College of The Rockies

History

James Patterson, a hard rock miner in Kimberley’s Sullivan Mine and a member of the local School Board recognized the need for apprenticeship training in the East Kootenay region of BC.

On May 8, 1975, East Kootenay Community College (EKCC) was established.
In May 1995, a request from East Kootenay Community College to change its name to College of the Rockies was approved.

Education

College of The Rockies serves a regional population of close to 83,000 people, guided by their Mission, Vision, and Values, and through the leadership of their President and Board of Governors. Each year, they provide instruction in a wide variety of programmes to approximately 2100 full-time equivalent (FTE) students, including close to 200 international (FTE) students from more than 30 countries.

Research

At College of the Rockies we are dedicated to finding innovative solutions to real-world challenges in our Rocky Mountain region, through community and industry partnerships with faculty and student researchers.

Here are some of the ways we typically offer research support:

Connect you with others doing research in your area of interest (colleagues, businesses, community groups, other academic institutions)
Identify funding opportunities in your area and assist in writing grant applications
Coordinate logistics for research with external partners
Provide a venue for discussion of innovative ideas and topics of interest (brainstorming sessions, networking meetings, etc.)

Career

College of the Rockies can assist with:

Career exploration
Developing a career plan
Choosing programs and courses
Understanding how the post-secondary system works
Developing a university transfer plan
Checking you have all the courses required to complete your chosen program
Providing you with referrals to community agencies
Listening to your concerns about academic progress and developing strategies for success

Student services

At College of the Rockies, the values include supporting students throughout every step of their education journey. Book an in-person or an online appointment to discuss any of the services below early,

College of the Rockies provides assistance to ease your transition into college-life by providing:

Education Advising/Career Planning, including Indigenous and international advising
Counselling and Wellness
Accessibility Services
Financial Aid and Awards
Student Employment Services

Housing services

It’s important to start planning for your housing early. On-campus housing will fill up quickly and off-campus housing options may take time to secure. If you plan to live in Student Housing, it is recommended that you apply as soon as you have received your College of the Rockies Student Number.

Student housing has:

Internet
Mail Service
Laundry
Common Rooms

Library services

The Learning Commons is a place where you can: study, work in groups, seek tutoring support, find research support, look for books and search databases, and ask questions to help you get ahead in your classes. While the physical locations of the Learning Commons is in the Kootenay Centre Building in Cranbrook, their services are available virtually for every student.

ICT services

eduroam is a secure, world-wide roaming access service developed for the international research and education community.

eduroam allows students, researchers and employees at any College of the Rockies’ campus to obtain internet connectivity across campus and when visiting other participating institutions by simply opening your laptop.

Medical services

ASEQ | Studentcare is the leading provider of student health and dental plans in Canada, serving over 1,000,000 students at more than 95 post-secondary institutions/student associations across the country.

In addition to health and dental coverage, they offer a series of innovative services that provide mental health support, legal assistance, virtual health care, and more.

Campus life

The Main Campus and Gold Creek Campus are in Cranbrook. There are also regional campuses in Creston, Fernie, Golden, and Invermere, which offer unique programs and courses.

Sports facilities

The Gym is available for use for all College of the Rockies students.

Students can utilize open Gym time for any activity you would like. Just reach out to the Student Life team to set-up the type of equipment you will require. (e.g. Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, Pickleball, Badminton, Ping Pong, or Spike Ball).