Every year, students can expect something different on campus at UBC Okanagan when a new SUO executive team is elected. Undoubtedly one of the most active times of the year is the start of the new academic term in September. New students are starting at UBC Okanagan, and current students are returning to their community on campus. In the past, a large concert known as FROSH and funded by the SUO was held at the beginning of the winter term to get students excited for the year ahead; previous headliners featured big names such as NLE Choppa and Lil Pump.
This year’s Vice-President of Campus Life, Ashley Kyei-Badu, is hoping to switch things up with how campus life has historically been approached. With a fresh approach in mind, and wanting to go beyond just throwing parties, Kyei-Badu commented on her objectives for this year:
“A lot of my goals this year are based on community building, making things accessible and affordable for students, and making spaces for people to form meaningful relationships. [I want to] focus on smaller and recurring events that take place throughout the year.”
The SUO formed the plan of hosting smaller and more intimate concerts throughout the academic year, naming this string of three separate concerts Heatwave. The first concert took place on November 6th, 2025, and was headlined by Grammy-winning artist, Alex Cuba. The Cuban-Canadian jazz singer takes a step away from the custom of hosting a hip-hop artist that previous Campus Life executives had stuck to. This event was put on in conjunction with the Latin American Student Organization (LASO), intending to promote different cultures on campus.
A lot goes into planning a major concert: logistics, time, effort, and most importantly money. Kyei-Badu expressed that past FROSH concerts consumed large amounts of the Campus Life budget, which took away from other events and experiences for students. Getting a big name for FROSH is also difficult, and it was explained that 2024’s headliner, NLE Choppa, was a very unique situation where the SUO was able to reach a rare circumstantial agreement with the artist. Nevertheless, Kyei-Badu still recognized the importance of live music to students, stating that she “didn’t want to take that live music experience away from students, but it wasn’t worth the risk to invest so much into one concert because our funds were limited.”
This decision was also made in the name of student safety, as there was concern in regards to various dangerous incidents that had taken place at previous FROSH concerts. The first Heatwave concert was held in the Well on campus, leading to it being a 19+ event. In the future, the SUO will host an all-ages Heatwave concert so all students can have the chance to attend a performance if they wish.
SUO President, Peter Idoko, understands the preferences of students to have a larger concert, but wants them to keep an open mind:
“We urge students to have some grace with us, because at the end of the day we are doing our best to cater to their needs. I think the SUO offers a lot more than one concert a year. FROSH is not the SUO’s one thing.”
Since the start of the academic year, the SUO has held many different events at affordable prices for students, including baseball watch parties, wine and paint nights, trivia, halloween parties, karaoke, and so much more. With such diverse demand from the student population, it can be difficult to meet various wants and needs. By decreasing the amount spent on one concert right at the beginning of the year, the SUO will be able to put on more events that attract more students.
Next term, the SUO is planning on organizing two more concerts, and Kyei-Badu says there will be “[a] variety of genres and [a] variety of experiences for students. [...] Expect the unexpected.” No other teasers were given, however it is clear that things will look different based on the first Heatwave concert the SUO hosted. Even with persistent requests for a famous artist and a large concert, Kyei-Badu thinks this will provide an opportunity for students to push themselves out of their comfort zone and try something new: “don’t be afraid of change or things looking differently, that doesn't mean things will be bad.”
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