UBC Okanagan honours professors and staff for years of service

Lisa Castle vice-president UBC Human Resources, (left) and Deborah Buszard deputy vice-chancellor and principal of UBC Okanagan, (third from left) congratulate Jan Gattrell, Connie Neid, Edward Neeland, Paul Phillips, Michael Treschow, Alan Davidson, Melanie Jones, and Paul Gabias for their reaching the 25-year milestone in their careers.

Decades of employment to post-secondary sector celebrated at annual event

The year was 1980 and while 83 million television viewers wondered ‘who shot J.R.?’, Mount St. Helens, Terry Fox, and John Lennon’s death grabbed the headlines.

That same year, Diana French, associate professor of Anthropology and head of Community, Culture and Global Studies at UBC Okanagan began her post-secondary teaching career.

Fast-forward 35 years; the world has changed a lot. The institution where French began her teaching career has split into UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College; both offering a vast variety of educational programs. And Kelowna is a much different place to live.

This week, faculty and staff who have served for more than 25 years were celebrated at the university’s annual Long Service Recognition Dinner.

“This region has a great history in post-secondary education. We can trace the history of both UBC Okanagan and today’s Okanagan College to the creation of Okanagan Regional College 51 years ago,” said Pauline Brandes, director of Human Resources at UBC Okanagan. “Our honourees this evening have been part of building a remarkable college and university system for this province — and one that serves the Okanagan in extraordinary ways.”

Along with French, more than 15 employees were honoured for 25 years of service. Honourees include:

• Jan Cioe, associate professor, Head of Psychology
• Alan Davidson, associate professor, Health and Exercise Sciences
• Paul Gabias, associate professor, Psychology
• Jan Gattrell, community engagement Librarian
• John Greenough, professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Laura Hooker, associate professor, Biology
• Melanie Jones, professor, Biology
• Oliver Lovesey, associate professor, English
• Laurie Macdonald, senior instructor, Social Work
• Edward Neeland, associate professor, Chemistry
• Connie Neid, assistant to director, Campus Operations and Risk Management
• Paul Phillips, associate professor, Chemistry
• Michael Pidwirny, associate professor, Physical Geography
• Michael Treschow, associate professor, English
• Ricardo Trumper, associate professor, Sociology

Also on hand to celebrate the many years of service were Deborah Buszard, deputy vice-chancellor and principal of UBC Okanagan, and Lisa Castle, vice-president UBC Human Resources.

Diana French, associate professor of Anthropology and Head of Community, Culture and Global Studies at UBC Okanagan, was honoured this week for 35 years of service.

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