Get the inside story on tackling your first year
For many new students at Concordia this fall, starting university can be a daunting experience. That is why Concordia’s Department of Counselling and Development has developed a thorough orientation program to help students make a smoother transition to university life.
Marlene Gross, manager of Services for New Students and the Student Success Centre, encourages all new students to take advantage of Concordia’s orientation programs: “Students meet people and learn about services that can be very helpful to them during their studies at Concordia. Orientation is also a great way to network with other new and returning students.”
The orientation programs are just one of the many services available to students by Concordia’s Office of Student and Enrolment Services — Your Campus, Your Success, Your Student Services.
Discover Concordia – Aug. 28, 29, 30
A good place to start is the Discover Concordia orientation sessions. New undergraduate students from all Faculties, and independent students, are invited to attend one of three sessions.
The orientation begins with a welcome session in which some of the university’s senior administrators, as well as members of the Concordia Student Union (CSU), welcome students to Concordia. This is followed by a skit from the Student Success Centre that provides information about the centre and its mentors.
“They explain how they can help new students as they navigate their way through their first year at Concordia,” says Gross. “Students also learn about many of the student services and university resources available to help them have a successful and enjoyable university experience.”
The orientation concludes with a Faculty connection session, where participants meet with the Student Affairs personnel from their own Faculties. Here, students have the opportunity to socialize and network while they gather important information specific to their Faculty. And at Discover Concordia, there are always refreshments to be served and raffle prizes to be won.
Graduate Student Orientation – Sept. 7
While the Discover Concordia orientation is geared towards incoming undergraduate students, Counselling and Development offers a similar orientation program tailored to the needs of new graduate students.
Students enrolled in MA, PhD, graduate certificate and graduate diploma programs are invited to attend this half-day orientation session on September 7 where they will learn about the university and its services, hear from a panel of speakers representing different aspects of graduate student life, and network with fellow graduate students and faculty members.
First Year Experience Seminars
Attending orientation is a positive way to kick-start the year. However, many students may seek extra support throughout the term. This is where the seminar series proves useful, offering how-to workshops on a variety of topics.
The First Year Experience Seminars, held early in the fall term, are suitable for all first-year Concordia students. Covering topics such as Introduction to Effective Writing, Plan More – Stress Less, and Connecting to University Life, these seminars give new students the right tools for success in their university careers.
Concordia also offers Student Experience Seminars, geared towards all students at the university, new or returning. Participants benefit from the knowledge and experience of fellow students as they learn strategies and gain insight from a student perspective.
Graduate Experience Seminars
Graduate students can benefit from Graduate Experience Seminars. With such topics as Writing for Publication, Developing a Graduate CV for Academic Positions and Writing Your Graduate Thesis, participants gain useful information and strategies, as well as unique opportunities to network.
All of these programs are available free of charge.
It is often said that students only get out of the university experience as much as they are willing to put into it, and the orientation programs are a great place to start.
“The welcome they receive as well as the information about all the resources and regulations help them integrate into the community and results in a more positive overall university experience,” says Gross.
Registration
To register for the events, log into the MyConcordia portal, click on Student Services, then Counselling and Development, then Orientation and Events Calendar. For a complete list of orientation events, see the Orientation page on the Counselling and Development site.
Related links:
• Discover Concordia
• Graduate Student Orientation
• Information on workshops and events, including the Seminar Series and Graduate Experience Seminars
• Orientations (Counselling and Development site)
• MyConcordia portal (event registration)