The Sharron Simpson Family Community Engagement Endowment Fund (SSFCEEF) supports experiential learning opportunities at UBC Okanagan Library that establish and enhance impactful university-community relationships with an emphasis on raising awareness of public history and regional identity. Successful applicants work with community partners and university mentors on their proposed project while gaining valuable skills in collaboration, secondary research, project management, and knowledge dissemination.
This year, PhD biology student Karina Jarzecki’s project Digging Up Our Roots was awarded funding through SSFCEEF. This research project will focus on the agricultural history of the Okanagan Valley, moving beyond wine grapes and tree fruit to recover a fuller, more comprehensive picture of agriculture in the Okanagan.
“It is essential to look back to know how we should move forward; understanding which crops thrived historically, how Indigenous food systems sustained communities for generations, and what native plants hold potential for future production can inform more resilient agricultural futures.”
Through this project, Jarzecki will explore archival records on campus and in the community to produce a visual timeline of Okanagan Valley agricultural history. This timeline will be displayed as a portable mural alongside free zines with heritage recipes and seed sachets from UBCO Seed Library.
Learn more about the Sharron Simpson Family Community Engagement Endowment Fund and the projects funded in the past.