

Hamilton says he is both grateful and proud of his many years with OC, which date back into the 1980s when he was an English professor at the Vernon and Kelowna campuses for about 10 years. Following that, he was a member of the Okanagan University College Board from 1992 to 1998.

“Little did I know back in 1980 that a part-time position in Vernon would lead to such a rewarding and long association with the college,” Hamilton remarked. “It was an honour to work with so many engaged and committed students, employees, and community members, and I accept this award as much on their behalf as my own. OC’s significant success has been a joint effort based on a shared vision for expanding access for more post-secondary learners to more programs throughout the region.”

In 2016, Hamilton received a distinguished service award from Colleges and Institutes Canada, where he served as a board member for a term, recognizing his leadership in the sector nationally.

And while he is now retired, Hamilton continues to be involved locally and provincially. He is the current co-chair of the British Columbia Council on Admission and Transfer, a member of the Thompson Rivers University Board of Governors, and a member of the Okanagan College Foundation’s Sunflower Fundraising Committee, in support of the child care centre being built at the Vernon campus.