Scotiabank’s support for College initiative translates into help for local non-profits

A renewed commitment from Scotiabank will help Okanagan College students and faculty continue their efforts to assist non-profit organizations. 

Scotiabank announced a $100,000 gift Thursday to the Centre for Non-Profit Excellence at the Okanagan College School of Business. Led by College professors Dr. Kyleen Myrah and Kerry Rempel, the Centre employs students to research and develop initiatives that benefit and provide support to non-profit organizations in the region.  

“We believe the students at Okanagan College are our leaders of tomorrow, and an investment in them is the pathway to community prosperity,” says Zak Khokhar, District Vice President for Scotiabank.

“This contribution will help create a better life for the people in the communities we serve and help students reach their infinite potential.” 

Scotiabank helped launch the Centre in 2014 with an initial gift of $100,000. The current donation will ensure the Centre can reach its next-phase goals.   

The Centre helps non-profit organizations improve capacity and achieve more sustainable operations by offering training to fill gaps. Since 2014, student researchers have worked with non-profits in the social services, sport and culture sectors to identify and address areas of greatest need. 

“The Centre is a point of pride for Okanagan College because it both creates real value for the non-profit sector and provides students with research experience working for a good cause,” explains Jim Hamilton, President of Okanagan College. “Scotiabank’s welcome support is evidence that it realizes the impact this initiative has had and can continue to have in the future.” 

Currently the Scotiabank Centre for Non-Profit Excellence is focusing on increasing training opportunities and adapting the information to make it more accessible to a broader range of organizations. 

“It’s an incredible opportunity to apply the skills I am learning in my courses to the projects I’m working on at the Centre,” says Carly Suddard, a fourth-year Bachelor of Business Administration and one of four current student researchers.

Suddard’s area of focus with the Centre is impact reporting. She is currently updating the curriculum package and developing an online version to be shared with a wider audience. 

“Being a researcher has given me a whole new perspective on the needs of non-profits. They face a lot of challenges and training opportunities are not widely available or feasible for many of them,” she says.

More information on the Scotiabank Centre for Non-Profit Excellence and resources for non-profit organizations can be found at okanagan.bc.ca/npc.