Orientation activities for Conestoga’s 2018-19 academic year began August 20 and this year the college welcomed a record number of students.
Zack Dodge, Marketing and Events manager with Conestoga Students Inc., welcomed students at an Orientation event held at Conestoga's Recreation Centre on August 28.
According to Student Engagement manager Amy Baird, approximately 6,000 students participated in fall Orientation activities across Conestoga campuses including the Ingersoll Skills Training Centre and the living classrooms at University Gates and Riverside Glen.
The Orientation numbers include more than 2,100 new international students who are attending Conestoga this September; the college’s total international student population has now climbed to more than 6,000 students across five campuses.
Designed to support them as they transition successfully to the college, Orientation provides an opportunity for new students to meet program faculty and learn about services available on campus. Activities were supported by 300 Student Engagement and International Office volunteers, and approximately 150 volunteers who assisted with program orientations.
A number of post-Orientation activities have also been scheduled to support students. In addition to an LGBTQ2+ Welcome Night and a Mature Student Welcome Session, Baird said that new events this September include an Indigenous Student Welcome Night and a Degree Student Welcome Session.
Conestoga’s Student Engagement team, formerly Student Life, meets the needs of students through innovative programming designed to achieve goals with learning outcomes-based initiatives including the Co-Curricular Record, Orientation, the Respect Campaign, the Connect Leadership Workshop Series, Campus Service Learning, and various student volunteer and committee opportunities.
Visit the Student Engagement website for more information.