Olds College hosted its annual open house on April 6, giving prospective students and the general public the opportunity to tour the campus and get a glimpse of some of the many programs the college offers.
Wood turning demonstrations, land and environmental management displays, shoeing demonstrations by farrier students and Ernest Mengersen's personal insect collection of about 1,000 different species were some of the displays throughout the campus.
Mengersen, a former entomology instructor at the college for 28 years, collected the samples from southern Alberta, Oregon and locally. Ken Fry, a current entomology instructor, said the collection represents an important scientific record of what species existed in a certain location at a specific point in time. He said the collection becomes even more important when viewed in the context of climate change, agricultural practices and/or loss of habitat.
This year's fashion show, the last at Olds College before the fashion programs move to the Bow Valley College campus in September, featured designs from students in toiles, favourite things, knits, Victorian designs and couture. With the impending move – and the college's centennial this year – “Design 2013” was a good opportunity to thank the community for the support over the years and launch the next phase of the program, said Robert Laflamme, coordinator of the college's apparel technology program.
“We wanted to do a really big one to say, ‘Thank you,'” he said.
With the move in September, Laflamme said the program will be able to take advantage of the proximity of the industry.
“The advantage to that is because we're going to be closer to our industry. Our industry is really all in Calgary or the bigger centres. When the offer was given to Olds College to move to Calgary, they didn't know what program would move (initially). Really, the best one that fit the urban setting was the fashion program,” he said.
The fashion marketing and apparel program will occupy nearly 2,800 square metres – the entire seventh floor of Bow Valley College's downtown campus.
Laflamme said the move will also be easier for students when taking field trips, getting fabric and, for the costume program, theatres will all be in close proximity.
Laflamme said since prospective students have found out about the move, interest is growing in the program.
“We foresee that the program is at least going to double in a few years by us being in an urban setting,” he said.
